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(Benten Musume Meo no Shiranami)
Kabuki – Celebrating 100 years of Kabuki in English at UHM!
Written by Kawatake Mokuami
Translator, Adaptor, and Project Director: Julie A. Iezzi
Artistic Advisor: Ichikawa Monnosuke VIII
April 19-20 & 26-28, 2024 – FRI/SAT 7:30pm & SUN 2:00pm
Pre-Show Chats: 6:45pm before Saturday 4/20 & 4:27 performances
This popular kabuki play, commonly known as Benten Koz, features five distinctive thieves with a mastery of masquerade, and a command of language from the gutter to the poetically sublime. Together with a full array of colorful kabuki characters, their schemes and back stories lead to shocking revelations, surprising reunions, startling twists and ultimately result in the realization that one cannot escape karma—though in meeting it, one need not abandon spectacle or beauty.
This production celebrates the long tradition of kabuki in Hawaii, and marks the 100th anniversary of English-language kabuki productions at the University of Hawaii as well as Kennedy Theatres 60th birthday. Benten Koz, presented in the 1963-64 inaugural season, is also a magnificent showcase for the hanamichi, an acting pathway through the audience which fosters an intimacy between actors and audience members. To this day, Kennedy Theatre remains the only theatre in the United States designed with a hanamichi. As in the previous 100 years, we are fortunate and grateful to bring community artists, guest artists from Japan, and UHM faculty, staff and students together to collaborate and ensure that regional “Hawaii kabuki” thrives for the next 100 years.
In celebration of 100 years of English-language kabuki productions at the University of Hawai‘i at Mānoa, The Maiden Benten and the Bandits of the White Waves takes center stage at Kennedy Theatre. This classic kabuki play, also known as Benten Kozō written by Kawatake Mokuami, pays homage to Kennedy Theatre’s 60th season, encapsulating a century of kabuki tradition in Hawai‘i. Check out photos here!
In celebration of 100 years of English-language kabuki productions at the University of Hawai‘i at Mānoa, The Maiden Benten and the Bandits of the White Waves takes center stage at Kennedy Theatre in April.
Kennedy Theatre's 60th production season will be a celebration of the past, present, and future of Theatre and Dance at UHM Kennedy Theatre.
Last night a three-week intensive training in Kabuki performance was completed at University of Hawai'i at M noa. The intensive was an early training opportunity for students interested in auditioning for the 2020/2021 season's UHM Kennedy Theatre kabuki production of Benten the Maiden and the Bandits of the White Waves (Benten Musume Meo no Shiranami) produced by the UHM Department of Theatre and Dance - Asian Theatre Program.
UHM Kennedy Theatre is at 1770 East-West Rd, Honolulu, HI.
Glitter in the Paʻakai (2/7/24-2/11/24)
BFA/MFA Dance Concert (3/6/24-3/10/24)
The Maiden Benten and the Bandits of the White Waves (4/19/24-4/28/24)
Eva Hamok (Haunting Eva) (4/20/24-4/27/24)
Eva Hamok (Haunting Eva) (4/20/24-4/27/24)
The Maiden Benten and the Bandits of the White Waves (4/19/24-4/28/24)
BFA/MFA Dance Concert (3/6/24-3/10/24)
Glitter in the Paʻakai (2/7/24-2/11/24)
The Water Station (11/15/23-11/19/23)
HAKU WALE (10/21/23-10/29/23)
Are We There Yet, Baby? (10/20/23-10/29/23)
Kaisara (9/20/23-9/24/23)
Spring Footholds (4/5/23-4/8/23)
20,000 Leagues Deep, #hawaii_ascending (2/24/23-3/5/23)
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