Kahilu is delighted to present ONE UDDAH MIDʻSUMMAH, adapted by Jackie Pualani Johnson, a local spin on one of Shakespeare’s classic comedies A Midsummer Nightʻs Dream. With a prominent theme of love, it aims to help us revisit our connection to the āina and our ancestors. One Uddah Midʻsummah will be performed live at Kahilu on Saturday, March 2, 2024, at 7pm HST. This production is directed by Sean-Joseph Takeo Kahāokalani Choo and co-produced by Kamamo House and the Hawaiʻi Shakespeare Festival.

Under the light of da mahina, lunas, workahs, lovers, amateur actors, and menehune cross paths to funny kine effect. As the paniolo Duke of Akaka Falls, Tee-Seus, prepares one pā‘ina with his bride-to-be, Hippie Leeta of Puna, their kanikapila stay interrupted by one uncle, Ege-Seus (who say his daughter Hernia gotta’ marry one guy he went choose for her, that Dummy, Treeus). Uncle says if Hernia refuses his choice, according to one old-fashion kine law that says men control women, she gotta’ jump over the falls as punishment. Worse yet, Hernia loves one nodda’ guy, Sanders, and one nodda’ girl (da odda’ girl’s friend, Hele On) stay in love wit that Dummy, Treeus!

Oh, also same time as all dat human kine drama, get menehune dramaz as well! Da menehune King and Queen stay fighting too, causing all kine chaos in nature.

Everyone stay meet in da woods, and everything get all jam up.

In dis production, I ask: what is our relationship to ‘āina? What is our relationship with those who went come before us? And when we tink of love, confusion, in da nahele, what do we tink of? Is it informed at all by kanaka maoli kine thoughts? I tink about how love is mysterious, strange, wonderful, hilarious, and sometimes dangerous when I read dis play. Da director, Sean-Joseph Takeo Kahāokalani Choo, stay proud for direct one play dat is in pidgin, his first language, one language dat stay worthy of respect and aloha as much as Billy Shakes’ lines, and just as potent for make poetic kine stuff, lidat!

This show is sponsored by Marsha & Tom Kerley.