KDEN has three major programs: Community Theater, Living History program, and Community Music.
Community Theater
This is our largest and longest running program. It is the heart of our organization and encompasses the fulfillment of all of our goals as an organization.
Since our inception, we have produced a summer musical every year and additional programs during the winter months. Productions that we have performed include: Man of La Mancha, Li’l Abner, You’re A Good Man Charlie Brown, Snoopy!!, Bye Bye Birdie, Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat, Kiss Me Kate, Patience, The Fantasticks, Cinderella, Mousetrap, And Then There Were None, The Foreigner, The Octette Bridge Club, Beauty and The Beast, and Once Upon A Mattress, Amahl and the Night Visitors, Nunsense, The King and I, Murder on the Nile, Music Man, Finian’s Rainbow, Oliver and Flower Drum Song. We have done Gilbert and Sullivan’s Pirates of Penzance, The Mikado, HMS Pinafore, Ruddigore, and A Gilbert and Sullivan Christmas Carol.
Living History
The Living History Program is in partnership with the Hawaii Volcanoes National Park providing a historical glimpse into the life Dr. Thomas Jagger, founder of the Hawaii Volcano Observatory.
This program started in 2005, has been performed numerous times to capacity crowds since its start. It has been very successful in bringing children, community members, and visitors a glimpse into the life of Dr. Thomas Jagger, founder of the Hawaii Volcano Observatory in Hawaii Volcanoes National Park. The performances take place in the Whitney Vault, the original observatory below the Volcano House. The program has had record crowds since the reopening of the Volcano House in 2013. Local actor Dick Hershberger as Dr Jaggar has received acclaim from the geologists and scientists at Hawaii Volcano Observatory and has been recognized nationally in newspaper and magazine articles.
In 2016, a crossover of our Theater and Living History Programs occurred when we were asked by Kilauea Military Camp to create a piece to celebrate the centennial of Kilauea Military Camp as well as Hawaii Volcanoes National Park. KDEN produced Kilauea 1916 in August 2016. Written by Mr. Hershberger, it told the stories of the people who were instrumental in the creation of both entities. It was so well received we were asked to expand on the idea and in November we presented Kilauea 1916 and Beyond which added stories based on military veterans which brought us to the present.
Community Music
The Volcano Festival Chorus (VFC) is the heart of our music program. VFC is a community chorus of now 30+ participants, ranging in age from 13 to 70. VFC was formed in 1994 and is sincere group of people who enjoy singing and the spirit of the Holiday Season. The Chorus starts rehearsals in September and presents a free Winter Concert each December for the community.