Hawai‘i’s Theatre Scene Shines Bright This Weekend and Beyond

By Richard Melendez, Digital Editor

While Hawai‘i is often heralded for its food scene, and some attention is given to its local music scene, you hear very little about its theatre scene. Which is a shame, because Hawai‘i’s theatre scene is vibrant and unique, and worthy of our attention.

Once upon a time, Hawai‘i theatre felt limited to stagings of popular Broadway musicals, like “Cats” and “Phantom of the Opera.” There’s nothing wrong with those, but why support a big-box store when you’ve got a mom & pop right next door, right? That’s why it’s good to see that there’s a sense of local-ness and authenticity in our local theatre that’s not only persevered through the years, but it feels like it’s grown as of late.

This weekend alone has performances of “The Complete Works of William Shakespeare (Abridged)” on Kaua‘i, a comedic condensation of Shakespeare’s plays performed by only three actors and in a fraction of the time; “Once on this Island, Jr.” on Maui, the “The Watcher of Waipuna” by local playwright Gary Pak; “Allegiance,” which was inspired by events in the life of George Takei (Star Trek’s Mr. Sulu) and “Something Rotten!” with the latter three all taking place on O‘ahu. And believe it or not, this is a relatively quiet week!

Meanwhile, the Big Island will feature “Level E” with Q – Improv Comedy Fundamentals, nurturing the next generation of local performers.

There’s a vibrant theatre scene on each island that’s reflected not only in the breadth of local projects being staged and the variety of shows overall, but also in the performers and crews that bring life to these works. Their passion and talents shine through.

Catch one of these performances while you can, and keep your eye on our Events page for upcoming performances.

Support local theatre!