Maui OnStage announces cast and creative team for ʻAinakea

Maui OnStage announced the cast and creative team for its upcoming production of “ʻAinakea,” an original play by Maui-based playwright James Nevius. The production will take the stage at the Historic ʻĪao Theater this October.

Set on Maui in 1953, “ʻAinakea” reimagines Anton Chekhov’s classic The Cherry Orchard during a pivotal moment in Hawaiʻi’s history — as the final cane harvest gives way to the first wave of resort development.

The once-grand Goodale family, led by matriarch Amanda, returns to their crumbling plantation home, determined to save it from ruin, while Lopaka — a local dreamer with an eye toward the future — imagines transforming the coastline into a new paradise for visitors. The play moves from comedy to elegy as servants, missionary descendants, and the children of field laborers confront the price of “progress.”

“’ʻAinakea’ honors Chekhov’s humor, lyricism, and ensemble balance, while breaking free of the Russian setting to explore Hawaiʻi during a time of profound transition — where the land itself becomes the final voice,” said playwright James Nevius. “’ʻAinakea’ offers a lush, layered world of music, rain, and surf; it’s a story about ownership, belonging, and the complexity of change.”

“ʻAinakea” brings together an ensemble of Maui performers:

Cast

• Cullen Mitchell as Lopaka
• Layla Rohde as Mary
• Sebastian Navarro as Johnny
• Guy Henry as Kawika
• Isadora Drew as Anna Goodale
• Jennifer Fahrni as Amanda Goodale
• Tina Kailiponi as Noelani
• Grant Matthews as Klaus
• Barbara Sedano as Charlotte
• David Negaard as Leonard Goodale
• Zachary Bulcao-Moore as Benny
• Andrew Rodriguez as Peter

Creative Team

• Director — Francis Tauʻa
• Technical Director & Set Designer — Amanda Dellinger
• Costume Designer — Sarah Loney Mark
• Lighting Designer — Vince Pinelli
• Sound Designer — Dawn Harper
• Assistant Stage Manager — Virginia Sandell
• Board Liaison — Jason Wulf
• Maui OnStage Artistic Consultant — Kalani Whitford

The production follows an enthusiastic response to a staged reading of “ʻAinakea“ presented by Maui OnStage as part of its One Night Only series. That audience response inspired the organization to bring the full production to the Historic ʻĪao Theater stage.

“We are excited to share a story that is deeply connected to Hawaiʻi while also exploring themes that are universal and very timely,” said Maui OnStage Executive Director Luana Whitford-Mitchell. “At Maui OnStage, we believe theater has the power to help us understand our past, reflect on our present, and imagine our future. We are grateful to the Wave of Harmony Foundation, in partnership with Marji Knowles and Michael Tibbott, for their support as our 2026 Season Sponsor and for helping make productions like ‘ʻAinakea’ possible.”

Performances will run Oct. 2–18, 2026 at the Historic ʻĪao Theater in Wailuku.

Tickets are available at MauiOnStage.com or by calling the Maui OnStage Box Office at 808-242-6969.