Kamalanai Kekuewa

Kamalanai

Sharle “Kamalanai” Kekuewa (Kana Shadow) is currently a senior at Kamehameha Schools Hawaii. She is the youngest of four children and in her free time enjoys spending time with friends and family and watching a good sports game. When her time at Kamehameha is over she hopes to attend New York University or Duke majoring in business. It was in elementary school that Kamalanai first got into performing arts. She participated in the Kamehameha Schools Keiki Choir from third grade through fifth grade.  Along with performing at Christmas and spring concerts, the Keiki Choir was also able to perform in the high school musicals! Kamalanai was an extra in Jesus Christ Superstar, and 42nd Street.  In middle school she got bigger roles:  a Von Trapp child in The Sound of Music, and Pepper the orphan, in the musical Annie.  When she reached high school, she wanted to experience another part of the theater and began working backstage during her freshman year. She enjoyed it because the backstage crew takes care of all the small details of the production and seemed to be the ones in control of everything and everyone. In her sophomore year she felt lucky and honored to be asked to work the light board because no one is allowed to touch it, and not many people know how to operate it. She enjoyed her years working in backstage but  is definitely looking forward to performing on stage again. She loves being able to step into another character and act as someone totally different from herself. What she hopes to gain from performing at the Fringe is a good response or reaction from those who watch. Kamalanai is excited that this will be the first time that the festival will feature a Hawaiian-language performance. “My castmates and I have the opportunity to represent our school and our Hawaiian culture. We have a chance to show people from around the world what aloha really is.  It is a once in a lifetime opportunity and I feel extremely lucky and humbled that I was chosen.”