by Lacey Pfalz
Last updated: 12:45 PM ET, Thu March 21, 2024
Cirque du Soleil Entertainment Group and the OUTRIGGER Waikiki Beachcomber Hotel have partnered to debut a first of its kind resident performance combining Cirque's incredible entertainment with Native Hawaiian culture.
Debuting late 2024, Cirque du Soleil Hawai’i will be a permanent show at the OUTRIGGER Waikiki Beachcomber Hotel. Leadership for the show includes Co-Creator and Director Neil Dorward and Simon Painter, as well as several Native Hawaiian artists and scholars. The partnership was first announced in April, 2023.
One such scholar is Dr. Aaron J. Salā, the Cultural Creative Producer for the show. He’s an ethnomusicologist at the University of Hawai’i at Mānoa. Another is Costume Designer Manaola Yap, an internationally-recognized Hawaiian luxury lifestyle fashion designer and hula practitioner, as well as Kumu Hula Hiwa Vaughan, the Choreographer, who is a celebrated and award-winning hula practitioner.
The Logo for Cirque du Soleil Hawai'i at OUTRIGGER Waikiki Beachcomber Hotel. (Photo Credit: Cirque du Soleil / OUTRIGGER)
“This remarkable team imbues this first Hawai‘i-based Cirque du Soleil show with a foundation of cultural knowledge through the timeless stories that connect us back through the generations,” says Dr. Aaron Salā, cultural creative director.
“It is a privilege to collaborate with my incredibly-talented colleagues, showcasing the exceptional skill and aesthetic of kānaka maoli, local Hawai‘i and Pasifika talent,” continued Dr. Salā. “Storytelling has served instrumentally in the preservation of our culture, and I am deeply honored to uplift native voices in tandem with the stellar artistry of Cirque du Soleil.”
More information about the performances, ticket sales and more will be released later this spring. Those interested can register for email notifications on the Cirque du Soleil website.
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