For Immediate Release:
Guam Premiere of ‘Masters of the Currents’
A Theatrical Touring Performance by TeAda Productions
Co-Produced by Breaking Wave Theatre Company
Presented by Humanities Guåhan
This tour is part of the nationwide "Democracy and the Informed Citizen" initiative funded by a grant awarded to Humanities Guåhan from the Mellon Foundation in partnership with the Federation of State Humanities Councils.This project is also supported in part by a sponsorship to Humanities Guåhan from the Guam Council on the Arts and Humanities Agency (CAHA), the National Endowment for the Arts, Government of Guam, and the Office of the Governor.
Live Theater is Back! Meet the multigenerational Micronesians who are using theater to instill cultural pride, preserve traditional knowledge for future generations, build awareness around climate change and other social justice issues, and foster understanding within Pacific Islander communities.
September 12, 2022 (Mangilao, GU) — Humanities Guåhan is excited to partner with TeAda Productions and co-producer Breaking Wave Theatre Company to present the Guam premiere tour of Masters of the Currents created by Leilani Chan and Ova Saopeng with Innocenta Sound-Kikku and members of Micronesian communities in the U.S. The Guam tour will take place from September 26 through October 9, 2022, and includes a weeklong series of performance excerpts and humanities-based conversations with the island’s six public high schools, community theatrical workshops with story circles, and four performances at the University of Guam Fine Arts Theatre beginning on October 6 through October 8, each of which will be followed by post-show discussions as well as Q&A with the play’s creators and cast members.
Masters of the Currents is a powerful theatrical journey based on the experiences of Micronesians who have left their island nations due to environmental and economic pressures, and must overcome conflicts of identity and belonging in their new home of Hawai’i. Combining community-based story collection and social justice practices, the performance takes us from remote islands to urban cities, from sea lanes to paved asphalt highways. As the waters of our planet rise, what can we learn from the cultures and descendants of the original ocean navigators of the Pacific?
This theatrical performance which is a part of Humanities Guåhan’s larger Mellon-funded project, Sångåni i Taotao ni Estoriå-ta,Telling Our Stories, aims to highlight how personal and community narratives help connect citizens to important topics, such as the role of traditional beliefs and practices in the modern world, diaspora and identity, the effects of climate change, and the power of creative forms of expression. As a small island community that is home to indigenous CHamorus, as well as transnational citizens with ties to wider Micronesia, the Philippines, and other countries in the Asia Pacific region, Guåhan has many valuable stories and perspectives to share. Through workshops, humanities-based conversations, and post-show panel discussions, we will address Pacific Islander, and specifically Micronesian, representation and the transmission of important forms of cultural knowledge within performance and other artistic mediums. The intent is to illuminate ways in which Guam’s stories and those of larger Micronesia can positively contribute to regional, national and global conversations on important social justice issues.
“Presenting ‘Masters of the Currents’ in Guam feels like a ‘return’ since it will be the first time the play will be performed in Micronesia. We hope that Masters of the Currents can be a catalyst for dialogue toward understanding, compassion, and connection within the Pacific Islander community.” — Leilani Chan, Masters of the Currents Creator/Director and Founding Artistic Director, TeAda Productions
“When we decided to focus on the three teenagers' stories, it was a dream come true because it empowers the next generation to rise up and take ownership of who they are and believe that there is hope for them, regardless of where they are. I’m very proud of the process of Masters of the Currents. This is not just a Micronesian story, this is all immigrants, all Pacific Islanders’ stories.” — Innocenta Sound-Kikku Masters of the Currents Cultural Navigator
“It is significant that our project, ‘Sångåni i Taotao ni Estoriå-ta, Telling Our Stories,’ focuses on the craft of storytelling within poetry, music, and in this case, theatrical performance, as Guam shares in a rich oral tradition found throughout Pacific Islander communities. We hope the ‘Masters of the Currents’ tour with the play’s wonderful creators, actors and local producers will inspire our diverse Guåhan communities to share their stories through various forms of creative and artistic expression to ensure that voices and experiences from Guam and wider Micronesia are heard.”— Kimberlee Kihleng, Executive Director, Humanities Guåhan
“Breaking Wave Theatre Company is excited to be working with TeAda Productions and Humanities Guåhan to bring ‘Masters of the Currents’ to Guåhan. Part of BWTC's mission is to make sure that stories from all members of our community are shared, and as part of Micronesia, we want to ensure that other cultures have representation as well. We want to ensure that our fellow Micronesians from other islands are also recognized in meaningful and positive ways.” — CJ Ochoco, President, Breaking Wave Theatre Company
What: Masters of the Currents (Live theatrical performance. Guam Premiere.)
A Theatrical Touring Performance by TeAda Productions
Presented by Humanities Guåhan
Co-produced by Breaking Wave Theatre Company
When: Thursday, October 6, 2022 7:00 pm
Friday, October 7, 2022 7:00 pm
Saturday, October 8, 2022 2 pm & 7:00 pm
University of Guam Fine Arts Theatre
Tickets: https://www.bwtcguam.com - purchase tickets online or with cash at the door.
Box Office opens 30 minutes before the show.
Prices: $15.00 - General / $10.00 Students/Seniors/Military
Covid-19 Health & Safety Guidelines will be adhered to and can be found at the ticket link. Masks are highly encouraged.
TeAda Productions is a Los Angeles based non-profit theater of color rooted in the stories of immigrants and refugees. We are committed to healing and honoring the lives of the displaced, exploited and overlooked. Our artistic process starts and ends with conscious listening, community building, and creative courage. Through theater workshops and performances, TeAda offers acts of service that are transformative and impactful. For more information please visit www.teada.org
Humanities Guåhan is an independent nonprofit organization that provides foundational support and educational programming for the people of Guam. The mission of Humanities Guåhan is to foster community engagement and dialogue, inspire critical thinking, celebrate diversity and enrich the quality of life of island residents through the power of the humanities.
Breaking Wave Theatre Company is a 501(c)3 nonprofit organization based on Guam that aims to use theatre and the arts to nurture individuals and build communities.
Masters of the Currents development and community partners include: Alliance for Drama Education’s T-shirt Theater, Honolulu Theatre for Youth, Innocenta Sound-Kikku, Micronesian Health Advisory Coalition/All Mike, and Pacific Voices/Kokua Kalihi Valley.
This tour is supported in part by the National Endowment for the Arts and Hawai’i People’s Fund and with lead funding from Humanities Guåhan through a Mellon Foundation grant and a Guam CAHA sponsorship.
Special thanks to our sponsors - AltrXEgo Entertainment, T-Factory, Bank of Guam, Future Smiles Orthodontics, Coast 360, the University of Guam, the University of Guam College of Liberal Arts and Social Sciences, the University of Guam Theatre, Agana Shopping Center, and Bank of Guam.