Joseph Kekuku and the Voice of the Steel Guitar brings the story of a remarkable musician to the Troesh Studio Theater. Back in 1889, Joseph Kekuku, a student at Kamehameha Schools, took a steel bar into the school's machine shop and slid it across his guitar strings, inventing a sound that would carry Hawaiian music to royal courts, European stages and audiences across the continental United States. This performance traces his journey from a curious student to a musician who reshaped the way a guitar could sound.

This particular showing is a Sensory Inclusive performance, adjusted with individuals with sensory needs and disabilities in mind. The Smith Center designs these presentations to ease the typical sensory load of live theater, so the lighting, sound and overall pacing are adapted to make the experience more comfortable and welcoming for a wider range of guests.