Jade Stice — a Broadway veteran who returned home to share her knowledge and experiences with new generations of Broadway hopefuls — has died in a hiking accident on the mainland, a family spokesperson reported Thursday. She was 53.
Born and raised in Hawaii, Jade Kaiwalani Stice found her calling at an early age, first in gymnastics and ballet, and then, from intermediate school on, in musical theater as a student of Ron Bright at Castle High School. She graduated from Castle in 1988.
Stice made her mark in community theater in 1989 as one of the titular daughters in Tommy Aguilar’s production of “13 Daughters” at the Hawaii Theatre; she stole the show with a show-stopping song- and-dance number that she performed flawlessly despite having one leg in a cast to the knee. Next came “Dreamgirls,” also at the Hawaii Theatre, and then playing the female lead in Diamond Head Theatre’s 1990 production of “Singin’ in the Rain.”
In 1991 Stice moved to New York where she successfully auditioned for the original Broadway cast of “Miss Saigon.” She was a member of the company for the next decade; she was also a member of the first Broadway touring company of “Jekyll & Hyde.”
Stice returned to Hawaii in 2001 to star in DHT’s spring production of “Chess.” She doubled as director/choreographer of DHT’s staging of “Jekyll & Hyde” later that year.
After 15 years working in New York, Stice returned home for good. She contributed to Hawaii as state program manager for Family Hui Hawaii, a peer-led parenting support group that seeks to prevent violence in the home; received her certification as a natural- childbirth educator; and worked as an advocate for women and children’s health and well-being.
She co-founded the I’m a Bright Kid Foundation with her sister, Dr. Ligaya Stice, to share the performing arts and arts education legacy of Ron Bright with new generations of island children.
Jade Stice continued to entertain audiences as a performer and director. Her acting credits included playing Camilla in Leeward Community College’s staging of “In the Heights”; Glinda the Good Witch in IABK’s production of “The Wiz” at Paliku Theatre; and Queen Lili‘uokalani in the world premiere of “A Timeless Princess.”
Stice directed IABK’s summer program productions of “On Dragonfly Wings” and “Finding Home/Seussical,” and the IABK Gala performance of “Songs for a New World” in November 2019.
In addition to sister Ligaya, survivors include her three children and her sister Paraluman Stice-Durkin.
Memorial plans are pending.
