Hiwa (he-va) Elms is a Los Angeles-based artist whose monologue entitled, Lei Nani, is truly unique. She is trained in Hula by her grandmother, Kumu Casey Kona and Lehua Kawaikapuokalani Hewett. Trained in Tahitian with Moehauarai Coco and Māori with Auntie Linda Wishart. She has toured around the United States as a Polynesian dancer, choreographer and hostess with Radio Hula, island inspirations and Nani Kai Dancers. She graduated magna cum laude from SUNY Purchase and has worked off broadway and regionally, including: The Public Theatre (Delacorte) Merry Wives of Windsor, Pan Asian Rep Aloha Las Vegas, NAATCO You Can’t Take It With You, Center Stage Baltimore Gum, East West Players Stew Rice and Steel Magnolias, Theatre of Note A Mulholland Christmas Carol and Lydia In Bed (Phinneas Kiyomura) and Cleo, Theo and Wu (Kirsten Vangsness), Independent Shakespeare Company (Griffith Park) Julius Caesar and As You like It. She has also been seen in movies and on tv: Mixing Nia, Central Park West, Criminal Minds, The Good Time Girls (Laura Dern), etc. She shares her love of life with one husband, two kids and three pets. From Hiwa: “I am thrilled to be in the company of the amazing women of The Menopause Monologues!”