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MEMORY BEADS

WRITTEN BY DIANE AOKI
MAY 28 – JUNE 28, 2026

Joni knows that Alzheimer’s Disease runs in her family and she fears it will take hold of her mother, and herself. To counteract this, she collects “memory beads” — her family’s immigration story from Okinawa, anecdotes her mother shares about growing up in Hilo, histories unearthed in a family genealogy, and narratives of her own journey toward self-acceptance and empowerment. Collectively, we see that the relationships between mothers and daughters through five generations are the cords that tie these “memory beads” together.

THE QUEEN’S WILL

WRITTEN BY sean t.c. o’malley
AUGUST 20 – SEPTEMBER 20, 2026

In the tumultuous early days of the Territory of Hawai‘i, Princess Theresa Owana Kaʻōhelelani Laʻanui Wilcox Belliveau fights for her freedom and her identity as she is accused of conspiracy to commit forgery of the last will and testament of Queen Liliʻuokalani. The Princess and her legal team struggle to expose the lies, contradictions, secrets, and bribes in the testimony of increasingly eccentric witnesses. Finally she must decide who she is and what she must do in the aftermath of this highly sensational 1918 trial. The Queen's Will is based on historical events which are little-known in the present day.

KUPUA

WRITTEN BY Hailiʻopua Baker
October 29 – November 29, 2026

Kupua presents two traditional stories: “Ka ʻEnuhe” and “Ka Puhi a me Ka Loli,” that explore the perilous allure of hidden appetites that masquerade as love or comfort while quietly consuming the life of the ʻohana. In each story, kupua embody forces that drain sustenance and vitality under cover of night, and it is only through vigilance and decisive action that balance is restored. Together, the plays suggest that survival depends on seeing clearly, confronting deception, and protecting the bonds of family and community from what would quietly devour them.