R. Kevin is the co-founder of the Hawaii Shakespeare Festival and the 2017 recipient of the HSTC Pierre Bowman award “outstanding contribution to Hawai‘i theatre.” He holds an MFA in Theatre (Directing) from the University of Hawai‘i at Mānoa and has won multiple HSTC Awards for Excellence in Directing.
Among the plays R. Kevin has directed since 1989 are Measure for Measure, Macbeth, Comedy of Errors (twice), Hamlet (twice), Henry IV Part 1, All’s Well That End’s Well, The Winter’s Tale, Much Ado About Nothing, Pericles, The Tempest, Troilus and Cressida, A Midsummer Night’s Dream, Othello, She Stoops to Conquer, King Lear, and As You Like It (his lucky 13th production for HSF).
Jordan Clara ‘Ihilani Cho (she/her) is a Kanaka Maoli director, actor, and storyteller originally from Ko‘olaupoko, O‘ahu, currently residing in Honouliuli, Ewa, O‘ahu. She has served as the Associate Artistic Director for the Hawaii Shakespeare Festival since 2022. ‘Ihilani earned her BFA in Theatre Performance from Florida International University in 2013 and has been involved in O‘ahu’s theatre scene and HSF for over a decade. Her directorial accomplishments include productions such as Romeo & Juliet (2022, Hawaii Shakespeare Festival), The Tempest (2019, Hawaii Shakespeare Festival), and Lifeboat (2018, Hawaii Opera Theatre). A few of her favorite Shakespearean roles are Claudio in Much Ado About Nothing and Cornwall in King Lear. As an artist, ‘Ihilani aims to elevate stories of Indigenous and queer perspectives, empowering her community through storytelling.
Desiree serves as the Secretary of the Hawaii Shakespeare Festival’s Board of Directors and provides administrative support with the Volunteer Committee.
She was born and raised in Ewa Beach and has worked in the nonprofit community for nine years. After receiving a BA in Business Administration from the University of Hawai‘i —West Oahu, she served as a Quality Coordinator in HMSA’s Complex Case Management Program.
Desiree has developed a strong sense of devotion for the nonprofit sector after she supported community health facilities during the COVID19 pandemic by ensuring patients receive medically necessary quality care that followed national standards and regulations.
Al Reyes can be found working backstage at the Hawaii Theatre Center by day. At night, they can be found working backstage at various other theaters on island. In the rare moments Al escapes the clutches of theatre, they can be found with their partner Alex.
Selected credits: Lifespan of a Fact (MVT) Stage Manager/ Assistant Director, Rotterdam (TAG) Stage Manager, The Play That Goes Wrong (MVT) Jill/Deck crew, You're NOT Sick (Corpus Productions) Stage Manager, Both Your Houses (HSF) Vee/Stage Manager, Leviathan (Leviathan Dance) Stage Manager.