‘Kīlauea 1916… and Beyond: A Centennial Celebration’

Dr. Thomas Jaggar (Dick Hershberger), Lorrin Thurston (Steve Peyton) and Gov. Walter Frear (Joel Kelley) meet to discuss the formation of KMC and HVNP. Photo credit: Stacy Halemano.

By popular request, Kilauea Drama & Entertainment Network will reprise Kīlauea 1916: A Centennial Celebration, a look back at the people who were a part of the beginnings of Kīlauea Military Camp, and explore the unique partnership between KMC and the Hawai‘i Volcanoes National Park—both of which began in 1916.

Kīlauea 1916… and Beyond will be performed on Veterans Day weekend Nov. 11, 12 and 13, at KMC’s Kilauea Theater; Friday and Saturday at 7:30 p.m. and Sunday at 2:30 p.m.

KDEN will portray some of the people who were there when it all began— businessmen, politicians, Buffalo Soldiers and local Japanese immigrants.

The “Kīlauea 1916” part is a series of vignettes in which the characters tell their individual stories, narrated by a reporter having a conversation with Isabel Jaggar as she is preparing to board a ship in Honolulu to take her back to Hilo and her Volcano home.

On the dock are musicians playing the music of the era.

Characters in the show include Dr. Thomas Augustus Jaggar, Jr. , Lorrin Thurston, Gov. Walter Frear, Cpl. Ovid Smith, George Lycurgus. Mitsue Tanaka, Shizuka Yasunaka and Hidechi Yasunaka.

The “ …and Beyond” part continues the history of KMC with stories of veterans, some of whom were either stationed at or vacationed at KMC—the most famous of all—Gen. Dwight Eisenhower in 1946.

Other characters include Conservation Corps workers, internees, a fighter pilot, a Navy chaplain in Korea, a Marine in Vietnam, and a medic in Iraq.

The common thread is the postmaster, who weaves the history of KMC with the stories being told…

Dick Hershberger, who portrays Dr. Jaggar in KDEN’s Living History program, “A Walk Into the Past,” has written an entertaining look at some of the characters who were a part of the Volcano community as the camp and park became a reality, and with the stories of the veterans and a few other characters who were important to the history of the area.

Members of the cast include Arlene Araki, Stephen Bond, Bill Chikasuye, Teresa Christian, Asia Helfrich, Dick Hershberger, Joel Kelley, Steve Peyton and Ray Ryan. Karl Halemano is coordinating the music with Hal Tredinnick, Jade Malia Tredinnick, and Mars, Susie, and Olivia Halemano performing.

Karl Halemano is coordinating the music with Hal Tredinnick;, Jade Malia Tredinnick; and Mars, Susie and Olivia Halemano performing.

Tickets are $10 and will be available at the door.

For reservations or more information call 982-7344 or email kden73@aol.com.