KAPAA — The audience in the Samuel Mahelona Memorial Hospital auditorium laughed when Saki Mizuno said she saw the ocean for the first time, and her favorite food is loco-moco.
Mizuno was one of four members of the Denden Mushi, translated from Japanese as “snail,” Shinkutoku University Panel Theater Club, who recently performed for the residents of the hospital.
“We’ve never had anything like this before,” said Josie Pablo, hospital’s recreation director.
The Rev. Kosen Ishikawa of the Kauai Jodo missions, including the Koloa and Kapaa temples, asked if the group could perform for the residents.
“How about Hawaii?” Ishikawa said. “Can they entertain people in Hawaii? I think this is a good fun challenge for the group — to know if their way of entertainment is universal.”
The panel theater was started by a Jodo Shu minister, the Rev. Ryojun Koda in 1974 to tell stories with pictures and music, similar to toy theater or flannel graph.
Ishikawa said the Denden Mushi club consists of about 35 students whose purpose is to entertain all kinds of people, including children, senior citizens, and people with disabilities. They do this through their ideas, art skills, and animated stage actions.
The group uses pictures, all drawn by the students, which are used on both sides, and like origami, or the art of paper folding, can be folded and open during the show to express different motions. Students also perform on instruments for some of the music.
In Japan, the group is active visiting schools, nursing facilities and hospitals to entertain people — all for free.
The Mahelona Hospital stop was the group’s final performance on Kauai.
