Live audiences to return to Paliku Theatre this month

KANEOHE, Hawaii (AP) — Actors will once again start performing before live audiences at Windward Community College’s Paliku Theatre this month after a two-year hiatus due to the coronavirus pandemic.

The first performance will be “Oriental Faddah and Son,” a play by Lee A. Tonouchi that investigates what it means to be Okinawan in Hawaii. The show explores the relationship of an Okinawan father and his son and delves into the nuances of an Okinawan family.

The windward Oahu theater had been scheduled to put on the play in 2020, but then cancelled the run two days before opening night due to the spread of COVID-19 in the community.

“After two years of presenting our shows virtually, we are so excited to welcome live audiences back to Paliku,” theater manager Nicole Tessier said in a news release.

Taurie Kinoshita directs the show, which is scheduled to run April 21–May 1. The cast includes Brandon Hagio, Allan Okubo, Dylan Leming and Denise Aiko Chinen.