Seattle Children’s Theatre presents “The Hulu Hoopin’ Queen,” a fresh, funny, heartwarming journey to self-love and acceptance. The greatest joy audiences will experience from this story, however, is the healing power of community and the incredible ways in which camaraderie is contagious. Based on the 2014 book by author Thelma Lynne Godin and illustrator Vanessa Brantley-Newton, “The Hula Hoopin’ Queen” will inspire elementary-age theater-goers to get outside, move their bodies, and connect with their communities.
Synopsis
Kameeka (Kataka Corn) and Jamara (Niyah Reid) are 11-year-old best friends with a passion that often comes between them: hula hooping. Jamara claims to be the queen of the sport, at least in their small corner of Harlem, specifically 139th St., between Adam Clayton Powell and Frederick Douglas Blvd. Along with their mutual friend and frequent referee Portia (Lexi Warden), Kameeka and Jamara constantly fight for the “hula-hoopin’ queen” title.
(Image: Truman Buffet Photography)
The final showdown for the title of queen is set for the same day as the milestone 80th birthday party for neighborhood elder Miz Adeline (Michelle Blackmon). Kameeka first burns the “double fudge chocolate cake with strawberries and real whipped cream!” the party’s most essential ingredient (and a sing-song mantra that the entire audience is encouraged to chant with the stage players). Sent to the store to acquire the sugar needed to make a new cake, Kameeka is sidetracked by a dangling carrot: the hoop showdown with Jamara to prove, once and for all, that she is the neighborhood’s reigning royal.
(Image: Truman Buffet Photography)
The competition does not end the way either girl expects. Each learns a valuable lesson about competition and how one can feel like a queen without tearing the other down. Kameeka, her mother, and their tight-knit neighborhood come together to save Miz Adeline’s party, and the young girls are united by their hula-hoopin’ sisterhood and devotion to the family they chose.
A looping of lesson
With delightful curiosity and energetic warmth, “The Hula Hoopin’ Queen” most adeptly portrays the precarious nature of being a pre-teen. Like most fables about growing up, this one focuses on Kameeka’s obsession with finding greatness in any avenue that presents itself to her, even if it ultimately leads her to drop the ball in other aspects of her life. She is a kind-hearted young girl whose indecision and frustration at not having one thing to claim as her own leads her to disappoint others. In the end, however, she learns that doing her part for herself and those around her is what ultimately matters in life.
SCT’s production of “The Hula Hoopin’ Queen” was directed by Jacole Kitchen, and her eye for classic set design, coupled with functional but inclusive stage features, are the first things that will catch viewer’s attention. The entire production takes place on the block where the girls live and play, and while the background pieces may appear as simple, painted facades, we are eventually given access to the inside of Kameeka’s home. Just as her relationship with her mother is central to her understanding of a moral code, their home is where Kameeka can fail and is then given a chance to try again, a powerful reminder to young audience members that failure is inevitable, but giving up is not.
(Image: Truman Buffet Photography)
As the birthday party begins, their home becomes an extension of the block, showing impressionable viewers that families are not one thing or another but can be a chosen community of people who love one another. Kameeka and Jamara’s Harlem community is a vital cog in helping them form views of the world, celebrating the promises they make, and holding them accountable for the ones they break.
What my kids liked
My 5- and 7-year-olds were entertained throughout this entire production. There are no “scary” or uncomfortable parts, though very sensitive viewers may feel something when Kameeka forgets to bring the sugar home in time to make the cake. The actors actually hula hoop on stage, performing impressive tricks alongside basic twirls. It inspired my girls to beg for a hoop of their own. (Hoops are available for purchase in SCT’s lobby provided by local vendor LiviJoyHoops.) The message about one’s role within a family or community and the encouragement to get kids outside and move their bodies made this production one of our favorites.
Know before you go
- Seattle Children’s Theatre is located at 201 Thomas Street, Seattle 98109
- The show runs through March 23, with various showtimes spanning the morning and evening.
- Runtime is approximately 70 minutes without an intermission.
- Recommended age is 5+.
- Garage and street parking are available with payment. Give yourself ample time if there is an event at Climate Pledge Arena.
- Seattle Children’s Theatre is running at full capacity.
