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Upcoming Community ReadingsMonday, September 14, 2026
10:00 a.m.–12:00 p.m. 15 Craigside Wednesday, September 30, 2026 10:30 a.m.–12:30 p.m. Kahala Nui Friday, October 9, 2026 3:00–4:30 p.m. One Kalakaua To request a reading for your organization, please contact Elizabeth Wichmann-Walczak at (808) 227-0335.
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Since November 2024, No One Is Prepared for Alzheimer’s:
One Family’s Story has been presented for the following communities:
One Family’s Story has been presented for the following communities:
- TAG the Actors’ Group
- Hawaiʻi Pacific University
- Oʻahu Fringe Festival
- Hawaiʻi Quakers Annual Retreat
- Arcadia Retirement Residence
- Downtown Arts Center (DAC)
- United Church of Christ Judd Street Church
- Kumu Kahua Theatre
No One Is Prepared for Alzheimer’s: One Family’s Story
A journal by Lindsay Pjerrou Desrochers
Published in 2023
Arranged for performance by
Elizabeth Wichmann-Walczak, Peggy Anne Siegmund, and Allan Okubo
Directed by
Elizabeth Wichmann-Walczak
Published in 2023
Arranged for performance by
Elizabeth Wichmann-Walczak, Peggy Anne Siegmund, and Allan Okubo
Directed by
Elizabeth Wichmann-Walczak
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Featuring Lindsey's Story from
The Super Executive Aunties of the Mālama the Caregivers Collective Created for the stage by Terri Madden From stories gathered during weekly story circles and workshops with family caregivers held from 2019 to 2022 at Hawaiʻi Life Real Estate offices, facilitated by Catherine Restivo and Terri Madden. Lindsey brought her journal entries to the workshops and generously shared them with us before her book was published. Her lush, visual imagery lent itself beautifully to the stage. The completed play featured the stories of approximately 20 family caregivers. Directed by Jiaxing “Dean” Mo and Elizabeth Wichmann-Walczak |
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About the Project
PlayBuilders met Lindsay Desrochers through a series of weekly story circles with nonprofessional family caregivers on Oʻahu, facilitated by Terri Madden and Catherine Restivo. Drawing upon the experiences shared during those gatherings, Terri compiled, edited, and arranged the caregivers’ words into The Super Executive Aunties of the Mālama the Caregivers Collective, which was first presented in November 2023.
The current performance begins with a scene from that play, followed by excerpts from Lindsay’s published journal about her husband’s journey with Alzheimer’s disease. We have taken some dramatic license by imagining the words of his inner voice. Although the journal can sometimes be harsh, Lindsay says that it is ultimately a love story.
The current performance begins with a scene from that play, followed by excerpts from Lindsay’s published journal about her husband’s journey with Alzheimer’s disease. We have taken some dramatic license by imagining the words of his inner voice. Although the journal can sometimes be harsh, Lindsay says that it is ultimately a love story.
Cast
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Peggy Anne Siegmund — Lindsay
Peggy Anne began her professional acting career at the age of five. Her credits include Broadway, summer stock, regional theatre, radio, television, and film in New York, Hollywood, and Hawaiʻi. |
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Allan Okubo — George
Allan was an original member of the PlayBuilders Board of Directors and has participated in several PlayBuilders productions over the years. He began acting in the early 1970s, appearing in Hawaii Five-O, Magnum, P.I., and other productions filmed in the islands. He began his stage career in 1991 with Kumu Kahua Theatre’s production of Edward Sakamoto’s Pilgrimage, directed by Jim Nakamoto. Since then, he has appeared at many theatres throughout Hawaiʻi, most recently in Building Permit at The Actors’ Group in 2023. He is excited to be working with PlayBuilders again on this original production about the experiences of family caregivers. |
Creative Team
Elizabeth Wichmann-Walczak, PhD — Director
Elizabeth Wichmann-Walczak came to Hawaiʻi in 1971 to attend graduate school. She retired in 2018 after a distinguished career teaching and directing Chinese theatre at the University of Hawaiʻi at Mānoa.
Since her retirement, she has been a committed member of PlayBuilders, serving on its Board of Directors and currently as its Vice President. She has contributed as a playwright and director to three major PlayBuilders projects: the Bursting Bubbles anti-domestic-violence video series; Open Your Hearts Wide, a film about the first Protestant missionaries and their living descendants; and the Mālama the Caregivers theatre project.
Elizabeth Wichmann-Walczak came to Hawaiʻi in 1971 to attend graduate school. She retired in 2018 after a distinguished career teaching and directing Chinese theatre at the University of Hawaiʻi at Mānoa.
Since her retirement, she has been a committed member of PlayBuilders, serving on its Board of Directors and currently as its Vice President. She has contributed as a playwright and director to three major PlayBuilders projects: the Bursting Bubbles anti-domestic-violence video series; Open Your Hearts Wide, a film about the first Protestant missionaries and their living descendants; and the Mālama the Caregivers theatre project.
Lindsay A. Desrochers — Author
Lindsay A. Desrochers is the author of No One Is Prepared for Alzheimer’s: One Family’s Story. She is an executive and higher-education leader with 40 years of experience. She has served as a faculty member and in senior positions in finance, administration, planning, and campus development.
She helped plan and implement major campus development projects at Portland State University and the University of California, Merced. Dr. Desrochers has also been an active catalyst for public-private partnerships. Her experience in finance and budgeting is rooted in her early work with the University of California system and the California Legislature. She later served in the University System of Georgia as Senior Vice Chancellor for Capital Resources and Treasurer of the Board of Regents.
After completing her executive career at Portland State University in June 2011, she resumed her work as a faculty member. She retired in June 2015 and was appointed Professor Emerita by Portland State University.
In 2016, Lindsay moved to Hawaiʻi. Following her retirement from higher education, she served on the Ko Olina Fairways Board and later became involved with PlayBuilders of Hawaiʻi Theater Company. During the next seven years, she cared for her husband, George, who lived with Alzheimer’s disease and passed away in May 2023.
Lindsay A. Desrochers is the author of No One Is Prepared for Alzheimer’s: One Family’s Story. She is an executive and higher-education leader with 40 years of experience. She has served as a faculty member and in senior positions in finance, administration, planning, and campus development.
She helped plan and implement major campus development projects at Portland State University and the University of California, Merced. Dr. Desrochers has also been an active catalyst for public-private partnerships. Her experience in finance and budgeting is rooted in her early work with the University of California system and the California Legislature. She later served in the University System of Georgia as Senior Vice Chancellor for Capital Resources and Treasurer of the Board of Regents.
After completing her executive career at Portland State University in June 2011, she resumed her work as a faculty member. She retired in June 2015 and was appointed Professor Emerita by Portland State University.
In 2016, Lindsay moved to Hawaiʻi. Following her retirement from higher education, she served on the Ko Olina Fairways Board and later became involved with PlayBuilders of Hawaiʻi Theater Company. During the next seven years, she cared for her husband, George, who lived with Alzheimer’s disease and passed away in May 2023.
Jiaxing “Dean” Mo — Co-Director of The Super Executive Aunties of the Mālama the Caregivers Collective
Jiaxing “Dean” Mo is from a small city in Sichuan, China, where he was exposed to many forms of performance art from an early age. He studied Western theatre and film acting at Lewis-Clark State College and performed in numerous theatre and multimedia productions. He also appeared in commercials through Ryan Artists in Portland.
Dean later earned a graduate degree in Performance at the University of Hawaiʻi at Mānoa, where he studied Chinese and Western theatre techniques.
Jiaxing “Dean” Mo is from a small city in Sichuan, China, where he was exposed to many forms of performance art from an early age. He studied Western theatre and film acting at Lewis-Clark State College and performed in numerous theatre and multimedia productions. He also appeared in commercials through Ryan Artists in Portland.
Dean later earned a graduate degree in Performance at the University of Hawaiʻi at Mānoa, where he studied Chinese and Western theatre techniques.
Terri Madden, MFA — Playwright and Story Circle Facilitator
Terri Madden is the founder and Executive Director of PlayBuilders of Hawaiʻi Theater Company. She earned her MFA in Theatre from the University of Hawaiʻi at Mānoa, with a concentration in playwriting.
Terri facilitated the weekly family-caregiver story circles with Catherine Restivo and later compiled, edited, and arranged the caregivers’ words into the community-based verbatim play The Super Executive Aunties of the Mālama the Caregivers Collective.
Since founding PlayBuilders in 2011, Terri has led the development of community-based theatre projects rooted in the lived experiences of Hawaiʻi’s culturally rich and diverse communities.
Terri Madden is the founder and Executive Director of PlayBuilders of Hawaiʻi Theater Company. She earned her MFA in Theatre from the University of Hawaiʻi at Mānoa, with a concentration in playwriting.
Terri facilitated the weekly family-caregiver story circles with Catherine Restivo and later compiled, edited, and arranged the caregivers’ words into the community-based verbatim play The Super Executive Aunties of the Mālama the Caregivers Collective.
Since founding PlayBuilders in 2011, Terri has led the development of community-based theatre projects rooted in the lived experiences of Hawaiʻi’s culturally rich and diverse communities.
project Photographs
PlayBuilders Board of Directors
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Elizabeth Wichmann-Walczak
Diane Aoki Evern Williams Elaine Valdov Robert Yokoyama James LaBrie Keala Ford Pam Sterling Terri Madden For more information about PlayBuilders of Hawaiʻi Theater Company, please visit www.playbuilders.org. PlayBuilders of Hawaiʻi Theater Company Mailing Address: 807 Kaluanui Rd., Honolulu, HI 96825 Phone: (808) 218-0103 |
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Acknowledgments
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Mahalo to the Hawaiʻi Council for the Humanities, with support from the National Endowment for the Humanities, and to the Atherton Family Foundation. We also gratefully acknowledge the in-kind support of Hawaiʻi Life Real Estate Brokers, Hawaiian Mission Houses Historic Site and Archives, and Aloha Graphics. Their generosity helped make The Super Executive Aunties of the Mālama the Caregivers Collective possible in 2023.
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