The Rebirth of the Kahilu Theatre

By Catherine Tarleton

From the front, Kahilu Theatre is similar to the building created 35 years ago by Richard Smart, sixth generation Parker Ranch heir, Broadway entertainer and “modern day ali‘i” to the Waimea community. Around the corner, however, brilliant full-wall murals reveal a different side of Kahilu’s new personality—one of unabashed color, risky creativity, and proud community support.

Richard named his theater Kahilu in honor of his mother, Thelma Kahiluonapua‘api‘ilani Parker Smart, great-great granddaughter of ranch patriarch John Palmer Parker. For the building, he commissioned the esteemed design firm Wimberly, Allison, Tong & Goo, and their architect Sid Char, who had also contributed to the venerable Mauna Kea Beach Hotel, where Richard occasionally escaped for a beach retreat. Groundbreaking took place in 1979, and the final cost came in at $1.5 million.

Kahilu’s curtain first raised on February 6, 1981, with a production of Oh Coward! starring Richard Smart and longtime friend, Honolulu actress Wisa d’Orso. The musical tribute to playwright Noel Coward ran for three days, launching a premier season that also included “the Honolulu Symphony, Little Consort of Amsterdam, well-known Hawaiian entertainers Nalani Olds and Charles K.L. Davis, a Los Angeles company performance of Grease, a kyogen play and a Kabuki drama,” according to Dr. William Bergin and Dexter Keawe‘ehu Vredenberg in Richard Smart of the Legendary Parker Ranch.

In the next 12 years, Richard either performed in or directed modern classics like The Man Who Came to Dinner, Last of the Red Hot Lovers, and Cactus Flower, sharing the stage with Broadway colleague Nanette Fabray. For his swansong, a 79-year-old Richard starred in On Golden Pond in 1989.

When he passed away in 1992, no endowment was left to maintain the Kahilu Theatre, leaving it completely dependent on outside funding sources and ticket sales to meet its $1 million annual budget, including $10,000 per month operating costs. Twenty years later and $200,000 in debt, the Board of Directors made the difficult decision to close the doors for a year to re-group, restructure, and reorganize.

In June 2012, the Cazimero Brothers performed their annual concert, concluding Kahilu’s 31st season and beginning its one-year “intermission.”

“You know, I love this theater,” said Robert Cazimero during the show. “I love what they’ve done for all of us. But instead of being sad I’m focusing on the hope that it will be back soon.” Robert and Roland’s concert was a highlight of the season, usually played to a full house, and often included members of the audience—when Kumu Robert called a hula dancer up onstage. “We are performing tonight with mixed emotions but great hope…Expect nothing and expect everything. Be sad and be happy. Let go–and hold on.”

Hold on they did.

“I joined the board when the Kahilu Theatre was going into its intermission period,” said Beth Bornstein Dunnington, Board Member and instructor in the youth programs. A theater professional from New York, Beth was not prepared to see the community’s prized theater stay dark. “When the theater shut down, I realized we had this huge crisis, so I contacted them and said ‘what can I do to help?’”

“I characterize it now as, the community was angry and it turned into support,” says Tim Bostock, Artistic Director. Originally from Oxford, England, Tim has been a promoter of live arts for more than 30 years and ran numerous street festivals in Honolulu in addition to helping create The ARTS at Marks Garage. In 2013, he also helped revive the Waiki‘i Music Festival, and he and wife Melanie Holt are new owners of the Kamuela Inn, now undergoing renovation.

For Kahilu, a fundraising/development committee was formed, and that dedicated group worked nonstop to help the theater get back on its feet. Says Tim, “It’s about how the community didn’t want the theater to die.”

The whole community, including many beyond Waimea town, rolled up their sleeves, and got to work on fundraisers large and small. A $1.5 million grant-in-aid from the State of Hawai‘i (equal to the building’s original construction cost) spearheaded by Senator Malama Solomon and Representative Cindy Evans came through. By September 2013, Kahilu was able to launch a new season with a stirring concert by Kaumakaiwa Kanaka‘ole & Kekuhi Kanahele.

“Just a couple of seasons later, we’re thriving,” says Beth, who describes the successful reorganization as a “collective re-embracing.” “We have really great new board members—powerful, smart—and a terrific Board President in Mimi Kerley, plus several long-term board members who have stayed on and are committed to the theater,” she says. “The entire board would like the Kahilu to be a gathering place for all the voices of the community.”

Today’s Kahilu Theatre has a new roof, a freshly upgraded lobby, and welcoming reception desk flanked by two airy galleries—frequently filled with rehearsals, hip hop dancers, acting students, music, and applause. Executive Director Deb Goodwin says the galleries, with changing exhibits throughout the year, are popular with artists and patrons. “It’s such a nice addition,” she says. “We have things going on onstage and spilling out into the galleries. It’s great.”

Backstage, long strands of fabric hang to the floor, waiting for the aerial silks class in the new “Mike Luce Studio.” The studio was named for decades-long Kahilu supporter, board president, volunteer stage technician, and friend, Mike Luce, who passed away last October.

“Mike studied theater on the mainland, and when he came to Waimea as a contractor, he met Richard Smart and helped him mount shows in the heyday when they took shows to Honolulu,” says Deb. “He was a founding board member when Richard was president.”

“In one of our last conversations we talked about lighting,” Deb continues. “It’s not an accident that ‘luce’ means light, or that his last contribution was helping us light our theater.”

Technical excellence continues at Kahilu, with the assistance of Paul Buckley and Waimea Music Center. “Waimea Music Center was a partner in revitalizing the Kahilu,” says Tim. “Paul bent over backwards to make it possible…He was responsible for making the internal improvements that were part of the state grant, new LED lighting, curtains, projector, the house AV system, and more.”

In addition to improving the physical building, the board made a commitment to expand its education programs. These include Youth Shows, where professional musicians perform onstage as well as visit public schools for shows and workshops—about 22 youth shows annually, for audiences of 10,000 kids.

After-school programs, offered by Prince Dance Institute and smART Academy (named for Richard) keep the theater lively with classes for keiki and adults in dance, trapeze, hip hop, ballet, singing, acting, aerial silks, and more. “We now have 27 hours of after-school programs each week, plus K(Arts) with Waimea Middle School for another 12 teaching hours,” says Tim. “From 3–7:30pm Monday through Thursday the full stage, studio, and gallery are all in use.” Kahilu also works with Mana Christian Ohana (Kahilu Town Hall) to occasionally use their classroom space, and Tim says their only obstacle to expanding education is running out of room.

Over spring break, Kahilu’s Aloha Music Academy engages about 40 students, and the Summer Arts Program expands the arts into the garden, the ocean, or the culinary world. Keiki Performing Arts Workshop (KPAW) is a student-run, free musical theater camp founded by Beth’s daughter, Marena, of Kahilu Youth Theatre Troupe. Graham Ellis, founder of the HICCUP Circus, directs Circus Camp in July, and if that’s not enough, the Kahilu Theatre is partnering with Kohala Village HUB on a spring camp called “Earthsmart Artsmart,” featuring earth-conscious performing arts, “eco arts” and farming-to-food arts.

The three murals outside—arguably Waimea’s best setting for selfies—are part of another education project—a two-week Mele Mural creation in collaboration with the Waimea Education Hui in April 2014. Student artists from six schools, directed by mural/graffiti artists, Estria Miyashiro and John “Prime” Hina, transformed bare walls into epic stories—three panels that journey from green hills into the spiritual realm of Manaua (a Hawaiian rain deity) and conclude with a rainbow of imagery over Mauna Kea. (see story in Ke Ola Jul–Aug 2015)

Staff members are active in education, taking on multiple roles. “Danny [Waddell] is Marketing Manager plus DJ; Renee [Rudzinski, Box Office Manager] teaches street jazz; Graham [Ellis, Development Consultant] is involved in circus arts…They encourage each other to drop in and try each other’s classes,” says Tim.

Deb signed up for the aerial silks class. “It’s awesome,” she says. “It’s a great way to build your upper body strength and flexibility, and to experience our educational programs.” Deb joined the Kahilu staff in September and was immediately impressed with the widespread support of patrons, the Friends of Kahilu (who recently fundraised for a new Steinway grand piano), a cadre of 50+ loyal volunteers, and more.

“I think the big emphasis is how much community enthusiasm we are receiving, which helps motivate us to keep going,” says Deb. “It’s palatable. Kahilu is becoming a community hub in Waimea.”

“He would’ve loved it,” says Tim of today’s Kahilu. “His [Richard’s] intention was to make a place for the community that celebrates the arts and theater…Today we have a wider community, more diverse, still with eyes on excellence. And with excellence, it allows the community to see what can be.”

Highlights of the spring season will include Angel Prince and Prince Dance Institute’s 10th concert in April, which will bring 90 young dancers onto the stage performing aerial, hip hop, contemporary, ballet, and hula. Jane Sibbett will direct an original collaborative production, She’Island, an anthology of women’s stories and songs about their connections to the island. In May, a one-of-a-kind tribute to Israel Kamakawiwo‘ole, sung by an invited group of Hawaiian musicians, hosted by Skylark Rosetti. In June, 35 years after the first presentation of Grease at the Kahilu, Beth will direct a a Kahilu Youth Troup production of the musical. ❖

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Contact Kahilu Theatre: 808.885.6868
Contact writer Catherine Tarleton