Kumu Kahua Theatre: Uchinaaloha

Playwright Lee A. Tonouchi brings us a warm tale of generations of an Okinawan family in Hawai"˜i. David Tamashiro resists his grandfather's sanshin lessons until he has the right motivation: a girl. A pretty young lady from Okinawa helps David and his friends discover much about themselves and David's enigmatic grandfather. This is a story about the change that any culture experiences when it is relocated. Grandfather wants to play music the way it is played in Okinawa, but his grandson wants to combine tradition with more modern methods and the mix of culture found in Hawaii. When the guest from Okinawa arrives, she brings tradition and fresh perspective "“ teaching both about Okinawa in the present. The grandson learns a new way of playing that honors Okinawan culture. Directed by Reiko Ho.