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
This original production introduces audiences to Native Hawaiian ideas of balance and healing by exploring our relationship to pa‘akai (salt). This original production introduces young audiences to the Native Hawaiian relationship to pa‘akai (salt). Traditionally, pa‘akai is food, medicine, a sacrament and a treasured gift. The play follows a family with multiple generations of salt farmers on the island of Kauai, mixing in ancient stories, hula, live music, original songs and plenty of audiences participation into a tasty potluck of performance, joyously served up with aloha.
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.
Best for Grades K+, Multi-generational audiences
Best for Audience Size: Medium, Large
Resources
About the Company
Please contact us to watch a full length archival recording.
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
Coming soon!
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.
Past Productions
