When Kapono Na‘ili‘ili is on stage with Moses Goods in Honolulu Theatre for Youth’s production of “Paniolo: Stories and Songs from the Hawaiian Cowboy,” he’s drawing on personal experience. Na‘ili‘ili, 37, was born in paniolo country on the Big Island, and after spending part of his childhood on the mainland — first in Oklahoma while his father finished college, later in Northern California — he was a working paniolo on Oahu. Since then Na‘ili‘ili has earned a bachelor’s degree in Hawaiian language at the University of Hawaii, and spent two years working with Barry Flanagan as a member of Hapa.

“Paniolo: Stories and Songs from the Hawaiian Cowboy” closes Saturday with performances at 11 a.m. and 4:30 p.m. in Tenney Theatre on the grounds of The Cathedral of St. Andrew in Honolulu. For information, visit htyweb.org.

How did you start working with Moses?

We were working together at Aulani (the Disney resort in Ko Olina), and talking about wanting to do something involving theater and Hawaiian music. Then the opportunity to do “Kinolau” — a play Moses wrote about Hawaiian gods for HTY — came up. That worked out, and then Moses said he had another thing coming up, which was “Paniolo,” and here we are.

What are things people may not know about the history of Hawaiian cowboys?

Hawaiians have been riding horses for more than 200 years, and paniolo were herding cattle in Hawaii years before there were cowboys in America. Another thing I think people don’t understand is the difference between domestic cattle and wild cattle — chasing wild cattle is a whole ’nother ballgame. It’s really cool to be able to tell these stories through theater.

So when did you start riding horses?

I started riding at 5, riding the horse around the yard. Before that, my mom would take me on the horse with her. I still have a horse in Waimea, and that’s my saddle on the (wooden) horse on the set of “Paniolo.”

When did you get involved in theater?

I did a little in Oklahoma in the second grade, and then some small things at Moanalua Intermediate, but when I went to the UH is when I jumped back in. I’ve done Hawaiian theater and non-Hawaiian theater, and I was in that movie, “Kuleana,” with Brian Kohne. I played a policeman talking to Augie T, but most people won’t recognize me ’cause I have this beard.

What’s your next big project?

I just started on my third album. I’m working with Halehaku Seabury-Akaka and we’re looking at creating jazz compositions to traditional standard Hawaiian tunes. We want to give people a different option.

What do you do for relaxation?

Surfing. I love surfing. Being out in that environment — it’s really relaxing and peaceful. I do a lot of thinking out there.

What would you like to be doing five years from now?

I’d love to be self-sustained completely, musically and in the arts. I have an ukulele album I’m going to start in March, and in five years I want to have two more albums out and be writing my own plays — and have someone representing me for doing more movies.

What is something about you that might surprise people?

I played cello in elementary school (in Northern California), and then moved on to classical percussion.