KS-Hawai’i Names Cast for 2016 Scotland Festival

Kamehameha Schools-Hawai’i is about 10 months away from traveling to Scotland, where select students will participate in the 2016 American High School Theatre Festival at Edinburgh Festival Fringe.

The Fringe will bring together over 4,000 shows featuring over 42,000 performers from all over the world. Each year, the festival attracts about a million visitors.

Students at the Kea’au campus have chosen “Ka Lei Hāweoʻula O Ke Ao Hou,” meaning the lei of the new beginnings of the new realm, as the theme for their trip. The theme represents the pioneering nature of the performance for the campus and the many firsts they will achieve.

The 2016 show will be the first time that hula and ‘ōlelo Hawai‘i, Hawaiian language, will be presented at this international festival.

KS-Hawai‘i will be the first Kamehameha Schools campus, as well as the first Hawai‘i high school not located on O‘ahu, to perform at the prestigious festival.

“As we look to the many tasks necessary to prepare for the journey, it is not difficult to feel overwhelmed and fearful,” said junior Makana Waikiki, who along with cast mate Ku‘uhiapo Jeong, came up with the theme for the trip. “But as our kūpuna (ancestors) watched the foreboding red sky gradually lighten into day, we look to this experience as the dawn of a new chapter of life and learning.”

Cast members include Hansel Ka‘aumoana, Daylan-Blake Kalai, Alya Kanehailua, Kamalanai Kekuewa, Pomai Longakit, Tenielle Nagareda, Shariah Olomua, Waikiki, Hiwa Brown, Kaeo Cachola, Leiana Clark, Tiari Faagata, Sierra Gleason, Alexia Iwamoto, Jeong, Jameson Sato, Damien Stack and Chalet Tauati, Kekuahiwi Woods, and Kayla Enanoria.

Two local theatre professionals nominated KS-Hawai’i in the fall. The nominations were based on the “high standard of excellence demonstrated by KS’ theatrical performances.”

The traveling group is fundraising to support for the large cost of traveling to and attending the two-week festival, estimated at $213,000. Funds raised through their fall musical West Side Story in November, Christmas Concert in December, and Hō‘ike that is presented in March will be applied to the fundraising efforts.

The Hō‘ike A Ha‘i Performing Arts Department has also created a blog, where updates will be posted and performance information is available. Those interested in supporting the group should contact Choral Director Herb Mahelona at 982-0741 or theater kumu Eric Stack at 982-0713.