MFA in Theatre - Asian Theatre in Honolulu United States | University of Hawaii at Manoa

Renowned globally as the premier university-based hub for Asian performance studies and practice, our Asian Theatre program draws students from across Europe, Asia, the Pacific, and North America. The curriculum features comprehensive Asian theatre studies led by three dedicated faculty members, supplemented by guest-led workshops covering diverse performance styles. A highlight of the program is our immersive training residencies, where students receive extended, focused instruction from celebrated masters in traditional Asian theatre forms. These residencies include semester-long courses in movement, vocal techniques, and instrumentation, plus personalized coaching for specific roles and instruments. Our rotating four-year cultural focus typically showcases Chinese, Japanese, and Indonesian theatre, with additional Asian cultures often included. Frequently taught forms include jingju, kabuki, kyogen, noh, randai, and wayang kulit. Each residency concludes with a Kennedy Theatre Mainstage production of a major play performed in English. These residencies create a distinctive, interdisciplinary learning experience by bringing professional training directly to campus, resulting in exceptional productions rarely seen outside their home countries. Since 1923, our program has staged world-premiere English adaptations of traditional and contemporary works from Chinese, Japanese, Indonesian, Malaysian, Korean, Indian, and Thai theatre, alongside innovative experimental pieces inspired by Asian performance research—some developed by our directing candidates.
Our program leads the U.S. in Asian theatre course offerings and performance integration, providing undergraduate and graduate studies in theatre history, theory, literature, and practical skills (acting, directing, puppetry) across multiple Asian traditions, plus individualized study opportunities. Our distinguished faculty are internationally acclaimed for their academic contributions, artistic achievements, and residency leadership. To date, we've graduated over ninety masters and doctoral alumni now working across six continents as educators, administrators, and theatre practitioners.
Community engagement is central to our mission. We regularly present educational performances and lectures at schools, libraries, and other venues, with select productions touring Hawaii's neighbor islands and the U.S. mainland. Our English adaptations of traditional Asian theatre have earned recognition in their source countries—three jingju productions were invited to tour China, and our randai performances (the only traditional randai staged outside Indonesia) received invitations to perform in Sumatra.