After being mostly closed for 5-1/2 years due to renovations and the COVID-19 pandemic, Leeward Theatre has fully reopened and is finally offering a full season of performances.
The theater on the campus of Leeward Community College in Pearl City kicked off the 2022-2023 season in September with The Lili‘u Project’s production of “Makalapua,” and has scheduled events through June.
The renovation of the 628-seat theater cost $11.9 million and included access upgrades, replacement of theater seats and modernization of the stage and lighting.
Elisa Olson, manager of Leeward Theatre, said the revitalized theater measures up with its peers nationally: “I’ve been all over the country. I’ve been in 49 of the 50 United States in theaters because I toured for five years. This is an incredible theater space.”
The theater complex also includes a scene shop, two small and two large dressing rooms, an 80-seat lab theater, two dance studios and an orchestra pit that can be raised to add performance space or lowered for additional seating.
Students, faculty and staff use the facility for plays, concerts and recitals. Community groups, schools and local companies also rent the facilities for private and public performances, seminars and workshops.
The renovated Leeward Theatre held a few shows in 2019, and officials had intended then to build up the facility’s offerings and restore it as a hub of arts and culture for the Leeward campus and Central Oahu communities, a statement from the University of Hawaii said. However, starting when the pandemic closed all UH campuses to the public beginning in 2020, theater plans were suspended until this year.
The Leeward Theatre hosted Hawai‘i Ballet Theatre’s production of “The Nutcracker” on Nov. 25-27 and the University of Hawaii Manoa bands on Sunday. Information on coming events and tickets soon will be added to the theater’s website, leeward.hawaii.edu/theatre.
Coming up:
>> Friday-Saturday: Pas de Deux Hawaii
>> Dec. 13: Hawai‘i Symphony
>> February (dates to be determined): Hawai‘i Symphony
>> Feb. 19: X1 Entertainment — Piper Rockelle, social media influencer
>> March 4-5: Starpower Talent Competition
>> March 24: Treasure Box — Goldmine Dance Company
>> Apr. 14-15: UH Outreach College — Atamira Dance Company
>> Apr. 22-23: EnerGy National Dance Competition
>> Apr. 30: UH Manoa bands
>> May 6: ‘Iolani School
>> May 12-14: Ballet Hawaii
>> May 27: Island Pacific Academy
>> June 2-3: Spotlight Dance Cup
>> June 9-10: Rosalie Woodson Dance Academy
>> June 16-18: Pas de Deux Hawaii
>> June 24: Waipahu Community School for Adults
