HOLDEN & ARTS ASSOCIATES

Hello Friends,

In difficult and exhausting times, we ground ourselves in our values. We find strength and purpose in our relationships with our artists, our presenting partners, and our audiences. We are proud to share the touring roster for 2026 - 2027 and to continue our commitment to sharing stories and creating partnerships. This is a roster full of stunning artistry, bringing together performance, multimedia, movement, music, and innovation. These are stories, characters, and experiences that are relevant to the audiences of today, where curiosity, joy, resilience, and bravery are celebrated!
 

As disconnection and polarization undermine our communities, live performance offers an opportunity for shared experience and sense of belonging. That experience is all the more powerful when it is shared by families and intergenerational audiences. We’re thrilled to offer several special projects specifically for public audiences. In the large-scale spectacular musical Musicians of Bremen, Live! from Cahoots NI, four very different creatures undertake an epic journey full of dangers, dreams, and unforgettable songs. Numberblocks from BRUSH Theatre is a dazzling new musical of the hit Netflix/YouTube series, complete with BRUSH’s whimsy and creativity. Jessica Wilson’s interactive installation I See You Like This playfully subverts the traditional relationship between parent and child, inviting both to see each other in a new way.
 

We know literature is the cornerstone of so much TYA programming and we’re delighted to offer many productions based on beloved books. These shows bring the audience deep into the stories’ world, each with their own theatrical magic. Tall Stories’ The Gruffalo uses song and rhyme to pair a clever mouse with an unforgettable creature. Wind in the Willows from Theater Heroes takes us on an exciting midnight adventure alongside Rat and Badger as they search for a missing otter pup. In Velveteen, A New Musical from Playhouse Square, the need for love and belonging is illuminated as the famous toy rabbit finds his place in a young girl’s life.
 

In The Boy Who Cried Wolf from tutti frutti, the need for honesty is highlighted as well as compassionate understanding for a bored and lonely boy, crying out for attention. In Inlet Dance Theater’s What Do You Do With A Problem?, a child works to avoid a problem but instead of disappearing, the problem grows and grows - an experience that will resonate with many audience members, no matter our age. 

In Glass Half Full’s La Maleta de Maebelle (Maebelle’s Suitcase), we cheer on Maebelle as she makes a truly original hat and helps her new friend Binkle let go of the past. Childsplay’s The Snowy Day and Other Stories joyfully follows a family through the four seasons, complete with melting snowballs, precious goggles, and a birthday cake.
 

Theaters are also a place for science and history, with productions exploring innovations, big questions, and ambitious ideas. In Honolulu Theater for Youth’s Tales of Sun and Moon, we hear how storytellers and scientists from across the world have tried to understand our celestial neighbors. HTY’s Joseph Kekuku and the Voice of the Steel Guitar shares how a young Hawaiian boy invented the steel guitar in 1885 and changed the sound of music. Windmill’s Moss Piglet is all about the tiny tardigrade and asks how it can survive in so many different extremes - a wonderful example of nature’s resilience. In First Woman’s Pigfoot Mary’s Harlem Renaissance, we get a taste of 1920s history and literature through the stories and friendships of entrepreneur and cook, Lillian Harris Dean - a food truck pioneer!
 

And there’s nothing like music to elicit energy and joy! With GRAMMY winners 123 Andrés, we sing out “Hello Friend” in English, Spanish, and American Sign Language, creating harmony and connection across different languages and cultures. With Uncle Jumbo, no one can resist bopping to “7 Days of the Week Dance” or grooving to “One Big Family”. Kaki King & Glitch’s Bugs uses evocative music and video to reveal the surprising beauty of insects, feeding our curiosity and appreciation for our own backyards. David Gonzalez unites the power of music and storytelling with his vast repertory of tales from all over the globe.
 

We are here to help you plan a successful 2026-2027 season, support your values and goals, and be a trusted partner in the year ahead. We value your interest and excitement in our artists and your commitment to your audience, community, and the performing arts field. The work we do together, on stage and off, matters to our communities and to the world.
 

Let’s work together.
 

Your partners,

Spring Karlo, Stacy Meshbane, and Sarah Saltwick