OUR PRODUCTIONS ARE SPONSORED IN PART BY THE FOLLOWING:

Kumu Kahua productions are supported in part by The Kim Coco Fund for Justice of the Iwamoto Family Foundation, Timothy and Eddie, the NME Fund of the Hawaiʻi Community Foundation, the Island Insurance Foundation, The State Foundation on Culture and the Arts, through appropriations from the Legislature of the State of Hawaiʻi, The AAPI Community Fund, The Richard Aadland Fund, The Hawaiʻi Tourism Authority, The Honolulu Star-Advertiser, The John R. Halligan Charitable Fund, Spectrum/Charter Communications, ABC Stores, the Gloria Kosasa Gainsley Fund, Hawaiʻi Public Radio, H. Hawaii Media, Simply Storage, HUB Coworking, Vacations Hawaiʻi, Zippy’s Restaurants, Highway Inn, Generations Magazine, CVS/Longs Drugs, HMSA, Hawaiian Electric, MonkeyPod, and other foundations, businesses, and loyal patrons.

sara ward,
PLAYWRIGHT

ABOUT THE PLAYWRIGHT

SARA WARD is a multi-hyphenate theatre practitioner. Her contributions in theatre range from playwriting, props design and spot op to box office management. She has received 4 Poʻokela awards for her prop work from the Hawaiʻi State Theatre Council. In 2019 Sara was awarded the Pierre Bowman Award which is given each year to a person “through whose efforts the life of theater in Hawaiʻi has been uplifted.” 

PLAYWRIGHT'S NOTE

This play started out as a reflection on the COVID-19 pandemic. The pandemic brought a lot of different emotions to my family, we had the tragedy of the loss of our beloved grandmother, the joy of being together in a way that we never had time for until the pandemic, fights, laughter, trying to cook in a tiny apartment with basically no kitchen. It was such a unique time, I thought it would lend itself to some great storytelling.
As I began writing, I learned so much about myself that I had never taken time out to understand. I found myself focusing more and more on a story about a mother and her family. Thanks to “Da Pidgin Guerilla” Lee Tonouchi, I've come to understand a lot more about myself and hopefully that will make me a better person going forward!

Some of this story is true and some of it is made up for your entertainment, but hopefully you will take it in the spirit it is intended which is a flawed woman doing her best for those she loves most. Thank you to Harry Wong III for the patience and the education in script development and for being an awesome director! Thank you to the cast for being so flexible and joyful and overall amazing!! And thank you to my wife and 2 daughters who put up with me and love me despite all my flaws!

harry wong iii,
Director

SHANNON WINPENNY (Marcia) was last seen as Mrs. Wylie in Lend Me a Soprano at MVT where she also directed the murder mystery farce The Game’s Afoot. Shannon has performed in productions such as Clue, The Play That Goes Wrong, Shear Madness, Ken Ludwig’s Baskerville, Boeing Boeing (MVT), Hello, Dolly! and Ken Ludwig’s Fox on the Fairway (DHT). Shannon has also directed and performed in DHT’s annual Murder Mysteries for the past ten years. When not performing, she dedicates her time to teaching performing arts and improv at various schools and theaters around the island.  

KIRSTYN TROMBETTA (Julia) was last in Haoleland (KKT). Previous credits include Cymbeline (HSF), Kimo the Waiter (HCP), Waitress (DHT), Lady MacDuff in Macbeth (HSF), Hedda Gabler (HSF), #iambadatthis (KKT), and Harold and Maude (MVT). 

KRIS10 MISAKI (Kris) is a graduate of Pearl City High School and studied theatre at LCC. She was last seen at KKT in Folks You Meet in Longs by Lee Cataluna.  Her recent credits include Once Upon One Time (LCC), Wild Meat and the Bully Burgers, Aloha Fry-Day, and Aloha Attire (KKT), and Twelfth Night and As You Like It (HSF). 

DARON LAMONT GASKIN (Kaipo) attended the Hawaii Conservatory of Performing Arts at WCC. His recent credits include Titus Andronicus (HSF), Kahahawai/Massie (WCC), Machinal (WCC), and She Kills Monsters (KHSPAC). Awards received include the WCC Theatre Department Commitment to Excellence Award in 2022 and the WCC Theatre Department Exemplary Performance Award in 2022. 

KIRK A. LAPILIO JR. (Travis) recently performed in Lisa Matsumoto's Once Upon One Time Trilogy (MVT), and has also been seen in Lucky Come Hawaiʻi (KKT), The Tempest (HSF), The Watcher of Waipuna (KKT), Folks You Meet in Longs (LCC), King Lear (HSF), Wild Birds and Demigods Anonymous (KKT). He received Poʻokela awards for his ensemble work in King Lear (HSF) and The Clockwork Cutie Revue (LCC). Kirk was the Assistant Director for The Conversion of Kaʻahumanu (KKT).

ALYSIA-LEILA KEPAʻA (Alicia) was most recently seen in Folks You Meet in Longs at KKT. Other credits include Once Upon One Time (LCC), The Paʻakai We Bring (HTY, National and International), Super Aunty (HTY), Royal School (HTY), Wild Meat and the Bully Burgers (KKT), iHula (WCC), Oriental Faddah and Son (WCC), and Titus Andronicus (HSF). Alysia studied abroad at the East 15 Acting School at the University of Essex in the United Kingdom.

JACKIE YOUNG (Dr. Tanaka/Mrs. Hall) has over 30 years of acting experience, having been in plays at TAG (The Heiress), UHM (Merry Wives of Windsor), and KKT(Christmas Cake). She has also been in local T.V. commercials, and in T.V. shows and films (NCIS: Hawaiʻi, Magnum P.I., Hawaiʻi Five-0, Apex, Godzilla vs. Kong, and Midway).

KENIA CHACON (Waitress/Ensemble) studied acting at The Lee Strasberg Theatre and Film Institute. Previous credits include 2nd Apparition in MacBeth, Xaria Jones in Puffs, Mama Morton in Chicago, and Alice Murphy in Bright Star. Since arriving in Hawaiʻi she participated as Stage Manager for The Transylvanian Clockworks (TAG).

ANDREW CHOW (Dr. Wong/Ensemble) has appeared in KKT productions of Lucky Come Hawaiʻi, Specs, Chibariyo, and Othello. Other credits include As you Like It (HSF), One Uddah Midsummah (HSF), Wait Until Dark (MVT), and Romeo and Juliet (HSF). 

DARRYL SORIANO (Assistant Director & Costume Design) was last seen in Beretania Snapshots at KKT. Recent credits include Kāmau Ae (KKT), Haoleland (KKT), Folks You Meet at Longs (KKT). Her previous acting credits include Chinee, Japanee, All Mix Up (UHM), The Watcher of Waipuna (KKT), and 38 Minutes (KKT).This is her second time stage managing, her last adventure was as Stage Manager for Lisa Matsumoto’s Once Upon One Time at LCC. 

STACEY PULMANO (Assistant Director) was introduced to KKT through participation in the most recent cohort of Harry Wong III’s Directors Workshop. Stacey previously assistant directed shows at DHT including Beehive, Kiss Me Kate and Frozen. She is currently the acting teacher for the DHT Shooting Stars program. 

MICHAEL HARADA (Scenic Design) was born and raised in Hawaiʻi. He graduated from the UHM with a BFA. His background encompasses drawing, painting, sculpture, printmaking, photography, illustration, digital media, set design, mask, puppet design and construction. He has shown his work in many exhibitions since the '70s. In the '90s he started collaborating with Monkey Waterfall, a mask and puppet Honolulu based performance group. That began his journey into theatre designing and constructing masks, puppets, props and sets for HTY, KKT, MVT and LCC’s Theatre department, where he taught visual arts until he retired in 2022. Michael continues to produce artwork, design, and construct masks, props and sets. 

KAHANA HO (Sound Design/Lighting Design) most recently has been seen in The Taming of the Shrew (HSF), for which she also worked as audio engineer. She also appeared in KKT’s The Conversion of Kaʻahumanu, other: a Micro Story, Lovey Lee, The Watcher of Waipuna, iHula, Cock-A-Doodle-Doo, and Kāmau Aʻe. She has worked in various productions since 2012 as a set build crewmember, dresser, light and sound designer and operator, stage manager, technical director, & assistant director.

LISA PONCE DE LEON (Hair and Make-Up Design) has been designing hair and makeup for more than a decade. Lisa is a multiple Poʻokela award recipient, and some of her favorite productions include The Rocky Horror Show 2019, Bloody Murder, The Addams Family, Peter and the Starcatcher, A Funny Thing Happened on the Way to the Forum, and Rock Of Ages (MVT); The Wiz, Les Misérables (WCC); and Cat on a Hot Tin Roof (TAG). A working clown, Lisa enjoys face painting at children’s parties and at “fun-raiser” events for groups such as Child Abuse Hawaiʻi and Hospice Hawaiʻi. 

SARA WARD (Properties Design) see Playwright bio.

JACKSON MURPHY (Stage Manager) is a science fiction author and illustrator who's been a long-time theatre attendee, usher, then stage manager. He recently graduated from the University of Hawaiʻi after studying art and communication.  

THEATRE ABBREVIATIONS

Army Community Theatre: ACT
The ARTS at Marks Garage: AMG
All the World's a Stage: ATWAS
Central Theatre Arts Academy: CTAA
Diamond Head Theatre: DHT
EVOLVE Theatre Company: ETC
Hawaiian Mission Houses: HMH
Hawai‘i Opera Theatre: HOT
Hawai‘i Pacific University: HPU
Hawai‘i Shakespeare Festival: HSF
Honolulu Theatre for Youth: HTY
Iona Contemporary Dance Theatre: IONA
Kaimukī High School: KHS
Kumu Kahua Theatre: KKT
KOA Theater: KOA
Kīlauea Military Camp Theater: KMC
Kīpuka Theatre: KT
Leeward Theatre: LCC
Mid-Pacific Institute: MPI
Mānoa Valley Theatre: MVT
‘Ohana Arts: OA
Open Home Performance Network: OHPN
‘Ōhi‘a Productions: OP
On the Spot: OTS
Performing Arts Center of Kapolei: PACK
PlayBuilders of Hawai‘i: PBH
Palikū Theatre: PTW
The Actors’ Group: TAG
University of Hawai‘i Mānoa: UHM
Windward Community College (Palikū): WCC

KUMU KAHUA THEATRE
2025-2026

Managing Director: Donna Blanchard
Artistic Director: Harry Wong III
Office Manager: Sara Ward
Box Office Associates: Alyson Wong, Kathy Dombrigues, Max Pennington & Victoria Amara

BOARD OF DIRECTORS

Acting President: Dann Seki
Recording Secretary: Jason Kanda
Elizabeth Errico
Karen Kaulana
Brook Lee
Annie Macapagal
Marcus Oshiro
Tony Pisculli
Teri Skillman
John H. Y. Wat
Victoria Wei