THE STORYTELLER to Make World Premiere at Kennedy Theatre

The University of Hawaiʻi at Mānoa Department of Theatre & Dance will present the world premiere of The Storyteller, a powerful new play by Sheila Miles, a Native Hawaiian writer and MFA candidate in playwriting at UH Mānoa. Directed by Ed Refuerzo, an MFA candidate in directing at UH Mānoa, the production is part of Kennedy Theatre's 2026–2027 Primetime Series.

Performing November 18–22, 2026 in the Earle Ernst Lab Theatre, The Storyteller is a moving contemporary Hawaiian drama that weaves together ancestral knowledge, family, and the enduring strength found within moʻolelo. Told through ʻŌlelo Hawaiʻi, Hawaiʻi Creole English (Pidgin), and English, the production invites audiences into a richly layered theatrical experience grounded in Hawaiian ways of knowing and storytelling.

The story begins when Haumea receives a hōʻailona—an omen—that she desperately tries to prevent. As generations of one family navigate grief, love, and transformation, the Kumulipo becomes more than an origin chant; it becomes a living thread connecting ancestors, descendants, and the stories that continue to shape who we are.

Rather than presenting moʻolelo as something confined to the past, The Storyteller reveals how stories remain active forces in our lives—guiding us through loss, celebrating resilience, and reminding us that identity is continually woven through relationships, place, and memory.

'The Storyteller asks us to remember that stories are not simply told—they are lived. They carry our histories, shape our futures, and help us understand who we are in relation to one another and to the world around us.'

— Ed Refuerzo, Director

As a world premiere, The Storyteller reflects Kennedy Theatre's longstanding commitment to developing new work rooted in Hawaiʻi while fostering conversations that resonate across cultures and generations. The production also embodies the spirit of the 2026–2027 season, Finding Home in the Extraordinary, exploring how home is found not only in place, but in language, ancestry, family, and the stories we inherit.

PERFORMANCE INFORMATION

The Storyteller

• World Premiere | Contemporary Hawaiian Play
• Primetime Series
• November 18–22, 2026
• Earle Ernst Lab Theatre
• John F. Kennedy Theatre
• University of Hawaiʻi at Mānoa

PERFORMANCE TIMES

• Wednesday–Saturday • 7:30 p.m. | Sunday • 2:00 p.m.
• Post-Show Discussion
• Following the Friday evening performance.

LANGUAGE

Performed in a combination of:

• ʻŌlelo Hawaiʻi (Hawaiian) | Hawaiʻi Creole English (Pidgin) | English

Recommended for Ages 16+

CONTENT ADVISORIES

• Themes of grief and loss
• Spiritual and cultural references
• Emotional intensity surrounding family relationships