MASTERS OF THE CURRENTS
Created by Leilani Chan & Ova Saopeng with Innocenta Sound-Kikku
and members of the Micronesian community in the U.S.
The first nationally touring play about MICRONESIANs in the U.S.
Masters of the Currents follows the story of three Micronesian youth who have fled their island nations due to environmental and economic pressures, and who must now overcome conflicts of identity to be accepted by their peers in their new home of Hawai'i while still holding onto the history and rich cultural traditions of their ancestral islands of. Inspired by the stories of Micronesians living in Hawai’i today, Masters of the Currents is a theatrical journey that takes us from remote island nations to urban cities, from ocean water passageways to paved asphalt highways. As the waters of our planet rise, what can we learn from these descendants of the original ocean navigators of the Pacific?
Show creators Leilani Chan and Ova Saopeng and cast members Innocenta Sound-Kikku, Emeraldrose Hadik, Jayceleen Ifenuk, and Jermine Kaipat discuss issues facing the Micronesian community, the development of Masters of the Currents, and the impact the play has had on their lives.
PRODUCTION DEVELOPMENT HISTORY
Masters of the Currents combines community based story collection and social justice practices with devised ensemble techniques to create a theatrical performance built with the involvement of the Micronesian community.
The production was created with the contributions of numerous multi-generational voices and stories from the Micronesian community in Hawai’i including elementary school children, story circles with elders, workshops with at-risk youth, and interviews with community leaders and scholars.
The stories from the communities we share on stage are also represented on stage with community members turned artists, playing pivotal roles in every aspect and phase of productions.
All of the Masters of the Currents cast members were involved with the multi-year development process.
Hawai'i’s most recent newcomers come from Micronesia, a subregion of Oceania, comprising thousands of small islands in the western Pacific Ocean. Many have fled their island nations due to environmental and economic pressures.
Calling upon the shared histories of refugees in Hawai'i, Masters of the Currents serves as a creative bridge between new and old immigrant communities. Lead artists Ova Saopeng and Leilani Chan, worked with Kalihi Valley based organizations to create a production that uncovers the disconnections in the community, explores their underlying causes and opens an ongoing dialog that seeks sustained healing for this fractured community.
Since 2015, the artists and partner organizations have collected stories from members of the Micronesian community through interviews, story circles and ensemble workshops. Phase One of Masters of the Currents culminated in a community celebration and three week run at Honolulu Theatre for Youth. We had 24 youth performances with a total of 7000 students in attendance, ranging from 4th grade to high school. The community leaders, cultural bearers and educators across immigrant groups come together to inform the production.
As a pioneer in social justice theater, TeAda prides itself in developing shows with communities of color.
This play would not be possible without acknowledging the importance of Innocenta Sound-Kikku, our community and cultural navigator. Her position as a leader in the community and founder of Pacific Voices in Kalihi, opened doors for TeAda to find individuals and groups that were willing to share their stories.
Innocenta Sound-Kikku, Jayceleen Ifenuk, Emeraldrose Hadik, in 'Masters of the Currents' Presented by Pangea World Theatre & TeAda Productions in Minneapolis, Minnesota. Photo by Joan Osato.
The Micronesian community is incredibly diverse with various languages, ethnicities, islands, states and countries listed under this one geographic region and category– a region and category that has been imposed and not chosen by the people. This community can't be represented through a single story or play. We hope Masters of the Currents is the first of many more Micronesian artistic works.
Email ova@teada.org to expand our Continental Tour in 2022 & beyond!
PREVIOUS TOURS
November 2021 Kingsbury Hall, PRESENTED BY Utah Presents, Salt Lake City, Utah
October 2021 Bovard Auditorium, PRESENTED BY USC Visions & Voices, Los Angeles, CA
Inter-Island Tour
March 2018 Maui Arts & Cultural Center (MACC) McCoy Studio Theater, Kahului, HI
March 2018 University of Hawai'i, Hilo (UH Hilo) Performing Arts Center, Hilo, HI
“The residency was so important to our community, to spread awareness of the discrimination Micronesian immigrants are subjected to, especially the youth. The conversation has been started, the university will continue to open dialog with the assistance of other community entities and will continue to insist that tolerance and cultural awareness are a part of the equation. It was a real pleasure to have the Masters of the Currents company in residence for the week.”
Youth Premiere
October 2017 Honolulu Theatre for Youth, Honolulu, HI
Hawai'i Partners
T-Shirt Theatre is a program of the Alliance for Drama Education, a youth based theater company with a 30-year history based at Farrington High School in Kalihi.Their mission is to help Hawaii’s youth rehearse for life to master the skills needed to win jobs, justice and joy.
Micronesian Health Advisory Coalition advocates for the health and well being of Micronesians to improve their quality of life in seeking justice and equality. As vice president Innocenta Sound-Kikku is a key partner as a community leader. In addition she is the founder of the intergenerational youth program “Pacific Voices” at Kokua Kalihi Valley in Kalihi.
Honolulu Theatre for Youth is a performing arts venue that offers theatre and drama education for young people and families throughout the state of Hawai'i. They produce children's plays, offer education programs & professional workshops.
Maui Arts & Cultural Center opened in 1994 as the culmination of a long-standing dream of Maui’s residents to build a world-class gathering place for the arts. Now familiarly known as "The MACC," this center has been described by The Maui News as “the artistic and educational heart of an entire community” and “Maui’s entertainment and arts crown jewel.”
The MACC is the most comprehensive multi-disciplinary arts facility in Hawai‘i, and a gathering place where people can celebrate creativity through personal and shared experiences of the arts. It is a world-class facility where popular and innovative performing artists can be enjoyed, connecting our community to the world. Looking forward to our next 25 years, we continue to strive for the enrichment of life on Maui through personal and shared experiences of the arts: to engage, to inspire, to educate, and to broaden all of our horizons.
MAHALO TO OUR FUNDERS
This project was made possible with funding by the New England Foundation for the Arts' National Theater Project, with lead funding from The Andrew W. Mellon Foundation. Masters of the Currents is a National Performance Network / Visual Artists Network (NPN) Creation Fund co-commissioned by Maui Arts & Cultural Center , TeAda Productions , Brava! for Women in the Arts, Pangea World Theater, and NPN. For more information: www.npnweb.org
Additional support provided by an award from the National Endowment for the Arts , Network of Ensemble Theaters’ Travel & Exchange Network (NET/TEN), and Hawai’i People’s Fund and Kim Coco Fund for Justice of the Iwamoto Family Foundation.
ADDITIONAL SUPPORT from the City of Los Angeles Department of Cultural Affairs Cultural Grant Program; California Arts Council The Local Impact (LI) program, and the Los Angeles County Arts Commission’s Organizational Grant Program (OGP).
