World premiere of ʻAinakea opens Friday at Historic ʻĪao Theater

Maui OnStage will present the world premiere of ʻAinakea, a new play by Maui playwright James Nevius, opening Friday, October 2, at the Historic ʻĪao Theater. Set in West Maui in 1953, the play explores a family, a plantation and an island on the cusp of profound change.

Hawaiʻi is still a territory, the plantation economy is shifting, and the Goodale family—descendants of early missionaries and longtime owners of the sugar plantation ʻAinakea—is running out of money. As family, friends and plantation workers gather to confront the future of the estate, a larger question emerges: Who should be the stewards of the land?

Inspired by Anton Chekhov’s The Cherry Orchard, ʻAinakea brings that classic story of a changing social order into a distinctly Maui setting, exploring labor, family, Hawaiian identity, memory and the changing island.

“This is a story about a particular place and a particular moment in Maui’s history, but the questions it raises are much bigger,” said Luana Whitford-Mitchell, Executive Director of Maui OnStage. “What happens when the world we know begins to change? And who gets to decide what happens to the land? We’re excited to bring James Nevius’ work to the stage for its world premiere.”

Bringing 1953 Maui to the Stage

Directed by Francis Tauʻa, ʻAinakea features a Maui cast and creative team whose work creates a strong sense of time and place.

Scenic Designer Amanda Dellinger’s set takes its inspiration from the Hanakaʻōʻō ahupuaʻa (land division) located in the moku (district) of Kāʻanapali, including a backdrop based on the silhouette of the West Maui mountain range above the former Puʻukoliʻi Village camp. She also honors the memory of two historic Lahaina buildings lost in the wildfires by incorporating three colors from Ameritone-Maui’s Lahaina Restoration Foundation historic color palette.

Costume Designer Sarah Loney Mark combines true vintage and vintage-inspired pieces to evoke 1953 Maui. Vince Pinelli’s evocative lighting and the collaborative atmospheric sound design of Dawn Harper and Sam Castillo further immerse audiences in the world of ʻAinakea.

Talk Story with the Playwright

Audiences will have an opportunity to hear directly from James Nevius during Talk Story with the Playwright, held immediately following the Sunday performances on Oct. 4 and Oct. 11.

Performance Information

What: ʻAinakea — World Premiere
When: Oct. 2–18, 2026
Performances: Fridays at 7:30 p.m.; Saturdays and Sundays at 3 p.m.
Were: Historic ʻĪao Theater, 68 N. Market Street, Wailuku
Tickets: $10–$45
Tickets and Information: MauiOnStage.com | 808-242-6969

Maui OnStage extends a special mahalo to its 2026 Season Sponsor, Wave of Harmony Foundation in partnership with Marji Knowles and Michael Tibbott.

Maui OnStage is Maui’s community theater company, presenting live theater and educational performing arts experiences at the historic ʻĪao Theater in Wailuku. Founded in 1931, Maui OnStage has been part of Maui’s performing arts community for more than nine decades.