HAWAI`I Public Theatre Company Members
Suzen Kukana Murakoshi
Suzen Kukana Murakoshi is a theatre-maker, performer, playwright and clown born and raised in `Aiea. Her play Shame-Shame won Best Play in Honolulu for the Playbuilders Festival in 2020. Other plays (Slippery When Wet) and solo show (Breathe Love Repeat) have been produced at the Penumbra Theatre (St. Paul, MN), the Edinburgh Fringe, La MaMa, NYC’s United Solo Festival, the NYC Frigid Festival, and the Canadian Fringe. At the Edinburgh Fringe, she was nominated for an Acting Excellence award. Kukana has appeared in film and television. Most recently, on MAGNUM PI as Mrs. Franks.
As a veteran of Broadway musicals, A Chorus Line, and The King & I, Suzen Kukana has performed on Broadway, across the U.S., Canada, Europe and Israel. Born and raised in ʻAiea, Hawai’i, Suzen’s first role in NYC was as the dancer Kaluea in the ʻShining House,ʻ a dance-drama about the Goddess of the Volcano, Pele, with Jean Erdman (of the original Graham Company) and Joseph Campbell at the Theatre of the Open Eye.
Ms. Murakoshi received an AA in Hawaiian Studies from Windward Community College in 2021, an MFA from the New School of Drama in Playwriting and Acting in 1997. She worked on a play written by an at-risk teen at the Hawai`i Detention Center which had a full reading. Suzen Kukana has taught at New York University and is a certified Chris Bayesʻ Clown Teacher. Suzen Kukana is also a Senior Practitioner in Yamuna Body Rolling, a body work modality for bone stimulation (ʻikaika nā iwiʻ or ʻthe bones are livelyʻ) towards wellness.
Anna Walden
Anna Walden grew up in Mānoa Valley on the Island of O`ahu. An enthusiastic physical comedienne, Anna is a recent graduate of the MA Theatre Lab at the Royal Academy of Dramatic Arts. Anna did her undergraduate degree in creative writing at Stanford University, after which she moved to NYC to pursue acting. There, she trained at the Stella Adler Studio, as well as individually under teachers Olympia Dukakis, Jim Calder, Janet Zarish, Christopher Bayes, Aitor Basauri, and Stephen Wangh. Anna performed in several Off-Broadway productions, after which she trained at RADA. At RADA, Annaʻs roles include Hermia in Midsummerʻs Night Dream, Eurydice, and plays The Bacchae, and Mother Courage.
Anna is proud to continue to grow the physical comedy theatre community in her home of Hawai`i.
Master Teacher Aitor Basauri
Master Teacher Aitor Basauri is an acclaimed director, performer and teacher of physical comedy and clown, regularly holding Spymonkey Masterclasses in London, New York, Berlin, Los Angeles and around the world, and for the Clown Doctors organization in Germany, Austria and France. He is founder and co-artistic director of Spymonkey which just closed their comedy adaptation of A CHRISTMAS CAROL in Liverpool:
"Created by the clowning experts SpyMonkey...Just when youʻre almost crying with laughter, it sneaks in a moment so lovely or melancholy that youʻe tearing up all over again."
---The Times of London
He trained CAT ( Centro Andaluz de Teatro) Seville, Spain and at the School Philippe Gaulier.
Master Teacher Aitor created the show, Zumanity for Cirque du Soleil.
Directing credits include:”My Life in a minor Key” for Erin Roy Productions 2018,”Chiff-Chaff” For Elfy Lions 2018, “Lie with Me” for Red Bastard 2017,‘Lily & Marlene’ for La Dinamica (Spain 2015); ’Looking for Duende' for Teatro Entre Escombros (Spain 2015); ’Hondycops' for Squadra Sua (Czech Republic 2015); ’Ferucchio Peru is Extraordinaire’ for Leebo Luby (UK 2015); Manifest Destiny (New York 2015); Fabulous Bäckström Brothers (Finland 2014); Entre Escobros '600 Teatro' (Spain 2014); 'Gloriator' for Skipstick Productions (London 2013); 'NMIIDP' Simone Riccio, (London 2013); 'Herr Ist Immer Der Natur' for Die Drei Auf Den Baum (Berlin 2012); 'Discombobulated' for Publick Transport (Bristol & UK tour, 2011); 'Ramshackadelicious' (Bristol 2011); 'Shake' for The Last Baguette (Switzerland 2010).
Director of physical comedy for Chichester Festival Theatre's 'Mack & Mabel' (2015) starring Michael Ball.