The Green Lady of Wahiawa and other local ghost stories at Paliku Theatre

The stage at Windward Community College’s Palik Theatre will transform into one of Hawaii’s eeriest landscapes in November, when the Hawaii Conservatory of Performing Arts presents The Green Lady of Wahiaw and Other Local Ghost Stories. Directed by Taurie Kinoshita, the premiere runs November 7–16.

Rooted in folklore, urban legends and historical accounts, the production reimagines some of Hawaii’s most spine-tingling ghost stories—from the moss-haired Green Lady who terrifies Wahiaw gulch, to the blank-faced apparition who lurks in mirrors at Kahala Mall, to the infamous Kaimuk house haunted by a malevolent spirit.

The title tale, The Green Lady of Wahiaw, dates back to 1957 when children first reported sightings of a foul-smelling, seaweed-draped figure near Wahiaw Elementary. Over the decades, the legend became a cautionary fable meant to keep children from straying into the dangerous gulch.

The play also dramatizes The Faceless Woman, a ghost drawn from ykai (Japanese supernatural beings) folklore and local reports from the old Waialae Drive-In. Another vignette explores the Kasha of Kaimuk, a poltergeist or corpse-devouring demon said to torment those who enter its house.

Spanning the 1920s to present day, the show also incorporates stories tied to the Pali Highway and Japanese internment camps, weaving together themes of fear, bias, courage and faith. Each tale is staged in a unique style—film noir, realism, expressionism—offering audiences a theatrical journey into the supernatural side of Hawaii.

Performances are recommended for ages 13 and up due to adult themes, language and minor stage violence.