THE QUEEN'S WILL to Open Kumu Kahua Theatre's 56th Season
Hoku Gilbert, Reb Beau Allen and Maile Kapua'ala star in the three-person cast in Honolulu.
Kumu Kahua Theatre will present the world premiere of The Queen's Will. The original new play written by Sean T.C. O'Malley brings to life the tumultuous early days of the Territory of Hawai'i and the headline-making 1918 trial of Princess Theresa Owana Ka'ōhelelani La'anui Wilcox Belliveau—accused of conspiracy to commit forgery of the last will and testament of Queen Lili'uokalani. On stage for a five-week run from August 20 through September 20, 2026, the production of The Queen's Will opens Kumu Kahua's 56th Season with a riveting start, offering an intimate look at a pivotal period when culture, power, and politics collided to influence the trajectory of Hawai'i.
“Princess Theresa's trial was seen as the trial of the century, but a century later most people have never heard of it,” said O'Malley, who delved into hundreds of newspaper clippings and court filings as part of his research for the Kumu Kahua-commissioned play, and the fourth in his series of scripts exploring the political lives of Princess Theresa and her husband Robert Wilcox. “The events in the script are based on factual—if sometimes contradictory—historical accounts. However, the written record is often silent on personalities and relationships; that's where the playwright comes in. I hope that after seeing The Queen's Will, audiences leave with some understanding of who these people were, what their world was like, and what these events meant to them.”
The Queen's Will production features a powerhouse three-person cast, with actors Hoku Gilbert (in the role of Princess Theresa), Reb Beau Allen (as Lorrin Andrews), and Maile Kapua`ala (portraying court reporter Mary K. Jarrett) appearing all together in one play for the first time. Tickets are on sale now at the Kumu Kahua box office and online, with evening performances of The Queen's Will offered at 7 p.m. on Thursdays, Fridays, and Saturdays, and matinees on Sundays at 2 p.m. To help bring the beauty of theatre to even more audiences, a special BOGO Night will be offered for the September 11 show, with guests invited to mention the discount when contacting the theatre to secure the two-for-one ticket offer (offer redemption must be requested by phone).
A Cast & Crew Talk Story will immediately follow the 7 p.m. performance of The Queen's Will on September 4, and Kumu Kahua is also readying the return of its popular book club for the new season, drawing inspiration from on-stage plays to explore books with related themes. On August 24 at 6 p.m., the club will discuss The Political Princess by Monica Nucciarone, tracing the life story of Princess Theresa. Copies of the book are available at local libraries and bookstores. Interested readers may contact the theatre to join the space-limited club.
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