H eads up—it’s looking to be an exciting 2022-2023 season for theaters across the island. See below for dates of upcoming plays, musicals and productions and then mark your calendars for the rest of the season.
520 Makapu‘u Ave., masks are required, season subscriptions start at $125, individual tickets are $20–$35, shows are Thursdays through Sundays, diamondheadtheatre.com, @diamondheadtheatre
This romantic tale tells of nightclub singer Reno Sweeney sailing for England with her pal Billy Crocker, who has stowed away on board to be near his love, Hope Harcourt, who is engaged to someone else. This elaborate love triangle includes tap-dancing sailors, classic blackmail and a few disguises. Get tickets here
The classic fairy-tale romance of Cinderella, a young girl who is a slave to her stepmother and stepsisters’ whims. When her Fairy Godmother arrives, her dreams to become a princess and marry the handsome Prince Charming may come true. Tickets will be available here
La Cage aux Folles, March 24 to April 9, 2023
Georges manages a Saint-Tropez drag nightclub. His life with Albin, his romantic partner, is perfect until Georges’ son Jean-Michel brings home his fiancée’s super-conservative parents. Georges agrees to masquerade as a straight man, but Albin’s got plans of his own. You might recognize this play as the source of Robin Williams’ popular film, The Birdcage. Tickets will be available here
The Bodyguard, May 26 to June 11, 2023
Get your tissues and song pipes ready—this play is based on the Warner Bros. film about an unexpected love between superstar Rachel Marron and her bodyguard, Frank Farmer. Expect all your favorite Whitney Houston songs. Tickets will be available here
Beauty and the Beast, July 21 to Aug. 6, 2023
In this tale as old as time, Belle, a young woman in an old provincial town, is captured by Beast, a young prince trapped under a spell. The curse can only be broken if the Beast can learn to love and be loved. Tickets will be available here
2833 E. Mānoa Road, season subscriptions start at $185, individual tickets are $24–$42, shows are Thursdays through Sundays, manoavalleytheatre.com, @manoavalleytheatre
Enter the Kit Kat Klub, Berlin’s seedy nightclub where everything is “beautiful,” even during the tumultuous time of Germany entering the Third Reich. Follow Cliff Bradshaw, an American writer who falls in love with the beautiful Sally Bowles, and see what life was like under the Nazi regime. Get tickets here
The Game’s Afoot, or Holmes for the Holidays, Nov. 17 to Dec. 4
A hilarious whodunit in which actor William Gillette invites his Sherlock Holmes co-stars to visit his home in Connecticut for Christmas Eve. When a guest is murdered, Gillette must bring his detective character to life to solve the mystery before the killer strikes again. Get tickets here
The Mystery of Edwin Drood, Jan. 12 to 22, 2023
Based on Charles Dickens’ unfinished novel, The Mystery of Edwin Drood is a comedic musical that invites the audience to help find a killer. When young and charming Edwin Drood is killed, everyone has to become detectives and by the second act, the audience is in charge of pinpointing the murderer. Get tickets here
Tick, Tick … Boom! March 9 to 26, 2023
Before “Rent,” there was Tick, Tick … Boom! This autobiographical musical by Jonathan Larson, the award-winning composer of Rent, shares how the composer questioned his life choices before his 30th birthday. He’ll have to choose between moving to Cape Cod with his girlfriend, joining corporate America or finishing the beloved musical that he’s been working on for five years. Get tickets here
The Play That Goes Wrong, May 11 to 28, 2023
In this “play-within-a-play” production, anything that can go wrong, does. Follow members of the Cornley Polytechnic Drama Society, who are doing their best to stage a production of a 1920s murder mystery. But, making it to the final curtain is looking more and more unlikely as disasters mount. Get tickets here
The Chinese Lady, July 13 to 30, 2023
Inspired by a true story, this critically acclaimed play is about Afong Moy, a woman brought from China to America and put on display so the public can learn about the East. Get tickets here
Aloha Las Vegas. Photo: Courtesy of Kumu Kahua Theatre
46 Merchant St., season subscriptions start at $25, individual tickets are $5–$25, shows are Thursdays through Sundays, kumukahua.org, @kumukahua
Aloha Las Vegas, through Sept. 25
Wally is a retired widower living in Liliha until his good friend Harry arrives from Las Vegas with a crazy idea: Sell his home, retire to Vegas and enjoy the lower cost of living. Family dramas make things complicated. Get tickets here
Lucky Come Hawai‘i, Nov. 3 to Dec. 4
Set in 1941, this comedy explores an era when life is strained between American GIs, local Japanese and West Maui Okinawans. It’s a world after Pearl Harbor is bombed and martial law is imposed—everything is chaos until these characters prove how love can set things right. Get tickets here
Gone Feeshing, Jan. 19 to Feb. 19, 2023
Sibling rivalry and father-and-son relationships are explored in this deep yet comical play. Get tickets here
Wild Meat and the Bully Burgers, March 23 to April 23, 2023
Based on a novel by Lois-Ann Yamanaka, this play set in the 1970s is about Lovey Nariyoshi, a middle schooler who lives in Hilo. She navigates school with her best friend, Jerry, and struggles to find her own identity in an environment shaped by white American pop culture and media. An exploration of the realities of what it’s like to grow up local in Hawai‘i. Get tickets here
Folks You Meet in Longs, May 25 to June 25, 2023
A series of monologues as told by colorful characters who visit Hawai‘i’s favorite drugstore. Listen to a lip gloss smacking teenager, a creepy uncle, a hāpai mom craving pickled mango and many more. Get tickets here
Photo: Courtesy of KOA Theater
780 S. Beretania St., season subscriptions start at $40, individual tickets are $20–$35, shows are Fridays through Sundays, koatheater.com, @koa_theater
Pride & Prejudice, Dec. 2 to 18
Described as Pride & Prejudice for a new era, this bold adaptation of Jane Austen’s famous novel is full of slapstick humor, chaos and the absurdities that come with finding your perfect match in life. Tickets will be available here
Small Mouth Sounds, Jan. 13 to 29, 2023
Six runaways from the city embark into the quiet of the woods for a silent retreat. A play that prompts audiences to address life’s biggest questions as these characters confront internal demons and attempt to reconcile their silent vows with the human need for connection. Tickets will be available here
The Willard Suitcases, Feb. 10 to 26, 2023
Set in 1996, forgotten suitcases are found in the recently closed Willard Psychiatric Center in New York. Untouched since their owners checked in years before, this musical imagines the lives of the people who owned these suitcases. Tickets will be available here
Lasso of Truth, March 10 to 26, 2023
Inspired by the origin story of Wonder Woman, Lasso of Truth explores our favorite female superhero in a smart and seductive ride featuring William Marston, inventor of the first lie-detector machine, and the two women he lived with in a polyamorous relationship. Tickets will be available here
The Frasier household is bustling as the family prepares for Grandma’s birthday party. But there’s plenty of drama between sisters, teenagers and married couples in this examination of family and family drama. Tickets will be available here
Civilization has collapsed, and a group of survivors share a campfire as they piece together the plot of The Simpsons episode “Cape Feare” entirely from memory. Years later, the episode and other bits of pop culture become the live entertainment of a post-apocalyptic society. Tickets will be available here
Dance Nation, June 16 to July 2, 2023
An army of preteen competitive dancers plot to take over the world. A refreshingly unorthodox play that explores the joy of dancing and changes that come with adolescence. Get tickets here
1130 Bethel St., hawaiitheatre.com, @hawaiitheatre
The Sunshine Boys, Wednesdays through Sundays, June 15 to 25, 2023, 2 & 7 p.m.
Joe Moore and his old Army buddy Pat Sajak perform in this on-stage comedy adaptation of Neil Simon’s The Sunshine Boys. Kings of comedy Willie Clark and Al Lewis haven’t spoken to each other in years, but CBS calls for their reunion for a television special. Past grudges and the ailments of age make pairing up challenging, but will they be able to overcome their differences for one last show? $20–$75, Get tickets here
777 Ward Ave., season subscriptions start at $181, individual tickets are $39–$109, blaisdellcenter.com, @broadwayinhawaii
Four guys from Jersey become a singing sensation, The Four Seasons. This musical follows how they became famous on stage, but also shows audiences what was happening behind the scenes. Recommended for ages 12 and older. Get tickets here
SEE ALSO: We Tried It: Broadway Touring Show of “Jersey Boys”
Explore the story of America and founding father Alexander Hamilton through a blend of hip-hop, jazz, R&B and Broadway. With book, music and lyrics by Lin-Manuel Miranda, this musical has nabbed multiple awards, including the Pulitzer Prize for Drama and Tony and Grammy awards. Get tickets here
The beloved musical returns with new sound design, choreography and direction. The story tells of one magical night when cats gather for their annual ball to decide which of them will be reborn. Get tickets here
650 Iwilei Road, Suite 101, season subscriptions start at $100, individual tickets are $20–$30, shows are Thursdays through Sundays, taghawaii.net, @tagactors
The God Committee, Sept. 30 to Oct. 16
The Heart Transplant Selection Committee of St. Patrick’s Hospital has to make a life-or-death decision about which of three patients will receive a transplant when only one heart is available. Get tickets here
Set in a New York hospital waiting room, Lillian Hellman reflects on her life as she awaits the death of her longtime companion, Dashiel Hammett. She remembers her time as a child in New Orleans and New York, her days as a success and failure as an artist and public figure, and other incidents that shaped her life in Hollywood and New York theaters. Get tickets here
Mary & Joe, Oct. 4 to 12
Directed by Alan Shepard, this play is set in a futuristic apocalypse where war has ended modern civilization, including all technology, government and religion. Two small groups remain and they only have one copy of the King James Bible and a Complete Works of William Shakespeare. Get tickets here
Painting TJ, Nov. 25–Dec. 18
When high schooler Sonya sprays a graphic and vulgar image on the school’s Thomas Jefferson statue, she endangers her mother’s job as school headmaster and is suspended for two weeks. She’ll have to deal with her issues of racism and her tense relationship with her mother. Get tickets here
The Poet & His Song, Jan. 20–Feb. 12, 2023
Paul Dunbar’s poems come to life in this dramatization of the famous American poet. Audiences will experience what Black life was like in pre- and post-Emancipation America, as told in the dialect of his people and in standard English of his time. Get tickets here
Murder, Margaret & Me, Jan. 23 to 25, 2023
A play about the friendship between famous crime author Agatha Christie and Margaret Rutherford, who hides a shocking secret. Their alliance is filled with high tea, brandy snaps and gossip, but Christie turns detective to uncover what really happened with Rutherford’s tragedy. Get tickets here
Paul Dunbar, The Musical Revue, Jan. 30 & 31, Feb. 1, 6, 7 & 8
A musical that showcases songs and music inspired by Paul Dunbar during the Harlem Renaissance, including songs from musicals like Ain’t Misbehavin’ and Shuffle Along. Get tickets here
The Dream of the Burning Boy, March 24 & April 16, 2023
Since the death of his favorite high school student, teacher Larry Morrow can’t stop falling asleep at his desk and dreaming. Although the school’s guidance counselor is trying to help, Larry’s dreams are intensifying and soon, a shocking secret is exposed. Get tickets here
Uncle Vanya, May 26–June 18, 2023
Vanya and his niece, Sonya, are struggling to care for their estate, owned by Vanya’s local legend of a brother-in-law, who returns with a much younger second wife. A tragicomedy about hidden passions and the intricacies of family relationships. Get tickets here
A touching story of a fisherman who lives on a remote Irish island and falls in love with a woman he’s seen only once. He courts her via mail, even though he’s not well versed in writing, until she eventually persuades him to move to live with her to Liverpool. Get tickets here
Just as Alice works up the courage to tell her parents that she is a lesbian, her partner decides to transition and become Arian, a trans man. Alice will need to figure out where she stands in this relationship and whether she is able to change from being in love with a woman to being in love with a man. Get tickets here
Clockwise from left: Elizabeth Ung, Miki Yamamoto, Angeline Han, Darryl Soriano, Isabella O’Keefe, in Chinee, Japanee, All Mix Up. Photo: Christine Lamborn
1770 East-West Road, individual tickets are $8–$25, manoa.hawaii.edu/liveonstage/kennedy-theatre, @uhmkennedytheatre
Chinee, Japanee, All Mix Up, shows are Wednesday, Sept. 21, through Sunday, Sept. 25
Guest director Reiko Ho addresses the question, “What does it mean to be Asian in 2022?” In light of anti-Asian hate crimes and the need for Asian representation and voice, this performance leads audiences into an exploration of Asian American history in Hawaiʻi. Expect spoken word, video, dance, music and original student monologues. Get tickets here
Memorial Day, shows are Wednesday, Oct. 19, through Sunday, Oct. 23
Set in 1992 at the height of AIDS and anti-gay sentiment, this play follows George, a gay doctor who sees his patients experience discrimination as they fall ill. An empathetic, lightly humorous and introspective play about the human experience and pain. Get tickets here
Form Within a Form: Echoes and Reverberations, Nov. 11, 12, and 18 to 20
The theater’s largest dance production of the year, Form Within a Form includes dynamic and interactive collaborations that show off original dance, music, mixed media, scenic art and costume design within live performance. The production features internationally renowned choreographers from the Korea National University of the Arts, original creative contributions by UH Mānoa Dance and Music faculty, and local Hawai‘i artists including choreography by Sai Bhatawadekar, Kaʻohinani Yojo Daniels and many more. The show is a recipient of a grant from the National Endowment for the Arts. Get tickets here
Dance, Dance, Dance, Wednesday through Sunday, Jan. 25 to 29, 2023
An adaptation from Haruki Murakami’s novel, Dance, Dance, Dance is set in Hokkaido, Tokyo and Hawai‘i. Set in a nonlinear space-time at the Dolphin Hotel in Sapporo and an old multistoried building in Downtown Honolulu, this play focuses on dancing as a metaphor for what it means to have a fulfilling life. Get tickets here
20,000 Leagues Deep, #hawaii_ascending, Friday through Sunday, Feb. 24 and 26, March 3 to 5, 2023
Dash through hallways, stairways and backways as part of a top-secret mission to confront the climate crisis in Hawai‘i, the Pacific and around the world. Get tickets here
Footholds, Wednesday through Saturday, April 5 to 8, 2023
This annual dance concert is for students to showcase the culmination of years of dance study and creative exploration through diverse movement practices, and a Master of Fine Arts thesis work showcasing choreography by graduate students and Bachelor of Fine Arts dance majors before graduation. Get tickets here
Photo: Courtesy of Palikū Theatre
Windward Community College, 45-720 Kea‘ahala Road, Kāne‘ohe, palikutheatre.com, @palikutheatre
Demigods Anonymous, shows are Thursdays through Sundays, Oct. 28 to Nov. 6
Modern demigod Noe goes to college, parties with her friends and tries to live a regular life—all while trying to not turn into a giant lizard. She’s not alone, as her friend Marcella is struggling to keep from turning into a mountain lion and Blaine turns into a shark when aggravated. $15–$20, Tickets will be available here
Neal Blaisdell Center, 777 Ward Ave., subscriptions start at $81, tickets are $30–$135, hawaiiopera.org, @hawaiioperatheatre
The Secret Garden, Oct. 14 & 16
Soprano Laura Corina Sanders and local tenor talent Taka Komagata perform this classic family-friendly tale about a young girl who befriends an ailing boy and takes him to a secret garden—as told with a tropical flair. Get tickets here
The Elixir of Love, Feb. 17 & 19, 2023
This comedy tells the story of a poor peasant who falls in love with a beautiful landowner who is out of his league, set in present-day Hawai‘i. The cast includes soprano Natalie Image, tenor Andrew Stenson and baritone Efrain Solis. Get tickets here
This hilarious opera is the comic tale of a scheming peasant who tries to sneak his way into an old man’s will in order to pay for his daughter’s wedding. It’s most famous for its aria “O mio babbino caro.” Get tickets here
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