MVT Live to Feature Local Theatre Powerhouses with Roslyn Catracchia and Patrick Makuakāne

This week's episode of Mānoa Valley Theatre's live streaming video series MVT Live continues with host Devon Nekoba featuring two of Hawai'i's most groundbreaking theatre practitioners who appear both on and off stage. Roslyn Cattrachia and Patrick Makuakāne join us to discuss their busy careers in the entertainment industry, where they find the inspiration for their work and some news about their exciting new project.

Each live episode features chats with favorite theatre enthusiasts from our local community, in a casual, from-home, streaming video format. Executive Director Kip Wilborn will join in with news from the theatre and upcoming events.

Roslyn Catracchia has been involved in many aspects of the musical theatre world in Hawai'i for over 30 years - writing, recording, producing, musical directing and stage directing. She got her start composing for the Honolulu Theatre for Youth in 1990, and soon after that she began working as lyricist and composer for Lisa Matsumoto for her Once Upon One Time Trilogy. Since then, she's written the music and lyrics for 11 full-length musical productions, including On Dragonfly Wings, The Princess and the Iso Peanut, and Noah: Come Hell or High Water, in addition to writing the songs for over 30 educational road shows and/or school productions. Currently, she is working on a new musical with Kealiʻi Reichel and Patrick Makuakāne, with Stephen Schwartz as their dramaturge. Her full-time job is Director of Worship and Performing Arts at First Presbyterian Church of Honolulu.

Patrick Makuakāne is a choreographer, dancer, director and raconteur who criscrosses between tradition and evolution. He is the founder and director of the Hawaiian dance company Nā Lei Hulu i ka W?"kiu, and is a creative force in the hula world, known for innovative choreography and groundbreaking theatrical performances. Born and raised in Honolulu, Hawai'i, Mr. Makuakāne studied intensively with two of Hawaiʻi's most revered hula masters, Robert Uluwehi Cazimero and Mae Kamāmalu Klein. While a passionate preserver of traditional hula, his artistry also crafts a provocative treatment of tradition that leaps forward in surprising ways. In recognition of his cultural and artistic impact, Mr. Makuakāne has won many honors and awards. These include a Dance/USA Fellowship in 2019, the San Francisco Arts Commission's Legacy award in 2018, numerous Isadora Duncan Dance Awards, with the most recent being a Sustained Achievement Award in 2016. He serves as the spiritual and cultural advisor for the Native Hawaiian Religious Spiritual Group at San Quentin State Prison and is the Co-Artistic Director for the San Francisco Ethnic Dance Festival.

Amid COVID-19 concerns, MVT will continue to follow the lead of our city, state and federal elected officials as it implements strategies recommended by public health authorities and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) and will be in touch with ticket holders with any performance changes. MVT will also post updates on its website at manoavalleytheatre.com/alerts.

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