CURTAIN’S UP!

Local theater groups plan varied and vibrant season

DRAMA

The Actors Group

Performances run 7:30 p.m. Thursdays to Saturdays and 2 and 5:30 p.m. Sundays. Tickets $16, $14 seniors and students; group prices available. Season tickets are $60 for five shows, $70 for all six, $77 for all shows plus the first play of next season. Shows held in the Mendonca Building, 1116 Smith St. Call 722-6941 or e-mail tagtickets@hawaii.rr.com.

"The Clean House," runner-up for the Pulitzer Prize, looks at class and love through comedy and housecleaning. Runs through Aug. 31.

"The History Boys," an award-winning production about pupils at a British boys' school and their maverick teachers. Oct. 3 to 26.

"Ring of Fire," a contemporary play in which a woman contends with her husband's return from Iraq, and his involvement in an incident that resulted in civilian deaths. Dec. 5 to 28 (no performances Dec. 25 and 26).

"Inside Out," world premiere of a comedy that examines the challenges facing humanity through four Ph.D. candidates facing cuts to their research grants. Jan. 30 to Feb. 22.

"A Lesson Before Dying," set in the backwoods of Louisiana in the 1940s, follows Jefferson, an innocent black man awaiting execution for the death of a white man. April 3 to 26.

"Blue/Orange," centers on a mentally ill young man, using race, madness and power to illustrate a dying National Health Service. May 29 to June 21.

Army Community Theatre

Unless otherwise noted, tickets are $15 and $20; $15 and $12 children. Season tickets are $60 and $75 adults; $45 and $50 children. Performances at Richardson Theatre, Fort Shafter. Call 438-4480 or visit armytheatre.com.

"Oliver," the legendary musical based on the novel "Oliver Twist," by Charles Dickens, follows the adventures of an orphaned boy with a hard-luck life. 7:30 p.m. Sept. 4-6, 12-13, 19-20.

"High School Musical," based on the Disney Channel original movie that's become a megahit. 7:30 p.m. Nov. 20-22, 28-29 and Dec. 5-6.

"Curtains," set backstage at a Boston theater, is a whodunit comedy in which the detective investigating a crime becomes stage struck, and encounters love as well. Hawaii premiere. Feb. 26-28, March 6-7, 13-14. Special ticket pricing: $22 and 28 general, $15 and $20 children.

"Children of Eden" is a musical loosely based on the Book of Genesis that tells the stories of Adam and Eve, Cain and Abel and Noah and the Flood. May 7-9, 15-16, 22-23.

Sunday@2 Matinee Readers: Dante's "Inferno" (Sept. 7, 14 and 21), "Paradise Lost" by John Milton (Nov. 23, 30 and Dec. 7), "God's Trombone" by James Weldon Johnson (March 1, 8 and 15) and "Leaves of Grass" by Walt Whitman (May 10, 17 and 24). These readings are free.

Diamond Head Theatre

Curtain times are 8 p.m. Thursdays, Fridays and Saturdays; 3 p.m. Saturdays; and 4 p.m. Sundays. Tickets are $12 to $42; season tickets are $54 to $210. The theater is at 520 Makapuu Ave. Call 733-0274 or visit diamondheadtheatre.com.

"Les Miserables," set in 19th-century France, recounts the struggle against adversity through Jean Valjean, a petty thief who leaves prison after 19 years and becomes an honest man. But Jean's trials aren't over. Adapted from Victor Hugo's timeless novel. Sept. 26 to Oct. 12.

"Peter Pan" is the musical tale of a boy who never grows up, and the siblings who follow him into Neverland, where pirates, a hungry crocodile and the magical Tinkerbell keep the adventure rolling. Dec. 5-21.

"Souvenir" is filled with music yet is not a musical. It tells of the real-life collaboration between pianist Cosme McMoon and soprano Florence Foster Jenkins and offers a humorous look at the art of performing and the cultivation of friendship. Jan. 30 to Feb. 15.

"Gypsy," loosely based on the memoirs of striptease artist Gypsy Rose Lee, is set amid the worlds of vaudeville and burlesque and focuses on Rose, a character that's become the symbol of the show-business mom. March 20 to April 5.

"Dirty Rotten Scoundrels" follows the schemes of two con men on the French Riviera. The suave, sophisticated Lawrence talks rich women out of their money, while Freddy, a small-time crook, swindles sympathetic women with tales of his grandmother's ailing health. May 15 to 31.

"The Wedding Singer" centers on rock-star wannabe Robbie Hart, New Jersey's favorite wedding singer. A believer in true love, Robbie becomes the world's worst wedding singer after his beloved leaves him at the altar. Then he meets Julia, a winsome waitress. July 10-26.

Hawaii Repertory Theatre

Performances are 7:30 p.m. Fridays and Saturdays and 3:30 p.m. Sundays. Tickets are $25, $20 seniors and $15 students. Season tickets are $40.50 to $67.50. Call 545-7170 or visit hawaiireptheatre.org. Shows held at Kawananakoa Backstage Theatre, corner of Pauoa Road and Funchal Street.

"Inventing Van Gogh," a "haunting and hallucinatory" drama about the making of art, tells the story of the final van Gogh self-portrait, painted just before the artist's death. Aug. 29 to Sept. 7.

"The Eight: Reindeer Monologues," a dark Christmas comedy involving a reindeer's charge of sexual harassment against Santa himself. Recommended for mature audiences only. Dec. 19-28.

Honolulu Theatre for Youth

Performances run Saturdays, except opening shows on Fridays. One performance per production features American Sign Language interpretation. Tickets are $16; $8 children and seniors; opening shows $20; $10 children. Productions for ages 3-plus are $8 ($10 on opening night). Season tickets are $30 to $75. Shows held at Tenney Theatre, St. Andrew's Cathedral, South Beretania and Queen Emma streets. Call 457-4254 or visit htyweb.org.

"Aladdin's Luck" features a magic genie, flying carpets and a beautiful princess, all of which complicate Aladdin's life. The tale explores honesty and friendship. For ages 4 and up. Opens 7:30 p.m. Friday, then 4:30 p.m. Saturday, Aug. 30, Sept. 6, 13, 20 and 27 (ASL).

"A Midsummer Night's Dream," Shakespeare's most famous comedy, is staged in one hour for youngsters. Fairies, foolish lovers and a troupe of bumbling actors mix it up in an enchanted forest for a tale of fun and madness. For ages 8 and up. Opens 7:30 p.m. Oct. 17, then 4:30 and 7:30 p.m. Oct. 18 and Nov. 1, 4:30 p.m. Nov. 8 (ASL).

"A Christmas Carol," the classic Charles Dickens holiday story, is presented as a musical. Miserly, heartless Ebeneezer Scrooge learns about kindness, charity and compassion on Christmas Eve. For ages 5 and up. Opens 7:30 p.m. Dec. 5, then 4:30 p.m. Dec. 6, 13 and 20 (ASL) and 7:30 p.m. Dec. 21.

"The Music of Dolphins," based on the Newberry award-winning story by Karen Hesse, about a girl named Mila who was raised by dolphins. For ages 5 and up. Opens 7:30 p.m. Jan. 23, then 4:30 p.m. Jan. 24, 31, Feb. 7, 14, 21 (ASL) and 28.

"Musubi Man" is back by popular demand. Lee Cataluna's adaptation of Sandi Takayama's story book, which is itself a localized adaptation of the classic gingerbread man tale. For ages 3 and up. Opens 11:30 a.m. March 7, then 9:30 and 11:30 a.m. March 7, 14, and 21 (ASL).

"Goodnight Moon" brings to the stage in grand musical fashion the classic children's book about a bunny who says goodnight to everything in the Great Green Room. For ages 4 and up. Opens 7:30 p.m. April 17, then 4:30 p.m. April 18, 25, May 2, 9 and 16 (ASL).

Kennedy Theatre

Tickets except for "The Little Snow Fox" are $18; $16 seniors, military, faculty; $12 students; $5 University of Hawaii-Manoa students. Advance Super Saver tickets are $12 each, on sale now. Kennedy Theatre is at 1770 East-West Road, UH-Manoa campus. Call 956-7655 or visit etickethawaii.com.

"The Little Snow Fox and Other Tales of the North Pacific" is based on the book by Tamara Montgomery and Jodi Parry Belknap. A whimsical trilogy of environmental stories about animals are told with the help of puppets, dance and special effects. For ages 3 to 8. Tickets $15; $14 seniors, military and faculty; $12 students and children, $5 UH-Manoa students. 7:30 p.m. Oct. 3-4 and 2 p.m. Oct. 5. Tickets on sale at Kennedy box office starting Sept. 22.

"Macbeth" is a postmodern, multicultural, frightening look at the dark side of human nature, when power corrupts absolutely. 8 p.m. Nov. 14-15, 20-22 and 2 p.m. Nov. 23. Tickets on sale at the Kennedy box office on Oct. 27.

"Sumida River (Sumidagawa)" is one of the most moving noh theater dramas, about a distraught mother's search for her abducted son. While crossing the Sumida River, she makes a chilling discovery. Gorgeous costumes and masks. 8 p.m. March 6, 7, 12, to 14 and 2 p.m. March 15. Tickets on sale at the Kennedy box office on Feb. 23.

Prime Time in the Earle Ernst Lab Theatre

Tickets $14; $12 seniors, military and faculty; $10 students; $5 UH-Manoa students.

"A Snow Day," a family show in which Rose wakes up and finds all the snow gone. She and her imaginary friend search the world over for more of the missing white. 7:30 p.m. Dec. 4-6 and 2 p.m. Dec. 7.

"Translations," set in 1833 Ireland, explores the personal and cultural effects of the loss of the Irish language. 8 p.m. Jan. 21-24 and 2 p.m. Jan. 25.

"The Good Terrorists" is a provocative satire on the strategies of "nice terrorism" in post-9/11 America. World premiere by MFA student Kyle Klapatauskas. 8 p.m. April 1-4 and 2 p.m. April 5.

Late Night in the Earle Ernst Lab Theatre

Ticket $10; $8 seniors, military and faculty; $4 UH-Manoa students.

"Stop the Clocks," two original plays by MFA acting candidate Brad Larson. 11 p.m. Sept. 13, 19, 20 and 8 p.m. Sept. 14.

"What!" is written and directed by Rikki Jo Hickey; also features "Learning to Walk," by Eugene Ionesco. 11 p.m. Nov. 15, 21-22 and 8 p.m. Nov. 16.

Kumu Kahua Theatre

Performances are 8 p.m. Thursdays to Saturdays and 2 p.m. Sundays. Tickets $16, $13 seniors, $10 students. Thursday shows are $13, $11 seniors, $5 students, $5 for the unemployed. Season tickets $65, $50 renewing subscribers. The theater is at 46 Merchant St., corner of Merchant and Bethel streets. Call 536-4222 or e-mail KumuKahuaTheatre@hawaiiantel.net.

"Da Mayah," Lee Cataluna's hit comedy from 1998, returns. The story line involves newly elected, not-so-bright Hilo Mayor Lester Perez, his second-in-command and mistress, Sandralene Leialoha Ferreira, a blackmail plot and a gangster. Aug. 28 to Sept. 28.

"Rolling the Rs," a world premiere, depicts the struggle of growing up and identity, defined by ethnicity, nationality and sexual orientation. Edgar Ramirez, who looks like a "Filipino John Travolta," is gay in 1980s Kalihi. Oct. 30 to Nov. 30.

"Mainland Education" explores the mix and clash of cultures through Jerome, a sansei from Hawaii; Yan, a Taiwanese; Cathy, from the Midwest; and Rei, a Japanese national. The four meet at the University of Kansas and struggle as they build friendships. Kumu Kahua premiere. Jan. 8 to Feb. 8.

"What Ever Happened to John Boy Kihano?" won the 2006 Kumu Kahua Theatre/University of Hawaii-Manoa Theatre Department contest. The production deals with the disappearance of a child and the effects the loss has on his family. March 12 to April 11.

"Kalua'iko'olau" & "Waiting for a King," a double bill of world premieres. "Kalua'iko'olau," a world premiere, is a stylized retelling of the true story of Ko'olau the Leper on Kauai, who resisted government forces when he was to be taken to Kalaupapa on Molokai. "Waiting for a King" chronicles the early 19th century in Hawaii, when foreigners had begun to inhabit the isles and the Hawaiian kingdom faced transition. Opinions offered by King Kamehameha, his son Liholiho, the king's high priestess and his nephew concern the fate of Hawaii. May 14 to June 14.

Leeward Community College Theatre

Call 455-0385 for tickets. The theater is on the LCC campus, 96-045 AlaIke St.

"Journey to the West" is the story of the iconic Monkey King as he escorts a Buddhist monk on a quest to retrieve a holy sutra from India. 8 p.m. Nov. 14-15, 20-22 and 4 p.m. Nov. 16. Tickets $18, $15 students.

LCC Lab Theatre

LCC Ten-Minute Play Festival, an annual program of student-produced short plays. 8 p.m. Feb. 6 and 7. Tickets $5.

"A Queen for Romancia," a parody of traditional fairy tales, is a fast-paced romp that turns the Brothers Grimm stories on its ear. 8 p.m. April 2-4 and 9-11. Tickets $10.

Paul and Vi Loo Theatre Hawaii Pacific University

Performances are 7:30 p.m. Thursdays, 8 p.m. Fridays and Saturdays and 4 p.m. Sundays. Tickets $20; $14 students, seniors and military; $3 HPU students. Discounted prices on Thursdays. The theater is on the Hawaii Loa campus in Kaneohe, at 45-045 Kamehameha Highway. Call 375-1282.

"Rabbit Hole," winner of the 2006 Pulitzer Prize, tells the story of Becca and Howie Corbett, a couple with a life anyone would envy -- until an accident turns their lives upside down and leaves the couple drifting apart. Nov. 7 to Dec. 7 (Thanksgiving performance moved to Nov. 26).

"The Glass Menagerie," Tennessee Williams' drama, centers on Amanda Wingfield, a faded remnant of Southern gentility living in poverty in St. Louis with her son, Tom, and her slightly crippled, emotionally fragile daughter, Laura. Amanda's aspirations for her children, outmoded and unrealistic, give her life meaning. April 3 to May 3.

Maile Performing Arts Theatre Kapiolani Community College

Call 734-9748. The campus is at 4303 Diamond Head Road.

"Children of Eden" touches upon many points of human nature and relationships in the storytelling of Adam and Eve, Cain and Abel and Noah and the Flood. 7:30 p.m. April 23-26. Tickets $10, $5 children.

Paliku Theatre, Windward Community College

At 45-720 Keaahala Road in Kaneohe. Call 235-7310 or visit eTicketHawaii.com.

"Miss Saigon," the hit Broadway musical, features talents of director Ron Bright and actress Jade Stice. It's a modern-day "Madame Butterfly" that involves the romance between a Vietnamese bar girl and an American GI. 7:30 p.m. Fridays and Saturdays, 2 p.m. Sundays, Oct. 3-26. Tickets $30; $26 seniors, military, faculty; $20 students through age 26. Group prices available.

"The Wind in the Willows" follows the misadventures of the incorrigible Toad and his friends, the winsome Mole and stalwart Rat. The charming story of their love for the world is underscored by songs. 2 p.m. and 7:30 p.m. Feb. 7 and 14 and 2 p.m. Feb. 8 and 15. Tickets $12, $9 children.

Manoa Valley Theatre

Curtain times 7:30 p.m. Wednesdays and Thursdays, 8 p.m. Fridays and Saturdays and 4 p.m. Sundays. Tickets $35 for musicals, $30 for plays, $5 off for seniors, $20 for ages 25 and under. Season tickets $155. The theater is at 2833 E. Manoa Road. Call 988-6131 or visit manoavalleytheatre.com.

"Always ... Patsy Cline," a musical about the iconic country music star, features 28 of her best-known songs and focuses on Cline's friendship with Louise Seger. Sept. 3-21.

"Frost/Nixon" recounts a series of monumental television interviews between David Frost, the famous talk-show host, and Richard Nixon. Frost elicited a post-Watergate apology from Nixon during one of his interviews. Nov. 12-30.

"Gutenberg! The Musical" is a two-man spoof in which a pair of aspiring playwrights pursue the production of their splashy musical about printing press inventor Johann Gutenberg. Jan. 14 to Feb. 1.

"Tuesdays With Morrie" brings to the stage the best-selling novel by Mitch Albom about Albom's visits with a former professor battling Lou Gehrig's disease. March 18 to April 5.

"Duck Hunter Shoots Angel," an uproarious comedy about two bumbling brothers who believe they shot a celestial being. The play interweaves a love story, sibling rivalry, tawdry media, race relations and cultural stereotypes to convey a heartfelt lesson. May 13-31.

"The 25th Annual Putnam County Spelling Bee," a musical Broadway hit from 2005, follows six youths who learn that winning isn't everything and losing doesn't necessarily make you a loser. The offbeat show makes the audience part of the spelling bee. July 1-19.

OPERA

Hawaii Opera Theatre

Curtain times 8 p.m. Friday, 4 p.m. Sunday and 7:30 p.m. Tuesday. Tickets $29 to $120; season tickets $81 to $333. Performances held at Blaisdell Concert Hall. Call 596-7858 or visit hawaiiopera.org.

"Manon Lescaut," Puccini's opera about love and money, follows an innocent woman corrupted by lust and greed. Can she recapture her virtue and elude self-destruction? Jan. 30, Feb. 1 and 3.

"Abduction from the Seraglio" is Mozart's dramatic tale of a noblewoman and her maid who are kidnapped and sold as slaves. Feb. 13, 15 and 17

"Carmen," set in the mountains of Spain, centers on the fiery temptress of Seville. Feb. 27, March 1 and 3.

DANCE

Ballet Hawaii

Call 521-8600 or visit ballethawaii.org.

"The Three Phantoms Return," a benefit event, feature singers Craig Schulman, Cris Groenendaal and Kevin Gray and dancers from Ballet Hawaii. 7:30 p.m. Sept. 12-13 and 2 p.m. Sept. 14 at Hawaii Theatre. Tickets $25, $40 and $60; $5 discount for students and Ballet Hawaii members; $10 discount for seniors and military. For tickets, call 528-0506 or visit hawaiitheatre.com.

"Nutcracker," a full-length production starring John Selya as Drosselmeyer and backed by Honolulu Symphony musicians. 8 p.m. Dec. 19, 7:30 p.m. Dec. 20 and 2 p.m. Dec. 21 at Blaisdell Concert Hall. Tickets $35 to $75. Call 521-8600.

"LINES Ballet," an international touring company, performs contemporary ballet, choreographed by former Honolulu City Ballet member Alonzo King. Feb. 21 at Hawaii Theatre. Times and ticket prices to be announced. Call 521-8600.

Hawaii Repertory Theatre

"Hamlet/Ophelia" debuts a piece by the theater's artistic director, Paul T. Mitri and its acting company. Told almost exclusively through movement, the production is a study of love, loss, melancholy and madness told through the minds of the tragic lovers. 7:30 p.m. Fridays and Saturdays and 3:30 p.m. Sundays, March 27 to April 5. Tickets $25, $20 seniors, $15 students. Call 545-7170 or visit hawaiireptheatre.org.

Kennedy Theatre

"Dance: Roots and Offshoots" is a tribute to the diverse dance heritage in Hawaii. 8 p.m. April 24-25, May 1-2 and 2 p.m. May 3. Tickets $18; $16 seniors, military, faculty; $12 students; $5 University of Hawaii-Manoa students. Tickets on sale at Kennedy box office on April 20. Call 956-7655 or visit etickethawaii.com.

Prime Time in Earle Ernst Lab Theatre

Ticket $14; $12 seniors, military and faculty; $10 students; $5 UH-Manoa students.

"Fall Footholds," new choreography and performance by UH-Manoa dance students. 8 p.m. Oct. 15-18 and 2 p.m. Oct. 19.

"Winter Footholds," new choreography and performance by UH-Manoa students. 8 p.m. Feb. 11-14 and 2 p.m. Feb. 15.

Leeward Community College Theatre

Call 455-0385. For group discounts and season tickets, call 455-0380 or e-mail lcctheatre@lcc.hawaii.edu.

Lakota Sioux Dance Theatre showcases dance and music of the culture. 7 p.m. Sept. 21. Tickets $23; $19 students, seniors, military.

Buckets and Tap Shoes, a part band, part dance group, creates music on 5-gallon buckets, guitar, sax and taps. 8 p.m. Jan. 24. Tickets $23; $19 students, seniors and military.

Rubberbandance Group melds raw energy of hip-hop and controlled formality of ballet. 8 p.m. Feb. 7. Tickets $23; $19 students, seniors and military.

"India Jazz Suites -- Chitresh Das and Jason Samuels Smith" combined talents of the Indian dancer and American tap dancer. 8 p.m. March 14. Tickets $23; $19 students, seniors and military.

Leeward Community College Dance Concert brings together members of dance companies and schools. 7:30 p.m. April 17-18. Tickets $12; $10 students, seniors and military.

'Nutcracker' performances

Ballet Hawaii: See listing above.

Hawaii State Ballet: 7 p.m. Fridays and Saturdays, 2:30 p.m. Sundays Dec. 12-14 and 19-21, plus 6 p.m. Dec. 14 at Mamiya Theatre, Saint Louis High School. Tickets $18 to $29 general; $16 to $25 students, seniors and military. Call 550-8457 or visit honoluluboxoffice.com.

Hawaii Ballet Theatre: 2 and 7 p.m. Dec. 13 and 20, and 4 p.m. Dec. 14 and 21 at Leeward Community College Theatre. Tickets sold in late fall; prices to be announced. Call 738-5141.