Hiʻiaka musical to open on Oʻahu this December

Tickets are now on sale for The Epic Tale of Hiʻiaka: The Hawaiian Goddess, a new Broadway-style musical rooted in a Hawaiian moʻolelo and set to begin previews Nov. 25 at Ko Olina on Oʻahu. The production pairs Tony Award-winning theater veterans with Hawaiian Council to bring a large-scale Native Hawaiian story to the stage.

Why it matters: - The Epic Tale of Hiʻiaka brings a Hawaiian oral history to a Broadway-style stage production for the first time. - The show is positioned as both a cultural event and a work opportunity for Native Hawaiian artists, local performers, production crews and hospitality workers. - The production gives Oʻahu residents and visitors a large-scale theatrical experience rooted in Hawaiian storytelling.

What happened: - Tickets are on sale for The Epic Tale of Hiʻiaka: The Hawaiian Goddess. - Previews begin Nov. 25, 2026, at Ocean’s Edge at Ko Olina on Oʻahu. - Opening night is Dec. 5, 2026, with an open-ended run. - The musical is produced by Hawaiian Council and WitzEnd Productions. - The production is the first Broadway-style musical drawn from a Hawaiian moʻolelo.

The details: - The story follows Hiʻiaka, the youngest sister of Pele, on a journey across the islands to bring the chief Lohiʻau home to Kīlauea. - The plot centers on the strain that journey places on the sisters’ bond. - The show uses live music, hula, oli, puppetry and projection. - The production is performed in English and ʻōlelo Hawaiʻi. - The story draws on the telling by Hoʻoulumāhiehie, published in the Hawaiian-language newspaper Ka Naʻi Aupuni from 1905 to 1906 and translated into English by M. Puakea Nogelmeier. - Book, music and lyrics are by Kumu Hula Patrick Makuakāne and Roslyn Catracchia. - Makuakāne is a 2023 MacArthur Fellow and also choreographs the production. - Catracchia has written songs and scores for more than 40 musical productions in Hawaiʻi. - WitzEnd Productions was founded in 2013 by Michael Jackowitz and Jeffrey Grove. - WitzEnd credits include Once On This Island, which won the 2018 Tony Award for Best Revival of a Musical, as well as Some Like It Hot and A Beautiful Noise. - Jeffrey Grove also has credits that include Cabaret, a Tony Award nominee for Best Revival. - Scott Schwartz directs the production. - Manaola designed the costumes. - Amy Hānaialiʻi Gilliom plays Pele. - Jana Anguay Alcain stars as Hiʻiaka. - Moses Goods plays the Narrator, Kāne and Panaʻewa. - Kaʻula Krug plays Lohiʻau. - The company includes 23 performers and musicians. - The show runs 90 minutes with no intermission. - Ticket options include show only, dinner and VIP packages. - Round-trip transportation from Waikīkī can be added at booking. - Hawaiian Airlines is the Official Airline of the production. - Ko Olina is the Official Partner. - The venue address is Ocean’s Edge at Ko Olina, 92-100 Waipahe Place, Kapolei, Hawaiʻi 96707. - Performances run Wednesday through Saturday from 5:30 to 8:30 p.m. Hawaiʻi time. - The production is recommended for ages 8 and up. - The venue is ADA accessible. - ASL interpretation is available with one week’s notice at 808.897.2906. - Tickets start at $126 for show only, $179 for a standard adult ticket with dinner and $264 for VIP. - Group sales are available at sales@hiiaka.com. - Optional round-trip transportation from Waikīkī costs $30 per person. - Free parking is available on site. - Social accounts for the production are on Instagram, TikTok and YouTube at @hiiakahawaii.

Between the lines: - Hawaiian Council joined as a producer to invest in Hawaiian storytelling and help Native Hawaiian artists and cultural practitioners shape how the moʻolelo is presented. - The organization provided funding and staff and brought cultural advisers and creative partners into the production. - The project also reflects a broader push to create high-profile stage work built from Hawaiian source material rather than imported storytelling. - Producer Michael Jackowitz said he spent 11 years figuring out how to tell a story that would appeal to both Hawaiian audiences and musical theater audiences unfamiliar with the gods and goddesses. - The production’s note to use ʻokina and kahakō underscores its cultural framing and signals attention to language accuracy. - The production is described as a stage musical, not a lūʻau.

What's next: - Audiences can book tickets now through the production’s website. - Media assets are available through an electronic press kit on request. - The production is expected to continue with an open-ended run after opening night. - More information is available through the production’s official site, Hawaiian Council’s website, and WitzEnd Productions’ website.

The bottom line: - Hiʻiaka is being staged as a major cultural production: part musical theater, part reclamation of a Native Hawaiian epic for a broad audience.