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If all-night dancing isn’t for you, Oahu also has a thriving arts and culture scene, with community-theater productions, stand-up comedy, outdoor concerts, film festivals, and chamber-music performances. Major Broadway shows, dance companies, rock stars, and comedians come through the Islands, too. Check local newspapers—the Honolulu Star-Advertiser or Midweek—for the latest events. Websites like www.frolichawaii.com and www.honolulumagazine.com also have great information.
The only professional theater troupe in the state, this group stages delightful productions, with creative props and engaging stories, August through May. Local stories and themes are the focus, making for unique shows for visiting kids. Founded in 1955, it's one of the oldest children's theaters in the country, offering drama-education programs and school and family performances.
Hawaii's oldest performing arts center offers a little of everything: musicals, dramas, and experimental productions. It opened in 1915 and is the third-oldest community theater in the United States.
Eclectic programs—everything from Hawaiian language to musical theater to Bollywood—are offered at this space on the Manoa campus of the University of Hawaii. The theater, which opened in 1963, was designed by internationally renowned architect I. M. Pei.
Focusing on plays written by local playwrights about Island life and Hawaiian experiences, this troupe stages five or six productions a year in an intimate, 100-seat auditorium.
Wonderful performances grace this intimate community theater in lush Manoa Valley.
On the campus of Windward Community College, the 300-seat Paliku Theatre features everything from dramatic productions to chamber music concerts to hula and dance performances. The sound system is exceptional.
