Presents
Book and Lyrics By
LYNN AHRENS
Music By
STEPHEN FLAHERTY
BASED UPON THE NOVEL, “MY LOVE, MY LOVE” BY ROSA GUY
Originally Directed and Choreographed on Broadway by Graciela Daniele
Playwrights Horizons, Inc. Produced ONCE ON THIS ISLAND Off-Broadway In 1990
Originally Produced On Broadway By The Shubert Organization, Capital Cities/ABC, Inc.
Suntory International Corporation and James Walsh, In Association With Playwrights Horizons
Once on This Island
Is presented through special arrangement with Music Theatre International (MTI).
All authorized performance materials are also supplied by MTI.
Any video and/or audio recording of this production is strictly prohibited.
MAHALO SHOW SPONSOR
American T-Shirt Company
Director
Ahnya Chang
Music Director
Jenny Shiroma
Assistant to the Director
Shane Nishimura
Stage Manager
Erich Steinwandt-Gudoy
Lighting Designers
Chris Gouveia
Janine Myers
Sound Designers
Sarah Velasco
Timothy Manamtam
Costume Designer
Kimmerie H.O. Jones
Hair & Makeup Designer
Lisa Ponce de Leon
Props Designer
Jax Pitts
Scenic Artist/Set Designer
Willie Sabel
MESSAGE FROM THE EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR
Aloha. It is with immense pride and excitement that we welcome you to our latest production, Once on This Island, a vibrant and heartwarming musical that is as timely as it is timeless. Based on Rosa Guy's 1985 novel, My Love, My Love; or, The Peasant Girl, this story invites us on a journey of love, resilience, and hope. In the spirit of Guy’s work, the musical is a celebration of storytelling’s transformative power—of how stories can transcend division and bring us together in the most extraordinary ways. Once on This Island is a story rooted in community. It reminds us of the strength and beauty we find in connection, in lifting one another up, and in embracing our shared humanity. As the tale unfolds in our immersive setting “in the round,” we hope you feel not just a part of the audience but part of the village itself, connected through the trials, the dreams, and the triumphs of these unforgettable characters. May this performance remind us of the power we each hold to bridge divides and to be a source of hope and healing in our communities. Thank you for joining us to celebrate the joy of storytelling and the strength of community. With warmest aloha, Kathleen Young Executive Director
THE CAST
Asaka .......................................................................................................................... Leleaʻe “Buffy” Kahalepuna-Wong
Agwe ....................................................................................................................................................................................................... Jarren Amian
Erzulie ............................................................................................................................................................................................................ Jorin Young
Papa Ge .................................................................................................................................................................................................. Kimo Kaona
Mama Euralie .................................................................................................................. La Masae Fa’amausili-Siliato
Tonton Julian ...................................................................................................................................................................................... Keanu Roe
Ti Moune ......................................................................................................................................................................................... Alexis Bugarin
Daniel Beauxhomme/Ensemble ....................................................................................................... Darian Aquino
Andrea Deveraux/Ensemble .......................................................................................................................... Nicole Villejo
Armand Beauxhomme/Ensemble ............................................................................................. Jared Duldulao
Little Girl ............................................................................................................................................................... Sadie Hokama-Satele
ENSEMBLE
Pono Cummings | Landon Ballesteros | Marnita Nychelle Billups | Caitlin Bright
Drew Bright | Journey Glasgow | Alexandria Holloway | Presley A. Wheeler
MUSICIANS
Music Director/Conductor/Keyboard ........................................................................................................ Jenny Shiroma
Keyboard .................................................................................................................................................................................................................. Leilani Motet
Guitar ....................................................................................................................................................................................................................... Jason Nomura
Bass ....................................................................................................................................................................................................................................... Peter Meyer
Percussion ........................................................................................................................................................................................................................... Ira Wong
Reed .......................................................................................................................................................................................................................... Gordon Tokishi
THE SETTING
An island in the French Antilles
TIME
Then and Now
PRODUCTION CREW
Sound Board Operator: Auree Domingo
Backstage Crew/Dresser: Elena Gordo & Aly Sutton
Click Button Above for Bios and Photo
Acronym Key to Theatres
DHT
HOT
HPU
HSF
HTC
IABK
KHSPAC
KOA
MVT
TAG
Diamond Head Theatre
Hawaii Opera Theatre
Hawaii Pacific University
Hawaii Shakespeare Festival
Hawaii Theatre Center
I'm a Bright Kid Foundation
Kaimuki High School Performing Arts Center
Koa Onstage Arts
Manoa Valley Theatre
The Actor's Group
MAHALO TO OUR 2024-2025 SPONSORS:
SPECIAL THANKS
Anette Arinix Amazing Aga
Travis Asaeli
Kimee Balmilero
Bailey Barnes
Cymri Chang
Sean-Joseph Choo
Brian Dunkel
La Masae Fa'amausili
Gerald Schoenfeld Theatre
Jill Jackson
Mathias Maas
Miriam Milder
Brandon Miyagi
Julia Nagatani
Lindsay Rabe
Andrew Sakaguchi
Paliku Theatre
Kirin Toney
Jillian Marie Walker
Karen Wolfe
Adopt-A-Play Parents
Mary Kubota
Matthew Mishina
Karen Mukai
Jeffrey S. Portnoy
Ramona Sayre
Alice Tucker
VERY SPECIAL THANKS
Kawaiaha'o Church for leasing MVT the beautiful grounds it occupies.
Alexander & Baldwin, Inc for permitting our patrons to park at the Mānoa Marketplace and for support of MVT's education program.
Nathan Sult & Beth Tarter for enhancements to the theatre.
STAFF
Executive Director
Artistic Director
Technical Director
Production Stage Manager/
Box Office Manager
Marketing Associate
Associate Technical Director
Costume Supervisor
Bookkeeper and HR
Public Relations Director
House Managers
Evening Box Office
Bar Staff
Playbill
Kathleen Young
Rob Duval
Willie sabel
Erich Steinwandt-Gudoy
Julianne Castillo
Mira Fey
Amber Lehua Baker
Sheila Rego
Kristin Jackson
Carey Smith
Jennifer E. Muehle
Thomas Pang
Jaime Brice
Dan Connell
Ray Sonomura
Jules Castillo
BOARD OF DIRECTORS
Chairman of the Board
President
Vice President
Secretary
Treasurer
David Kennedy
Jeffrey S. Portnoy
Peter Ehrman
Scott D. Larimer
Bob Taylor
Chris C. Bayot
Norbert M. Buelsing
Hank Chapin III
Randy Diamond
Blenn Fujimoto
Tom Ishii Jr.
Stacey Katakura
Mary Kubota
William Lindemann
Maleko McDonnell
Matthew Mishina
Amy Monk
Scott Morita
Richard Morris
Karen Mukai
Barbara Nickerson
Ramona Sayre
Alice Tucker
JD Watumull
Dave Wilson
2022.2023
SEASON SPONSORS
2024.2025 Show Sponsors
Lend Me a Soprano
Johnny Valentine
Once On This Island
American T-Shirt Company
What the Constitution Means to Me
American Board of Trial Advocates
Parade
Arrillaga Foundation
Kim's Convenience
Ramona Sayre
The Princess and the Iso Peanut
Blenn & Ruth Fujimoto
Side by Side by Sondheim
Capt. David Wilson
2024.2025 Annual Fund
Leading Gift $25,000+
Jip Pruden in Memory of Jo Pruden
City and County of Honolulu
Producer's Circle $1,000+
Norb and Jill Buelsing
Peter & Karen Ehrman
John R Halligan Charitable Fund
Foodland Give Aloha
Rebecca Schwartz
Barbara Nickeron
Stage Manager's Circle $500+
(anonymous)
Leonard & Charlotte Chow
Alice K. Tucker
David Randell
Ramona Sayre
Jane Sugimura
Darrell Chun and Paul Allen
Leading Player's Circle $250+
(anonymous)
George & Sandy Apter
George Hutchinson
Donald J Bondarenko & Joan T Nakamura
Lex and Gerry Alexander
David McCulloch
Dr. Julia Muller and Mr. Earl Shreckengas
Supporting Cast $150+
(anonymous)
Karen Mukai
Kurt and Corrine Takara
Norb and Jill Buelsing
David Heulitt
Rachel and Ron Heller
Tara Humphrey
Contributors $50+
(anonymous)
Lynn Muakami Akatsuka
Maleko McDonnell
Dana & John Barnum
Richard Blomgren
Chris & Rudy
Sharon Croft
Carol Egan
Libby Flanagan
Vanessa Foster
Haumea Ho
Earl Kawaa
Dwight Martin
Jim Mitchell
Joel and Paula Mochida
Allen Okuba
Donna & Scott Sullivan
Dana Sumiyoshi
In Memory of Jean Trapido-Rosenthal
In Memory of Jean Trapido-Rosenthal
In honor of Kip Wilborn
Susie Jannuzzi and David White
Rhea Yamashiro & Paul Carmody
Richard & Karen Valsek
Dana Washofsky
Myron & Able Wong
MAHALO TO OUR 2023-2024
ANNUAL FUND CONTRIBUTORS
2023.2024 Annual Fund
Leading Gift $25,000+
City and County of Honolulu
McInerny Foundation
State of Hawaii
Marquee Circle $5,000+
Alexander and Baldwin
Beth Tarter & Nathan Sult
G. N. Wilcox General Trust
Hawaii State Foundation On Culture and the Arts
John R. Halligan Char Fund
Jusine Stamen Arrillaga & John Arrillaga
Steven C Barnes Fund
Producer's Circle $1,000+
Alice K. Tucker
Barbara Nickerson
Captain David Wilson
Edward Rensing
Foodland
Geraldine Lee
Glenn Cannon Foundation
Hank and Jean Trapido-Rosenthal
HK Construction Corp
In memory of Frank and Joyce Vahovich
In Memory of Roberta Bishop
JD and Julie Watumull
Jennifer Taylor and Paul White
John Dean
Kubota Foundation
Malama Manoa
Mark and Linda Kuklinsky
Mary Jo Freshley
MW Group
Norbert and Jill Buelsing
Paul
Paul Weissman
Richard and Bo Tanaka
Robin and Stephen
Ruth and Blenn Fujimoto
The Michael J. Marks Foundation
Stage Manager's Circle $500+
Amy and David Monk
Bob & Lynne Toyofuku
Carol A. Egan
Carol Kai Onouye
Chris C. Bayot
David McCulloch
Fabienne Herold
Felice Brault
Fredrico Biven
George and Sandy Apter
Hank Chapin
In Honor of Rob Duval
Jane Sugimura
Janis Akuna
Jonna D. Zane
Katy Chen & Daniel Sandomire
Left Wing Right Brain Fund
Leonard and Charlotte Chow
Magda Alexander
Marc Asano
Michael & Candy Murphy
Mike Durant
Mona Vierra Chang, Amy Eisenberg, Patsy Izumo
Mr. & Mrs Damien Kim
Mr. and Mrs. Riki S. Moritmoto
Nancy Eastlund
Norman and Carol Young
Paraluman Stice-Durkin & Robert Durkin
Patrick & Noreen Sinko
Ramona Sayre
Richard and Teresa Clifton
Scott Morita
Stanley & Gayle Ishii
Stephen Marcuccilli
Stephen Ugelow
Susan Christensen
Tamuki Family Fund
Tracy and Sandy Sakai
Wendy Goodenow
Leading Player's Circle $250+
Barbara Cargill
Barbara Perry
Christine S. Fukui
David McCulloch
Divie Jo Thompson
DONALD J. BONDARENKO & JOAN T. NAKAMURA
Elaine M.L. Chang
Elli Winnik
Elvis Kawahara
Gary Tucker
Herb & Kathy Hong
John Murphy
Julia Muller & Earl Shreckengast
Karen Mukai
Kevin and Kathleen Sayre
Kip Wilborn & Jan Nakamura
Laura White
Lex and Gerry Alexander
Lisa Kimsey
Nancy Tudor
Neil & Kathy Field
Pat Shine
Patricia Burrell
Randy Tucker
Rochelle Uchibori
Roy and Mary Matsuda
T. Brodhead
The Gregory Wrenn and Robert Pyburn Charitable Fund
Supporting Cast $150+
Allan Okubo
Andrew Morgan & Danny Richard
Carla and Al Joaquin
Chris & Rudy
Cori Mackie
Elli Winnik
Fabienne Herold
Greg Kenui Nakamatsu
Hula's Bar and Lei Stand
Jeffrey and Elizabeth Grad
John Murphy
Judith Olson
Kay & Bill Kibby
Lani Hearn
Malia Kaai-BarrettMarilyn Rowell
Melfried and Judy Olson
Mike Durant
Movie Museum
Nancy and Eugene Shen
Naomi Yap
Peter & Karen Ehrman
Philip Kahue
Sarah M. Cole
Stephen Marcuccilli
Susan Y. Yasuda
Tom Cooper
Vanessa Foster
Fred & Coralie Kramer
Andrew Morgan & Danny Richard
Contributors $50+
Alexandra Eyer
Alison Bruce-Maldonado
Anna Viggiano
Anne Naito
Annie Yoshida
Anthony Nagatani
Brennan-Woods Ohana
Bruce McEwan
Carolyn Koehler
Charles and Anne Miller
Chloë Wurr
Chris & Rudy
Christine Fukui
Clifford Chang
Cody Higaki
Connie Muse
David and Elizabeth Bremer
Dave and Fiona Kennedy
David and Bonnie Andrew
David and Susie
David Heulitt
Dennis Randall & Marilin Memory of Jo Pruden
Douglas and Cathy Song
Douglas and Christina Meller
Duane and Fran Hartmann
Dwight Martin
Ed Seibert
Elaine M.I. Chang
Elizabeth Flanagan
Francis and Suzanne Wright
George Hutchinson
Glenn & Sharon Yokoyama
Gordon Aoyagi
Harvey and Lynne Rackil
Herb and Michelle Schreiner
In Honor of Alice Tucker
In honor of Dave Wilson
In honor of Jo Pruden
In Memory of Jo Pruden
In Memory of Jo Pruden
in Memory of Stuart Roy Yammer
Jack Law
Jan Lubin
Janet Henderson
Jean Grice
Jeffrey Ady
Jip Pruden
John and Rita Thompson
John Ito
John Starr Alexander
Joyce Pavlis
Judy Sobin
Julie Reyes
Junko Ady
Karen Boyer and Korynn Grenert
Karinna Nielsen & Daniel Zurbriggen
Kim Parker
Kurt and Corinne Takara
Laura White
Leighton Liu
Lena Young
Mabel Suzuki
Magda Alexander
Marilyn McCormick-Randell
Marilyn Rowell
Marjorie DeSantis
Mary Ann Ige
Mary Kubota
Matt Mishina
Matthew Walker
Melinda Walker
Nate and Vickie Fong
Norma Murayama
Patricia Burrell
Paul Pancho
Phil Sammer
Purvis Grice
Rhea Yamashiro and Paul Carmody
Ritchie + Sunny Mudd
Robert and Corrine Taylor
Robert and Mary Schornsteimer
Ronald Fitzgerald
Sam and Kerry Gridley
Sandra Shiroma
Sherri and Leiney Rigg
Susan Christensen
Thomas Roark
Tracy and Sandy Sakai
Trudy Drypolcher
Vanessa Foster
Vickie Fullard-Leo
Victoria Marzano
William Nagle & Diane Kimura
Manoa Valley Theatre makes every effort to ensure that all patrons are listed properly and spelled correctly. If we had made an error, we encourage you to contact the office so that we can correct the listing.
ANNUAL FUND CONTRIBUTORS
Welcome to the ohana!
Terence Knapp Visiting Artists Endowment Fund
MVT LEGACY
DONORS CIRCLE
Mahalo to these donors who have included MVT in their estate planning
Estate of Richard Aadland
Timothy L. Archer
Michael Beard
Roger and Felice Brault
Hank Chapin
Estate of Jim Connors
Richard and Myrna Cundy
Don Flaminio
Victoria Gail-White and John Wythe White
Estate of Gaye Glaser
Estate of Gail M. Hudson
Estate of Dorothy Ireland
Estate of Jerome and Jura Landfield
Estate of Roger Long
Dwight T. Martin
Estate of Elaine Martin
Donald E. Morgan
in Memory of Beverly J. Morgan
Richard S. Morris
Estate of Leon J. Munson
In Honor of Eleanor Fisher Pence
Estate of Martin Pence
Jeffrey S. and Sandi Portnoy
Estate of David M. Reed
Michael and Alberta Rosenberg
Clint Schroeder
Alice and Jerry Tucker
Estate of Angeline Walther
Estate of Herbert Walther
2024.2025
SEASON SPONSORS
SEASON BENEFACTOR SPONSORS
SEASON PRESENTER SPONSORS
SEASON SPONSORS
MUSIC & COMEDY SERIES SPONSOR
