Aisha Jackson played the role of Anna in “Frozen” on Broadway. Courtesy photo

With a mission to help foster performing arts on Maui, the Wave of Harmony Foundation is holding a benefit concert, “Harmony Under the Stars: A Night of Broadway,” with acclaimed Broadway performers Saturday at the Wailea Golf Course.

The show will pay tribute to the late Baldwin High drama teacher Sue Ann Loudon.

“Forty years ago, the Baldwin Performing Arts Learning Center started, and that is where I started in 1987,” said Barry Kawakami, founder of the foundation. “She was the one that introduced me to the arts and created that spark and invited me to continue doing theater. If it was not for that program and Miss Loudon, this evening would not be.”

Kawakami said Baldwin’s program is scheduled to end in 2027 budget cuts.

“My goal is to start raising money so this program continues and we can start funding more public school arts programs,” said Kawakami. “It’s becoming a mission of mine, so we created the Maui Performing Arts Education Fund.”

Entertainers at the event include Broadway stars Taylor Iman Jones, Brian Binion and Aisha Jackson, Oahu singer Jana Alcian, the Harmonic Wave Ensemble and the ProArts Playhouse cast of “RENT.”

Recently seen as Daisy Buchanan in “The Great Gatsby on Broadway,” Jackson made history as the first Black woman to play Anna in “Frozen” on Broadway. She starred as Snow White in the Britney Spears jukebox musical, “Once Upon a One More Time,” and as Allie in Ingrid Michaelson’s adaptation of “The Notebook.”

Making her first visit to Hawaii, Jackson said she will sing “a little bit of ‘Frozen’ and ‘The Human Heart’ from ‘Once On This Island.’ Sara Bareilles is a favorite artist of mine, and I got to work with her when I did ‘Waitress: The Musical,’ and so I always sing a song of hers called ‘Brave.'”

Jackson knows both Jones and Binion.

“Brian and I grew up together and have performed together,” she said. “I know Taylor from the Broadway community and we’ve done a few projects.”

Growing up singing and dancing in church with her family in Georgia, she was inspired by gospel singer Yolanda Adams and Heather Headley, who was the original Aida, as well as LaChanze, who was the original Ti Moune in ‘Once on This Island,’ and Whitney Houston.

Cast as a standby for Anna in “Frozen,” she ended up in the lead role, which gave her an opportunity to be a role model for Black children.

“It was my first time being a principal on Broadway, and that allowed me to step into a new level of performance,” she said. “It was a beautiful, unique opportunity for me to allow my young chocolate drops, as I call them, to see themselves in this beloved character, and that brought me the most joy. Whenever I would hear young people of color say, ‘Mommy, she looks like me,’ and the joy that they received from seeing somebody who looks like them bring character to life, that was the best part for me.”

Jackson was also grateful Disney and the creative team gave her the freedom to embody Anna as herself and not have to mimic anything else.

“I was able to come in and Aisha-it, as my dad says, make things my own,” she said.

Taylor Iman Jones made her Broadway debut in 2017 in the ensemble of “Groundhog Day.” She played Catherine Parr in the Tony Award-winning musical “Six” in 2023. Before that, she played Extraordinary Girl in the national tour of “American Idiot,” and Peggy Schuyler/Maria Reynolds on tour with “Hamilton.”

Brian Binion made his Broadway debut with “The Lion King.” His regional credits include “After Midnight,” “West Side Story” and “Man of La Mancha,” and he toured with “Ain’t Too Proud – The Life and Times of the Temptations.”

Born on Oahu, Jana Anguay Alcain played the role of Pele’s sister Hiʻiaka in the musical rendition “The Epic Tale of Hiʻiaka” at the Native Hawaiian Convention in Washington in 2025.

Formed in 2023, the Wave of Harmony Foundation has distributed more than 8,500 free tickets to theater, music and cultural events for youth, families and kupuna. It has awarded scholarships for students in dance, theater, music and cultural programs; supported summer camps and youth productions, and helped sustain community performances through partnerships with organizations such as the Maui Academy of Performing Arts, Maui OnStage and the ProArts Playhouse.

“I created the Maui Performing Arts Alliance to help all the organizations,” said Kawakami. “I started with King Kekaulike High School and we sponsor all of their shows. We’re sponsoring Maui OnStage’s season. We’re sponsoring ‘RENT’ at ProArts, and ‘Cabaret’ at MAPA, and working with the MACC through our Harmony Tickets program to fill seats with productions that they bring in.”

“Harmony Under the Stars: A Night of Broadway” will be from 5:30 to 9 p.m. Saturday at the Wailea Golf Course. Guests will enjoy a pre-show dinner by Gather. Various ticket prices are available including general admission for $125. For more information, go to waveofharmony.org.