HOLDEN & ARTS ASSOCIATES
SHARING STORIES AND CREATING PARTNERSHIPS SINCE 1983
The Pa'akai We Bring
(Formerly known as I Lala Mauliola)
Written and Performed by Honolulu Theatre for Youth Ensemble
Produced by Honolulu Theatre for Youth
From Honolulu, HI
Resources
About the Company
WORK IN PROGRESS
This original production introduces audiences to Native Hawaiian ideas of balance and healing by exploring our relationship to pa‘akai (salt). Traditionally, pa‘akai is food, medicine, and sacrament; it is essential to our individual, communal and environmental well-being. Through a mix of distinct theatrical tools; chant, movement, puppetry, dance, music, and audience participation, the ensemble joyously celebrates ancient and modern ways we can restore and maintain balance.
Created in partnership with the Bishop Museum and cultural elders and leaders, the performance is intended for a multi-generational audience, so audience members young and old can have this restorative experience together.
This project was awarded the NEFA Theatre Project Creation Grant in 2021 and will premiere in Fall 2022 with opportunities for early presentations in spring 2023 and a broader national tour in 2023-2024.
Additional performances also available from the company: The Carp Who Would Not Quit and Other Animal Stories (live) and (virtual) Stories of Oceania and Duke.
Best for Grades 3rd+, Multi-generational audiences
Best for Audience Size: Medium, Large
No video currently available of the project, but please contact us to watch other samples of HTY's work
Curriculum Connections
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Fine Arts: Performance, Film, Puppetry, Multi-media design
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Language Arts: Oral History Interviews, traditional fables
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History/Social Studies: Native & Indigenous Cultures; Man’s relationship/connection to Nature; Hawaiian & Pacific Island culture & history
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Social/Emotional Learning Development: Bravery, Resilience, Community, Racism, Self-Awareness, Social Awareness, Self Management, and Relationship Skills.
Outreach & Workshops
Please contact us if additional outreach or workshops is something you'd like to explore. A member of the creative team may be available to deliver pre or post show workshops or a live Q&A for participating audiences. Please connect with us about outreach activities that best engage your teachers and schools.
Minimum Tech Specs
Coming soon!
Artistic Team
Devised by the HTY ensemble, including a majority of Native Hawaiians,
and toured with 5 performers and 1 stage manager.
Critical Acclaim
HTY has been awarded the prestigious 2022 CTFA Corey Medallion presented by the Childrenʻs Theatre Foundation of America and honors recipients for their significant achievements for the enrichment of children in the US and Canada. To learn more about the award, please read the following Broadway World article here.
About the Company
Honolulu Theatre for Youth (HTY) produces professional theatre and drama education programs that make a difference in the lives of young people, families and educators in the state of Hawaii.
HTY believes that drama education and theatre are unique, socially-based education and art forms that help their participants and audiences walk in the shoes of others, allowing them to expand their imaginations, enrich their lives and discover the infinite possibilities in the world. HTY works towards a future for Hawaii in which people are culturally literate and imaginative, are critical thinkers and inventive problem solvers, with a respect for history and a sense of place in a complex world.
Founded in 1955, HTY is one of the oldest and most respected children’s theatres in the country. HTY has served over five million people through school and family performances and drama education programs. Over 300 new plays for young audiences have been commissioned by HTY.
HTY has used their talents in new ways during the Covid era and, with a partnership with NMG Network and Hawaii News Now, created a new type of children’s television program. Grounded in their geography and the many diverse cultures that make Hawaii special, the program is unlike anything currently available in children’s television and marks the beginning of a hybrid future for HTY as both theatre and digital media creator. Check out HTY's television show THE HI WAY as well as other information about the company and their work on their website here.