Victoria Kawēkiu Lunalilo Kalaninuiahilapalapa Ka'iulani Cleghorn, Crown Princess of Hawai'i. – Photo: Courtesy of Bishop Museum

Ka'iulani to be celebrated in readings, music

Events offer a preview of an upcoming play

By Lisa Asato / Ka Wai Ola

A play about Princess Ka'iulani is planned to debut on Maui next year, and folks can get a sneak peek at two readings on the Valley Isle this weekend featuring island personalities and Hawaiian and Scottish music. Admission is by donation.

On Saturday, Nov. 15, "A Celebration of Life – the Ka'iulani Project" comes to Lahaina United Methodist Church, 988 Front Street, from 6 to 8 p.m. The evening will be a fundraiser for Maui Police Department senior criminalist Julie Wood, who is battling cancer.

The evening will feature Kathy Collins reading as Ka'iulani, as well as Wilmont Kahaialii, who will read as King Kaläkaua and play music, and Brado, Hamish Burgess and Tava Nui Tahitian Drumming Group. The reading was initiated by church Pastor Paul Tangonan. For information, call the church at 661-3320.

On Sunday, Nov. 16, the show travels to St. John's Episcopal Church, 8992 Kula Highway in Kēökea, from 3 to 4:30 p.m. Collins, an actress, storyteller, radio personality and comedian, will host. Camille Romero will read as Ka'iulani. Joining her will be Burgess, Roger McKinley, Peter Della Croce and others. Tea and cakes will be served. For information, call 878-1485. For information on either event, call Maui Celtic at 264-5190.

The Ka'iulani Project members Kathy Collins and Wilmont Kahaialii will help bring 19th century Hawaiian royalty to life through readings and music this weekend.

Sunday's event will benefit St. John's Church and The Ka'iulani Project, which aims to raise a positive awareness of the princess, and in the words of its originator Jennifer Fahrni, to "give the Hawaiians back their heroine."

"It's time Ka'iulani was celebrated – here in Hawai'i most importantly," Fahrni said in a press release. "Ka'iulani was a bridge between the cultures, and as the best of the Hawaiian and Scottish, her legacy lives on in al the multicultural children of Hawai'i today."

Fahrni, an actress and writer who has been researching Ka'iulani since 2002, plans to debut the play, Ka'iulani – the Island Rose, on Maui in 2009. Carol Harvie-Yamaguchi is a co-writer. Fahrni said her main goal is to portray Ka'iulani and history accurately, and she invites anyone to attend the readings to learn about the play or to share their knowledge with her about Ka'iulani.

The play will be a large-scale production directed by David Johnston, the executive and artistic director of Maui Academy of Performing Arts. Fahrni is seeking a cast of boys, girls, men and women to fill the roles of 20 to 25 main characters, including the royal family. She is also seeking a kumu hula to choreograph.

For information on the play, visit thekaiulaniproject.com , mauiceltic.com or email This e-mail address is being protected from spam bots, you need JavaScript enabled to view it Resumes and photos may be emailed.

For more on Fahrni and the upcoming play Ka'iulani – the Island Rose, see Ka Wai Ola's December issue.