Live actors, original music and the 21st-century technology of Bishop Museum’s J. Watumull Planetarium come together to create a unique introduction to the wonders of astronomy with “The Boy Who Fell in Love With a Star.”
First presented in 1984, the show reunites the original actor/playwrights, Adela Chu and Jeff Gere, in telling the story of a boy named Joey who is visited late one evening by a magical star and goes on a journey through the universe. The multimedia production introduces young children to the marvels of astronomy and the magic of live theater.
>> Title: “The Boy Who Fell in Love With a Star”
>> Run dates: 9:30 and 10:30 a.m. today, Oct. 29, Nov. 5-6 and 11-13
>> Where: J. Watumull Planetarium, Bishop Museum
>> Admission: $10 ($7.50 for age 4-12), $7.50 ($5 for age 4-12) with purchase of museum admission
>> Length of play: 35 minutes
>> Intermission: No
>> Age recommendation: Preschool to third grade, but will entertain adults as well
>> What it’s about: A young boy who loves astronomy goes on a journey through the night sky that includes witnessing the creation of the universe with the big bang, learning elements of Polynesian navigation and the discovering the shapes of some familiar constellations. It all seems like a dream later on, but then he finds proof that the journey really happened.
>> Morals and messages: The sky is exciting and interesting. Astronomy is fun. Get outside, look at the stars and have fun.
>> Parental advisory: Nothing to worry about. Clean family entertainment from start to finish.
>> Kid-pleaser scenes: The start of the show as sun sets and the stars come on. The big bang boasts some impressive special effects, as does the boy’s ride through space.
>> Director says: “We’re fortunate enough — thanks to the state of Hawaii’s funding of our renovations four years ago — to have a state-of-the-art facility with full-dome video, with a great sound system and with a great star machine, so I feel it’s my obligation to take it as far as we can and to do as many interesting things as possible,” said planetarium Director Mike Shanahan. “‘Boy Who Fell’ is certainly one of the things that we’re doing to expand the possibilities of the planetarium. It includes some hard astronomy, but the science is touched on lightly — the show isn’t pedantic, but it doesn’t shortchange the science either.”
>> For more info: 847-3511 or bishopmuseum.org
