TWO NAILS, ONE LOVE World Premiere Set for Kumu Kahua Theatre

Kumu Kahua Theatre will open its 2026 season with TWO NAILS, ONE LOVE, a new play by Lee A. Tonouchi based on the novel by Alden M. Hayashi. The production runs January 22 through February 22, 2026, at the theatre’s home at 46 Merchant Street in downtown Honolulu. 

Directed by Harry Wong III, Two Nails, One Love centers on Ethan Taniguchi, a recently single gay man living in New York City. When his estranged mother unexpectedly arrives from Hawaiʻi, Ethan is forced to confront years of distance, misunderstanding, and unresolved pain. As their conversations unfold, long-buried family history emerges, including the mother’s incarceration during World War II and her deportation to Japan as part of a little-known U.S. hostage exchange program in which American citizens were traded abroad.

Ethan is played by Nolan Hong, with Sun Min Chun-DayonDon portraying his mother. Ren Afaga appears as “Anxious Ethan,” the Pidgin-speaking embodiment of Ethan’s inner voice, amplifying the character’s self-doubt and emotional conflict as mother and son navigate memory, trauma, and identity.

Tonouchi, widely known as “Da Pidgin Guerilla,” brings his signature voice and long-standing relationship with Kumu Kahua to the adaptation. A frequent collaborator with the theatre, Tonouchi draws on Hayashi’s novel to tell a story that spans generations, geographies, and emotional registers, foregrounding Hawaiian pidgin, queer experience, and overlooked chapters of American history.

In conjunction with the production, Kumu Kahua Theatre is offering a series of community engagement events. On January 26 at 6:00 p.m., the theatre will host a book club evening exploring Hayashi’s novel, with light refreshments and guided discussion. Limited copies of the book will be available for purchase at the theatre for $20, with additional copies accessible through local bookstores and Hawaiʻi State Public Libraries.

A cast and crew Talk Story will take place following the January 30 evening performance, offering audiences an opportunity to engage directly with the artists. On February 6, the theatre will host a Ladies Night pre-show social beginning at 5:30 p.m. at the neighboring Black Shamrock Tavern, paired with a buy-one, get-one ticket offer for that evening’s performance. Audiences may use the code “LADIES” at checkout or reference it at the box office to redeem the offer.

Hayashi and Tonouchi will also appear together at community book events, including an author talk and signing at Da Shop in Kaimuki on January 17, and a book talk at Native Books at Arts & Letters on January 18. Hayashi will be onsite at Kumu Kahua Theatre for performances on January 30 and February 1.