'Oh'ia Productions
Serena Infante, left, as a rare Oahu tree snail, meets a rat,
played by Bryan Yamasaki, in "Voices of the Rainforest."

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Musical trip to
mountain and sea

Lisa Matsumoto's new
pidgin plays present Hawaii
plants and animals

Star-Bulletin

Author and playwright Lisa Matsumoto takes kids into Hawaii's rain forests and coral reefs in two new musical pidgin plays, "Voices of the Rainforest" and "In the Clear Blue Sea."

The two productions will be performed Sunday at Diamond Head Theatre as a double bill, "From the Mountain to the Sea."

In "Voices of the Rainforest" Hau'oli the happy-face spider introduces the rain forest inhabitants, including Aunty Hapu'unani, Miss 'O'opu and Pupu kani oe, an endangered tree snail.

Native birds such as the 'O'o, 'Akialoa and the Greater koa finch, sing about their fight for survival as their habitat is destroyed.

"In the Clear Blue Sea" travels below the ocean's surface to meet Liona the lionfish, Palani Polyp, Coral the reef and two sea turtles, Honu and Ea.

'Oh'ia Productions
Playful sea turtles are portrayed by
Ryan Kaminaga, left, and Neil Furukawa.

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These creatures show playgoers the importance of maintaining the ocean's delicate balance and teach ways that people can take better care of the ocean and its inhabitants.

As in the "Once Upon One Time" trilogy of plays, Matsumoto has been joined by singer-songwriter Roslyn and artist Michael Furuya in putting together these works.

The plays are also being presented as educational road shows at preschools and elementary schools. These touring performances include creative drama exercises for the young audiences..

For reservations, call 539-3331.

Adventures in song

What: "From the Mountain to the Sea"
When: 7:30 p.m. Saturday and 4:30 p.m. Sunday
Where: Diamond Head Theatre
Cost: $10 general admission, $6 children 12 and younger
Call: 539-3331