‘Donate a Dollar, Save a Theatre’: One man reaches out to save his roots at Kumu Kahua

December 22, 2010 09:48 AM

HONOLULU—They say a picture is worth a thousand words. For artist, activist, and stage performer D. Tafa’i “Fa’i” Silipa, it’s worth one more dollar toward saving a piece of theatre history.

If you’re on the streets of Chinatown on Thursday, December 23 from 4:00 p.m. to 6:00 p.m., there’s a chance your aloha will be captured on film. Silipa will be accepting dollars off the street as part of “Donate a Dollar, Save a Theatre”—an artistic attempt to raise awareness about Hawaii’s houseless and to raise money for the Kumu Kahua Theatre, which is facing possible closure.

Silipa will be incognito, performing as one of Honolulu’s houseless, while a photographer will capture images of strangers giving money, food, clothes, and other handouts. If you’re in the area and happen to see Silipa, stop and say, “Talofa!” Feel free to give more for more photos.

Photos may be of just your hand (if you prefer) or a full body shot.

“Donate a Dollar, Save a Theatre” begins at The Manifest, 32 North Hotel Street Honolulu, and moves freely throughout Chinatown.

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“I decided to concentrate this impromptu benefit around Kumu Kahua Theatre,” Silipa said. “I will donate a portion of all proceeds made this day, if any, to Kumu Kahua Theatre, where I made my community theatre debut in a S?moan play in 2006.”

Due to severe cuts in State funding, Kumu Kahua Theatre’s latest spring production, Da Kine Space, may be its last. The theater has initiated a slew of cost-cutting measures and raised its ticket prices for the first time in 10 years, yet the severe reduction in funding could force the theatre to close its doors in February.

Silipa was first a part of Albert Wendt’s The Songmaker’s Chair in 2006 and performed in Ala Wai, Living Pidgin and other plays at Kumu Kahua Theatre. Since making his start at Kumu Kahua Theatre, like many Hawaii actors before him, Silipa has gone on to become a regular performer at Downtown’s improv shows and other theatre venues.

“My goal is to raise $100 in cash, food, and clothes,” Silipa said. “So stop by for a couple minutes. We sure could use your mana in an effort to help keep Kumu Kahua Theatre from closing it’s doors for good.”