Aloha.
That’s the way we opened every show.
Hawaiʻi needed something like Aloha Shorts. As we all know, our island home is blessed with world-class writers, actors, and musicians. Hawaiʻi Public Radio and Bamboo Ridge Press recognized this and took a chance.

Cedric Yamanaka
host, writer, and performer

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Aloha Shorts was a locally produced, half-hour radio program of writings from Bamboo Ridge Press performed by Hawaiʻi’s actors and formerly broadcast on Hawaiʻi Public Radio. Co-produced by Sammie Choy, Craig Howes, and Phyllis S.K. Look, live recordings were held once a month on Sunday nights, from 7:00 to 9:00 p.m. in HPR’s Atherton Studio in front of an audience. The on-air host was Cedric Yamanaka, and the house band was Hamajang. 

In 2019, Bamboo Ridge Press published The Best of Aloha Shorts, a collection of over thirty stories and poems that were featured on the program, history and behind-the-scenes accounts, plus personal essays by some of the writers, actors, musicians, sponsors, and the host.

Aloha Shorts Theme Song

New Year's Eve 1991

Rockhead

Benny's Bachelor Cuisine

Da Beer Can Hat

...Janessa's Friend

...Corinna's Friend, Sometimes

Luciano and da...

The House of Luke

Name Me Is

Swift Blur of Passing Vehicles

Ma Ket Stenlei

Waiting for Henry

Kid

Apocalyptic Barbie

Toads

A Day in da Life of a Java Junkie

Oz Kalani, Personal Trainer

Too Smart to Slow Down

Bearing the Light

ʻAu ʻA ʻIa

Hawaiʻi Ponoʻī

A Wife Reminisces

Tsunami April Fool's Day, 1946

Lava Watch

Toda Drug

Uncle's Drum

Dog. Lamb. Bug.

For Robin, Unclaimed

Letter to Honolulu

An Image of the Good Times

Listen to recordings of all the pieces included in The Best of Aloha Shorts.

Also from the ALOHA SHORTS archive

RE-BROADCAST: Reader’s Choice #1
Tuesday, June 14, 2011 6:30 PM

“Tommy Pinto – Lives at Home” written and read by Lee Cataluna.

“Crazy Aunty Cookie – Used to Be Married into the Family But Still Comes to Parties” written and read by Lee Cataluna.

  • Folks You Meet in Longs and Other Stories (Issue #86, Fall 2004): 34-35.
  • Published as “All Your Favorite Relatives: Crazy Aunty Cookie” in Issue #81 (Spring 2002): 17-18.
  • Also published as a playscript in Folks You Meet in Longs (Honolulu: Kumu Kahua Theatre, 2003): 12-13.

“Poem for George Helm: Aloha Week 1980” written and read by Eric Chock.

“Parts” written and read by Lois-Ann Yamanaka.

“The Architecture of Poems” written and read by Christy Anne Passion.