‘Five Chinese Brothers’ teaches appreciation of unique abilities

LIHU‘E — A super hero tale featuring brothers with extraordinary abilities is set to come to Kaua‘i.

Honolulu Theatre for Youth will present “Five Chinese Brothers” at 7:30 p.m. today at the Kaua‘i Community College Performing Arts Center.

“Five Chinese Brothers” is the story of five super heroes who are not gods nor mythical creatures, but actual human beings.

“It’s great fun, with lots of audience participation,” HTY Managing Director Becky Dunning said of the show, where four of the five brothers are played by people in the audience.

The show is set in Ming Dynasty China and features traditional Chinese theatrical techniques in a new take on a classical children’s story.

Authored by HTY’s Alvin Chan, the show features one brother who can swallow the sea; another who has an iron neck; another brother who can stretch his legs; one brother who can survive fire; and one brother who can hold his breath forever, according to a press release.

The brothers learn to appreciate what makes them different while teaching tolerance and an understanding of what makes us all unique.

Chan also acts in the performance along with HTY company performers Maile Holck, Junior Tesoro and Kala‘i Stern.

Eric Johnson directed the show, H. Bart McGeehon is the designer of sets, lights and props, costumes were designed by Chan and the fight choreographer is Nick Logue, according to the press release.

More than 23,000 people saw “Five Chinese Brothers” on O‘ahu during a run in August and September, Dunning said.

HTY, a nonprofit professional theater company travels to the neighbor islands where shows are performed at schools, along with drama education programs.

“All of the public performances sold out,” Dunning said of the O‘ahu run and of a recent run in Hilo. “Adults really enjoyed it, wherever it’s played.”