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Born and raised in Nanakuli, Bailey Barnes grew up in a multicultural household — her father is Native Hawaiian, Filipino and African American, and her mother is Native Hawaiian and Portuguese.
She discovered the performing arts at the Nanakuli High and Intermediate School Performing Arts Center (NPAC) program. She capped her time there with a trip to Washington, D.C., for the Grammy Museum’s “I’m Every Woman: The History of Women in Soul” educational workshop at the White House in 2014.
Barnes graduated from high school in 2014 and established herself as a rising star in island theater. In 2019, she received three Po‘okela Awards for Excellence from the Hawai‘i State Theatre Council: leading female in a musical for her performance as Dorothy in “The Wiz” at Paliku Theatre, featured female in a musical as Gary Coleman in “Avenue Q” at Manoa Valley Theatre, and best ensemble performance in a musical for “Beehive” at Diamond Head Theatre.
Hawaii audiences have also enjoyed her work in “Children of Eden” at Paliku Theatre, “Matilda” at DHT and “Men in Boats” at Kailua Onstage Arts. She most recently performed as Logainne Schwartzandgrubeniere in MVT’s summer production of “The 25th Annual Putnam County Spelling Bee.”
Barnes, 25 and now living in Waianae, will return to the stage in MVT’s season opener, “Be More Chill.” Due to updated COVID-19 restrictions, the show is now scheduled to open on Oct. 14.
What is it about the show that interested you?
“Be More Chill” is about the outcasts and the misfits. And that’s something that I’ve always identified with or felt in common with — not always fitting the mold of what society has planned for us. Especially as a high schooler I had friends from every group, but I never had my own group of friends. And that’s the people that this musical is made for — the misfits and people that are outcasted a lot.
What are your favorite character roles thus far?
Dorothy’s definitely on my top. And “Avenue Q” was so much fun. “Avenue Q” is more like the ghetto, and I come from Waianae where we’re not typically private-school education and proper. That’s very much Gary Coleman, and I got to show a lot of my masculine side, whereas Dorothy is the innocent side that I have as well.
Is there a character you’d like to play?
Celie from “The Color Purple.” It’s an exciting role, but it’s very heavy emotionally.
It seems to be a fact of life in Hawaii that if you are white or Black, people invariably ask you where you’re from. Do you get asked?
Where I’m from, or if I’m in the military. I think some people think I’m from the mainland because I don’t talk “local” all the time. I definitely turn on my pidgin around certain people. I can’t just bring it out, but when I’m in Waianae, it comes out when I’m talking with my brothers and my family. I think I mirror people a lot of the time.
Is there something you enjoy that is not career-related?
I love being with my family. I like doing anything with my family, but most of the time it’s playing video games with my brothers. They’re my best friends.
Where would you like to be in 2031?
My big goal is doing touring shows — cruise ships, amusement parks, anything that can get me travel for free and get paid for it and perform for the world. My biggest thing is to share God’s gift all around the world.
What about Broadway?
When I was growing up I thought “Lion King” was the only musical that had a role available for me, and at that time maybe it was. Since “Hamilton,” things are changing. And I’d like to write something like “Hamilton” but about Hawaii.
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Reach John Berger at jberger@staradvertiser.com.
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