by Laurie Rubin
The subjects of war and peace are not often discussed from the vantage point of children, and yet by no choice of their own, they get caught in the crossfire. Anne Frank’s journal entries about the Holocaust make her one of the few children whose voices and stories not only survived a horrific event but are also widely known. Through the use of media and art this can change. Another story surviving time and tragedy is that of Sadako Sasaki. She was a 12 year old girl in Japan who died from leukemia as a result of the after effects of the atomic bomb dropped on her city when she was just two years old. Her story is remembered through the one thousand origami cranes she folded for peace.
Ohana Arts is an Oahu based performing arts youth theatre company and performing arts organization that trains youth ages 6-18. Ohana Arts will be featuring the true story of Sadako in its original musical, “Peace On Your Wings”. The story highlights Sadako and her loyal class of junior high school friends who worked tirelessly to raise money for a monument that would be built in her name to honor all the child victims of the Hiroshima atomic bomb. The performances will be featured as part of the 16th Annual Ohana Arts Summer Festival & School taking place at the Kennedy Theatre on the campus of the University of Hawaii at Manoa on July 12th and 13th. Immediately following the Honolulu performances, the cast and crew will embark on a performance tour to Hiroshima and Fukuoka, Japan by invitation from the city of Hiroshima.
Sadako Sasaki was only two years old when the atomic bomb was dropped on Hiroshima on August 6, 1945. Though she and her family miraculously survived the explosion, the devastating effects of the bomb’s radiation would linger in their lives. Ten years later, Sadako was diagnosed with leukemia, a condition caused by the radiation exposure from the bombing. As her health deteriorated, Sadako found solace and hope in an ancient Japanese legend that said if a person folded 1,000 paper cranes, their wish would be granted. Determined to make a wish for peace and health, Sadako began folding cranes in the hospital, hoping that her effort would cure her. She folded over a thousand cranes, and though her wish for recovery was not granted, she continued to inspire others with her unwavering spirit.
Sadako passed away in 1955, at the young age of 12. After her death, her story touched the hearts of many. Her middle school friends, along with youth, teachers, and peace activists throughout Japan, rallied to honor her and all the innocent children who had suffered as a result of the atomic bomb. They raised funds to build a monument in her memory—a statue of Sadako holding a crane, with a plaque that reads, “This is our cry. This is our prayer. Peace in the world.” The monument, which stands outside the Hiroshima Peace Memorial Museum, became a symbol of peace and a reminder of the tragic impact of war on innocent lives.
“Peace On Your Wings” was written by two local writers, Ohana Arts executive director Jenny Taira and co-artistic director Laurie Rubin, and is produced by Ohana Arts. The show has toured ten cities nationwide including the theatres on Oahu, the neighboring Hawaiian islands, New York City, Los Angeles and San Francisco. After its successful debut in Hiroshima in 2023, “Peace On Your Wings” has been invited back to Hiroshima by Mayor Matsui to be a central commemoration event of the 80th anniversary of the atomic bombing in August 2025. A cast of 32 Oahu-based young performers have been assembled to perform the show in Honolulu, Fukuoka, and Hiroshima in July/August 2025. The three city performance tour honors the historic sister partnership between Honolulu and Hiroshima City, as well as the sister partnership between the State of Hawaii and Hiroshima Prefecture.
This event has had a profound impact on the students who have traveled with the show, inspiring them to embrace their role as peace ambassadors. “My favorite part of the trip was singing a song from our show at the monument as we delivered the cranes we had folded in honor of Sadako,” says Maya Nakamoto, a cast member who has been with the show since its premiere at Leeward Community College in 2014. “I loved singing the finale with the students from Hiroshima high schools joining us on stage,” says Madison Mattoon who plays Sadako’s best friend in the show.
“Peace On Your Wings” is recommended for a family audience, and parents are encouraged to bring their children to see the show. Despite the tragedy of the true story, the remembered story is one of peace, hope, and resilience. “There are many uplifting facets of Sadako’s story. She was funny and playful. Her hospital roommate said that Sadako was lovingly called the mayor of the Red Cross Hospital, always getting the children to have fun and play in spite of a grave situation, so there are lots of elements of humor, as well as touching, inspirational moments that make her story so uplifting,” says Jenny Taira, the show’s composer.
Performances take place at the Kennedy Theatre on campus of the University of Hawaii at Manoa for a total of four performances for the general public on Saturday July 12, at 2:00 and 7:30 PM, and on Sunday July 13, at 2:00 and 7:30 PM. Tickets can be purchased at ohanaarts.org.
