Planetarium marks 50 years with talk

Bishop Museum’s Watumull Planetarium will celebrate its 50th anniversary Dec. 12 with a free program at 7 p.m. featuring Mike Shanahan, the museum’s director of education, exhibits and planetarium.

Shanahan will discuss highlights of the planetarium’s history since its opening in 1961, including the role it played in the recovery of Polynesian navigation skills.

The program includes a tour of the Hawaiian night sky under the planetarium dome and a telescope session, weather permitting.

Reservations are required.

Call 848-4168 or visit www.bishopmuseum.org.

Star impersonators take Waikiki stage

Big-time celebrity impersonators are returning to Waikiki as Legends in Concert Waikiki presents a new show at the Royal Hawaiian Center.

When the original Legends in Concert opened in the ’90s, the “stars” included Elvis, Madonna, Michael Jackson and Marilyn Monroe.

Elvis and MJ will be in the building when the updated show opens tonight at the center’s Royal Hawaiian Theatre, but the new lineup includes Lady Gaga.

The performers will not only look like the celebrities they’re impersonating, they will sound like them too when they sing live with their actual voices — no lip-syncing or electronic tricks allowed.

The show surrounds the Legends stars with dancers, elaborate stage sets and concert-quality sound.

The Waikiki show is one of seven Legends in Concert productions. The larger Legends family of celebrity impersonators includes portrayals as diverse as ABBA, Ray Charles, Aretha Franklin, Judy Garland, Britney Spears, George Strait and Barry White.

The show starts at 8:15 p.m. Tuesdays through Sundays; tickets are $50 (cocktails only), $90 (luau), $140 (VIP) and $180 (Green Room).

For information, call 629-7469 or visit www.LegendsWaikiki.com.