News from Waikiki

Hawaii Blog:

Walking in Waikiki, Welcome back,

Cloudia Charters, June 30, 2009

Aloha & welcome back to the streets, beaches and back alleys of Waikiki! Walking along today I'm intoxicated by skies that are sunny, cool trade winds flowing, palm trees whispering together with the birds, and our beach town's happy Summer throng of visitors (We don't think of YOU as tourists ;-) Yes, crowds are less "crowdy" these days, so hotel deals abound (hint hint), but this is anything but a ghost town. Though fewer folks seem to be traveling at the moment, Kalakaua Avenue is still a dazzling bazzar of sights, sounds, and the world's best people watching.

Languages from all over the world are spoken every day here in Waikiki - Did you know that in 1909 around 100 newspapers were published here in the islands, and that 30 of them were in languages other than English like: Hawaiian, Korean, Japanese, Portuguese and Filipino? No wonder Oahu is called: "The Gathering Place!"

Thursday evening saw a White House first: a Hawaiian Luau on the lawn. My sincere admiration to Cha Thompson of Tihati productions for keeping secret this engagement of her dancers and fire knife masters until the official announcement. Finally letting the cat out of the bag, she looked like she won't need a plane to fly to DC! The "Coconut wireless" has it that planners wanted to use East Coast hula dancers, but that a Local Guy (In Chief) nixed that idea in favor of bringing in the real, local performers. He can handle 16 crises AND chew gum at the same time. Our President well exemplifies the local Hawaii saying: "Cool head main thing." IMUA, Barack!

My luau was last night, as Favourite Husband and those California Cattermoles took me to Chai's Island Bistro at the Aloha Tower Marketplace for a belated birthday dinner.

The Aloha Tower, a local icon, was the tallest thing in Honolulu till after WWII. Once upon a time, she greeted the Matson Liners on "Boat Day" while bands played, lei sellers displayed their fragrant wares, and kids (some of whom I met as senior citizens) dove for coins tossed into Honolulu Harbor. The tower, though still Harbor Control Headquarters, and the docking site for the QEII and her sister cruise ships, is now home to a mixed-use "festival marketplace" like San Francisco's Fisherman's Wharf.

Chai is a well liked Thai fellow who brought his palate to Honolulu some years ago and launched a successful restaurant career. His eponymous bistro is known for great food and as a place to hear world-class local talent. Wednesdays feature the famous Cazimero Brothers, holding court and playing Hawaiian Classics as they do at their periodic Carnegie Hall concerts.

But on Tuesdays the room belongs to Robert Cazimero: songwriter, vocalist, and respected Kumu Hula (hula master) who transfixes the room with his brilliant contemporary interpretations of the great Hawaii Songbook. Alone at the piano, he effortlessly conjures a magic atmosphere. Deftly his melodious voice moves from one unique vocal interpretation to the next. "My Hawaiian Souvenirs" once recorded by beloved auntie Genoa Keawe on the old 49th State record label, is one such almost-forgotten Hapa Haole masterpiece; and Robert breathes charming, fresh life into it. A single Hula dancer joins him from time to time, her expressive hands, feet, face, & body as supple and salutary as Robert's voice. During breaks, the sound system plays Hawaiian classics - including the evening's featured performer.

The food? Oh yes! I had a Pu Pu (appetizer) platter to myself (greedy girl) consisting of seared, crusted ahi (red tuna) sashimi, a delicious, diminutive crab cake, and two towering prawns wearing Summer-weight robes of spun tempura batter. "These prawns are almost Hifumi sized!" I thought, comparing them to my favorite budget Japanese Restaurant, located (only-in-Hawaii style) at the Chinese Cultural Center. They are famous for giant shrimp tempura (and honorably stand up to the fleet of excellent Chinese eateries surrounding them).

At the end of the evening, Robert sang a low key "Happy Birthday" to me from behind the ivories. An artist I admire so much! You know, Robert's exemplary Aloha is very much at home everywhere, at classy Chai's or blue collar Hifumi. His graciousness to the upscale patrons last night was EXACTLY the same as I've seen him lavish on near destitute patrons at a favorite Hotel Street dive around the corner from the Hawaii Theatre. The governor, an ancient, homeless drunk, or me: Robert shares his simple, profound kindness with each one. And THAT is the very definition of Aloha. He permits each one of us to be Ali`i (chiefly) for a charmed hour. The world-recognized artist treats each like a peer, spreading his kingly feathered cloak over our shoulders too. That wonderful evening will surely remain among my cherished Hawaiian Souvenirs.

Aloha!

To enjoy more Waikiki street life with Cloudia, please check out her daily Hawaii blog at www.comfortspiral.blogspot.com or her Hawaii taxi novel: "Aloha Where You Like Go?" available at Amazon and the Hawaii State Librarybranches, Mahalo ;-) I hope YOUR visits here make you feel a little of that tropical magic too!

Lost and found in China

By Alvin Koo

Editor's note: I've just come back from a 3 week in China, and here are some of my observations.

If you want to see more, go to Facebook and look for Alvin Koo.

Everyday that I leave the hotel, I’m lost. I have to find my way to a new hotel or I have find my way back from sightseeing through a series of grunts, hand signs, and poor Chinese. Wo yao qu… means I want to go… Wo yao qu Guting Zhan. That’s “I want to go to Guting Station,” which was close to one of my hotels. The trouble is they answer in Chinese. Then I say, “Duibuqi, duibuqi. Wo shi Meiguoren. Hui shuo yidian, dian.” I’m sorry. I’m sorry. I’m American. I can speak only a little.

If Japan is the land of the rising sun, Thailand the land of smiles, Hawaii aloha. China is diversity.

Old and new. Rich and poor. Mostly automatic flush toilets and a few troughs for both men and women. Squat toilets are not pretty. I saw one on the “D” or fast train that went straight down to the tracks. Everywhere there is construction. In the cities. In the countryside. New, new next to old. Chinese are coming to the realization that old is precious. That it brings back good feelings of old times. In the 80’s and 90’s, they tore everything down in a mad rush toward modernization. Now they build old, Disneylike, or refurbish old with toilets and electricity, air conditioning, remote controls and designer ambience.

A friend asked if I saw a guy in a coolie hat pulling a richshaw to take a picture for him. All the rickshaws I saw were powered by pedal bicycles or motor cycles. But I saw an old lady staggering under the weight of god knows what at each end of a dark flat sweat stained, stick perched on her left shoulder. Her knees were bent and the weight made the poles bend and flex to the rhythm of her walk. There were a lot of farmers with coolie hats.

China is full of surprises.

For instance, the maps you see on the internet are mostly wrong. They make places look small that are huge. They love big open spaces. A park that looks small on the map could be huge. Several laowai or foreigners who live in China confirmed my suspicions. They said Chinese maps lack scale. They make them to fit the page.

The Suzhou map I had looked like you could walk from one World Heritage protected garden to another. But the truth is Suzhou is a large city with a tiny part of it preserved for both laowai and Chinese tourists. The Shantang Canal with its red lantern lights glimmering off the water is just one tiny street amidst several square miles of high rises, buses, and

pollution. It takes 20 minutes city bus ride from Lingering Garden to Humble Administrator’s Garden. You have to ask the bus driver to tell you when to get off. You need to know the names in Chinese… Liú Yuān and Zhuō Zhèng Yuān. Very few Chinese actually speak English, though they learn it in school.

If you ask them something, they frown and look like they’re mad but they always answer in some way. I think Chinese are basically very friendly and helpful. Several went out of their way to help me.

In Guilin, in a mad rush to get away from a tenacious taxi driver, I walked for several minutes into the night not having a thought of where I was. When the driver finally gave up, I was totally lost. A young man was walking beside me. I asked in Chinese, “Hui shuo Yingwen, ma?” He answered, “Yes.” He walked me 30 minutes to my hotel. In Hualien, I sat next to a guy who taught English. We spent five hours together.

The gardens and the canal are beautiful. But the shops alongside and leading to them are unabashed commercialism. Store after store of hawkers and curios. And Chinese hawkers don’t know the meaning of the word “no.” You say “no,” they keep going on. You need this, yes? Very nice, yes? You like? You need body language and frowns to make them understand you really mean “no.”

And people!

I HAVE NEVER SEEN SO MANY PEOPLE.

At the parks on a sunny day. In the shopping malls. I have never seen so many shops. At the train station. Mobs. In the subways, streams of people flowing into and past each other. Chinese seem to be culturally motivated to flow. If there is an exit or entrance, they move to fill every last space, as if moving forward a few feet would get them there faster. They don’t seem to believe in giving each other space. If you’re waiting in line, they will move ahead of you, to the side of you, up close behind you, until everybody is packed into the line like sardines.

Not everything is cheap.

My standard for eating became if the shop had glass in its front. The glass did not have to cover the entire front. Just a pane of glass will do. Chinese like open air. I guess air conditioning is expensive. But some stalls are just that. They could easily be selling food in an alley. They seem to like alleys too. If it’s food on the sidewalk cooked on a hand pulled cart, jiaozi or dumplings could go for yi kuai wu or one fifty yuan, which is about 25 cents American. That’s six dumplings. In a fixed stall they easily run 2 yuan. In a shop or restaurant with glass it could be 8 yuan. If it’s enclosed and the staff wear uniforms it is probably 18 yuan. That’s almost $3 at 6.8 yuan to a dollar, getting close to American prices.

You could go to a fancy restaurant with a sign covered in gold leaf and pay maybe 48 yuan for noodles. I did.

Before I left for China, I read and was told that people would approach me to practice their English. I’m ethnically Chinese and look Chinese. No one, not one person, came up to me to practice their English. I saw one man on a bus give a 20 minute Chinese lesson to a Caucasian man, who smiled and listened intently. Everyone within five seats of the lesson was listening intently. I asked directions of a policeman and he gave me a three minute Chinese lesson, holding on to the card that I had given him with my directions written in Chinese. I couldn’t just leave the lesson, I needed the card.

Traffic again is flow.

When they beep their horn, it basically means watch out I’m not stopping. Usually it also means I’m not slowing down either. They sometimes stream past red and green lights at 40 miles an hour in city streets. One electric tram which operated on a sidewalk and park walkway didn’t even beep. He seemed to expect people to sense he was coming and move out of the way. I rode with him ten minutes and he didn’t hit anyone. Came close. Everybody moved or at the last moment he stopped or slowed.

The buses are the worst. Big 50 seat buses don’t slow down, and they squeeze through openings with three inches to spare on each side. At least they’ll slow down for that. Crawl through to be more precise. If you meet one on a one lane road or a road packed with stalls, parked carts, vendors and pedestrians, the rule seems to be the smaller vehicles backs down. The bus will go nose to nose with the offending vehicle and almost push them back. Lanes mean nothing. They seem to be a general guide. I’ve been stuck in the middle of the road with traffic flowing on either side of me.

Nobody stops. Nobody slows down. And in three weeks, nobody hit me. They beeped at me.

Can you bargain?

The consensus is no. The Chinese are smarter than you. My friend says my Chinese is not good enough. She says her Chinese is not good enough. You need to speak the dialect of the place you’re at. You need to know the lowest possible price.

Chinese seem to believe that anything that is not the lowest possible price is a bad price. You got ripped off. Though themselves would be glad to rip you off.

One tout waited for me while I went into a tea garden to look around. When I came out, she finally wore me out and got me to follow her to her home. “Pianyi,” was the only word I understood. It means cheap. “Pianyi, pianyi yidian.” She wanted 50 yuan for a small box of Longjing tea, considered China’s best. At the tourist street in town, one stall wanted 25 yuan for the same box, and you know he will go lower. At the airport, they wanted 140 yuan. She said you can trust the airport tea is fresh.

The only deal I got was on a boat ride. Six ladies followed me for 30 minutes. I had been told a boat ride on a small boat was about 40 yuan. But the river was too high, and the small boats were not going out. The first price for the big boat with the engine was 250 yuan. Even for me, I think my voice was indignant. I told her I was told that a boat ride was 40 yuan. She countered that was for small boats which were not going out.

I said no, I wanted to see the river. She pointed me down a small alley. We walked. I was afraid she was leading me to get mugged. The alley was very small. We walked more than 10 minutes. Finally, we

broke out in a clearing at the boats. Apparently the bus driver had let me get off too early. I said I wanted a Coke. I told her I wanted to go to the fishing village, which I had read was quaint. Actually, the town I was in was plenty quaint enough.

She led me to a restaurant. I didn’t want a 5 yuan restaurant Coke. I wanted a 2 yuan Coke like you get on the street. I drank the Coke. Another lady sat with me. She spoke even better English. Why did I want to go to the fishing village? The boat didn’t go there. I said I didn’t have to go. I just wanted to see it. She said, well then. So, I said, how much? She said 148 yuan, but don’t tell anyone I got it for that. Hao de. OK!

I also got a cotton Chinese style shirt with cloth buttons for 50 yuan. The silk ones cost upwards of 600 yuan or about a hundred dollars. The lowest silk ones were 450 yuan. The most expensive cotton ones were 90 yuan. You have to know numbers to survive in China.

If they sense you’re laowai, I think they are very liable to charge you more. I paid 10 yuan for a 4 yuan bus ride. I got charged 10 yuan extra for a meal after I had walked out of the restaurant and not disappeared fast enough. I paid a whopping 100 yuan too much for a taxi tour that lasted two hours. I admit I am now prejudiced against Chinese cabbies.

I think I rode every mode of transportation possible. Airplane, city bus, double decker bus, mini bus, taxi, subway, tram, trolley, tuk tuk, rickshaw, ferry and feet. I caught the rickshaw when no one could tell which bus to take and they pointed me across the street in an area where you cannot cross the street for a very long block. The sidewalk is barricaded from the street. The only people to proposition me for women were the rickshaw drivers. And China has something called KTV, which is a very fancy karaoke, where you can pay extra... Continued, click here to see.

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Aloha

June July 2009

June 22

Korean art exhibit

A collaborative art exhibition by members of the Korean Artists Association of Hawaii and the Han-Mee Artists Association from Washington D.C. will be featured in the Courtyard of Honolulu Hale. Entitled “Rendezvous Two” the exhibition will be on display from June 22 to 26.

The relationship between these groups began in 2007 when members of the Korean Artists Association of Hawaii traveled to Maryland to exhibit their works with a group of Korean-American artists now known as the Han-Mee Artists Association. “Rendezvous Two” is the second exhibition by these groups and serves as a continuation of their partnership.

Exhibit viewing is open to the public and is admission free. Exhibit hours are Monday to Friday 8 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. The exhibit is support by the Mayor’s Office of Culture and the Arts. For more information, call the Korean Artist Association of Hawaii at 271-4802.

Waikiki Beach Walk’s June & July line-up

The summer just got hotter as Outrigger Enterprises Group sizzles it up with two popular free kamaaina concert series -- the bi-monthly Na Mele No Na Pua concert and the weekly Sunday Showcase music series.

Waikiki Beach Walk has become the new gathering place on Sunday afternoons as hundreds of locals and visitors alike congregate to be serenaded by various talented island musicians. Weekly concerts are from 5-6 pm on the Plaza Stage at Waikiki Beach Walk.

The Na Mele No Na Pua Kamaaina Concert is held every other month on the Grand Lanai of the Embassy Suites-Waikiki Beach Walk starting at 4pm. On June 28, female vocalist and Na Hoku Hanohano award winner Natalie Ai Kamauu is the featured performer.

JUNE SUNDAY SHOWCASE

June 7 – Steve Lucas & Friends (Jazz)

Steve Lucas together with several other Jazz loving musicians will open June’s Sunday Showcase weekly series. He was merely fifteen years old when he became the band leader of a group named “Casuals of Waikiki.” An accomplished guitarist, singer and entertainer, his career spans over 47 years. Lucas currently appears on the Pride of America cruise ship and other local venues,

June 14 – Halau Hula O Nawahine (Halau/Hawaiian)

This talented Hula Halau first graced the stage at Waikiki Beach Walk in March of this year. Halau Hula O Nawahine began in 1983 and the hula style comes from the late Aunty Bella Richards of Kailua where their hula lineage reaches to the island of Hawaii. This Halau is under the tutelage of Kumu Hula Marlene Nawahine Haili Kuraoka.

June 21 – Waipuna and the Waipuna Dancers (Hawaiian)

Waipuna is an exciting collaboration of two talented individuals in Matt Sproat and Kale Hannahs. After many years on the Hawaiian music circuit, these two Kamehameha School graduates first performed together during a Japan tour in October 2007 with Kumu Hula Noelani Chang. Since then, they have performed together on many stages ranging from Waikiki to Japan.

June 28 – No Sunday Showcase

JUNE – NA MELE NO NA PUA CONCERT

June 28 – Na Mele No Na Pua Concert featuring Natalie Ai Kamauu, 4 pm

Na Hoku Hano Hano award winning artist-Female Vocalist of the year Natalie Ai Kamauu, is June’s Na Mele No Na Pua featured performer. Daughter of Howard and Olana Ai, founders of one of the largest hula schools in Hawaii, Halau Hula Olana, Ms. Ai Kamauu has been an intricate part of the Halau as a dancer, musician, and vocalist. Her soulful image is reflected through her musical writing as she collaborates with her husband Iolani Kamauu in co-writing six of the titles on her newest album.

JULY SUNDAY SHOWCASE

July 5 – Gordon Freitas & Local Folk (Hawaiian/Local Island Folk Songs)

Gordon Freitas & Local Folk previously performed back in April and return to Waikiki Beach Walk for a Hana Hou performance. Gordon swings from traditional Hawaiian to classic folk and rock, but he loves bluegrass and welcomes any opportunity to kanikapila (play music)!

July 12 – Shining Star The Band (Contemporary/R&B)

Shining Star is a high energy and entertainment showcase band whose repertoire includes top 40 and dance music, plus some show stopping surprises. Shining Star performs regularly at various island venues including Waikiki Beach Walk’s CW (Coconut Willy's) Club & Restaurant. Their solid rhythm sets the groove of the music from Swing, Latin, R&B, and Disco to the Top 40 hits of today.

July 19 (Special Time at 4:00 p.m.) Roland Chang & Bernard Kalua w/ Hula by Kehaulani

Roland Chang, Bernard Kalua and the lovely Kehaulani take a detour from their ongoing Hawaiian music gig at the Embassy Suites-Waikiki Beach Walk’s Grand Lanai to grace the Plaza Stage for their rendition of rich, fun, melodic traditional Hawaiian songs. Roland is part of the Na Hoku Hanohano Award winning group Kanilau, as well as one of the founders of Halau Na Mamo O Ka`ala with Kumu Hula Tiare Noelani Chang. Musician/vocalist Bernard Kalua, a living treasure of Hawaiian music, brings years of experience as he sings some of his favorite tunes. Hula dancer Kehaulani, Kumu of Hula Halau O Kehaulani, will mesmerize you with her graceful hands and beautiful smile.

July 26 – (Special Time at 4:00 p.m.) Waipuna and the Waipuna Dancers (Hawaiian)

Hana Hou performance by Waipuna.

July 26

Hot dog eating contest

Woody’s Hot Dogs Hawaii will host a HUGE Hot Dog Eating Contest Sunday, July 26 from 2PM until 4PM, at the Don Quijote, Pearl City. The extravaganza is a charity event to benefit “The Hawaii Food Bank” and its 20th anniversary.

This contest is for “amateurs only” and cost the contestants $20 to enter. The entrants will have 10 minutes to eat as many hot dogs as they can. The winner will receive a trip for two to Chicago, tickets to a SOX or CUBS game, and a tour of the Vienna Beef Manufacturing Plant.

Indie Recording Artist, Chris Rego will be leading the musical entertainment featuring hits from his CD, “Road to Hanalei”. A hilarious, surprise comedic emcee will host the event. We will also have a contest to crown “Miss GrinderFest Hawaii 2009”.

October 6

Chopsticks and Wine

The eighth annual Honolulu Japanese Chamber of Commerce's "Chopsticks &

Wine 2009: The Magic of Waikiki" will be on Tuesday, October 6, 2009, from 5:30

p.m. to 8:30 p.m. at the Sheraton Waikiki Hotel. The themed fundraising event

will bring together Hawaii's premier restaurants and beverage purveyors for an

evening of extraordinary dining, with hosted tasting stations from Hawaii's best

chefs. The event will feature an incredible selection of wine, beer, and sake,

as well as an extensive silent auction.

Arts With Aloha
Schedule of Events for the Visual and Performing Arts
Oahu, Hawaii
July - September 2009

Arts with Aloha promotes opportunities for cultural travel on the island of Oahu in Hawaii. The following calendar of cultural events highlights visual and performing arts programs from July through September 2009 on the Hawaiian island of Oahu.

EVENTS OPENING JULY-SEPTEMBER 2009

JULY 2009

EDDIE VEDDER IN CONCERT
July 1 & 2; Wed. & Thurs., 8 p.m., $75
(808) 528-0506 /Hawaii Theatre Center/1130 Bethel St. /www.hawaiitheatre.com
Part-time Hawaii resident and full-time Pearl Jam vocalist Eddie Vedder will end a solo summer tour in one of his favorite places in the world: Hawaii. Known for his "golden baritone" vocal style, he is considered a cultural icon of alternative rock. Presented by Live Nation.

THE 25TH ANNUAL PUTNAM COUNTY SPELLING BEE
July 1-19
Wednesday – Thursday 7:30 p.m., Friday – Saturday 8 p.m., Sunday 4 p.m.
$35 adults; $30 senior/military; $20 for patrons age 25 and under
(808) 988-6131 / Manoa Valley Theatre / 2833 East Manoa Road
Six young people in the throws of puberty, overseen by grown-ups who barely managed to escape childhood themselves, learn that winning isn’t everything and that losing doesn’t necessarily make you a loser. This tuneful, offbeat and at times heartwarming show offers audience members the opportunity (strictly voluntary) to become part of the action as on-stage spellers. The show is riotously funny and remarkable ingenious. A Broadway hit from the 2005 season.

THE SKY TONIGHT
Every first and third Friday/ July 3 and July 17; 8 p.m.; No late seating; $6 General;
$4 Children 4-12; Members of Bishop Museum and Hawaiian Astronomical Society Free/ (808) 848-4168/J. Watumull Planetarium; Bishop Museum/1525 Bernice St./www.bishopmuseum.org
Come experience a detailed tour of the current Hawaiian evening sky during The Sky Tonight. Telescope-viewing in the Museum observatory follows the show, weather permitting.

FIRST FRIDAY AT FIRST HAWAIIAN CENTER
July 3; 7-9 p.m.; Artist Talk at 7:30 p.m.; Free
(808) 237-5210/The Contemporary Museum-FHC/999 Bishop Street/www.tcmhi.org
Enjoy Hawaii’s popular Chinatown art walkabout on the first Friday of every month. TCM at First Hawaiian Center is open from 7 until 9 p.m. on these nights with light refreshments and special programs designed to enhance your understanding of the contemporary art exhibition on view. An artist talk or tour is offered at 7:30 p.m. TCM members enjoy validated parking in the FHC parking garage.

FIRST FRIDAY HONOLULU
July 3; 5-9 p.m., Free
For more info (808) 521-2903
Downtown-Chinatown Gallery Walk. A self guided tour. Galleries, museums and studios open their doors for an evening celebrating artists, art and art making of all kinds.

EXPRESSION SESSIONS
July 4; 10:30 a.m.; $12 General; $7 Members; Reservations Required (808) 237-5230
(808) 237-5210/The Contemporary Museum/2411 Makiki Heights Drive/www.tcmhi.org
Expression Sessions are designed for kids ages 5-12. This fun first Saturday art class involves children and their parents in creating art projects in a variety of media taught by an artist. Themes change monthly. Reservations required.

HISTORICAL BITES
July 7; Noon; Free; Visitor’s Center.
(808) 447-3910/Mission Houses Museum/533 S. King St./www.missionhouses.org
Check the museum’s website (www.missionhouses.org) for topic and speaker details.
Each month the museum offers a special lunch time talk focusing on a historical topic of interest.
This program is in conjunction with the museum’s Alphabet Soup: Literacy, Language & Learning exhibition.

KEIKI TALK STORY
July 9; 10 – 11 a.m.; Free.
(808) 447-3910/Mission Houses Museum/533 S. King St./www.missionhouses.org
Listen to a themed story and participate in a fun family activity. Perfect for preschool aged children 4-6 years. This program is in conjunction with the museum’s Alphabet Soup: Literacy, Language & Learning exhibition.

HAWAIIAN LEGENDS AND 400 YEARS OF VOLCANIC ACTIVITY AT KILAUEA
July 9; 6:00 – 8:00 p.m.; $5 General; FREE for Members
(808) 847-8296/Atherton Halau, Bishop Museum/1525 Bernice St./www.bishopmuseum.org
In recent years, volcanologists have found remarkable correlations between volcanic eruptions described in the epic tale of Pele and Hi‘iaka and the results of modern geologic research. This captivating lecture will be delivered by Don Swanson, U.S. Geological Survey, Hawaiian Volcano Observatory.

DA MAYAH by Lee Cataluna
Directed by R. Kevin Garcia Doyle
Summer Remount, Limited Run!:
July 9-26; Thurs-Sat, 8:00 p.m., Sun 2:00 p.m.
$5-$16 General Admission
(808) 536-4441/Kumu Kahua Theatre/46 Merchant Street, Downtown /www.KumuKahua.org
Kumu Kahua's smash hit Da Mayah is back in all its wacky hilarity! The newly-elected mayor of Hilo, Lester Perez, is not too bright, but his administrative assistant, second in command and mistress Sandralene Leialoha Ferreira, manages fairly successfully to keep him from making a complete fool of himself. When Lester is blackmailed by a childhood friend, Derek Pang, Sandy enlists the aid of her gangster cousin Dukie and his hit man Stanton, who has a "a rap sheet thicker than the Bible" and a crush on Sandy, bringing into play assassination attempts, betrayals and bad plate lunches!

HISTORIC TEAS AT MISSION HOUSES MUSEUM
July 11; Saturday; 2 to 4 p.m.; $30 ($25 members); Reservations required one week in advance.
(808) 447-3910 /Mission Houses Museum/553 S. King St./www.missionhouses.org.
Step back in time with our costumed hostesses who will serve your tea from a silver teapot. Enjoy the deliciously historic menu at this monthly tea on the grounds of the Mission Houses museum.

SECOND SATURDAY – HAWAI‘I QUILT GUILD
Saturday, July 11, 11 a.m. to 3 p.m., FREE
(808) 586-0900/Hawai‘i State Art Museum/250 South Hotel Street/ www.hawaii.gov/sfca
This month’s event will feature members of the Hawai‘i Quilt Guild, who will give hands-on arts demonstrations. Bring the kids to this free monthly family event. Have fun and get creative with hands-on arts activities.

ARTSPREE AT THE CONTEMPORARY MUSEUM – MAKIKI HEIGHTS
July 11; 10 a.m. - 4 p.m.; Free
(808) 237-5210/The Contemporary Museum/2411 Makiki Heights Drive/www.tcmhi.org
ArtSpree is a family-friendly free community event sponsored by Traci Keegan and Bill Lum. Enjoy art activities, storytelling, live entertainment and other continuous programs parents and children can participate in together throughout the day. Gift Shop and Contemporary Café will be open. Free parking and a continuous shuttle service is provided from Punahou School. (No parking except for handicapped is allowed at TCM that day.)

YOSHIHIRO SUDA
July 11 – October 25; Tuesday-Saturday 10 a.m. - 4 p.m.; Sunday, 12– 4 p.m.
$8 General; $6 Students (13+) and Seniors (62+); Military with ID and 12 and under Free
(808) 526-1322/The Contemporary Museum/2411 Makiki Heights Drive/www.tcmhi.org
Japanese artist Yoshihiro Suda (born 1969) is internationally known for his installations of delicate carved and painted wooden plant life. Suda's sculptures of indigenous Japanese plants and flowers, including camellias, magnolias, and roses, as well as common weeds, are meticulously created with surprising realism and in true-to-life scale that at times borders on the miniscule. This is Suda’s second U.S. exhibition and the first in Honolulu.

OVERLOOKS: MICHAEL ARCEGA
July 11 – October 25; Tuesday-Saturday 10 a.m. - 4 p.m.; Sunday, 12– 4 p.m.
$8 General; $6 Students (13+) and Seniors (62+); Military with ID and 12 and under Free
(808) 526-1322/The Contemporary Museum/2411 Makiki Heights Drive/www.tcmhi.org
San Francisco-based artist Michael Arcega will create a site-specific installation in the grand monkey pod trees in the Nu’umelani Gardens at The Contemporary Museum. Arcega is part of the museum’s Artist-in-Residence program. The project is sponsored in part by the Nimoy Foundation.

FREE THIRD THURSDAYS at THE CONTEMPORARY MUSEUM
July 16; 10 a.m. - 4 p.m.; Free
(808) 526-1322/The Contemporary Museum/2411 Makiki Heights Drive/www.tcmhi.org
Free entry day at The Contemporary Museum. Bring the family…enjoy the tranquil Nu’umealani gardens and view the exhibitions in the historic Cooke-Spalding residence. Contemporary Café and Gift Shop also open. TCM is Hawaii’s only museum devoted exclusively to contemporary art.

BISHOP MUSEUM FAMILY SUNDAY
July 26; 9 – 5 p.m.; $3.00 for kama’āina and military; $15.95 Adults; $12.95 Youth (4-12) and Seniors (65+); Children (3 & under) and Bishop Museum members FREE/(808) 847-3511/
Bishop Museum/1525 Bernice St./www.bishopmuseum.org
This Family Sunday is centered on the special exhibit Backyard Monsters (June 13 – September 7, 2009)
Food and activity booths and educational activities will enhance this family-oriented fun day.

ART LUNCH – CHERYL NAKASONE – KOREAN DANCE
Tuesday, July 28, 12-1 p.m., FREE
(808) 586-0900/Hawai‘i State Art Museum/250 South Hotel Street/ www.hawaii.gov/sfca
Cheryl Nakasone will discuss her work in Korean Dance. She is a master in the Hawai‘i State Foundation on Culture and the Arts – Folk Arts Apprenticeship Program, which pairs masters and experienced apprentices for advanced training to help perpetuate folk arts. This lecture is part of the HSFCA Awards Recipient Series.

MOONLIGHT MELE Presented by Bank of Hawai‘i
July 30; 5:30 – 9:00 p.m. Presale Tickets $15; $20 at the door
(808)847-3511/Great Lawn, Bishop Museum/1525 Bernice St./www.bishopmuseum.org
Two crowd-pleasing musicians will take on the Great Lawn at Bishop Museum for this month’s Moonlight Mele – Darren Benitez and Hoku Zuttermeister. Local vendors provide a variety of food and beverages for purchase. Coolers or outside food/beverages are prohibited.

AUGUST 2009

LEGACY OF THE PHOENIX
August 1; Sat., 7:30 p.m.
$29 general admission; $25 students/seniors; $19 children
(808) 528-0506 /Hawaii Theatre Center/1130 Bethel St. /www.hawaiitheatre.com
The Legacy of the Phoenix celebrates 20 years of Chinese dance in Hawaii by the Phoenix Dance Chamber, an international cross-section of dancers sharing an interest in Chinese dance. This celebration brings back to the stage founding dancers and guests who will perform with current members to create a “dancescape” that moves from past to present.

EXPRESSION SESSIONS
August 1; 10:30 a.m.; $12 General; $7 Members; Reservations Required (808) 237-5230
(808) 237-5210/The Contemporary Museum/2411 Makiki Heights Drive/www.tcmhi.org
Expression Sessions are designed for kids ages 5-12. This fun first Saturday art class involves children and their parents in creating art projects in a variety of media taught by an artist. Themes change monthly. Reservations required.

HISTORICAL BITES
August 4; Noon; Free; Visitor’s Center
(808) 447-3910/Mission Houses Museum/533 S. King St./www.missionhouses.org
Check the museum’s website (www.missionhouses.org) for topic and speaker details.
Each month the museum offers a special lunch time talk focusing on a historical topic of interest.
This program is in conjunction with the museum’s Alphabet Soup: Literacy, Language & Learning exhibition.

CHARLES BARTLETT IN JAPAN
August 6-October 4
$10 general; $5 students/seniors/military; free for age 12 and under
(808) 532-8700/Honolulu Academy of Arts/900 S. Beretania St.
The Academy continues its year-long celebration of this popular English artist who settled in Hawai‘i with an exhibition of the vibrant, evocative woodblock prints he created while in Japan.

FIRST FRIDAY AT FIRST HAWAIIAN CENTER
August 7; 7-9 p.m.; Artist Talk at 7:30 p.m.; Free
(808) 237-5210/The Contemporary Museum-FHC/999 Bishop Street/www.tcmhi.org
Enjoy Hawaii’s popular Chinatown art walkabout on the first Friday of every month. TCM at First Hawaiian Center is open from 7 until 9 p.m. on these nights with light refreshments and special programs designed to enhance your understanding of the contemporary art exhibition on view. An artist talk or tour is offered at 7:30 p.m. TCM members enjoy validated parking in the FHC parking garage.

FIRST FRIDAY HONOLULU
August 7; 5-9 p.m., Free
For more info (808) 521-2903
Downtown-Chinatown Gallery Walk. A self guided tour. Galleries, museums and studios open their doors for an evening celebrating artists, art and art making of all kinds.

LIVE FROM THE LAWN – AERIAL ROMANCE
Friday, August 7, 6-9 p.m., FREE
(808) 586-0900/Hawai‘i State Art Museum/250 South Hotel Street/ www.hawaii.gov/sfca
This month’s free event entitled “Aerial Romance” features aerial dancing from the gymnastic artists of Samadhi, with Makana accompanying on guitar. There will also be exhibitions of tumbling, fire dancing, and other arts of the air.

HISTORIC TEAS AT MISSION HOUSES MUSEUM
August 8; Saturday; 2 to 4 p.m.; $30 ($25 members); Reservations required one week in advance.
(808) 447-3910 /Mission Houses Museum/553 S. King St./www.missionhouses.org.
Step back in time with our costumed hostesses who will serve your tea from a silver teapot. Enjoy the deliciously historic menu at this monthly tea on the grounds of the Mission Houses museum.

SECOND SATURDAY – HAWAI‘I POTTERS GUILD
Saturday, August 8, 11 a.m. to 3 p.m., FREE
(808) 586-0900/Hawai‘i State Art Museum/250 South Hotel Street/ www.hawaii.gov/sfca
This month’s event features members of the Hawai‘i Potters Guild, who will be giving hands-on arts demonstrations. Bring the kids to this free monthly family event. Have fun and get creative with hands-on arts

THE SKY TONIGHT
Every first and third Friday/August 8 and August 21; 8 p.m.; $6 General; $4 Children 4-12; Members of Bishop Museum and Hawaiian Astronomical Society Free/ (808) 848-4168/J. Watumull Planetarium; Bishop Museum/1525 Bernice St./www.bishopmuseum.org
Come experience a detailed tour of the current Hawaiian evening sky during The Sky Tonight. Telescope-viewing in the Museum observatory follows the show, weather permitting.

HAWAIIAN HALL GRAND REOPENING WEEKEND
August 8 – 9; 9:00 a.m. – 5:00 p.m.; $3 admission for kama‘āina and military, otherwise regular rates apply: $15.95 Adults; $12.95 Youth (4-12) and Seniors (65+); Children (3 & under)
(808)847-3511/Bishop Museum/1525 Bernice St./www.bishopmuseum.org
Come and experience the restored Hawaiian Hall that showcases rare and exquisite Hawaiian artifacts. The Great Lawn will feature Hawaiian arts & crafts vendors and activities

SLAVA’S SNOWSHOW
August 12-23; Various times, $30-$80
(808) 528-0506 /Hawaii Theatre Center/1130 Bethel St. /www.hawaiitheatre.com
Snow is forecast for Honolulu as Tim Bostock Productions presents Slava’s Snowshow. This ensemble cast of clowns uses water, cobwebs, bubbles and dry ice to dazzling effect; a bed becomes a boat, a web of cotton envelops the audience and one tiny piece of paper begins a blinding, heart-stopping snowstorm that engulfs an awestruck audience in a blizzard of sparkling snowflakes.

KEIKI TALK STORY
August 13; 10 – 11 a.m.; Free.
(808) 447-3910/Mission Houses Museum/533 S. King St./www.missionhouses.org
Listen to a themed story and participate in a fun family activity. Perfect for preschool aged children 4-6 years. This program is in conjunction with the museum’s Alphabet Soup: Literacy, Language & Learning exhibition.

GRAPHIC CABINET NO. 4: FRANCISCO GOYA: THE DISASTERS OF WAR
August 13, 2009-January 10, 2010
$10 general; $5 students/seniors/military; free for age 12 and under
(808) 532-8700/Honolulu Academy of Arts/900 S. Beretania St.
The Honolulu Academy of Arts presents selected prints from its rare first edition of the Spanish master’s milestone series of etchings. The are a powerful indictment of war that are as timely now as when he created them in the early 1800s.

FREE THIRD THURSDAYS at THE CONTEMPORARY MUSEUM
August 20; 10 a.m. - 4 p.m.; Free
(808) 526-1322/The Contemporary Museum/2411 Makiki Heights Drive/www.tcmhi.org
Free entry day at The Contemporary Museum. Bring the family…enjoy the tranquil Nuumealani gardens and view the exhibitions in the historic Cooke-Spalding residence. Contemporary Café and Gift Shop also open. TCM is Hawaii’s only museum devoted exclusively to contemporary art.

ART LUNCH
Tuesday, August 25, 12-1 p.m., FREE
(808) 586-0900/Hawai‘i State Art Museum/250 South Hotel Street/ www.hawaii.gov/sfca
Take a break during your lunch. Join us in downtown Honolulu and learn more about the arts. A guest lecturer will describe their artwork, show visual aids, and answer questions from the audience.

MOONLIGHT MELE Presented by Bank of Hawai‘i
August 27; 5:30 – 9:00 p.m. Presale Tickets $15; $20 at the door
(808)847-3511/Great Lawn, Bishop Museum/1525 Bernice St./www.bishopmuseum.org
One of the sweetest Hawaiian voices of today, Raiatea Helm will grace the Great Lawn with her incredible talent and you won’t want to miss it! Local vendors provide a variety of food and beverages for purchase. Coolers or outside food/beverages are prohibited.

CECILIO & KAPONO IN CONCERT
August 28 & 29, 2009, Time and ticket information TBA
(808) 528-0506 /Hawaii Theatre Center/1130 Bethel St. /www.hawaiitheatre.com
After their sell-out “C&K 35” concert at the Waikiki Shell in 2008, Hawaii’s legendary duo and 2009 Na Hoku Hanohano Lifetime Achievement Award-winners bring their perfectly blended harmonies to the Hawaii Theatre stage.

NIGHTINGALE
Saturdays, August 29 – October 3, 4:30 p.m.
$16 for adults, $8 for youth (18 and under) and seniors (over 60)
(808) 839-9885/Honolulu Theatre for Youth, Tenney Theatre, St. Andrews Cathedral, 229 Queen
Emma Square
The Emperor is never satisfied. He demands “more, more, MORE” of everything! Only the Nightingale, a plain, yet wondrous little bird, has the power to save the Emperor. But can his loyal servant and the people of China, convince the Emperor to listen in time? Based on a fairy tale by Hans Christian Anderson, this fantastical fairy tale is sure to dazzle audiences with spectacular costumes and visionary choreography by Iona Contemporary Dance Theatre’s Artistic Director, Cheryl Flaharty.

FACULTY EXHIBITION
August 30 – September 25, 2009
Gallery hours: Mon.–Fri. 10:30–5:00; Sun. 12:00–5:00. Closed Saturdays and holidays.
Free admission. Donations are appreciated. Parking fees may apply.
(808) 956-6888/University of Hawai‘i Art Gallery/University of Hawai‘i at Mānoa/ 2535 McCarthy Mall
The faculty of the Department of Art and Art History at the University of Hawai‘i at Mānoa present their recent work in printmaking, photography, painting, graphic design, fiber, sculpture, glass, and intermedia.
Opening reception (open to the public): August 30, 3:00–5:00 p.m.

SEPTEMBER 2009

HISTORICAL BITES
September 1; Noon; Free; Visitor’s Center.
(808) 447-3910/Mission Houses Museum/533 S. King St./www.missionhouses.org
Check the museum’s website (www.missionhouses.org) for topic and speaker details.
Each month the museum offers a special lunch time talk focusing on a historical topic of interest.
This program is in conjunction with the museum’s Alphabet Soup: Literacy, Language & Learning exhibition.

FORBIDDEN BROADWAY: SPECIAL VICTIMS UNIT
September 3-20, 2009
Wednesday – Thursday 7:30 p.m., Friday – Saturday 8 p.m., Sunday 4 p.m.
$35 adults; $30 senior/military; $15 for patrons age 25 and under
(808) 988-6131 / Manoa Valley Theatre / 2833 East Manoa Road
For more than 25 years Gerard Alessandrini has been tickling Off-Broadway's funny bone with his sharp spoofs of show tunes, characters, personalities and plots of Broadway musicals in his award-winning Forbidden Broadway series of parodies. MVT's Forbidden Broadway: Special Victims Unit takes on such notables as Jersey Boys, Mamma Mia, South Pacific (2008 revival), Mary Poppins, The Lion King, and Wicked, among others. With the personal assistance of Mr. Alessandrini, MVT's FB:SVU is guaranteed to have you rolling in the aisles!

FIRST FRIDAY AT FIRST HAWAIIAN CENTER
September 4; 7-9 p.m.; Artist Talk at 7:30 p.m.; Free
(808) 237-5210/The Contemporary Museum-FHC/999 Bishop Street/www.tcmhi.org
Enjoy Hawaii’s popular Chinatown art walkabout on the first Friday of every month. TCM at First Hawaiian Center is open from 7 until 9 p.m. on these nights with light refreshments and special programs designed to enhance your understanding of the contemporary art exhibition on view. An artist talk or tour is offered at 7:30 p.m. TCM members enjoy validated parking in the FHC parking garage.

FIRST FRIDAY HONOLULU
September 4; 5-9 p.m., Free
For more info (808) 521-2903
Downtown-Chinatown Gallery Walk. A self guided tour. Galleries, museums and studios open their doors for an evening celebrating artists, art and art making of all kinds.

LIVE FROM THE LAWN – HULA KAHIKO
Friday, September 4, 6-9 p.m., FREE
(808) 586-0900/Hawai‘i State Art Museum/250 South Hotel Street/ www.hawaii.gov/sfca
This month’s free event entitled “Hula Kahiko” features a celebration of the traditions of ancient hula. This event is being held in conjunction with the new art exhibition on hula which is opening in the galleries of the Hawai‘i State Art Museum.

EXPRESSION SESSIONS
September 5; 10:30 a.m.; $12 General; $7 Members; Reservations Required (808) 237-5230
(808) 237-5210/The Contemporary Museum/2411 Makiki Heights Drive/www.tcmhi.org
Expression Sessions are designed for kids ages 5-12. This fun first Saturday art class involves children and their parents in creating art projects in a variety of media. A new theme and activity is offered each month. Spaces are limited. Reservations at 237-5230.

KA HIMENI ANA 2009: 25th Unamplified Hawaiian Music Contest
September 5, 2009; 7:30 p.m., $9-$33
Hear the stars of tomorrow as this Hawaiian music contest offers an opportunity for undiscovered talent to land a recording contract with Hula Records. Sponsored by the Hawaiian Music Hall of Fame and Richard M. Towill, Ka Himeni Ana is dedicated to the perpetuation of Hawaiian music in the traditional, unamplified style. A treat to the ears!

KEIKI TALK STORY
September 10; 10 – 11 a.m.; Free.
(808) 447-3910/Mission Houses Museum/533 S. King St./www.missionhouses.org
Listen to a themed story and participate in a fun family activity. Perfect for preschool aged children 4-6 years. This program is in conjunction with the museum’s Alphabet Soup: Literacy, Language & Learning exhibition.

HISTORIC TEAS AT MISSION HOUSES MUSEUM
September 12; Saturday; 2 to 4 p.m.; $30 ($25 members); Reservations required one week in advance.
(808) 447-3910 /Mission Houses Museum/553 S. King St./www.missionhouses.org.
Step back in time with our costumed hostesses who will serve your tea from a silver teapot. Enjoy the deliciously historic menu at this monthly tea on the grounds of the Mission Houses museum.

SECOND SATURDAY - HAWAI‘I CRAFTSMEN
Saturday, September 12, 11 a.m. to 3 p.m., FREE
(808) 586-0900/Hawai‘i State Art Museum/250 South Hotel Street/ www.hawaii.gov/sfca
This month’s event features members of Hawai‘i craftsmen, who will be giving hands-on arts demonstrations. Bring the kids to this free monthly family event. Have fun and get creative with hands-on arts activities.

BARNUM, THE CIRCUS SPECTACULAR MUSICAL
September 3-9, Thurs. opening night, Fri-Sat., 7:30 p.m., $12-15 children, $15-20 adults
Army Community Theatre, Richardson Theatre, Fort Shafter/(808) 438-4480 or www.armytheatre.com
This Broadway musical is a circus first for Army Community Theatre, opening its 67th season with the show that features music by Cy Coleman, lyrics by Michael Stewart and book by Mark Bramble. It is the larger-than-life story of P.T. Barnum and his circus dreams.

THE ROAD TO THE GRAVEYARD
PART OF THE HORTON FOOTE SALUTE
September 13, 20, 27, Sun., 2 p.m., Free
Army Community Theatre, Richardson Theatre, Fort Shafter/(808) 438-4480 or www.armytheatre.com
Enjoy a free Readers Theatre production where the audience sits on stage with the readers, who create theatre of the mind without benefit of sets or costumes. This is part of the tribute to the late Foote, who died in 2009 and who won the Pulitzer Prize, Academy and Emmy Awards. There are three other Foote plays to be read in the 2009-2010 season.

PETER PAN – THE BALLET
August 15-16, Saturday-Sunday at 1 p.m; other performances possibly to be added, $35-75
Presented by Ballet Hawaii, Tickets at the Blaisdell Box Office, Macy’s Ticketmaster outlets, www.ticketmaster.com, toll-free at 1-800-745-3000
This ballet production originates with the Cincinnati Ballet and has been seen also with the Washington Ballet, all to rave reviews. It ends the annual Ballet Hawaii Summer Intensive with faculty and students from around the globe. See the ballet version of James M. Barrie’s classic family story, complete with Flying by Foy and dancers en pointe. Choreographed by Septime Webre to the music of Carmon DeLeone. Call Ballet Hawaii at 521-8600 about the Pirate Party Package that includes a premium show ticket, “pirate’s grub and grog” lunch and treats for all the youngsters..

FREE THIRD THURSDAYS at THE CONTEMPORARY MUSEUM
September 17; 10 a.m. - 4 p.m.; Free
(808) 526-1322/The Contemporary Museum/2411 Makiki Heights Drive/www.tcmhi.org
Free entry day at The Contemporary Museum. Bring the family…enjoy the tranquil Nu’umealani gardens and view the exhibitions in the historic Cooke-Spalding residence. Contemporary Café and Gift Shop also open. TCM is Hawaii’s only museum devoted exclusively to contemporary art.

ART LUNCH – SHUZO UEMOTO – PHOTOGRAPHY
Tuesday, September 29, 12-1 p.m., FREE
(808) 586-0900/Hawai‘i State Art Museum/250 South Hotel Street/ www.hawaii.gov/sfca
This month’s lecture features photographer Shuzo Uemoto, who will discuss his work, show visual aids, and answer questions from the audience. Take a break during your lunch. Join us in downtown Honolulu and learn more about the arts.

CONTINUING EVENTS

ARTISTS OF HAWAII 2009
May 14-August 16, 2009; $10 general; $5 students/seniors/military; free for age 12 and under
(808) 532-8700/Honolulu Academy of Arts/900 S. Beretania St./www.honoluluacademy.org
The regional, juried exhibition Artists of Hawaii, returns to the Honolulu Academy of Arts as a biennial. The juror of the 58th Artists of Hawai‘i is Laura Hoptman, Senior Curator at The New Museum of Contemporary Art, New York. This year, recipients of the exhibition’s special awards will be chosen following studio visits by Hoptman, offering local artists an unprecedented opportunity. More than 250 artists submitted work to the exhibition, the state’s oldest and most prestigious juried exhibition.

SCHAEFER PORTRAIT CHALLENGE – First Hawaiian Center
May 29 – September 11; Free
(808) 237-5210/The Contemporary Museum-FHC/999 Bishop Street/www.tcmhi.org
Organized by the Maui Arts & Cultural Center, the Schaefer Portrait Challenge 2009 is a statewide juried exhibition, first opening on Maui in January 2009. Held in 2003 and again in 2006, the exhibition continues to encourage Hawaii’s artists to chronicle the changing face of our community through explorations in portraiture. To further promote the individual talents of each artist, a select portion of the exhibition will travel to The Contemporary Museum at First Hawaiian Center. Free docent tours on third Thursdays at noon—meet in lobby.

HAWAII CRAFTSMEN RAKU
June 16 – July 11; Tue.-Sat. 11 a.m. - 6 p.m.; Free
(808) 521-2903/The ARTS at Marks Garage/1159 Nuuanu Avenue/www.artsatmarks.com
Hawai‘i Craftsmen presents: Raku ceramics selected from the annual workshop and festival at Waimanalo Beach Park. Contemporary, functional and traditional Japanese tea-ware and ceramics juried by a well-known visiting artist.

CAMBODIAN IKATS
April 30-July 26, 2009; $10 general; $5 students/seniors/military; free for age 12 and under
(808) 532-8700/Honolulu Academy of Arts/900 S. Beretania St./www.honoluluacademy.org
On view are Cambodian pidan, silk textiles illustrated with narrative themes. Very little is known about the traditional function of pidan, but their “descendants” are the “elephant and temple” cloths that Cambodians hang on festive occasions, such as the completion of a house. These antique pidan use iconographic images representing principal themes in Theravada Buddhist belief.

ACCESSION ‘09
Through January 16, 2010, Tuesday-Saturday, 10 a.m.-4 p.m.; Free Admission
(808) 586-0900/Hawai‘i State Art Museum/250 South Hotel Street/ www.hawaii.gov/sfca
This exhibition is a continuation of the main Accession exhibition (see description in next entry below). This addition will feature the newest art acquired for the Art in Public Places program including relocatable works of art and commissions.

ACCESSION: RECENT ACQUISITIONS FROM THE ART IN PUBLIC PLACES COLLECTION
Through July 18, 2009, Tuesday-Saturday, 10 a.m.-4 p.m.; Free
(808) 586-0900/Hawaii State Art Museum/250 South Hotel Street/www.hawaii.gov/sfca ;
This exhibition showcases recent purchases, commissions, and gifts demonstrating the exceptional work collected by the Hawai‘i State Foundation on Culture and the Arts. The exhibition includes artists such as Reiko Brandon, Kenneth Bushnell, Charles Higa, Jerry Okimoto, Laura Smith, and Toshiko Takaezu. The Hawai‘i State Foundation on Culture and the Arts was established by the State Legislature in 1965 as the official arts agency of Hawai‘i. In 1967, the state’s role as patron of the arts was further augmented with the creation of the Art in Public Places program, the first such program in the United States.

FRAGMENTS: REPRESENTING THE HUMAN BODY
Through July 31, 2009, Tuesday-Saturday, 10 a.m.-4 p.m.; Free Admission
(808) 586-0900/Hawai‘i State Art Museum/250 South Hotel Street/ www.hawaii.gov/sfca
This exhibition shows depictions of the body in parts and segments rather than as coherent wholes. By deliberate absences, cropping, and abstracting aspects of the body, artists redefine and transform the human form with unique visions that ensure the viewer’s engagement with the body via new perspectives.

HE ALO A HE ALO: FACE TO FACE, VISIONS AND PORTRAITS OF HAWAII
Through September 12, 2009, Tuesday-Saturday, 10 a.m. - 4 p.m.; Free
(808) 586-0900/Hawaii State Art Museum/250 South Hotel Street/ www.hawaii.gov/sfca
He Alo A He Alo is an ‘olelo no‘eau, an expression that means coming into communion with someone else. In this show, the viewer interacts with the fascinating world of other community members. The exhibition celebrates both the subject of the portrait and the work of the artist. This exhibition features select works of art by Hawai‘i-based artists from the extensive Hawai‘i State Art Collection, which includes over 5,000 works of art by more than 1,400 artists that have been acquired since the collection began in 1967. Inspirational themes in the installation revolve around rediscovering Hawaiian heritage, Asian roots, social consciousness, and cultural traditions.

HULA-THEMED EXHIBITION
September 4, 2009 to July 17, 2010
Tuesday-Saturday, 10 a.m.-4 p.m.; Free Admission
(808) 586-0900/Hawai‘i State Art Museum/250 South Hotel Street/ www.hawaii.gov/sfca
This exhibition (yet to be titled) features artworks which display the art of hula dancing. Throughout the history of the Hawai‘i State Foundation on Culture and the Arts, the Foundation has been involved with hula by cosponsoring workshops and conferences and through its programs: Biennium Grants, Folk Arts, and Art in Public Places. This exhibition presents the hula-related relocatable and commissioned works of art in the Art in Public Place Collection.

I LOVE ART GALLERY
Ongoing, Tuesday-Saturday, 10 a.m.-4 p.m.; Free Admission
(808) 586-0900/Hawai‘i State Art Museum/250 South Hotel Street/ www.hawaii.gov/sfca
This educational gallery lets visitors learn about art as artists do – by touching, observing, exploring, thinking, and reading. The gallery focuses on the structure of art-making through the elements of art and design (such as line, shape, form, space, and texture) with hands-on activities to experience art materials.

GRAPHIC CABINET 4: FRANCISCO GOYA: THE DISASTERS OF WAR
March 12–July 12, 2009; $10 general; $5 students/seniors/military; free for age 12 and under (808) 532-8700/Honolulu Academy of Arts/900 S. Beretania St./www.honoluluacademy.org
Deep in the Academy’s print vault is a rare first edition of the Spanish artist Francisco Goya’s (1746–1828) The Disasters of War, his famous series of etchings that are an indictment of the human suffering associated with warfare. For the first time in decades a selection of 40 prints will be on view as part of the museum’s ongoing series of exhibitions showcasing highlights from the Academy’s collection of work on paper.

ALPHABET SOUP: LITERACY, LANGUAGE & LEARNING
February 13 – September 12, 2009; Tue-Sat 10 a.m. to 4 p.m.; Admission $6.
(808) 531-0480 /Mission Houses Museum/553 S. King St./www.missionhouses.org
Don't miss this family friendly exhibition about the development of a written Hawaiian alphabet. Presented in three “chapters,” the exhibit explores: the history of the written Hawaiian alphabet and its use in print; An exploration of the variety of literature about, by and for Hawaii and finally; an alphabetical introduction to the museum’s vast material culture collection in both English and Hawaiian. A treat for both families and bibliophiles, the exhibit features early printed Hawaiian works, a printing press, material culture objects and one-of-a-kind art books. The project is designed to engage public and private schools with meaningful and engaging curricula for teachers and students. Visit www.missionhouses.org for special program information.

ALPHABET SOUP FAMILYPACKS
Daily during regular museum hours upon request; Free in conjunction with the Alphabet Soup: Literacy, Language & Learning exhibition, through September 12, 2009.
(808) 447-3910/Mission Houses Museum/553 S. King St./www.missionhouses.org ;
Check out a pack with your keiki to learn about the Hawaiian language and its history with hands-on activities suitable for the entire family.

MISSION HOUSES FAMILYPACKS
Daily during regular museum hours upon request; Free.
(808) 447-3910/Mission Houses Museum/553 S. King St./www.missionhouses.org
Explore the Mission Houses and 19th century history with hands-on activities suitable for the entire family.

ONGOING EVENTS

FREE THIRD THURSDAYS at THE CONTEMPORARY MUSEUM
Every Third Thursday, 10 a.m. - 4 p.m., Free
(808) 526-1322/The Contemporary Museum/2411 Makiki Heights Drive/www.tcmhi.org
Free entry day at The Contemporary Museum. Bring the family…enjoy the historic Nuumealani gardens and view the exhibitions in the historic Cooke-Spalding residence. Contemporary Café and Gift Shop also open. TCM is Hawaii’s only museum devoted exclusively to contemporary art.

LAUHALA AND LUNCH
$30 for 2 plus admission; Available Tue-Sat 11:30 to 2 p.m.; Sun Noon to 2 p.m.
Admission: $8 adults; $6 senior and students; Free under 12; Military Free
(808) 526-1322/The Contemporary Museum/2411 Makiki Heights Drive/www.tcmhi.org
Lauhala and Lunch is a new picnic service offered by The Contemporary Café. Picnics for two are $30 and include a choice of sandwich or salad, dessert bar of the day, and choice of beverage for each person. Orders may be phoned ahead. Lunches are packed in picnic basket and include the loan of lauhala mats. Picnics may be enjoyed on the great lawn or throughout the beautiful Nuumealani gardens at the museum. TCM is Hawaii’s only museum devoted exclusively to contemporary art.

LIVE FROM THE LAWN
First Friday of Each Month, 5 - 9 p.m.; Free Admission
(808) 586-0900/Hawaii State Art Museum/250 South Hotel Street/www.hawaii.gov/sfca ;
This popular event is held as part of First Friday and features free musical, theatrical, and/or dramatic performances on the front lawn and second floor lanai of the Hawaii State Art Museum. Performing artists to be announced.

SECOND SATURDAY
Second Saturday of Each Month, 11 a.m. to 3 p.m.; Free Admission
(808) 586-0900/Hawaii State Art Museum/250 South Hotel Street/www.hawaii.gov/sfca ;
Bring the kids to this free monthly family event. Have fun and get creative with hands-on arts activities. Learn from artists, craftsmen, and storytellers. Take a free mini tour of the Hawai‘i State Art Museum.

ART LUNCH
Last Tuesday of Each Month, 12-1 p.m.; Free Admission
(808) 586-0900/Hawaii State Art Museum/250 South Hotel Street/ www.hawaii.gov/sfca
Take a break during your lunch. Join us in downtown Honolulu and learn more about the arts. Each month, a guest lecturer describes their artwork, shows visual aids, and answers questions from the audience.

THE CANOE: AN ALASKAN AND HAWAIIAN TRADITION
$7.50 Gen; $4.50 Children 4-12; Children 3 and under free; Military/Hawaii resident discounts
(808) 536-6373/Hawaii Maritime Center/ Pier 7, Honolulu Harbor/www.bishopmuseum.org
Indigenous cultures around the world share many similar practices—among them canoeing. This exhibit, produced in cooperation with the Alaskan Native Heritage Center (Anchorage, Alaska) and North-Slope Borough (Barrow, Alaska), presents a comparison and contrast of Hawaiian and Alaskan canoe voyaging traditions. Among the featured items include Alaskan and Hawaiian canoe-building materials including adze, lashing materials, dye, seal skin, birch and cedar bark, kapa, coconut husk cordage, and basalt rock.

DOCENT TOURS AT THE SUMMER PALACE
Sunday– Saturday 9 a.m. - 3:30 p.m.; $6 adults; $4 senior and military; $1 children
(808) 595-3167/Queen Emma Summer Palace/2913 Pali Highway /www.daughtersofhawaii.org
Join our docents for a personalized tour of the summer home of Queen Emma and King Kamehameha IV. Lush gardens and a charming gift shop are located on grounds. Open seven days a week; closed on major holidays.

DOCENT TOURS AT MANOA HERITAGE CENTER
Tuesday – Saturday 9 a.m. - 4 p.m.; $7 general; $4 seniors/military; Children free
(808) 988-1287/Manoa Heritage Center/Manoa Valley/www.manoaheritagecenter.org
Manoa Heritage Center offers outdoor guided tours for both adult and school groups by prearranged appointment. Discover Kuka ‘o‘o Heiau and the Native Hawaiian plant garden while learning the history of Manoa Valley.

DOCENT TOURS AT THE CONTEMPORARY MUSEUM
Tuesday – Sunday 1:30 p.m.; $8 adults; $6 senior and students; Free under 12; Military Free
(808) 526-0232/The Contemporary Museum, Honolulu/2411 Makiki Heights Dr./www.tcmhi.org
Join our docents for a lively discussion about works on view in the galleries.

DOCENT TOURS AT HAWAII THEATRE
Every Tuesday, 11 a.m., Theatre schedule permitting; $5
(808) 528-0506/Hawaii Theatre/1130 Bethel Street/www.hawaiitheatre.com
One-hour guided tours of the 1922 Hawaii Theatre feature the art, architecture and history of this restored Honolulu landmark, named 2005 Outstanding Historic Theatre by the League of Historic American Theatres. Enjoy a demonstration of the classic Robert Morton theater organ, too.

FIRST FRIDAY ART GALLERY WALK
First Friday of every month, 5–9 p.m., Free
(808) 521-2903/ARTS at Marks Garage/1159 Nuuanu/www.artsatmarks.com
Downtown-Chinatown Gallery Walk. A self guided tour. Galleries, museums and studios open their doors for an evening celebrating artists, art and art making of all kinds.

ON THE SPOT
First Saturday of every month, 8 p.m.; $14 general; $10 students
(808) 550-TIKS or www.honoluluboxoffice.com
(808) 521-2903/The ARTS at Marks Garage/1159 Nuuanu Avenue/www.artsatmarks.com
Smashbox Productions presents: Outrageous Improv Comedy. The troupe takes cues from the audience and improvises scenes incorporating a vast array of silly, spontaneous things with ever-changing themes including space travel, westerns and even musicals.

HISTORIC MISSION HOUSES MUSEUM TOUR
Daily Guided Tours (English): Tuesday-Saturday, 11 a.m., 1 and 2:45 p.m.
Admission: General $10, kamaaina, military & seniors $8, students (6-college) $6, museum members free. Japanese Language Tours: Fridays, 10:30 am, by appointment only. Group/School Tours: Reservations are required.
(808) 447-3910/Mission Houses Museum/553 S. King St./www.missionhouses.org
Learn about the challenging and rewarding life of the first Congregationalist missionaries in Hawai‘i by viewing their original houses, print shop, furniture, clothing and many other preserved artifacts used during the 19th century.

HISTORIC PRINTING PRESS DEMONSTRATIONS
Wednesdays 1 - 2 p.m.; Admission free.
(808) 447-3910/Mission Houses Museum/553 S. King St./www.missionhouses.org
See a working replica of an early 19th century printing press in action! Take home a souvenir printed piece. Great for all ages.

TRADITIONAL QUILTING CLASSES AND DEMONSTRATIONS
Twice weekly; Tuesday 10 a.m. to 2 p.m.; Saturday 9 a.m. to 1 p.m.; Class fee $6 plus purchase of a starter’s kit; Onlookers & Walk-ins welcome.
(808) 447-3910 /Mission Houses Museum/553 S. King St./www.missionhouses.org.
Ongoing classes and demonstrations offered by the Mission Houses Museum’s House Quilter, Nalani Goard, the granddaughter of the late Master quilter Aunty Debby Kakalia. Onlookers and walk-ins welcome. More information available at goradn001@hawaii.rr.com' or www.hawaiianquilting.net. Japanese students may visit www.nalanis-ohana.com/.

CAPITOL CULTURAL DISTRICT WALKING TOUR
Second Saturday of every month 10 a.m. – 12; General $20, members & children under $10.
(808) 447-3910/Mission Houses Museum/553 S. King St./www.missionhouses.org
This tour focuses on the history of Honolulu’s Historic Capitol District, near downtown Honolulu. Sites include Mission Houses Museum, Kawaiahao Church, the Kamehameha Statue, Iolani Palace and the Hawaii State Capitol Building.

LAUHALA WEAVING DEMONSTRATIONS
Every 1st Saturday of the month; 10 a.m. to 2 p.m.; Free
(808) 447-3910 /Mission Houses Museum/553 S. King St./www.missionhouses.org
Members of the Lauhala Weaving Hui gather to weave and share information with each other. Visitors are welcome to observe and ask questions about this important Polynesian craft.

HISTORIC TEAS AT MISSION HOUSES MUSEUM
Second Saturday of every month; Saturday; 2 to 4 p.m.; $30 ($25 members); Reservations required one week in advance.
(808) 447-3910 /Mission Houses Museum/553 S. King St./www.missionhouses.org.
Step back in time with our costumed hostesses who will serve your tea from a silver teapot. Enjoy the deliciously historic menu at this monthly tea on the grounds of the Mission Houses museum.

HISTORICAL BITES
Every 1st Tuesday of the month; 12-1 p.m.; Visitor Center; Free
(808) 447-3910/Mission Houses Museum/553 S. King St./www.missionhouses.org
Check the museum’s website (www.missionhouses.org) for topic and speaker details.
Each month the museum offers a special lunch time talk focusing on a historical topic of interest.

KEIKI TALK STORY
Every 2nd Thursday of the month; 10 – 11 a.m.; Free.
(808) 447-3910/Mission Houses Museum/533 S. King St./www.missionhouses.org
Listen to a themed story and participate in a fun family activity. Perfect for preschool aged children 4-6 years.

MISSION HOUSES FAMILYPACKS
Daily during regular museum hours upon request; Free.
(808) 447-3910/Mission Houses Museum/553 S. King St./www.missionhouses.org
Check out a pack with your keiki to explore the Mission Houses and 19th century history with hands-on activities suitable for the entire family.

YOUTH SPEAKS HAWAII
Every Wednesday; 4 - 5:30 p.m.; Free
(808) 521-2903/The ARTS at Marks Garage/1159 Nuuanu Avenue / www.artsatmarks.com
Teen slam poetry writing & performance workshops. Recently rated top teen slam poetry team in the world! Supported by the State Foundation on Culture and the Arts.

DAVID HOCKNEY - L’ENFANT ET LES SORTILEGES
On display indefinitely; Tuesday – Saturday 10 a.m. - 4 p.m.; Sunday 12 - 4 p.m.
$8 adults; $6 senior and students; Free under 12; Military Free
(808) 526-0232/The Contemporary Museum/2411 Makiki Heights Dr./www.tcmhi.org
Visitors may enjoy our sculpture gardens and experience the enchanting David Hockney installation, L’Enfant et les Sortilèges, on view year-round in the Milton Cades Pavilion. Hockney's three-dimensional environment inspired by the Maurice Ravel opera, L’Enfant et les Sortilèges (The Child and the Enchantment), created in 1983. A delight for children and adults alike, it is an enchanting work of theatrical art.

O2art 2: MICHAEL LIN - TENNIS DESSUS
On display indefinitely; Tuesday – Saturday 10 a.m. - 4 p.m.; Sunday 12 - 4 p.m.
$8 adults; $6 senior and students; Free under 12; Military Free
(808) 526-0232/The Contemporary Museum/2411 Makiki Heights Dr./www.tcmhi.org
As part of the O2art series at The Contemporary Museum, Honolulu, the Paris-based Taiwanese artist Michael Lin (b. 1964, Tokyo), created a site-specific installation with eight local artists titled Tennis Dessus (Tennis from Above). The former tennis court has be rehabilitated and transformed with monumentally scaled floral motifs. The installation pays respect to traditional ornament in Hawaii and the Museum’s unique garden setting, while providing a transformative, dynamic art experience outside of the conventional garden setting.

O2art 3: PAUL MORRISON, gamodeme
On display indefinitely; Tuesday – Saturday 10 a.m. - 4 p.m.; Sunday 12 - 4 p.m.
$8 adults; $6 senior and students; Free under 12; Military Free
(808) 526-0232/The Contemporary Museum/2411 Makiki Heights Dr./www.tcmhi.org
The Contemporary Museum’s artist project series, O2art, continues in 2006 with British artist Paul Morrison, who has gained wide international recognition for his bold, graphic black and white landscape paintings. Morrison draws on imagery of the natural world from sources in popular culture, fine art, film and science to transform familiar images of nature into something uncanny and altogether unnatural. Morrison has designed a temporary wall along the museum’s reflecting pool to support a monumental black and white painting of botanical forms that interact directly with the museum’s floricultural setting. O2art is a project series that introduces the Hawaii community to the provocative work of artists from the international arena.

FIRST FRIDAYS AT FIRST HAWAIIAN CENTER
7 - 9 p.m.; Free; Artist Talks at 7:30 p.m.
(808) 237-5210/The Contemporary Museum-FHC/999 Bishop Street/ www.tcmhi.org
Enjoy Hawaii’s popular Chinatown art walkabout on the first Friday of every month. TCM at First Hawaiian Center is open from 7 until 9 p.m. on these nights with light refreshments and special programs designed to enhance your understanding of the contemporary art exhibition on view. An artist talk or tour is offered at 7:30 p.m. Admission is free.

BISHOP MUSEUM DAILY PROGRAMS
Daily from 9 a.m. - 5 p.m.
$15.95 adults; $12.95 for youth 4-12 years and seniors 65+, special rates for kamaaina and military; children under 4 years and Bishop Museum Members are free.
(808) 847-3511/Bishop Museum/1525 Bernice Street/www.bishopmuseum.org
As the largest natural history museum in the Pacific, visitors can experience the natural and cultural history of Hawaii like never before! Live hula, planetarium shows, exhibit tours, cultural demonstrations, lava melting demonstrations, dramatic storytelling, exhibit and garden tours, and more are offered daily. Programs are free with admission. Venues include Castle Memorial Building; Hawaiian Hall including the Abigail Kinoiki Kekaulike Kahili Room, Picture Gallery and Polynesian Hall, the J. Watumull Planetarium; Hawaii Sports Hall of Fame; and the Richard T. Mamiya Science Adventure Center.

HAWAII MARITIME CENTER TOURS
Daily from 8:30 a.m. - 5 p.m.
Admission is $7.50 for adults; $4.50 for youth 4-12 years, special rates for kamaaina, seniors and military; children under 4 years and Hawaii Maritime Center Members are free.
(808) 523-6151/Pier 7, Honolulu Harbor/www.bishopmuseum.org
Self-guided and audio tours are offered of exhibits featuring Hawaii’s maritime history, Honolulu Harbor, and Hawai‘i’s unique connection to the ocean. Also included is a tour of the National Historic Landmark, Falls of Clyde, the world’s only surviving four-masted full-rigged ship.

SPECIAL OFFERS:

FREE THIRD THURSDAYS AT THE CONTEMPORARY MUSEUM – Makiki Heights
Every Third Thursday of each month
(808) 237-5210/The Contemporary Museum/2411 Makiki Heights Drive/www.tcmhi.org
Enjoy free entry to The Contemporary Museum on every third Thursday of the month. TCM is Hawaii’s only museum dedicated exclusively to contemporary art. Café, Gift Shop and fabulous gardens also open.

TCM PRESENTS: TWENTY X 20
October 1, 2008 through September 30, 2009; FREE ENTRY FOR 20-29-Year-Olds, with ID
(808) 237-5210/The Contemporary Museum/2411 Makiki Heights Drive/www.tcmhi.org
If you are twenty-something years old (20-29) and have an ID to prove it, then you can visit TCM any day it’s open beginning October 1, 2008 through September 20, 2009 for free! This is a special 20th anniversary offer.

MILITARY FAMILY OUTREACH AT THE CONTEMPORARY MUSEUM – Makiki Heights
Active Duty, Retired, and Reserve Military members and their families with military ID are admitted free of charge to TCM during normal museum hours
(808) 237-5210/The Contemporary Museum/2411 Makiki Heights Drive/www.tcmhi.org
If you are in the Military, Active Duty, Retired or Reserve, or a family member with Military ID, enjoy free entry to The Contemporary Museum during normal museum hours. TCM is Hawaii’s only museum dedicated exclusively to contemporary art. Café, Gift Shop and fabulous gardens also open.

ARTS WITH ALOHA MEMBERS

Army Community Theatre’s 64th season includes Sweeny Todd, Annie, Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat, and Grease as well as popular Readers Theatre productions Sundays at 2 p.m. The first community theatre to have gotten the rights to Miss Saigon and CATS, ACT is known for its Broadway blockbuster musical classics. Contact: (808) 438-4480. www.squareone.org/ACT/ Media Contact: (808) 732-7733, prrrrr@hawaii.rr.com.

The ARTS at Marks Garage, a key community project of Hawaii Arts Alliance, is an art incubator for emerging and established artists, start-up ventures, and experimental programming. Marks has earned a reputation for being edgy and adventurous while it proves successful in its mission to transform a blighted downtown neighborhood with the positive impact of culture and the arts. Contact: 1159 Nuuanu Ave., Honolulu HI 96817; 808-521-2903 tel, 808-521-2923-fax; info@artsatmarks.com or www.artsatmarks.com

At Bishop Museum, the largest natural history museum in the Pacific, visitors can experience the natural and cultural history of Hawai‘i like never before! Themed exhibit displays allow guest to discover more about Hawaii and the rest of the Pacific. In the Science Adventure Center, visitors can explore Hawaii’s unique environment through highly interactive exhibits that put visitors at the heart of creation. Bishop Museum also houses the largest collection of Hawaiian and Polynesian artifacts in the world. Newly remodeled Shop Pacifica features books, clothing, art, jewelry and collectibles. Paeaina Café serves sandwiches and snacks. Public Contact: (808) 847-3511. Media Contact: (808) 847-8271. www.bishopmuseum.org

Celebrating its 30th anniversary season in 2006, Ballet Hawaii has been known as Hawaii’s leading ballet organization, presenting large-scale productions such as the Nutcracker as well as performances by top ballet and dance companies. Contact: (808) 521-8600. www.ballethawaii.com

The Contemporary Museum (TCM) is nestled in five acres of meditation and sculpture gardens, and is the only museum in Hawai‘i devoted exclusively to contemporary art. Innovative exhibitions and education programs for all ages are presented at the historic Spalding House in Makiki Heights (overlooking Diamond Head), and downtown at First Hawaiian Center. Al fresco dining available in the Contemporary Café. Gift Shop offers unusual collectibles, jewelry, stationery, and original art works. Contact: (808) 237-5235 or (808) 526-1322 or caldinger@tcmhi.org. www.tcmhi.org

Diamond Head Theatre (DHT), heralded as Hawaii’s “Broadway of the Pacific,” has delivered the best in live community theatrical entertainment since 1915. The theatre showcases Hawaii’s finest local talent, frequently brings in guest artists and supports performance arts education through a variety of community programs, including the acclaimed Shooting Stars. Box Office: (808) 733-0274. Media Contact: (808) 737-0277 ext. 304; cpai@diamondheadtheatre.com. www.diamondheadtheatre.com.

Located at Pier 7, on historic Honolulu Harbor, the Hawaii Maritime Center allows visitors to learn more about Hawaii’s maritime history. From its discovery by Polynesian navigators more than 1500 years ago, to contact with Western cultures, through to whaling and the present day, fun and educational exhibits and programs allow visitors a look back at the heritage of Hawaii on the high seas. Public Contact: (808) 523-6151. Media Contact: (808) 847-8271; www.bishopmuseum.org.

The Hawai‘i State Art Museum (HiSAM) is dedicated to presenting the largest and finest collection of works by Hawai'i artists that celebrate the diverse artistic and cultural legacy of Hawai'i. The museum features visionary artwork from the Art in Public Places Collection, which includes over 5,000 works of art by more than 1,400 artists that have been acquired since the collection began in 1967. This artwork is recognized as one of the most significant collections of late 20th and early 21st century art in Hawai'i. Free monthly events include “Live from the Lawn” performances (First Friday, 6-9 p.m.), “Second Saturday” make-and-take art (11 a.m.- 3 p.m.), and the “Art Lunch” lecture series (Last Tuesday, 12-1 p.m.). Museum is open Tuesday to Saturday, 10 a.m.- 4 p.m. Free admission. No. 1 Capitol District Building, 250 South Hotel Street, 2nd Floor, Honolulu, HI 96813. Phone: (808) 586-0900. Website: www.hawaii.gov/sfca

Built in 1922 and restored inside and out, The Hawaii Theatre is host to a large array of productions each season, ranging from off-Broadway shows such as “Stomp” and “Slava’s Snowshow” to hula, ballet, opera, comedy, Hawaiian music and much more. There are also weekly docent tours on Tuesdays at 11 a.m. that include a mini-performance on the Robert Morton Theatre Organ. Box Office: (808) 528-0506. Media Contact: (808) 262-8556, mppr@hawaii.rr.com. Website: www.hawaiitheatre.com.

The Honolulu Academy of Arts (HAA) is Hawaii's only general fine arts museum and boasts one of the nation's top Asian art collections. Newly renovated, the galleries surround six charming courtyards and feature art from around the world. Superb café and gift shop also available. Contact: (808) 532-8700, academypr@honoluluacademy.org. www.honoluluacademy.org.

Founded in 1900, the Honolulu Symphony has established a legacy as one of Hawaii’s great cultural and educational resources, deeply committed to exploring the challenges of cultural diversity in a community that has rapidly become a crossroads for the world. Every year in Hawaii, the Grammy-nominated Honolulu Symphony presents an exhilarating lineup of music’s biggest stars and most-celebrated repertoire. All Honolulu Symphony concerts take place at the Blaisdell Concert Hall, at the corner of King Street and Ward Avenue in downtown Honolulu. Honolulu Symphony Box Office: (808) 792-2000 or Ticketmaster: 1-877-750-4400. Public Contact: (808) 524-0815. Media Contact: (808) 524-0815 ext. 232. www.honolulusymphony.com

Honolulu Theatre for Youth (HTY) was founded in 1955 as Hawaii’s non-profit professional children’s theatre company. It is recognized the world over as one of America’s most honored theatres. Box Office: (808) 457-4254. Media Contact: (808) 351-5800, aubrey@aubreyhawkpr.com. www.htyweb.org.

Historic Iolani Palace, the only state residence of royalty in the United States, offers historic tours that feature Hawaiian crown jewels, artifacts from Palace life and royal jewelry as well as a fine selection of exclusive merchandise and popular books on Hawaii’s royal legacy. Contact: (808) 522-0832. www.iolanipalace.org

Kumu Kahua Theatre is a not-for-profit community theatre company dedicated to encouraging the writing and production of plays and theatre pieces about life in Hawaii, by Hawaii’s playwrights, and for Hawaii’s people. Box Office: (808) 536-4441. Media Contact: (808) 536-4222, kumukahuatheatre@hawaiiantel.net. www.kumukahua.org.

Manoa Heritage Center offers outdoor guided tours for both adult and school groups by prearranged appointment. Discover Kuka ‘o‘o Heiau and the Native Hawaiian plant garden while learning the history of Manoa Valley. Open Tuesday through Saturday from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. $7 General; $4 seniors and military; children free. Contact: Margo Vitarelli, margomhc@hawaiiantel.net. www.manoaheritagecenter.org. Call (808) 988-1287 for reservations.

Honolulu’s only “Off-Broadway Playhouse,” the 150-seat Manoa Valley Theatre (MVT) has been presenting a vibrant variety of quality theatrical entertainment since 1969. Box Office: (808) 988-6131. Media Contact: (808) 351-5800, Aubrey@AubreyHawkPR.com. www.manoavalleytheatre.com

The Mission Houses Museum, located in Honolulu’s Historic Capitol District, features two original 19th century Congregational missionary houses, a print shop, hundreds of missionary artifacts such as furniture, clothing, cookware, toys and games, paintings and drawings, and a contemporary gallery for changing exhibitions. Open Tuesdays – Saturdays, 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Admission $10 general, $8 kamaaina, seniors and military, $6 students. Guided tours available. (808) 531-0481, ext. 714;
www.missionhousesmuseum.org. Media contact: Nanette Napoleon, (808) 261-0705, nanetten@hawaii.rr.com.

Located in lush, historic Nuuanu Valley, Queen Emma Summer Palace offers visitors a chance to step back in time and experience the summer home of Hawaii's beloved Queen Emma. It was here that the queen consort and her husband, King Kamehameha IV, and their young son, Prince Albert Edward, enjoyed some of their happiest hours together. The Palace is managed by the Daughters of Hawaii, who have been preserving Hawaiian history, culture, and artifacts since 1903. Palace Front Desk: (808) 595-3167, Media Contact: (808) 595-6291, dohmemb@hawaii.rr.com www.daughtersofhawaii.org

Shangri La was American heiress Doris Duke’s private Honolulu oceanside retreat, complete with art, furniture, and built-in architectural elements from Iran, Morocco, Turkey, Spain, Syria, Egypt and India. Ticket Reservations: (866) 385-3849 (toll free) or reserve online at www.honoluluacademy.org. Media Contact: (808) 523-8802, nyokota@strykerweiner.com. www.honoluluacademy.org

Nestled in a courtyard of bamboo and irises, the University of Hawaii Art Gallery presents a program of historical and contemporary exhibitions including the popular triennial International Shoebox Sculpture Exhibition. Contact: (808) 956-6888, gallery@hawaii.edu. www.hawaii.edu/artgallery.

OTHER CONTACTS
Hawaii Museums Association offers a brochure with museum information for the entire state of Hawaii. Visit www.hawaiimuseums.org; Write: P.O. Box 4125, Honolulu, HI 96812-4125.

Hawaii Arts Alliance: Contact: Marla Musick, Communications Director; P.O. Box 3948, Honolulu, HI 96812; arts@hawaiiartsalliance.org; (808) 533-2787; fax: (808) 526-9040.