Cirque du Soleil at the Outrigger Waikīkī Beachcomber is set to debut in December, and much of the preparation includes choreographing an original show with a unique musical score.
This week, the composer and musical director behind the upcoming production was in town. Evan Duffy is based in Los Angeles but was on island to begin the process of hiring local musicians for the show.
Duffy said he is halfway through the composing process, which he hasn't done alone. By collaborating with local musicians such as ʻukulele artist Taimane and others, he said collaborating on interesting sounds from across the island chain has been a fun trial period.
"These musicians are so brilliant that it's really easy and a luxury for me to go in there, and on the fly, have them try things and experiment," Duffy said.
The Cirque residency will take over the 20,000-square-foot theater on the fourth floor of the Outrigger. The hotel group announced the new show last April and has since worked to remodel their 800-seat space to host the show.
The music for the show will be intentional, Duffy said, in order "to make sure that when we are pushing the envelope that it's done, appropriately, and even just still, it feels like a continuation of the musical traditions on the island."
"We're trying to really just incorporate those traditions in every end of the process of the music so that, you know, the people who know and care will notice those little for lack of a better word, 'easter eggs,'" he said.
This story aired on The Conversation on April 12, 2024. The Conversation airs weekdays at 11 a.m. on HPR-1.
