Crafting real and imaginary worlds through masks is both a challenge and a joy for Michael Harada, assistant professor of art. He’s been working tirelessly on the current production of She Kills Monsters, sculpting a masterful brigade of papier-mach¨¦ demons and ogres for the comedic romp through the world of fantasy role-playing.
More than a dozen full-head masks were created for the theatre production, along with an array of props. Harada spent an average of 10-12 hours on each mask.
“I knew how important these visual elements were going to be in the intimate performance space,” states Harada. “The play is an ambitious project for such a small space. The visual impact of the masks was really important, so when Betty (Burdick, the director) asked for my help, of course I jumped on board.”
- Related UH News story: Leeward Theatre presents She Kills Monsters, a comedic romp into the world of fantasy, October 12, 2017
Harada’s fascination with masks began in the early 90s when he started collaborating with , a local dance theatre company. He’s gone on to design and construct masks, props and sets for Honolulu Theatre for Youth, Kumu Kahua, ²Ñ¨¡²Ô´Ç²¹ Valley Theatre and, of course, Leeward Theatre productions.
When asked how doing these projects impact his teaching, he replied with a knowing grin, “It reminds me of the value of hard work.”
Harada graduated from the with a bachelor’s degree and master of fine arts in printmaking. He presents workshops on making masks from recycled cardboard as part of Leeward’s Earth Week activities and continues to expand his mask-making skills. Last year, he learned the traditional wood carving techniques for Japanese Noh theatre masks.
—By Kathleen Cabral
