Eddie Wen’ Go is a historical event in Hawai’i’s history told in a theatre for youth style. The story is told by giant sea creature puppets and jumps back and fourth from underwater to above water. This event is dear to the hearts of the community of Hawai’i. A local story of the historically known Hōkūleʻa canoe set sail in 1978 for its first stop to Tahiti only to be caught in a storm and capsizing. The crew clung to the shipwreck through the night only to be rescued the next morning. One crewman named Eddie Aikau decided to make the few mile swim to shore to get help for his crewman. Eddie did not make it and was never found. This is the story of that night told from the sea creatures perspective a story of the meaning of Aloha and the sacrifice that Eddie made that day. These stories are a way to keep history alive and help remind the community of the rich history we have here in the islands. We have puppets that speak the ʻŌlelo language of Hawai’i and Pidgen. Local schools come and can relate to these puppets on a new level of dialect and can understand them in a new light. Hawaiian shows are slowly growing more and more through the islands giving a voice to people and telling their sides of history to a community thirsty for more productions. This production was widely received in a good light and glorified through the community. A production still talked about to this day.
PRODUCTION CREDITS
Playwright – Marion Lyman-Mersereau
Composer – Ian O’Sullivan
Director – Mark Branner & Annie K.L. Lipscomb
Choreography – Ka’ohinani Yojo Daniels & Amy Lynn Schiffner
Scene Design – Laura Nigon-Holmgren
Costume Design – Maile Speetjens
Lighting Design – Claire Trevizo
Projection Design – Claire Trevizo
Sound Design – Rick Greaver
Stage Manager – Brittney Marcelli
Media Design – Christine Lamborn
Photographer – Christine Lamborn
Tech Director – Gerald Kawaoka
Actors featured in Photos
Isaiah Avilla
Leilani Contreras Del Toro
Olivia Coughlin*
Michael “Donut” Donato
Alison L. B. Maldonado
Lily Hi‘ilani Kim-Dela Cruz Okimura
Jessica Israel*
Karese Kaw-uh*
M. Kutty
Elizabeth Gannaway*
Nathan Drackett*
Ka’onohi’okalā’ealohilohinei Müller*
Robert Torigoe*
Jill Jackson*
Matthew Sun
Chloe Tower*
Rebecca Mahar
Joshua “Baba” Tavares*