Supernatural shapeshifters with dangerous appetites are slinking back onto a Honolulu stage. Kumu Kahua Theatre opens “Kupua” on Thursday, bringing back a play first staged in 2001 for its 25th-anniversary run in downtown Honolulu.
The play is by University of Hawaiʻi at Mānoa’s Tammy Hailiʻōpua Baker, according to University of Hawaii System news, and it was written on commission for Kumu Kahua in 2001. The production draws its cast and crew from UH students, alumni and faculty, with participants coming from the Mānoa, Kapiʻolani, Windward and Leeward campuses.
Two Hawaiian Tales, One Hungry Stage
“Kupua” weaves together two traditional Hawaiian stories, “Ka ʻEnuhe” and “Ka Puhi a me Ka Loli,” per Kumu Kahua Theatre. The UH account adds that the tales come from Kaʻū on Hawaiʻi Island, and that kupua are supernatural shapeshifters whose appetites threaten nearby families.
The Honolulu Star-Advertiser describes the show as a modern retelling of two folktales from Mary Kawena Pukui’s “Folktales of Hawaii” book. The paper explains that the title refers to supernatural beings that are able to assume human form.
Kumu Kahua’s season materials say the stories portray hidden appetites as forces that threaten family and community bonds. KHON2 reports that together, the stories examine deception, survival and the strength of ʻohana.
New Mele, Original Hula and Breakdancing
The production features three new mele composed by Baker and arranged by UH Mānoa assistant professor Joshua ‘Baba’ Kamoaniʻala Tavares, the UH account says. Tavares and Ikaika Mendez also choreographed an original hula for the show, according to the Star-Advertiser, and the movement in the production ranges from hula to breakdancing.
William Kealiʻinohopono Kāhele and Reyn Afaga co-direct. The UH account notes that three cast members are current Windward Community College students or recent graduates, and that Antonio Hernandez earned a master of fine arts at UH Mānoa in May.
Baker is the founder and director of UH Mānoa’s Hawaiian theatre program, and the UH account says she hopes audiences will enjoy the play and develop interest in Hawaiian stories and their origins. She said the stories’ fantastical elements were a natural choice for exploring theatrical magic. Her work centers on Indigenous Hawaiian theatre, Hawaiian-language revitalization and cultural identity through performance, per HowlRound Theatre Commons.
Showtimes, Tickets and a Closing-Date Question
The theater is at 46 Merchant St., and shows run Thursdays through Saturdays at 7 p.m., according to Kumu Kahua’s listing. That page says performances continue through November 29, while the season schedule on the theater’s site lists dates through November 28, including a 2 p.m. show that Saturday.
Sunday matinee plans are also described differently. The audition listing places Sunday shows at 2 p.m., and the Star-Advertiser says 2 p.m. Sundays run throughout November, but the season calendar lists only the added Saturday matinee. Check the theater’s site before heading out; tickets are available at kumukahua.org, and KHON2 reports that general admission for the season is $28.
Harry Wong III, who earned his MFA in directing at UH Mānoa, is artistic director of Kumu Kahua and curated its 2026–27 season. That season runs from August 20 through June 27, 2027, per KHON2.
