History Theatre: Maui in 1823

Hawaiian Mission Houses Historic Site and Archives will be hosting a special presentation of the award-winning history theatre program featuring portrayals of Rev. William Richards, Tauʻā the Tahitian teacher and Betsey Stockton, to commemorate the bicentennial of the arrival of the 2nd company of American Protestant Missionaries in Hawaiʻi and the founding of the Lahaina Mission Station by the Richards family, Stewart family, and Betsey Stockton at the request of Queen Keōpūolani. The performances will be at Waiola Church, 535 Wainee St., Lahaina, HI 96761. Ticket price is $45 per person. Tickets are available at www.missionhouses.org.

Rev. William Richards (1793-1847) – Stationed at Lahaina, Maui, in 1838 Rev. Richards left the mission to become a chaplain, translator, and political advisor to the aliʻi. He taught a class on Western Political Economy to the aliʻi, at their request, and had a hand in the writing of the 1840 Constitution. In 1842, Timoteo Haʻalilio and Richards were sent on a diplomatic envoy to the United States and Europe to guarantee recognition of the Hawaiian Kingdom as an independent and sovereign country – an envoy that was successful. He will be portrayed by Kevin Keaveney.
Betsey Stockton (ca. 1798 – 1865) – Born into slavery in New Jersey and freed to become a missionary to Hawaiʻi. She arrived with the second company of ABCFM Missionaries in 1823. She founded the first school for commoners on Maui. She later went on a mission to Ontario, Canada, began a school for free African-Americans in Philadelphia, before returning to her hometown of Princeton, New Jersey. The school and church she helped found in Princeton are still there today. Portrayed by Jeanné Wynne Herring
Tauʻā (ca. 1792-1885) was a Tahitian aliʻi and an early convert to Protestant Christianity on the island of Huahine-iti (little Huahine). He became a deacon in the church in Tahiti under Rev. William Ellis of the London Missionary Society. He was largely responsible for the conversion of Queen Keōpūolani, King Kamehameha I’s highest ranking wife, in 1823. He spent most of his life in Hawaiʻi in and around Lahaina, Maui. Tauʻā also worked with Rev. William Richards and Davida Malo to translate portions of the Bible. He remained active in the churches around Lahaina until his death in 1885. He will be portrayed by Albert Ueligitone

Check in will begin at 5:30pm and the performances will start promptly at 6pm. Tickets are available at www.missionhouses.org