 And we discuss reading, writing and everything in between and beyond. I'm your host, Dr. Rita Forsythe, coming to you from Maui on the ThinkSec live streaming network, broadcasting from our studio in downtown Honolulu. Today we're talking to Maui's premier storyteller, performer, freelance writer and radio and television personality, Kathy Collins, welcome Kathy. Thank you, Rita. Mahalo for having me. It's a pleasure. You're known as a storytelling comedic personality and what a fascinating journey you've been on, beginning with your Japanese origins. Can you tell us about that? Okay, well, I am my son's third generation Japanese. My mother's parents came to Hawaii from Hiroshima and my father's parents came from Okinawa. So I always tell people I'm Japanese Okinawan and I really identify more with the Okinawan culture, I think, just because it just seems a little more lively. And so, like most Japanese American kids, my generation, I went to Japanese school after public school every afternoon and learned the Japanese language, reading, writing and also the folk tales. So the very first book that I remember owning was called Japanese Children's Favorite Stories and being an only child, I, that was my constant companion, this wonderful book with the very quaint illustrations. My dad taught me to read when I was two years old. I'm an only child. And all through my childhood, my father used to say, the greatest gifts, the two greatest gifts that he could give me, that any parent could give a child, was number one, teaching them to read, number two, learning to appreciate music. And that is what he did for me. He taught me to read and they never, never scripted on providing me with reading material. My dad was a dentist and before I started school, I would go with him to his office and I'd read, I'd devour all the magazines in his waiting room. The same thing with music. Once I was, I was given the opportunity to join band in fifth grade. If it had to do with music, my parents bought it for me. So I had, I had my clarinet, I had an oboe, I had guitars and a drum set. I really believed that reading and music were the greatest gifts because once I received them, they could never be taken away from me. And they would always bring me joy and happiness throughout my life. And then he was right. Especially as an only child, you know, like books, books, books is the name of your show and that's pretty much what my early life was like books, books, books. Yeah, me too. We spent a lot of time in the library and always would get our max out the 40 books per person. So one of the stories in that book that you were talking about, I believe is don't know if I'm saying this right. And isn't that translated to the inch high samurai. Yeah, little one inch is, is the one thing translated as well. Tell us more about that and perform that for us if you don't mind. I would love to I should say that, along with reading, I, as an only child and then my very much indulge by my parents I used to, I would write plays and stories and perform them for them in the living room. In my school, I became really active in speech and drama competitions, and, and that's really how I got my start with the being a storyteller and the radio personality but we'll get to that later. Soon Boshi is one of my favorite stories to tell. It was my favorite when I was a child, but I often tell it in my alter ego. Because data only speaks in pigeon, and, and I'm, I'm passionate about pigeon, I consider it the unofficial language of Hawaii, and the true language of Aloha, and so hopefully all of our viewers are fluent in pigeon. If not, not to worry, I've done, he soon Boshi in Canada in at the Lincoln Center out of doors festival, and nobody there spoke pigeon as their native language, but they all understood it so I'm pretty sure you'll get the drip but. So here we go, he soon Boshi in the words of Tira. I like tell you a story about one guy named he soon Boshi, you guys ever heard of he soon Boshi. I know plenty of people never did and you know why the name is soon Boshi means little one inch. So if you use one Japanese boy and your name was little one inch you know can spread that around now. But in Japan, this guy is famous. Yeah. Okay, let me tell you the whole story see long long long long long long long long time ago in Japan had this old man and this old lady, they was married, there was a nice couple to you know all their life they work hard. They cook for their neighbors, they love each other. There was good guys, yeah. Life was perfect for them, except for one thing. They never had no cakey. They were so sad, you know, because that's all they wanted was for have one baby that they could raise up for be one good upstanding citizen, you know, because they were Japanese. Now you year after year go by no more baby every night. Yeah, when they go bed, they pray to their gods. Oh please send us a baby that we can love and and cherish and nourish. Yeah. Yeah, after year no more baby probably because all they do nighttime is pray. Yeah, but anyway, so one day. I mean it was out in her backyard. Yeah, in her daikon patch pulling weeds. Yeah. And then she spoke something bright red inside the daikon patch. She goes to pick them up was one little baby boy, one inch big wrap up in one small little red blanket. So excited she run inside the house, and she show her husband to go. Oh, look, our prayer is answered. And her husband tell warm but it's so small. Yeah, that's all right. We shall feed him. We shall take care of him. We shall teach him. We're gonna do we're gonna notice him and cherish him. And one day he gonna grow up to be big and strong. But for now, we call him is soon bossy. And from that day on, yeah, is soon bossy's mother and father they took such good care of him is some bossy's mother. She take her nicest kimono and she snip off small little pieces of material and she saw up shirt and pants for is soon bossy. And is soon bossy's father take his knife and he carved one small little table and chairs for a boy. And every year is soon bossy grow more strong. Every year is soon bossy grow more smart. But he never did grow more big 16 years old one inch tall. But on the day he turned 16 he went to his parents and he said mama son, Papa son, you've been so good to me. You take care of me like I your very own fresh and brand, even though I come from the Daikon patch. Now, my turn. Take care you. I shall go out in the world I seek my fortune. I come back and and take care you so you don't need to work no more in your whole life. Is soon bossy's mother she cry back and even is soon bossy's father get one tear in his eye but small kind of and then is soon bossy's mother. She take her sharpest needle from her sewing kit, and she give them to is soon bossy for him use as one saw or protect himself. His mother get his favorite chow on his rice ball. Give them to is soon bossy for him use like one boat. And then is soon bossy's mother make one dozen small little spam musubis put him in one small little bag and they send him down the road and is soon bossy dragging his rice ball boat. Needle saw and he get to the edge of the river. Jump inside his chow on both. And he take one chopstick and push himself off from the river bank and down the river he going eating his spam musubi thinking about how he gonna earn his fortune because you know when you want each big your job opportunities kind of limited yeah. No can be fish a man because the fish would eat him yeah. No can be rice farmer he would drown in the rice paddies yeah. What you gonna do home man. And then he was on his last spam musubi when he got the bright idea. I shall be Samurai because I already have a sword. So is soon bossy decide he gonna find the show goons castle. He gonna offer his services to the show goon. He gonna be the number one Ichiban Samurai in all Japan. And you know couple three days later floating down the river. He seen him the show goons castle high on the mountain side. Who he push his chow on both side he jump out and he start walking up up up up up up well to come long time because you know your legs only have inch long take long time for combat distance but he's so much in no give up. Finally he's standing right in front the wooden doors of the show goons castle, and he call out. And he called out, hello, hello. The show was made. She here is calling. She opened up the door. Nobody there. She closed the door. She go back inside. It's the one she try again. She shout them all out, hello. Door open up and down here, down here. The maid look down, but all she sees is the guitar, you know, the high heel wooden slippers that the Japanese wear. Close the door, go back inside. So by now, the show going, hearing all this calm ocean, he wondering what going on? He come downstairs and he asked the maid, what's all this noise and the maid talk? I think your slippers that I come inside, they talking to me. The show going, oh, this lady put, put there already. He opened up the door and by now, he soon was she stay climb on top the guitar, pull out his needle, so waving him around so that he glisten in the sun. And he tell down here, I am he soon bossy, small in height, but still can fight. I wish to serve the show going. I wish to become number one Ichiban samurai. Well, the show going scene there. He like boss laugh at, but, you know, like be rude. So he call for his daughter, the princess, not a princess. She only like 13, 14 years old. When she seen these little one inch boy waving his needle around, she like, oh, it's so cute. Oh, we can keep him, please, please. And the show going to tell if you wish, daughter, it's soon bossy from now on, you shall be my daughter's pet. I mean, the. Are they God? It's too much, you know, can believe it just meet the show going and already the show going trust him for be his daughter's body. God, right then and there. He swear he would give up his life for protect the princess. From that day on, he soon bossy and the princess was best friends everywhere, the princess go, he soon bossy riding on top of her shoulder. The princess throw out all her dolls and make room for he soon bossy in her doll house when she do her homework, he soon bossy help out when she practice playing Dakota, he soon bossy dance up to life best friends. So one day was one gorgeous day. He soon bossy and the princess went for one walk in the deep forest. Right below the show goons castle. Oh, the birds was singing. The sun was shining was one awesome day. And then all of a sudden from behind one big tree outjumped this only. Now, one only is one Japanese demon. They come in all kinds shapes and sizes and colors. This one was green like limo. And he had scales like one fish all over his body. The guy was like eight feet high with horns coming up from his big bowhead and no more teeth. Well, whatever teeth he had was rotten. Oh, the guy's smell, he's loud. He look at the princess and he tell what are you doing in my forest? And he soon bossy on top of the princess's shoulder, he tell your forest. No, no, this is a show goons forest. This is show goons daughter, the princess. And I am is soon bossy, small in height, but still can fight. I am princess of bodyguard and he jump down to the ground, standing front, the only the only trouble bodyguard. Look like one little seamstress to me with your little needle. I have a magic hammer. Pull out this big hammer, this mallet from his belt. And he go, I know he'd waste my hammer on you. He shoved the hammer back in his belt. He lift up one foot for smash is soon bossy. But he's soon bossy. He too fast. He jump on the only his other foot. He take his needle. So he can. But the only skin so tough with all the scales, you know, feel nothing. The only grab for the princess, the princess start running away. And he soon bossy start climbing up the only leg scale by scale. The princess running as fast as she can and hard, you know, running one kimono. Yeah, you got to take all small little steps. Good thing the only was so big and clumsy. He no could catch the princess as hard as he tried. She keep getting away from him. And he soon bossy just keep lining up and up the only leg until he reached the belt with a magic hammer hanging. He reached out and grabbed the hammer, but the thing too heavy fall to the ground. He soon bossy no give up. She keep on going up the scales of the only chest until he reached the shoulder. And then he yell inside the only is here. I and it's soon bossy small in height, but still can fight. The only here that he turned his head. He let out one and as soon as he opened his mouth, it's a bossy jump inside, take his nose, poking him all over inside his mouth. The only spit is some bossy out. He take off running out from the forest. Nobody ever seen him again. Well, he ran so fast. He forget his magic hammer on the ground. So the princess, she goes, she pick up the hammer. She's to shake off the dirt and the leaves. And every time she shake the hammer, he soon bossy grow one inch. Seventy five times she shake the hammer. He soon bossy end up six foot four. Good thing wasn't me because I would be like thirty three, thirty four. Not fair, but it would be three feet high. But the princess, good Japanese girl. She just keeps shaking the hammer. He soon bossy turned into one tall, handsome samurai. And the two of them, they go back to the castle and the princess tell her father all what he soon bossy when do how brave and loyal he was. Yeah. And the show going to be soon bossy. You truly are my number one. Ichiban samurai, whatever you wish is yours. He soon bossy, oh, I don't need nothing for me. But if my mama son and papa son could come and and live in castle and no work anymore, I'd be so grateful. The show going to take her good boy. This would make good son in law one day. He send his servants out to the countryside. They find he soon bossy's parents, bring them back to the castle. Couple, three years after that, he soon bossy and the princess get married. And all then they happy ever after. So, you know, it is the moral of this story. Size no matter so long as you get magic inside your hammer. This is one true story, honest promise. Oh, wonderful. Oh, my gosh, it was so entertaining. And exactly how it's written in the book, but oh, I love your use of pigeon and oh, beautiful, beautiful. I can really see how I and you're writing a children's play. Yeah, I mean, I can see how you can be so entertaining. Now tell us about MAPPA, Maui Academy of Performing Arts. MAPPA Academy of Performing Arts has been around for decades and for the last oh, 25, almost 30 years, each school year MAPPA the Academy presents an educational play for children and it tours through all of the preschools and the public elementary school and private elementary schools on the island and pre pandemic. I was fortunate to be commissioned for three years in a row to write, write a story, which always has to have a lesson or a moral. And and then I get to perform it along with a cast. Usually we have two to three actors and a musician. We have live music with the performance and and we tour the schools for four months every Thursday and Friday up to three performances. That's me as Manu Ipilao, the minor bird that that's from the play Birds of a Feather, in which the minor bird, the peacock and the chicken all compete to become the next state bird because the Nene has decided to retire. And so it's a it's a really fun story. Oh, and that one was the first play I did for MAPPA. It was a retelling of the fisherman and his wife, the Grimm's fairytale, but Maui style. And so there I am as the magic Uluwa who grants the poor fishermen his wishes. And that was great fun. That was a really interactive show with the kids. They had to be the ocean and they had to respond. And I really enjoy doing those shows for MAPPA. I am on the board of directors of MAPPA and have been fortunate also to perform in several of their larger productions, the most recent and the one of which I'm most proud is called Ahirap. Ten years ago, two local playwright actors, Derek Nakagawa and Francis Taua, were commissioned to write this story along the lines of Greater Tuna, which is a comedy with two men playing all of the roles. And that is that we use the same device and it was called Lesser Ahi. They did a sequel the next year called Pressure Ahi and they invited me to join them. So the three of us played 16 roles altogether. And then for various reasons, it was supposed to be a trilogy. We never got to do it until just this past year. So there I am as Jody, whose real name is Joseph K. Aloha, the drag queen or gender illusionist. Derek and Francis are there playing their female roles. There I am as the villainous, the only villain in the whole trilogy. Ilona, who's trying to seduce the patriarch of the family. They were high school sweethearts. Oh, that was I love playing. Jeanette, who is, as you can see, she's really into anime and Hello Kitty and all of that. And and so in love with Jesse, the stoner who's flexing over there. And Uncle Chin, a delightful old couple. He's kind of hard of hearing and he mumbles a lot. And then she she's kind of a dragon lady, but they do love each other and they're also one. Well, I guess they're all my favorite characters, but I think my absolute favorite and it's not fair. Maybe you'll come up, but Roland Bang Bang Macadreng. There he is. There they are. You don't want to be an MMA fighter and I have so much fun playing him. You see the Aquaman shirt that he's wearing. Bang Bang says, yeah, it would be Jason no more. It wasn't for me. I thought of everything he know. Oh, man, I wish I had another half hour to talk to you. Well, you know what? I do want to encourage everybody to go if that with a, you know, that kind of piqued your curiosity. Ah, he rap in two parts is now available online streaming. You pay what you can or will or wish. Go to Mauiacademy.org. That's the Maui Academy of Performing Arts, Mauiacademy.org. And there will be a link to stream the the productions online. Thank you so much to get that plug in. Yeah, good, good. You know, and I wanted to talk about how you open for Rita Redder and Howie Mandel and how you write comedy and all of your lips. So we'll have to have you back. We'll just have to do it again. I'm sorry. It took so much time with Isu Moshi, but that is my favorite. And I get to see you on Friday because town parties are coming back. Yes, I am hosting Kihei Fourth Friday after over two years. Oh, we are so excited here in Kihei. No, oh, that's all the time we have today. I better get going. I want to thank Kavi and our broadcast engineer, our floor manager and J. Fidel, our executive producer, a special mahalo to our underwriters. And thank you for joining us. Books, books, books will be back in two weeks until then. Read, write and create your world. Thank you so much for watching Think Tech Hawaii. If you like what we do, please like us and click the subscribe button on YouTube and the follow button on Vimeo. You can also follow us on Facebook, Instagram, Twitter and LinkedIn and donate to us at thinktechawaii.com mahalo.