Hōkū Pavao

7-9-26

Aloha! I’ve engaged with Maui OnStage as both an actor and an audience member for over 12 years now. It’s been one of those steady artistic homes for me on Maui, sometimes on stage, sometimes in the audience, always in relationship with the work and the community.

My first theater experience that I can really remember was in middle school when we were taken to see Bang Bang You’re Dead at the Maui Arts & Cultural Center. It felt like more than a performance: it was almost like we were being invited into a space to process something real together, especially in the wake of the Columbine shooting. I remember how heavy and important it felt, even as a young person.

And if I go even earlier than that, I think my first experiences of theater were actually much more gentle and magical: Uncle Wayne coming into my classrooms in elementary school, bringing storytelling and music right into our learning space. That shaped something in me early on: that storytelling doesn’t have to be distant or separate. It lives right here with us.

One of the most meaningful theater experiences for me was going to the Thespian Festival in Nebraska in high school with our teacher, Miss Loudon. It was my first time seeing high school theater at that level – truly breathtaking work. Every day we were seeing shows, musicals and straight plays, including Ragtime and Parade. I remember sitting there just completely stunned, not only by the beauty of it, but by the fact that it was being created by students our age. It expanded my whole understanding of what theatre could be. It made me realize excellence wasn’t some distant thing, it could live right inside us, in young people, in classrooms, in community.

My favorite memory with Maui OnStage is performing in Elf the Musical with my family – my husband Ricky and my son Finn. I’ll always remember that moment in Elf the Musical because it was the first time I felt, so fully, all the parts of my life meet in one place. As a mother, a storyteller, a wife – everything I am seemed to gather into a single moment on stage. To be there with my family, sharing that space with a community I love and feel so deeply at home in, was overwhelming in the most beautiful way. I remember feeling so alive in it, like I wasn’t holding separate roles anymore, but simply living inside one whole, connected breath. That experience of sharing myself, all of me, with the people I love most and a community that nourished me… that stays with me.

I’ve been really blessed with so many mentors/kumu in my life. My first mentor is my mom. She taught me strength, not just in words, but in how she lived. That sense of going after what you believe in, even when life feels weighted and complex, I carry that with me every day. My kumu hula, Sharon Balidoy, Lehua Kekahuna & Kaponai Molitau, grounded me in storytelling through mele and dance, and in knowing that story lives in the body.

In school, Miss Felipe opened my eyes to storytelling in unexpected places – even in science. And then Miss Loudon, who started as my summer school elementary teacher, later my high school drama teacher and then became something much deeper in my life. She really shaped how I understand truth on stage. She always pushed me toward honesty over performance, and never let me settle for less than what I was capable of. In college, I was shaped by Regina O’Malley, Kathy Morath, and Christopher Stevens – each in different ways helping me find my own voice as an artist, not just the version others expected of me. My husband Ricky has also been a quiet but constant mentor in my life. Always believing in me, even when I was still learning to believe in myself. 

And David Johnston… he really shifted something in me. I remember sitting with him in a meeting when he asked what I saw for my future at MAPA. At the time, I was working as the Academy registrar and administrator. I told him, very directly, that I wanted to be the Artistic Director of MAPA. He didn’t dismiss it. He didn’t soften it down. He just looked at me with a kind of quiet grace and a smile and said, “Okay.” Over the months that followed, as he began to mentor me in that space, something deeper started to unfold. He began to notice things in me I hadn’t yet learned to name for myself: not only the ability to be an actor within a story, but the instinct to shape it, to guide it, to steward it. From that recognition, he began to intentionally mentor me as a director as well, asking if I would be open to stepping into that path. And in that asking, in that seeing, he opened a door I hadn’t known yet how to find on my own. And I am forever, deeply grateful, as he set me on a path that has become one of my true purposes in life.

I’ve recently asked Stephie Garrett to mentor me in the ways of silhouette acting and more movement based storytelling. I’m also still being mentored now by beautiful artists like Patrick Makuakāne and Christopher Morgan, who continue to expand what I believe is possible for me as a Kanaka Maoli artist.

I’ve had the privilege of mentoring many young artists through Maui Academy of Performing Arts and other spaces over the years. What I try to pass on is what was given to me: that theatre is not about performing in a surface way – it’s about truth. It’s about being brave enough to be honest on stage. Recently, I’ve also found myself mentoring my younger actors in The Conversion of Kaʻahumanu. They are exploring what it means to be Kanaka Maoli artists inside Western structures, and I find myself learning right alongside them too. It’s very much a shared process.

Outside of theater, I’m deeply rooted in my home, and that same love for humanity draws me outward to distant places, to new waters, and to the stories held there. I’m a mother of two beautiful children, Finn and Arya, and they keep me grounded in ways that are both simple and joyous and profoundly complex. I also LOOOOVE nature deeply – it’s where I reset, listen, and come back to myself.

I’m a co-founder of AHAS: Archive for Health, Arts, and Spirit; which is a nonprofit that looks at how arts, health, and spirit are all connected. I work alongside incredible women, Moira Pirsch, Anna Pirsch, and Erin Brothers, and together we’re building programs that support wellness through the arts in really tangible ways and support the community to be healthy and resilient through remembering. Through that work, I also get to stay connected to communities (locally and globally) through teaching artist networks and cultural exchange spaces. So even outside of the theater, I’m still very much in storytelling, just in different forms.

What I would most want people to know about me is that I’m truly grateful. Grateful for the people who have taught me, supported me, challenged me, and stayed in my life in different ways over time.

I’ve started Collective Pilina Theatre, a mobile theatre company, as part of becoming a storyteller who is rooted in place – rooted in Hawai’i. I really want the work to reflect our home honestly and lovingly. Especially marginalized stories like Kanaka Maoli narratives, but also the broader tapestry of our community. This work is always in dialogue with community, shaped in relationship, and never held as one person’s vision alone -it is something we build and witness together. In the history of marginalized communities, that also means the stories we tell won’t always be simple or comfortable – they may be complex, and they may bring forward conversations, feelings, and questions for our community to grapple with together. And my hope is that within that grappling, what we find is not division, but truth that builds pathways to pilina.

It’s a space for storytelling where pilina, connection/relationships, is at the center of everything we create. These are stories that deeply resonate because they don’t belong to one, but to all of us. My hope is that people feel seen, held, and reflected in the work not as observers, but as part of the living story itself.

And I also want people to know… I burp really loud. That one’s just part of the package.

Mahalo piha – deep mahalo to Maui OnStage for continuing to reach toward community, to try, to listen, to grow, and to hold space for storytelling.

Ryan Sherwood

7-2-26

Aloha, and happy summer! This week, I’m pleased to introduce an ohana member  who brings light and warmth to any room he walks into. Please get to know Ryan Sherwood! 

I first got involved with Maui OnStage as a patron, watching my son Lincoln go through Creative Critters and youth shows. Then I got the itch to audition myself for Something Rotten in 2022. My very first theatre experience as an actor was in my 6th grade, we did a show called The Wiz of the West. Instead of flying monkeys, there were coyotes. 

My most meaningful theatre experience thus far would have to be Something Rotten. I was really pushing myself to try things I had never done on stage before, like singing, dancing, and tap dancing. It was also my first experience with Maui OnStage as an actor, meeting so many great people, and having fun doing a big, funny musical. Or, I should say, “Muuuuuusssical”. 

My favorite memory was during Peter and The Starcatcher. I was playing Teacher (a mermaid) and my daughter was in the back row of the front section. When I appeared in my costume as a rainbow mermaid I could hear her yelling, “My daddy is a rainbow mermaid!”. She was so overjoyed to see me in such a silly counter point to my usual self.

The most important mentors for me in theatre would have to be my drama teacher and director in high school. He really tried to get as much out of us as teenagers as he could, and worked on channeling emotions on stage to help build characters. As far as being someone’s mentor, I guess I could say my son, Lincoln. I like to think I have mentored him in his acting life as well as normal life.

Outside of the theater, most of the time I’ve been a bank manager. I also have tried my hand at real estate. 

I think for the most part, people should know that I love theatre as a place to go and be judgement free. You get to try new things without fear of people thinking you’re strange. You get to be loud, laugh, cry, and sing. It’s a beautiful thing to watch someone else do it, but a totally different experience to get up there and be vulnerable in front of hundreds of people.

Nai’a Newlight

6-25-26

Aloha again, and this week I’d love to introduce you to a wonderful, colorful ohana member who jumps in to help me out so often! Please meet Nai’a Newlight! 

Nai’a is not only an audience member (aren’t we all, sometimes?), but a wonderfully dedicated volunteer who can often be found at the check-in table upon arrival. 

She says her first theatre experience was starring in her first grade musical. Her most meaningful theatre experience so far has been performing in two shows on Broadway at age eleven. Her favorite Maui OnStage memory is winning the first Maui Fringe Festival in 2001. 

Nai’a credits Wilson Lehr and Phillip Burton as mentors. She herself has mentored many clowns and clowning students. She is inspired by the band Sweet Honey in the Rock. Outside of the theater she loves traveling, singing in a chorus, performing ecstatic dance, and public speaking. She says she worked her way through college doing costumes, she’s a seven-time “burner” (at Burning Man), and she’s a working psychic. 

She says remember, all the world’s a stage…,and the stage is a microcosm of our world.

Grant Matthews

6/18/26

Welcome back, friends! This week I’d like to introduce (or RE-introduce) you to an absolute treasure of a human we are so lucky to have in our ohana. Meet Grant Matthews! 

Aloha. I am an actor and  thrilled and enthusiastic audience member! I think the first show I ever saw on stage was a touring production of The Sound of Music when I was about 7 or 8 and living in Seattle with my family. My first time PERFORMING on stage (other than in church choir or singing with my family), was when I was in the 3rd grade and tried out for the school talent show. I sang Camelot from the stage play (after listening to the record for HOURS), and was accompanied by my piano teacher Mrs. Myhre. 

My most meaningful experience as a performer was touring with a travelling cabaret-type group called “The Singing Waiters” from Los Angeles. We went all over the world for over 15 years (1989-2004). I learned SO MUCH about performing, musicianship, interpersonal relationships, and the world-at-large that the experience continues to inform my life and very nature after all these many years along.

My favorite Maui OnStage memory is playing Mayor Claude Eliot in last summer’s production of Come From Away after not being in a play onstage for over 30 years. Then I received  the “Step Into the Light” award at the end of the season, and the Paul Janes-Brown “Ovation Award” for Best Performance in a Musical (Male).

My very first mentor was probably my Grandma Johnson, who encouraged my proclivities in all things artistic and creative from a very young age. She would have me write poems, make drawings, and even put on little ‘shows’ for my family members on her visits with us from where she lived in Boston and on Cape Cod. She was quite a grand lady who was a missionary in China, traveled the world, and was fiercely committed to peace and progressive views for as long as I can remember. She even provided the funds so my family could purchase a piano for me to learn to play on, and then contributed money to pay for my lessons for 7 years.  

Other than ‘Grandma John’ (whose maiden name was Grant and provided me with MY name), I can say Miss Sue Loudon probably did more than any other single person to inspire me with my love of theater and performing. Yes, I am one of “Miss Loudon’s boys” from the Baldwin High School Drama Club (Guild) from back in the 1970s. Miss Loudon knew how to get the most out of any student she worked with, often much more than they ever dreamed they were capable of. In the very first show I tried out for as a freshman (The Wizard of Oz), I was cast as “Tree #1” (heartbreaking when I had my heart set on being the Scarecrow), and all through high school I juggled drama and singing being mentored by Miss L with swim team, yearbook, Schwa/Speech, and a ridiculous social calendar. After getting my Bachelor’s in Theatre: Acting emphasis from the University of Oregon in 1979, I returned to Maui for one year and worked closely with Miss L and her kids again as a coach and performer in productions, Silent Youth and Community Theatre as I scraped and saved money so I could move to Los Angeles to become a professional actor. She was always encouraging, but not afraid to do “tough love” when necessary, and I am so grateful and thrilled for her support over the years. To have her come and see me in Come From Away was a true full circle moment! 

My mentoring often took the form of ‘breaking in’ new performers to “The Singing Waiters” during my many years of touring abroad. That would involve not only learning the music and unique demands of performing for foreign audiences/guests, but also cultural integration, travel advice, and tips for 5-star service in hotel dining rooms and restaurants all over Europe.

I have also mentored many aspiring up and coming club DJs in the techniques and systems of “old-school’ DJ mixing, beat-matching, use of vinyl records and CDs. Being a club DJ is sort of a closed-off pool of very specific skills and eclectic music acquisition, and I still have a full DJ set-up in my ‘tiny house’ with Technics 1200 turntables, Pioneer CDJ-900 CD players, a mixer/controller, and hundreds of collector’s edition vinyl records and rare music tracks.

Since my retirement 3 years ago and return to Maui where I grew up, I’ve kept myself busy getting back into shape with walking, hiking, and swimming, and helping out on my sister’s 2-1/2 acre farm up above Makawao on Piiholo and my family here on Maui. I love to travel and keep in touch with dear friends from all my many life chapters all over the world. I read copiously, love movies, and binging good (and sometimes terrible) shows on television and online. I’ve reactivated my SAG/AFTRA membership, and even worked on a ’vertical’ film production shot here on the island last fall. I still keep a checklist of bucket-list experiences I want to accomplish, and hope to have the energy for. Oh, and I parent the most beautiful ‘super model’ kitty in the world: Miss Cleopatra!!

I guess you all can know that I have perhaps the strangest and most eclectic work and job history of anyone I know (it happens when you are trying to survive as a performer in a city like LA). Some of my jobs have included Maui Pineapple Cannery worker, Universal Studios (tour guide), houseboy, personal assistant, waiter/bartender (countless times!), shopping cart advertising representative, singing waiter, club and event DJ, staffing director, catering manager, event production, actor, singer (film/TV/stage), Peace Corps volunteer (Romania), and Immigration Services officer. It exhausts me to even contemplate.

I can’t wait to do my next show with Maui OnStage! 

Dan Church

6-11-26

Welcome to this week’s ohana spotlight. I’m so happy to introduce a wonderful performer and an all-around fantastic human. Welcome Dan Church! 

I’m an actor and audience member, although neither as often as I’d like to be. My first theatre experiences were being in elementary school and seeing high school productions of Romeo & Juliet and Guys & Dolls, going to summer stock shows during summer road trips, and seeing the touring production of Phantom of the Opera. Each one blew my mind. The first show I was in was the musical State Fair in high school. The first Maui OnStage show I was in was Cabaret (a bucket list show for me) in 2017ish.

My most meaningful theatre experiences were playing Bob in Come From Away and Barry Klemper in The Boys Next Door. Both roles portrayed the beauty of the humanity amidst suffering and loss. I don’t think there’s much more meaningful than that. My favorite memories with Maui OnStage are always the electricity of standing in the wings, about to go on stage with your castmates. Also, Marsi Smith bringing a kitten she found to rehearsal every night until someone (myself) adopted it.

I don’t know that I see anyone as a mentor or mentee for myself, which is too bad because I’d really like to have both! But what I love about theatre, and really people in general, is I really believe that every person and every experience has lessons to offer if we pay attention. 

My two most recurring (and important) roles are Dad and Social Worker. I’m the Social Services Director at Hospice Maui and am deeply honored to walk with families through their loved ones’ last days. Wandering the pastures and protea fields around our house with my wife and son is my preferred way to end any day.

Taking the opportunity to play and to walk in someone else’s shoes are two things I’ve never regretted, on stage or anywhere else in life. I would have left the island many years ago if it wasn’t for the Maui theatre community. The friendships and opportunities that have blossomed out of being welcomed into this family have changed my life, and I feel incredibly grateful to everyone who makes and sustains this community.

Jessica Nelson

6/4/26

Aloha! This week I’d love to introduce you to one of the true treasures of our Youth and Education Program. Please meet Jessica Nelson! 

I am the Maui OnStage youth and education co-coordinator. In my lifetime I have also been an actor, usher, bathroom cleaner, etc. When I was in 4th grade my mother took me to see Annie. I got to meet Annie afterwards and realized she wasn’t much older than I was and that spurred my love of the performing arts.

I find it so moving and meaningful every time my theatre kids get on the stage after working so hard for months and put on an amazing show. 

Alexis Desculious hired and mentored me, and she is a big part of who I am as an arts educator and director now. I constantly learn from my co-director Tina, our Executive Director Luana, and my students. One of the best things about my job is the privilege of working with teen interns who join me to teach. A few of the wonderful teens I have had the privilege to mentor are Audrey, Sayler, and Winston.

I was asked what I do outside of the theater…Is there life outside of theater? I do have a wonderful husband and two kids whom I get to enjoy when I am not at the theater. My daughter is a part of the theatre ohana, and my son is still figuring out if he wants to do that.

It is a privilege to get to do what I love every day. I feel very blessed to be part of this wonderful theatre ohana.

Aida Rose

5/28/26

Aloha, friends. This week I’d like to introduce you to one of my favorite voices (and people!) on Maui. Let’s learn a little more about Aida Rose. 

I usually engage with the theatre as a performer/actress. My first theatre experience happened when I was in middle school. I was in a production of You’re A Good Man,Charlie Brown, musically directed by Vania Jerome.

I think all of my theatre experiences are meaningful, however, as of recent, being part of Rent really left a mark on me. It was truly beautiful to feel safe enough with our cast to be emotionally vulnerable every performance and know that we could lean on each other for support. I think my favorite theatre memory is my first production with Maui OnStage, The Rocky Horror Show in 2022. I was a Transylvanian, and had so much fun with the rest of the cast! We were just so open and crazy, it made for hilarious moments backstage!

Some people who have been mentors to me…Queen Mother Vania Jerome. I first met her when I was in 8th grade. She was my music teacher. Who would have known that I would follow in her footsteps? (Well, her actually!) Also Rachel Schutz, my beloved vocal and private lessons professor from university. She helped me learn more about this instrument I have within me.

Another big influence was Martina Bingham, vocal pedagog to the gods! She was also my vocal and private lessons professor. She helped me understand my voice and body, and how to take care of both, which helped immensely as I was performing quite intensely.

I don’t know if I truly have mentored anyone yet, however, I have taught music and singing for over a decade. I have had the wonderful pleasure of watching my students grow not only as performers, but as people. I wouldn’t go so far as to say that I had anything to do with their progress in life, but I’ve always made it a point to lift my students up, to make sure that they have a space to feel safe and free to be whomever they want to be, and to be confident and goofy. I don’t see that as mentoring as much, but I see it more like my obligation due to all the awesome mentors I’ve had over the years. I get to give back. 

Outside of the theater, I perform and make music with other musicians, primarily the current band that I am in, Anykine. I just like having a good time, laughing, and being whimsical and goofy.

Virginia Sandell

5-21-26

Aloha! Welcome back to this week’s edition of our Ohana Spotlight. This week I’d love to have you learn more about a familiar face around Wailuku. Meet Virginia Sandell! 

I am writing to share my background and extensive experience with Maui OnStage (MOS), where I currently serve as a Board Member. My lifelong passion for theatre began in grade school and continued through college, which I attended on a theatre scholarship. Over the years, I have been involved in nearly every aspect of the craft, including acting, stage managing, and serving as a prop mistress for many seasons.

Having been a part of the MOS community for over 30 years, I have countless cherished memories, such as performing in La Cage Aux Folles. Throughout my career, I have been fortunate to have had exceptional mentors, including Mrs. Skinns in high school, Dr. Burger and Dr. Paul in college, and Dale Button, Wayne Moniz, and Steven Dascoulias here on Maui. One highlight was mentoring Hoku Pavao as an Assistant Stage Manager before she moved to New York for school.

In addition to theatre, I am a member of SAG-AFTRA with experience in film and television. I have had roles in the films Kuleana and Get A Job, appeared in a Lifetime movie, and currently hold a recurring role and Executive Producer credit on the TV show Moku Moku.

Outside of my artistic pursuits, I recently retired from the Department of Education after 30 years. My husband, artist David Sandell, and I also own and operate Sandell ArtWorks. Having lived on Maui for nearly 50 years, I truly believe the best part of MOS is the wonderful people I have met along the way.

Kristi Scott

5/14/26

Aloha all. This week I’d like to introduce you to one of our ohana members you probably recognize from the stage, from a class you’ve taken, or from one of the many seats you’ve seen her in. Let’s get to know a little more about Kristi Scott!

I have been engaged with Maui OnStage as a director, actor, stage manager, usher, teacher, box office manager, artistic director, board member, ONO creator, and audience member. As a teacher I love it when I see my students grow and flourish on stage. My students call me the Drama Queen.

My first theatre experience was so long ago I don’t know that I really remember. There was no one moment that sparked my love of theatre- I guess I was kind of born with it. Back in the day Maui OnStage used to have season auditions where actors came in and auditioned for the entire season. I went in to audition and came out as the director of Meshuggah-Nuns!. 

My most meaningful and fulfilling experience so far has been Come From Away.  To be involved in a play with that wonderful cast that touched actors and audience alike so profoundly was a joy and a privilege. 

One of my most vivid memories at Maui OnStage was during the preview of Meshuggah-Nuns!.  It was way back in the day when we had a bad rat problem in the theater. We were getting toward the end of the first act when these two rats calmly walked down the aisle, climbed the stairs and sat on the edge of the stage watching the end of the first act. After the blackout they ran backstage where suddenly we heard a huge bang and Louis (the TD at the time) yelled “Got ‘em!”. Someone from the audience yelled “What did you name it?”  “Squishy”.  That was my first show on Maui.  

Outside of the theater I help people declutter, I swim, I travel as much as I can, and I run something called Swap on Facebook live where we give stuff away for free. Something I think people may not know is that I think I’m kind of a boring person.

Theatre in all forms is vital. I look forward to a time when it is not such a struggle to keep it alive.

Rueben Carrion

5-7-26

Aloha friends. We’re back again with another amazing theatre ohana. Please get to know Rueben Carrion! 

Reuben considers himself an actor, a set striker, and a dressing room cleaner extraordinaire! His first theatre experience was with the Baldwin Theatre Guild in high school, under the legendary Ms. Sue Ann Loudon.

One of his most meaningful theatre experiences was performing in The Boys Next Door, because of such wonderful bonding moments with the rest of the cast. A favorite Maui OnStage memory he has is watching the kids in the audience’s reaction to snow falling during Elf the Musical!

He says a lot of people have been great mentors in the theatre community, such as Sue Ann Loudon, Kristi Scott, Alexis and Steven Dascoulias, Dale Button, David Negaard, Will Makozak, and Camille Romero.

Outside of the theatre, he travels when he can, and loves collecting comics. He wants people to know he’s really shy, and theatre has been a way to work through that. He sends his love and respect to everyone who supports live theatre!

Jennifer Oberg

4-30-26

Aloha again. This week I’d like to introduce you to someone who helps create the costume magic for many of our shows. 

Meet Jennifer Oberg! 

I am a Costume Director and Costume Designer at Maui OnStage, and I also work with the Sewing Hui to build and maintain the costume collection.

My first theatre experience was when I was seven years old. I was in a production at my sister’s high school, Oshkosh North High School in Wisconsin. I don’t remember the exact show, but it was a Rodgers and Hammerstein musical. My teen sister, baby sister, and I played a family alongside another teenage actor. We were a full family onstage, dressed in period costumes. It was magical, and I absolutely loved it.

Come From Away at Maui OnStage has been my most meaningful experience on Maui. Maui OnStage was the first non-professional theater in the country to receive the rights to produce the show, which made it incredibly special. The cast was so talented, the music was inspiring, and the emotional impact of the story was profound. 

At the end of the run, I gave each cast member a necklace with a gold airplane pendant. I see many of them wearing theirs in rehearsals and meetings, and I wear mine often. It is a reminder of a production that was both heartwarming and heartbreaking, and one that brought people together in a truly meaningful way.

One of my favorite memories is actually cleaning out the costume closet under the stage with members of the Sewing Hui. It is a hidden space that most people on Maui do not even know exists, a kind of secret treasure beneath the theater, where you can even see the front edge of the original stage from nearly 100 years ago.

When we started, the space was in rough shape, crowded, disorganized, and full of damaged costumes. About a dozen of us came together and took everything out, thousands of pieces. We sorted, cleaned, restored what we could, and completely cleaned the space. Then we carefully organized and labeled everything before putting it all back. It was a huge effort, but incredibly satisfying. That space is now something we can truly be proud of.

I was mentored by a group of extraordinary women in the 1990s in theater, opera, and Hollywood costume shops. Many of them had decades of experience, with careers that began in the 1950s, and they had worked with some of the most well-known actors and actresses of their time. They taught me how to drape, cut, sew, and build costumes from the ground up, and they passed on a deep respect for craftsmanship. Their knowledge and generosity shaped the designer and creator I am today.

I am currently mentoring students on Maui through the Costume Design and Production Mentorship Program with the Sewing Hui. One of my mentees, Riley Franco, recently designed Marie Antoinette in The Revolutionists at MAPA, where I was the Costume Director. I also work with several younger students, including Evelyn Evergreen, who is only 10 years old but already shows incredible talent and promise. Supporting the next generation of designers is something I care deeply about.

How do you ask a theater person what they do outside of the theater?  LOL!  Honestly, theater tends to spill into just about everything I do. And I spend time with my family, who are all creative people.  

I am currently preparing to fulfill a 37-year dream of earning my MFA in Costume Design. I have been accepted into the University of North Carolina School of the Arts, which accepts only two students per year. It is an incredible honor, and I am thrilled to see what is ahead.

Before costume design, I studied music composition in college, which still influences my work today. I especially love designing for productions with music, including opera, ballet, musicals, and dance. Looking ahead, I would love to design a show on Broadway, and I want to direct. I have the leadership abilities and interest in storytelling to be a good director. 

I believe deeply in the power of community theater. It is where so many people get their start, discover their voice, and are given their first chance to perform or design. It is full of both highs and lows, but that is part of what makes it so meaningful.

At the heart of it, the word unity is in community, and we need more of that. Especially here on Maui, where we have a small but incredibly vibrant performing arts scene, I think it is important that all of our theaters and groups support one another. When one group has a sold-out show, or when one of our actors lands a big role, those are wins for all of us. I hope to see us celebrating each other and lifting each other up.

Jackie Goring

4-23-26

This week let’s get to know another familiar face around not only the Historic Iao Theater, but also down the block on Market Street. Let’s get to know Jackie Goring! 

Aloha. I’m Jackie, and I serve as a Maui OnStage Board member, and also help run concessions. The first show I watched at the Historic Iao Theater was Hair back in 2004. I went to support my friend who was in the show. 

One of my favorite Maui OnStage memories was watching my sons perform in a show at the Historic Iao Theater, and I got to peek through from the side of the stage because I was helping out. It was such a cool experience seeing them out there in the spotlight. 

Outside of the theater, I am the co-owner of Wailuku Coffee Company. You can usually spot me just down the street working there. I also love art and surfing. 

Bruce Allen

4-16-26

Aloha again. This week I’d like to introduce you to one of our quiet, front-of-house heroes. Here’s Bruce Allen!

Bruce is one of our amazing volunteer ushers, so you’re likely to see his smiling face helping you to your seat. He was active in some of his high school musicals back in the day (Bubble Trouble: A Musical Farce), but now mostly stays in the front of the house. 

Some of his favorite shows he’s seen locally include Daddy Long Legs, Rent, Clue, and The Rocky Horror Show. I pressed him for any bucket list shows, but he says not really– he enjoys them all! 

Bruce loves helping non-profit organizations now that he’s retired. Besides local theaters, he also volunteers for the Lahaina Restoration Foundation, and is currently trying to learn the ukulele. He enjoys making friends with fellow volunteers and other theatre ohana. 

We are so pleased to have Bruce in our theatre family! 

Tina Kailiponi

4-9-26

Today we welcome to the spotlight someone dear to so many people’s hearts…here’s Tina Kailiponi!

Aloha! You can call me Miss Tina! 

Along with Jessica Nelson, I am the co-director for Maui OnStage Education & Youth Program. I have directed the teen productions with my bestie Francis Tau’a. My first theatre experience was my 6th grade play, which was a musical about Benjamin Franklin. I had two lines and I still remember them.  🙂

My time at Ulalena was one of my most meaningful theatre experiences. I also have to say every one of the youth productions I co-direct is also so important to me. Each experience stands out because of the youngsters we have in our program. We see shy kids find themselves, we see “misunderstood” kids find their place, and to be able to watch the light come on in a child who didn’t think they could do something is priceless.

My favorite memory at Maui OnStage is the show Come From Away! The show that will stay with me forever. Having the honor of walking in Buelah’s shoes was a dream. 

Craig Gardner was my theatre teacher back in the 1900s at Maui Community College (now UHMC). I ALWAYS loved theatre, but never really had the confidence to feel like I knew what I was doing, until I walked into Craig’s Dramatic Production class. He saw something in me that I never saw in myself. He pushed me to always be more, to know that I had what it takes to be a stage manager/actor/director…really, anything! I consider him a mentor, and he is one of the reasons I became a theatre educator. I guess I have been a mentor, at last count…to hundreds of youngsters in my 30 years of youth theatre.

Outside of the theater, I work full-time at the Maui Food Bank as their Keiki Programs Coordinator. My job is to do my best to make sure our island keiki do not go hungry. I have a wonderful family who has always supported my theatre addiction. My mom Maria and sister Vanessa have been such amazing supporters and cheerleaders for this passion I have for the arts. There have been times when I would drag my sister to come work with me backstage. She would agree..sometimes kicking and screaming, but I love her for it! And now we have some incredible backstage stories to tell. My daughter Jillian has been in the theatre world since she was in the womb. Her boyfriend Zach is the most wonderful human, and also a theatre kid (shout out to Chris Kepler & King K Dramaticans, where Jilli and Zach met).  I have a wonderful boyfriend Guy, and two beautiful bonus daughters, Kelilah and Leilani. My family means everything to me!

 I am so grateful for theatre. This is where I found my voice. Theatre saved my life as a kiddo and now I devote my life to our theatre youth. 

Bob Offermann

4-2-26

Welcome to this week’s ohana spotlight. I’d like to introduce you to one of our most dedicated behind-the-scenes people we have. Let’s get to know Bob Offermann! 

Aloha. I don’t really remember my first theatre experience, though I know my parents took us to a few plays when I was young. The first experience I really remember was going to see Luther at the Curran Theater in San Francisco when I was in high school. The intensity of the performances and the magic of theatre made an impression on me that made me want to see more, and the more I saw the more I wanted, so I have been going to the theater ever since.

I mostly work building sets and helping backstage as part of the run crew, and whenever I’m not in the crew I love to be an audience member. In the past I have also served as assistant stage manager, stage manager, and once as the scenic designer. I’ve been called on to make cameo appearances on stage in a few shows.

 It is impossible to say what theatre experience is most meaningful! There are shows that were meaningful to me as an audience member, like the emotional impact of The Kentucky Cycle and Sweeney Todd, and the giddy exhilaration after seeing A Chorus Line for the first time. There is also the experience of working on a show and seeing it come together, when a week from opening you think the set will never get finished and the actors won’t be able to learn all of their lines in time, and yet when the curtain goes up for the first performance everything is somehow magically ready. Of course it’s not really magic; it’s a lot of hard work and long hours. Maybe that’s what’s most meaningful to me about being part of theatre here on Maui, how time after time a bunch of (mostly) unpaid volunteers step up and put in whatever effort is necessary to make a show the best that they possibly can out of love for the theatre and so that the audience can have a great experience.  

There are so many great memories here at Maui OnStage, and more are created every time I walk into the theater. But being someone who likes a challenge, two of my favorites are helping to build and to run the car in Chitty Chitty Bang Bang and the rain set for Singin’ in the Rain.

The theatre community is so giving that I think I have learned something from everyone I have worked with. The two people I think I’ve learned the most from are Steven Dascoulias and Amy Lord. I haven’t formally mentored anyone, but I try to share what I know whenever I can.

Outside of the theater my favorite activity is swimming. I used to compete in open water races, both in California and here on Maui. I’ve swum across the channel from Lanai to Kaanapali 24 times and across Lake Tahoe 18 times (all as part of a relay) as well as many 1- 2 mile races. These days I just swim in the pool for exercise three times a week.

I love the theater and I try to see as many shows as I can. A while back I decided to make a list; so far I’ve seen 203 different musicals (including a few operas and operettas) and 324 plays.

The Maui theatre community is an amazing ohana of remarkably talented people who work together and support each other such as I haven’t seen before. I feel honored and blessed to be able to be part of it.

Lily Werner

3-26-26

Aloha! This week I’m so pleased to introduce you to one of our amazing young actors, who continues to blow us away with her stage presence, humor, dance chops, and all-around charm. You’ve seen her on stage at the Historic Iao Theatre as Molly in Peter and the Starcatcher, in several ONOs, and she served as both dance captain and the Janice alternate in Come From Away.  Please get to know a little bit about Lily Werner! 

Although I participated in Miss Kristi Scott’s middle school drama club for two years, I consider my first true theatre experience to be in 2023, when I joined ProArts’ production of Pride and Prejudice as Stage Assistant / Bennet servant / Statue / universal understudy. I had just returned from a draining first semester away at university and had decided not to go back. Feeling a bit lost and disconnected, my grandma—an avid theatre patron with a degree in direction—encouraged me to audition for a local production. That show ended up meaning so much to me. I jumped in wherever I was needed and had an incredible time meeting new friends. That winter, I auditioned for The Reluctant Elf, and I haven’t stopped auditioning since!

I was asked what my most meaningful theatre experience has been so far…that’s a tough question! If I had to choose, I would say either being in the ensemble of ProArts’ Spring Awakening or playing Charlotte Corday in MAPA’s The Revolutionists. Spring Awakening was my first full musical, and the moment my passion for theatre truly ignited. I was enamored by the complexity of the characters, the challenge of the music, and the genius of the concept and choreography. The Revolutionists, an empowering, female-led, intimate four-person show, was my first substantial role, where I really got to dive deeply into character work—especially meaningful because Charlotte is based on a historical figure. What makes both experiences so special to me, though, is the people. The casts and crews became like family, and I formed relationships during those shows that hold strong to this day. They mean the world to me.

My favorite memory with Maui Onstage would have to be the first time I stepped onto the Iao Theatre stage. I had seen many productions there as an audience member, but I didn’t actually stand on that stage until the summer of 2023. James Nevius—whom I met while he was stage managing Pride and Prejudice—invited me to read for a play he wrote called ‘Ainakea that would be featured as the June ONO. Some of the actors I read alongside are Maui’s finest talent, and I remember standing up there feeling excited, nervous, and incredibly humbled. It was a really special moment for me.

I’ve been fortunate to have several people I would call mentors. Vania Jerome has been my voice teacher for just over a year (with the support of a Wave of Harmony scholarship), and she has been an incredible coach and resource. She’s never afraid to tell me how it is, and she consistently pushes me beyond what I thought I was capable of.

I’m currently in my second show with Jackie Dowsett as choreographer, and serving as her Dance Captain has helped me rediscover my love for dance. Jackie brings such bright energy to everything she touches, and her passion for her work is evident in the product. James Nevius has also been a mentor to me. Through the ONO readings he’s involved me in, he’s pushed me to grow—particularly in improvisation and making bold choices with a script I’ve only read through once or twice!

When I returned home after a difficult first semester of university, I felt defeated, uninspired, and alone. Joining the Maui theatre community is a huge part of what changed that – of what made me feel like myself again. Theatre is challenging and vulnerable and silly and honest and real. I love you all.

Jordan Lum

3-19-26

Aloha again, friends. As we continue our spotlights, I want to introduce you to the other half of the multi-talented couple who got married on our stage in 2025…I’m pleased to introduce 

Jordan Isaias Kahu Lum! 

Jordan is relatively new to our performing ohana, but has debuted with a bang. His first on-stage theatre experience was playing a Transylvanian in The Rocky Horror Show in 2023. He is a triple-threat in my book, because not only do we get to see him on stage, but he is also an amazing volunteer usher helping out whenever and however needed, and we can also often find him in the audience cheering on fellow creatives. 

Jordan says his most meaningful theatre experience so far has been performing in the 2024 summer musical Seussical. He’s had a lot of fun with the shows he’s done, but his favorite Historic Iao Theater memory is, of course, getting married on stage in 2025. 

Outside of the theater Jordan is a substitute teacher in the DOE and Kamehameha Schools here on Maui. He will be graduating with his Bachelor’s of Science in Elementary Education from Chaminade University Honolulu this year. He’s a site coordinator for the County of Maui Summer PALS Programs during summer break. He says he loves dancing hula, lei making, drawing, and giving back to the community in lots of different ways. 

We are so very happy to have Jordan in our Maui OnStage ohana! 

Kameron Lum

3-12-26

Our spotlight this week shines on someone who shows up both on stage and in the front-of-house as a Maui OnStage usher. Ask anyone and they will let you know he is always the lighthouse in a storm. We are so lucky to have Kameron Kekaimalie O’Kalani Lum in our ohana! 

Kameron’s theatre journey began as a kid as one of the three Wisemen in the Christmas Nativity scene at Friday Night Youth Group. He is a Baldwin Theatre Guild alum, and says his most meaningful theatre experience was getting to play the role of Aladdin during the show at Baldwin. He credits both Linda Carnevale (Director of the Baldwin Theatre Guild) and Camille Romero (Kamehameha Schools) as positive mentors in his artistic life, and hopes he has been a good example for other volunteers and creatives throughout the Maui community. 

Kameron says his favorite Maui OnStage memory has to be actually getting married on the Historic Iao Theater’s stage on February 8, 2025, in front of a full house of family, friends, and so many loved ones. 

He says he loves a good sale, fundraiser, and silent auction! He loves to be able to give back to the community in those ways. Outside of theatre, his day jobs include acting as General Manager of a Wailea Community Association, being an Island Art Party Partista, and he’s a House Manager at ProArts Playhouse. 

You’ve seen him in various roles here at Maui OnStage, including She Kills Monsters, Seussical, and The Rocky Horror Show. One of his philosophies is that he “strives to make an entrance and leave an impression!”. We believe he certainly does make an impression on everyone he meets, and feel so lucky to have him as part of our creative ohana. 

Ronelle Esty

3-5-26

Aloha friends! Heather (Box Office & Volunteer Coordinator) here. This week I would like to tell you a little bit about a special front-of-house volunteer. Here’s a quick get-to-know-you about Ronelle Esty! 

Ronelle is one of those special people with a giver’s heart. She is one of our volunteer ushers, and I can’t tell you how many times she’s helped us out in a pinch. She seems to have a sixth sense when it comes to times where we are short-staffed, and then she pops up in my inbox asking “do you need any extra hands?”. 

Ronelle is a Baldwin High School alum, and says she learned so much from Maui theatre legend Sue Loudon. She says she saw a performance of You’re A Good Man, Charlie Brown her freshman year, and was so intrigued by it she signed up for the next show to help behind the scenes. One of her favorite parts of being in the theatre ohana is seeing people come out of their shells, and become a completely different person on stage. 

In her regular, day-to-day life, she is the President-Elect for her local Rotary Club chapter. She loves spending time with family and friends. She’s been to every state in the US except Alaska, which is definitely on the list! She would also love to visit Italy someday. 

Ronelle says she loves to usher and help with front-of-house duties, and as Volunteer Coordinator, I couldn’t be more thankful for her kindness, skill, and devotion to our artistic community. Mahalo, Ronelle! 

Francis Tau’a

2-26-26

This week’s Ohana Spotlight features a very familiar face. Many of you have seen him over the years on stages all across Maui, behind the scenes as a director, leading workshops and camps, or in the audience cheering on other theatre ohana. Here’s Francis Tau’a! 

Aloha!  Here’s a little bit about me. I am an actor, director, as well as a teacher. My first theater experience was in 1981. I was in a youth production of The Hobbit.

The MOST meaningful experience I’ve had as an actor on stage was getting to play Lennie in Of Mice and Men. It was the culmination of decades of character work, being able to let go of the technical process, and live absolutely free and present every second on stage. I had never felt that freedom up until that point in time. It infuses every part of what I do now.

My favorite memory with Maui OnStage is breaking into the building back in the early 90s after hours with other notable performers of the time, and performing impromptu for each other. We are all to this day still working creatives. 

In the arts world, I was mentored by Linda Takita, Sue Ann Loudon, and David Johnston. I have been working with children since 1992, and I hope I have made an impact at some point, somewhere, with at least one of my students. I think I am well-received by them.

Outside of the theater I work with children of all ages. I teach theatre but also work with the YMCA. I enjoy writing plays.

I’m sincerely grateful for those who reached out in many ways to address and give assistance throughout my period of struggling with alcohol. I’m so humbled by the amount of help I was offered, especially when I wasn’t ready to accept it. Learning to see and hear and truly accept that you are so loved by a community is quite an overwhelming experience to come to terms with after decades of telling yourself you are undeserving. Thank you for making me feel worthy of love and giving me the strength to believe it.

Theresa Supera 

2-19-26

Aloha, all! Please allow me to introduce another of our kind and multi-talented ‘ohana, who can be found both on stage and in the front-of-house crew (she’s also my favorite after-show candid-shot photographer). 

Here’s Theresa Supera! 

I am an actor/singer/dancer. As a performer, I obviously love being on stage! I have been performing since I was 4 years old.

When I am not performing in a show, I love helping out at the box office or ushering. After Covid I was not in any shows at the time. I was itching to be part of theatre in any capacity here on Maui, so I got involved in ushering at the various venues. Helping out as an usher or box office greeter is awesome because you get to meet and greet other enthusiastic theatre lovers. It’s always like a friend reunion!

My favorite Maui OnStage memories are performing in the musicals Mary Poppins, Singing in the Rain, and my favorite, Something Rotten!. Being in the audience for other shows and helping by ushering and cheering on actors, casts, and crews is also very fulfilling.

As a volunteer usher/helper, we are all trained by the fab Heather Knowles Negaard, and we support each other. I have encouraged many others to become ushers and in other volunteer capacities in the theatre community.

I am a proud mother, grandmother, and great-grandmother, and I am still performing, singing, and dancing for audiences on Maui! Outside of the theater, I am currently a substitute teacher for Baldwin High School and several other schools. I not only perform, but also teach dance, tap, jazz, and salsa. 

I want to be part of making the theatre experience for our community as warm, friendly, and exciting as it can be. I love the Historic Iao Theater and Maui OnStage. My heart lives on stage!

Samuel Castillo

2-12-26

Aloha! This week I’d like to introduce you to one of our favorite young people in our theatre ohana, who continues to impress us every time he walks in the door. He approaches every production he’s part of with joy, curiosity, and an amazing desire to learn and grow. Please get to know Samuel Castillo! 

My first theatre experience was just a few years ago when I did spotlights for Nutcracker Sweets. That was actually my first time ever walking into a theater. I had no idea what to expect or how anything worked, but I am really grateful that I stayed and found my love for it. I moved to Maui when I was six years old. I was never really surrounded by the arts until I joined band in middle school. Around 7th grade a friend asked me if I wanted to do spotlights for Nutcracker. It has just continued from there. 

I engage with Maui OnStage by volunteering and helping in any way I can. Although I mainly prefer to be backstage for shows and events, being on stage is something I also love, and really look forward to whenever there are teen shows. I try to find ways to engage in youth and adult shows so I can both teach others and learn from more experienced people.

My favorite memory with Maui OnStage is getting to yell the callouts for The Rocky Horror Show (while running spotlight) and interacting with the audience, It was really fun and one of my teachers actually ended up recognizing me which was funny but a little awkward. 

During my first time on stage when I was in Seussical (as Thing 1), I got to run around in the house and really see the faces of the younger kids in the audience. That made me realize that shows can have an impact on people’s lives whether it be big or small. It reminded me of when I first watched one of the high school bands when I was like 8 years old and that lead to me becoming involved with the arts.

A lot of people in the community have mentored me: Dawn Harper, Tina Kailiponi, Francis Tau’a, Dale Button, and many others that have taught me things I’m really grateful for, both in and out of the theater. I have brought in and helped teach a handful of the teen techs such as Parker Savage, Wyatt Heinlein, Caylee Crimmins, and I’d like to think I’ve been a role model for some of the younger actors I’ve worked with.

I play trombone in my school’s symphonic band, and I’m currently on the wrestling team. At the time I’m writing this I’m actually on my way to a tournament! Whenever I find time I also like to read. The series I’m currently reading is Eragon. Thank you so much for letting me be part of this!

David Negaard

2-5-26

Aloha, and let me introduce myself. I’m David Negaard. I have been part of the Maui theatre ʻohana for almost 14 years as an audience member, actor, usher, set designer/builder, director, playwright, and Maui OnStage board member.

I count my first real theatre experience as being cast as Vernon Linville in Damn Yankees in Lancaster, California in the year 2000. I was living alone and teaching middle school; we teachers put on a madrigal dinner for our students during our unit on medieval Europe, and wanted our students to have an experience to bring some of what they learned to life. Under the tutelage of the school’s music teacher, the rest of us learned and performed madrigals while the students ate in costume and character. The music teacher commented that I had a nice voice, and suggested I audition for a musical due to be performed locally.

The rest, as they say, is history.

Although it’s difficult to pick just one, my most meaningful personal theatre experience has been the 2013 Maui OnStage production of RENT at the Historic Iao Theater. Rehearsing and performing RENT with that magical cast and crew at that time in my life healed wounds that had long persisted. With its clever writing and staging, powerful and uplifting message, and authentic and hopeful portrayal of humanity, Come From Away with Maui OnStage in 2025 was my most broadly significant theatre experience. My favorite memory with Maui OnStage is when Tiamat’s eyes lit up in the finale for She Kills Monsters (2022); I had the privilege of directing that show and the collaboration was deeply satisfying. Stephie Garrett’s puppet expertise created that moment and it was more than I could ever have asked for.

My mentors on Maui over the years have been many, too many to confidently name; a few that come to mind are Steven Dascoulias, Vania Jerome, Dale Button, David Belew, and Joy Fields. I have learned kindness, discipline, courage, patience, perseverance, and generosity through their lived examples.

My wife Heather is my guiding star; I count myself ever so lucky in love. While this adventure is quite new in the context of a pretty long life, it is timeless, ageless, eternal.

To pay the bills, I teach high school English at H.P. Baldwin High School here in Wailuku. I am grateful for the opportunity to serve and mentor young people as they prepare for life in the adult and working worlds. And I actually really like them as human beings! My journey to this time and place makes for quite a story: I graduated high school in 1977 and swore I was done with school forever and would be nothing like my father (the English teacher). I served in the U.S. Navy, then worked as an engineer in the defense sector before going to college (where I first met Heather), briefly serving as a youth minister, then taking up teaching in 1997.

And the universe laughs…

Amanda Michele Turnbull Dellinger

1-29-26

This week we welcome you to learn more about another one of our amazing ohana members, Amanda Michele Turnbull Dellinger! 

I made my Maui OnStage debut in 2024 onstage as Bird Girl 3 in Seussical! and have since happily migrated all over the building. These days you’ll most often find me backstage as Technical Director (Come From Away), Set Designer & Builder (1940s Radio Christmas Carol), or currently TD & Props Master (or Madam!) for The Mousetrap.

I’ve also popped into ONOs, appeared as a Party Parent in Nutcracker Sweets (with Shane Borge as my first-ever stage husband on Maui), volunteered whenever possible, coordinated backstage volunteers, and collaborated with the board to launch Season of Legacy, MOS’s inaugural annual fundraising campaign.

In my freshman year of high school, I secretly auditioned for You Can’t Take It With You after spotting a flyer in the hallway. My parents were sports fans hoping for athletic scholarships, so I assumed theater was…not the plan.

I auditioned with zero experience, somehow landed the lead (Alice!), and figured my parents couldn’t say no to that. I was hooked. I dropped sports, did two to three shows a year throughout high school, and would have proudly lettered in theatre if that had been a thing anyone understood at the time.

Theatre has saved my life twice—once in high school and once here on Maui. Both times, I was searching for community and belonging, and both times I found creative homes filled with like-minded people and friendships that will last a lifetime.

It’s hard to choose only one favorite memory with Maui OnStage. Seeing children dance in the aisles during Seussical! is tied with the pride I felt seeing the 1940s Radio Christmas Carol set come to life with a small group of our beloved actors. More than any single moment, it’s the magic of this community, people showing up, creating together, and supporting one another, that gets me every time.

Who has mentored me? Who hasn’t? Growing up, I longed for a single mentor, someone who would scoop me up and teach me everything in a neat, linear way (very Karate Kid energy). That didn’t happen. Instead, I gathered many teachers along the way, some knowingly and others unknowingly, and I’m deeply grateful for all of them.

People who have especially shaped my theatre journey over the past couple of years on Maui include (in alphabetical order): Ally Shore, Amy Lord, Andrea Finkelstein, Bob Offerman, Caro Walker, Dale Button, Dan Hayes, David Negaard, Dawn Harper, Heather Knowles Negaard, Kristi Scott, Lin McEwen, Luana Whitford-Mitchell, Madeline Hamada, Marji Knowles, and Michael Willett, to name a few.

At ProArts, I had the opportunity to work with youth interns and volunteers backstage. I’m currently training to become a substitute teacher and hope to get assignments in art and theatre classes. I’d love to continue mentoring—formally or informally—supporting cast and crew at MOS and beyond.

I’m a multimedia visual artist, curator, and run Arts Enabler, where I help artists and organizations build sustainable creative programs, systems, and teams—aka structure for dreamers.

I’m also spiritually curious with a soft spot for astrology and tarot, and recently founded Last Quarter Moon Club, a cozy rebellion against hustle culture where we reflect, release, and honor our own achievements and those who came before us—living and long past—before moving toward what’s next.

My husband James and I live in Kahakuloa on a multigenerational family property under my uncle Bruce Turnbull’s stewardship—a privilege and responsibility we truly cherish. We moved from Seattle eight years ago and lived in a tent for 1.5 years before building the tiny home we currently live in. During the pandemic, Chico Kaonohi let me run his food truck, Braddah Chic’s Lunch Stop, which became a meaningful way to serve the village and my family. That experience led me to ProArts Playhouse and the arts community I’m now so grateful to be part of.

One last fun thing to let you know…I’ve shared a stage with Chris Pratt—we went to the same high school. Our PE teacher said I was the female version of him, which I can only assume was a compliment.

Barbara Sedano

1-22-26

This week I would like to introduce you to one of our all-around ohana members, Barbara Sedano! As you will read below, she seems to have done it all, and we are so blessed to have her in our theatre family. Here’s Babs!

I lived in Hana for 13 years, and then in 1990 my family and I moved to Haiku. My first Maui OnStage experience was Bye Bye Birdie with my son (his first and only time on stage!). I have been in many shows since then with Maui OnStage. At one point I  was even Vice President on the board. I’ve worked on sets, sound, spotlights, coordinated lots of props, stage managed, directed ONOs, ushered, and worked fundraising events! 

My very first theatre experience was seeing The Nutcracker on Broadway in 1966. My first time on stage was my high school play of Li’l Abner where I played Moonbeam McSwine. I also apprenticed at the Playhouse on the Mall in Paramus, New Jersey, before traveling across the country with two children and ending up in Hawaii. I’ve done theatre in Hana, at MOS, MAPA, ProArts, and the MACC (Castle and McCoy theaters). 

I have many wonderful memories of shows and characters at Maui OnStage, but playing Aunt Abby in Arsenic and Old Lace, with Joyce Romero, Vinnie Linares, and company fills me with pride. Caro Walker built us such a beautiful Victorian set. Over the years I feel some of my mentors were people like Sue Loudon, Joyce Romero, Betty Green, and Vinnie Linares. I love to learn, and enjoy every minute and experience I get from theatre. 

I’ve retired from office work, and my pottery is what I love to do when not doing theatre. Family and friends are always a big part of my life. I usually go by Barbara, but my theatre family knows me as Babs. I hope to continue on stage as long as possible. I’ve dabbled with improv classes and maybe one day I’ll be able to work with a group on stage– I enjoy comedy! I’m thankful to all those who do live theatre, and the audiences that truly appreciate us, whether we are on, behind, or above the stage. 

Live theatre rocks!! 

Morgan Wittmer

1-15-26

From Heather – I’d like to introduce Morgan Wittmer, who is one of the most talented, energetic, amazing volunteers around. I’ll let her tell you a bit more about herself, and how she fits into our creative community here at Maui OnStage. 

Originally, I was a mere audience member, but I was quickly and lovingly sucked in by the Maui OnStage family after enrolling my daughter in a class with the youth program. I inquired about getting involved with set design for the youth shows and Jessica Nelson and Tina Kailiponi gave me a shot to help with Junie B. Jones. Before I knew it, I was painting WhoVille for Seussical, designing for the youth and teen shows, and then painting again for the main stage production of Murder on the Orient Express. And then poof, I was painting walls and puppets for Little Shop of Horrors at ProArts. I took on my next tiny project of making a giant book and spinning tree for MOS’ Knight at Dawn and haven’t slowed down since. My daughter has been in a whole heap of productions and I’ve been  honored to usher, volunteer, and assist whenever needed. I’m already working on The Most Epic Birthday Ever and sketching some ideas for the designer of the summer show. It’s been a wild ride!

My first theatre experience onstage was playing Calamity Jane in Tall Tales and Heroes in elementary school (which was no doubt a dramatic masterpiece), and my family has been engaged in the arts ever since I could remember. I recall seeing Miss Saigon in Denver, Phantom in San Francisco, and even a few shows on Broadway. I can also sprinkle in a plethora of music, orchestra, a few dinner theater shows, and Shakespeare festivals. It was a pretty awesome way to grow up. 

I’ve had so many good moments watching theater, from seeing my daughter grow on and off the stage, and getting involved with the talented people on Maui, it’s hard to pick which is the most meaningful. I think one of my favorite moments was with David Negaard, who I got to work with when we created a giant pop-out book for Magic Tree House: Knight at Dawn. After countless hours of thinking, sketching, drafting, toiling, measuring, cutting and building the dramatic and intricate pieces that would come to life when the giant pages opened, it was finally time to try the first movements. With my parents watching (who were part of the building team), David swung the first page open to reveal our dungeon scene. It was pretty magical to see all that work come alive! It felt great to be with like-minded hardworking people that had just devoted so much time to creating an amazing set for kids. They deserve it!

I have a million great memories with Maui OnStage, but I had some really fun moments getting to work with Amy Lord and Dawn Harper, who took me in and taught me plenty. We laughed a lot and had one particularly funny exchange when I thought Amy was just being a diva and flipping her hair around like a “Real Housewife”, but in actuality her hair was getting blown by the nail gun and compressed air. There really are a million moments in every production that the audience never sees that forever bonds the creative souls that work there. I’m so grateful that I get to be included in the Maui OnStage Ohana.

A ton of people have welcomed me and mentored me including but not limited to David Negaard, Heather Negaard, Dawn Harper, Amy Lord, Jessica Nelson, Tina Kailiponi, Madeline Hamada, Amanda Delinger, Caro Walker, Vince Pinelli, Kristi Scott, Ally Shore, Lin McEwan and even that guy, Shane Borge. They’ve all taught me something glorious about Maui theatre!

I’m so glad I’ve been given the opportunity to teach at the Maui Onstage kid camps and do set design and painting! I love the idea of being part of the next generation of theatre on Maui and teaching a whole new group of kids to love the offstage and tech work, just as much as the artistry in the spotlight. 

I do have a real job as a manager at PacWhale Eco-Adventures. I hire and train the new naturalists and staff for our EcoTours, and design our customer service and onboard education programs. My background is in marine biology. I even have my masters studying sea turtles, which is why I always hide multiple sea turtles in my set designs. See if you can find one next time. I love all animals! Before I moved to Maui, I was a zookeeper. So if you have any painting, set design, sea turtle or monkey questions, just come to me! 

I am so incredibly grateful to be part of this beautiful community on Maui. I can’t imagine a better place to spend my time and raise my children. The people that my children get to spend time with are talented, diverse, kind, giving, and supportive. I will forever be thankful for Jessica Nelson and Tina Kailiponi (and their amazing counselor staff, Audrey, Jilli, Sayler, Winston, Amber, Nora and Sasha, to name a few) for fostering the love of theatre for my kids. Life is great as part of the Maui OnStage family…even if it means sweating in a turtle costume at the MACC Halloween event! Much Aloha to you all! 

Dale Button

1-8-26 

My name is Dale Button and I am an actor and director at Maui OnStage. In fact, my first directing opportunity came from Maui OnStage with You Can’t Take It With You in 2007. Other directorial forays include Run For Your Wife, Wait Until Dark, Harvey, Elf, the Musical, and most recently, A 1940s Radio Christmas Carol. 

My first theatrical experience at Maui OnStage was watching The Rocky Horror Show in 1992, which prompted me to audition for Guys and Dolls in the spring of 1993. I was cast as Uncle Arvide Abernathy (I was too young looking to play Grandfather Arvide…ah, those were the days), as well as a Cuban dancer in the Havana scene, and one of the dancers in the crap shooters dance. I went on from there to be cast as Don Quixote in Baldwin Theatre Guild’s summer production of Man of La Mancha, followed by Judge Turpin in Sweeney Todd back at Maui OnStage, Aslan/Uncle Diggory in Narnia (with MAPA), and then with A Chorus Line back at Maui OnStage again. Thus, my theatrical career began.

My most meaningful experience in the theatre world would be when I played Nick/Doug in Come From Away at Maui OnStage. The heart-thumping wave of adrenaline that surged through me each night standing backstage as the bodhrán drum began beating at the beginning of each show is something I will always remember. Then we stepped onto the stage and told a story that made people laugh and cry, a story that renewed people’s faith in the kindness and humanity of others, a story that brought the audience along for the ride with a deep emotional impact. The music was challenging (that’s putting it mildly), the costume pieces and props coming and going from here to there, and the “chairography” made this one of the most challenging shows in which I have ever performed!

My favorite memory at Maui OnStage is a hard question to answer. There have been so many shows with so many incredible and memorable moments in the past 32 years. But some of my proudest moments were watching the cast of A 1940s Radio Christmas Carol embody their characters and take the reins of a show with very little rehearsal time and make it look effortless, touching, and funny while engaging the audience to take the journey with them. Every night I sat in the audience and beamed with pride watching that group of talented actors/singers bring the show to life! 

I have learned so many things from so many actors and directors in my theatrical journey. As an opera singer at CSU Chico, I was given voice lessons by my mentor Professor Gwen Curatilo, who once told me “Once you sing opera, you can sing anything”. She also gave me a couple of very sage pieces of advice. She said when at auditions, if given the opportunity, always audition first…then YOU set the bar. And that a review is only one person’s opinion…take the good, but don’t let the bad drag you down. If it’s criticism that will make you a better performer, put it to use, but if not, toss it…it’s just one person’s opinion. 

I learned about subtext from director Michael Snider in my first show on Maui. And it wasn’t even me he was giving the notes to…but it struck me as something very important in filling out a character’s performance.

Professor Randy Wonzong, one of the drama teachers at CSU Chico, taught me how to make any movement from point A to point B with purpose. As he was moving the chorus around on the stage from place to place during My Fair Lady, we were charged with coming into the next rehearsal with the reason we were moving from place to place. It gives the character more substance if you embody the character with a purpose in what they’re doing and where they’re going. He also taught me how to believe in myself as an actor and how to use my whole body as an actor. While rehearsing as Don Quixote for Man of La Mancha in Court Theater (the summerstock productions at CSU Chico) which was being performed in the round (audience members on all four sides of the stage) he stopped me after a scene and complimented me on my facial expressions. He then asked me to turn around. I turned around and he said, “You see all those seats? Those people can’t see your face. I need you to give those people with your back and body what you’re giving me with your face on this side”. He then proceeded to walk past me and sit on the other side of the theater and asked us to do the scene again. After we finished the scene he complimented me again, saying that I had accomplished what he had asked of me and that I was quite capable of being a great actor as well as a great singer. 

I’ve never actually mentored anyone, but I’m always willing to share my experiences and the lessons I’ve learned whenever I feel they’re appropriate or helpful for others in the theater community. As a director, I try to nurture and nudge actors into believing in themselves and the characters they’ve created, and when you take off the reins and watch them soar, it’s truly one of the greatest gifts as a director. 

Outside of the theater, I’m a waiter at Hali’imaile General Store restaurant at lunch where I’ve worked for over 18 years now. As I like to say, “I’m a New York story on Maui…I’m an actor who waits tables for a living”. You can find me there Tuesday through Friday. Come on down for lunch someday!

Theatre is my passion in life, and I feel so fortunate to have been given so many opportunities to perform and direct here on Maui. One of my all-time favorite memories at the Iao Theater was when my mother, brother, and his family were here on vacation and they came to see The Pirates of Penzance. As I made my entrance onto the stage as the Major General, the audience applauded. Then, after the show, my mother met so many of my friends and other theatre patrons who all spoke so fondly and lovingly about me, that she turned to me and said, “You really are a big star here, and you really have so many good friends who genuinely care about you”. To which I replied, “Did you think I was lying all this time?” to which she responded, “You have been known to spin a tale or two to make me not worry about you”.

My mother was my greatest fan. She came to see everything I ever performed in, including the evening that I had a “perfect” performance as Papageno in The Magic Flute at CSU Chico (a “perfect” performance is where you do everything right…no missed vocal notes, no missed lines, no missteps). And sitting in the audience that night,  the woman sitting next to her commented on what a great performance I was giving, to which she said, “That’s my son”. The woman then replied,  “You must be very proud of him”. To which my mother replied, “Yes, I am.” 

I hope to continue acting, singing, dancing in, as well as directing shows here on Maui for many years to come. Hana hou!

Heather Knowles Negaard

12-31-25

Aloha Maui OnStage ohana, and welcome to 2026! 

We believe community theatre’s foundation truly lies in all the dedicated people that come together to build it, so this year we’ll be spotlighting one volunteer each week. We hope you’ll read along to learn more about the folks that make our creative home on this little island so special. 

To get us started, I’d love to tell you a little about myself. My name is Heather Knowles Negaard, and I am the Box Office and Volunteer Coordinator for Maui OnStage. I’ve been in this role for 3+ years, and what a pleasure it is seeing all the amazing people surrounding each show we present. I’m originally from Missouri, but lived in Iowa for almost 30 years. I’m a writer and performance poet, and the founder of the Des Moines Poetry Slam (now 25 years old!). I’ve been on Maui for just over 7 years, and host literary open mics in various places on the island.

I love the cut-and-paste art of zines, and have been making them and poetry chapbooks of my work since the 90s. 

My first onstage role was as Lady Candy Floss in a fifth-grade production of The Mystery of the Gumdrop Dragon, followed by playing the mayor’s wife in a theatre-in-the-park production of Stone Soup. A few more shows followed, but I mostly pivoted to playing sports and being a theatre patron. I’m so lucky to have seen shows all over, from the Des Moines Playhouse, to Urbandale High School (my kids), and even a couple on Broadway. I truly enjoy letting live theatre unfold in front of me, and am continuously in awe of the amount of talent we have here in our little community. 

It’s nearly impossible to name a favorite Maui OnStage moment, because each show opens up like a flower, offering gems I didn’t know could touch me so deeply. I loved hearing the audience gasp and applaud when the Cat in the Hat magically popped out of the floor in Seussical, or when the first room opened up out of the set in Clue. I got chicken skin every single night of She Kills Monsters when Tiamat the five-headed dragon emerges from the shadows with eyes glowing, ready to do battle with Agnes. And to this day, I believe Something Rotten! is my favorite show, and the joy I didn’t see coming. 

The best part of being at Maui OnStage is the people. I love getting to welcome folks into the theater like it’s my living room, and seeing them leave being visibly moved a few hours later, feeling the entire spectrum of emotions. It’s the best watching eyes go wide (kids and adults alike) when they emerge from a holiday show and realize IT’S SNOWING on Market Street on Maui. I love being surrounded by like-minded souls who know the joy of storytelling, and that it takes everyone doing their jobs to make it work. I’m excited for the stories we will tell in 2026, both on the stage, and right here in these little spotlights. I hope you’ll check in each week to learn a little more about our community members who volunteer their time (and sweat!) to make the magic come to life. 

Thanks for reading along, and don’t forget my two golden rules: Early is on time, and turn off your phone! 

Mahalo, and I’ll see you all soon at a show.

Heather