HOLDEN & ARTS ASSOCIATES

Hello Friends,

In today’s digital age, a shared live experience is more important than ever before. We are consuming more entertainment alone on various screens that monopolize our time and leave us more and more isolated. Performances for youth and family audiences provide a powerful opportunity to gather together, bring intention to the art we consume, and connect us through a shared experience that emphasizes our humanity, hearts and minds.

 

Our work has the opportunity for nourishment and impact. The young people who come to your venue are future audience members and leaders, but they are also current community members with rich inner lives and imaginations. They deserve art forward work, intentionally crafted with them in mind. The performances on HAA’s 2027-2028 roster feed an audience’s curiosity, encourage deep attention and creativity, and celebrate values such as friendship, kindness, and belonging. 

 

In our roster, we have multiple productions that embrace innovative stagecraft and multimedia. Anime Momotaro from Honolulu Theater for Youth combines traditional Japanese theatrical techniques with the visual language of manga and anime to bring to life the beloved folktale of Peach Boy. Bugs by Kaki King and GLITCH creates an evocative and colorful concert out of the natural world, using original video and instrumental music. Poli POP from Brush Theater utilizes a distinct blend of animation, projection, live music and foley to create the imaginative world of two siblings who will not go to sleep!  And in 123 Andrés’ brand new offering Around the Americas: a Symphonic Adventure, Andrés and Christina are joined by an entire local orchestra to play their hit songs and celebrate in Spanish, English, and ASL.

 

Literature based work remains a critical heart beat of our offerings. We know the joy and thrill of seeing a beloved character or story go from page to stage. And while the curriculum connection is important to educators and parents, young people also love to revisit their favorite worlds and characters - often demanding the same book over and over at bedtime! Literature-adaptations offer them a chance to reimagine those stories through various art forms. Call of the Wild and Wind in the Willows from Theater Heroes, embody how one performer (and incredible illustrations!) can bring to life a complex adventure.  Ugly Duckling from tutti frutti celebrates the beauty of authenticity in a show full of humor, delightful animal characters, and live music. Cenicienta: A Bilingual Cinderella Story from Glass Half Full combines the story of Cinderella (as told through object puppetry) with Belinda, a young girl who writes poetry in English and Spanish. What Do You Do With A Problem? from Inlet Dance Theater elevates this profound question through dance, physically staging the tension between a child and the problem they are trying to avoid, an experience relatable to audiences of all ages.

 

We believe the theater should be a space for big questions. Pigfoot Mary’s Harlem Renaissance from First Woman Productions examines how entrepreneurship (and food!) can transform a life and a community.  Mrs Macbeth from Susanna Hamnett is a thrilling one woman show that takes on Shakespeare’s Scottish Play and examines guilt and accountability.  Spacetime from David Gonzalez asks how our universe came to be through poetry, astrophysics, and live music. Uncle Jumbo’s One Big Family reminds us that the answer to the question of “how?” is often “together” through joyful funk music and inspired dance moves. 

 

Programming for youth and families is a rich opportunity and responsibility. We are honored to be your trusted partners in this work, and we know that each work on our 2027-2028 roster will deeply engage your audience through their artistry. We are here to help you dream, problem solve, and fulfill your mission. 

 

We can’t wait to talk more.

 

Spring Karlo, Stacy Meshbane, and Sarah Saltwick