“Defining Courage” is an immersive live show that honors the legacy of Hawai’i’s Nisei soldiers of World War II. The show will return to Hawai’i for three performances in November. There will be shows on Nov. 8 and 9 at President William McKinley High School on O’ahu, and on Nov. 10 at H.P. Baldwin High School on Maui.
Immediately following the attack on Pearl Harbor, many Selective Service boards rejected Americans of Japanese ancestry from military service. This live show merges footage, eye-witness interviews and original music to tell the story of the 100th Infantry Battalion, the 442nd Regimental Combat Team, the Military Intelligence Service and the 522nd Field Artillery Battalion — segregated Japanese American units which included many soldiers who were born and raised in Hawai’i. Tickets are $20 for the shows on Maui and $30 for the ones on O’ahu. Get tickets.
“McKinley High School was the alma mater of U.S. Senator Daniel K. Inouye, as well as many other young men who went on to serve in the 442nd Regimental Combat Team. At a time when Japanese Americans were being incarcerated on the continent, and even here in Hawai‘i solely because of the color of their skin, these brave young men registered to serve to prove their loyalty to the United States,” said Jennifer Sabas, director of the Daniel K. Inouye Institute and former chief of staff to Senator Inouye, in a written statement. “The courage and sacrifice of this greatest generation is deeply relevant today as we face new challenges throughout our country.”
The event is narrated by the Emmy Award-winning ABC7 Los Angeles News Anchor David Ono. The music is by Enzo De Roza and Sheridan Seyfried. The upcoming performances in Hawai’i feature the Grammy Award–winning Daniel Ho, acclaimed songwriter Harold Payne, and the Raise Choir.
Previously, this live immersive show was held in Hawai’i Theatre in 2023, according to the website for “Defining Courage.”
The show is presented by Story Boldly, the Japanese American National Museum, and Outside In Theatre, with support from The Henri and Tomoye Takahashi Charitable Foundation. The project was funded with support from the Japanese American Confinement Sites grant program, which works to acquire and preserve the sites where Japanese Americans were detained during World War II, so “present and future generations may learn and gain inspiration from these sites,” according to its website. The grant program falls under the U.S. National Park Service, which is part of the U.S. Department of the Interior.
Local partners for the Hawai’i performances include Pacific Historic Parks, Daniel K. Inouye Institute, Japanese Cultural Center of Hawaii, and National Parks Service. The shows are sponsored by Kaimana Hila, Hawaiian Electric Industries Charitable Foundation, Island Insurance Foundation, First Hawaiian Bank, Servco, ABC Stores, and Zippy's Restaurants. The Wailuku performance is supported in part by the County of Maui. Details.
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Katie Helland can be reached at katie@alohastatedaily.com.
