Hawaiian language, history and culture are prominent as Hawaii’s vibrant community theater groups announce their 2024-2025 schedules. The University of Hawaii at Manoa opens its season with “Puana,” an original hana keaka (Hawaiian language theatrical production) on the Kennedy Theatre Mainstage, and Honolulu Theatre for Youth has scheduled plays about the cultural importance of salt, the many winds of Hawaii and the invention of the Hawaiian steel guitar, as it celebrates its 70th season.

Over in Iwilei, The Actors Group is presenting the first three plays in August Wilson’s “Pittsburgh Cycle.”

Elsewhere around Oahu, theater audiences will find everything from classic dramas and popular Broadway musicals to the diverse works of local playwrights.

Schedules are subject to change; check theater websites or call to confirm showtimes and ticket information. Theater groups are listed in the order of their season openers.

KUMU KAHUA THEATRE

46 Merchant St.; 808-536-4441, kumukahua.org.

Tickets: $28 general; special prices for Thursday performances, seniors, students and groups.

>> “Lovey Lee”: First presented as a virtual production at Kumu Kahua in 2020, and inspired by real-life events in Hawaii in the 1970s, playwright Moses Goods’ grim island drama follows the experiences of a gay Native Hawaiian man, from combat duty in Vietnam to dancing hula to working as a transvestite prostitute in Chinatown. Parental guidance is suggested. Through Sept. 22.

Showtimes: 7 p.m. Sept. 12-14 and 19-21; and 2 p.m. Sept. 8, 15 and 22. Tickets: $8-28.

>> “Kimo the Waiter”: Kimo, a talented and committed actor, is tired of being judged by his appearance and being cast as “the waiter.” Nov. 7- Dec. 8.

Showtimes: 7 p.m. Nov. 7-9, 14-16, 21-23, 29, 30 and Dec. 5-7; and 2 p.m. Nov. 10, 17, 24, Dec. 1 and 8.

>> “Southernmost”: A young woman reluctantly returns to Naalehu, the southernmost town in the U.S., to introduce her girlfriend to her parents. She almost immediately regrets the visit, and then things get worse when a volcano erupts and her father refuses to evacuate. Jan. 23- Feb. 23.

Showtimes: 7 p.m. Jan. 23-25, 30, 31, Feb. 1, 6-8, 13-15 and 20-22; and 2 p.m. Jan. 26, Feb. 2, 8, 16 and 23.

>> “The Magic of Polly Amnesia”: Polly Amnesia — mixed-race queer woman, orphan, punk, magician — tries to distinguish hope from delusion, dreams from reality, and true magic from trickery, while she does her one-woman magic show and tells the audience about her quest to solve the mystery of her own identity and the family that abandoned her. March 27- April 27.

Showtimes: 7 p.m. March 27-29, April 3-5, 10-12, 17-19 and 24-26; and 2 p.m. March 30, April 6, 13, 19 and 27.

>> “The Golden Gays”: Veteran actor/playwright Ryan “Oki” Naka reworks a classic 1980s sitcom into the story of four queer men in their twilight years. Aunty Mary is a retired drag queen “determined to live their life by their own terms.” Tommy’s ex-wife and daughter are keeping him from living his truth as a newly out queer man in his 60s. Jimmy, “an endearing but most times ditsy” Caucasian from the mainland, is grieving the loss of his local Asian husband. Anuenue is a fabulous veteran choreographer and self-proclaimed “man whore” who has found himself a new “boy toy” — but who’s using who? May 29-June 29.

Showtimes: 7 p.m. May 29-31, June 5-7, 12-14, 19-21 and 26-28; and 2 p.m. June 1, 8, 15, 22 and 29.

HONOLULU THEATRE FOR YOUTH

Tenney Theatre, St. Andrew’s Cathedral, 229 Queen Emma Square; 808-839-9885, htyweb.org.

Tickets: $30 adults; $25 seniors and military; and $15 children and students.

>> “Winnie the Pooh and Bunraku Too”: The adventures of A.A. Milneʻs beloved characters are presented as 17th century Japanese puppet theater. Age 4 and up.

Showtime: 4 p.m. Sept. 14.

>> “The Great Race”: Reiko Ho’s celebration of Lunar New Year reveals how 12 animals earned their places in the Chinese zodiac. A classic piece of Chinese folklore told with traditional Asian music and martial arts. Age 4 and up.

Showtimes: 2 p.m. Sept. 29 and 4 p.m. Oct. 5.

>> “Pa Ka Makani”: Hawaii resident playwrights Lokomaikaʻi Lipscomb and Annie Cusick Wood explore the cultural significance of the winds of Hawaii and beyond. Age 7 and up. 2 p.m.

Showtimes: Oct. 13 and 20; and 4 p.m. Oct. 26.

>> “Forest Flutters”: A Bird-Day Party”: Danica Rosegren and the HTY ensemble present an interactive show about native birds. Age 2 and up.

Showtimes: 2 p.m. Nov. 10 and 4 p.m. Nov. 16.

>> “Christmas Talk Story”: Hawaii playwrights “talk story” about popular holidays — Thanksgiving, Hanukkah, Kwanzaa, Makahiki, New Year’s Eve and New Year’s Day, among them. Age 4 and up.

Showtimes: 2 p.m. Dec. 8, 15 and 21.

>> “The Musubi Man”: Lee Cataluna’s adaptation of the book by Sandi Takayama, a local version of “The Gingerbread Man.” Age 2 and up.

Showtimes: 4 p.m. Jan. 18 and 2 p.m. Jan. 26.

>> “The Paakai We Bring”: Playwright Moses Goods and the HTY ensemble celebrate the legacy of multiple generations of salt farmers on Kauai, and the importance of paakai (salt) as “food, medicine, a sacrament and a treasured gift” in traditional Hawaiian culture. Age 7 and up.

Showtimes: 2 p.m. Feb. 9 and 4 p.m. Feb. 15.

>> “Too Many Mangos and Other Stories”: Island keiki (children) Kama and Nani learn lessons about generosity and kindness when their grandfather helps them decide what to do when they have “too many mangos.” Age 4 and up.

Showtimes: 2 p.m. March 30, April 6 and 13; and 4 p.m. April 26.

>> “Joseph Kekuku and the Voice of the Steel Guitar”: Playwrights Moses Goods and Noa Gardner partner with the Kealakai Center for Pacific Strings to tell the story of Joseph Kekuku and the invention of the Hawaiian steel guitar. Age 7 and up.

Showtimes: 2 p.m. May 11, 18 and 25.

MANOA VALLEY THEATRE

2833 E. Manoa Road; 808-988-6131, manoavalleytheatre.com.

Tickets $25-$50.

>> “Ken Ludwig’s ‘Lend Me a Soprano’”: A gender-reversed parody of Ludwig’s Tony Award-winning comedy, “Lend Me A Tenor,” that has an opera company desperately seeking a replacement soprano before curtain time. Sept. 12-29.

Showtimes: 7:30 p.m. Sept. 12-14, 19-21, 27 and 28; and 3 p.m. Sept. 15, 21, 22 and 29.

>> “Once on This Island”: A Haitian peasant girl falls in love with a member of the island’s wealthy Franco-African elite and becomes a pawn in a deadly wager between two powerful Afro-Caribbean gods. Nov. 14-Dec. 8.

Showtimes: 7:30 p.m. Nov. 14-16, 21-23, 29, 30, Dec. 6 and 7; and 3 p.m. Nov. 17, 23, 24, Dec. 1 and 8.

>> “What the Constitution Means to Me”: Playwright Heidi Schreck explores how women’s rights, sexual assault, abortion, immigration and domestic abuse are impacted by the Constitution of the United States. Jan. 23-Feb. 2.

Showtimes: 7:30 p.m. Jan. 23-25, 30, 31 and Feb. 1; and 3 p.m. Jan. 26, Feb. 1 and 2.

>> “Parade”: The Tony Award-winning musical treatment of the trial and conviction of Jewish factory manager Leo Frank for the rape and murder of 13-year-old Mary Phagan in 1913, and his kidnapping and lynching in 1915. Parental guidance suggested. March 20-April 6.

Showtimes: 7:30 p.m. March 20-22, 27-29 and April 3-5; and 3 p.m. March 23, 29, 30 and April 6.

>> “Kim’s Convenience”: The “hilarious and heartwarming comedy drama” about a Korean family in Toronto that inspired the award-winning Canadian television sitcom. May 15-June 8. (June 5-8 performances for those with pack subscriptions).

Showtimes: 7:30 p.m. May 15-17, 22-24 and 29-31; and 3 p.m. May 18, 24, 25, 31 and June 1.

>> “Side by Side by Sondheim”: A celebration of Stephen Sondheim’s legacy as one of the greatest composers and lyricists in Broadway history. July 17-27.

Showtimes: 7:30 p.m. July 17-19 and 24-26; and 3 p.m. July 20, 26 and 27.

>> “The Princess and the Iso Peanut”: Lisa Matsumoto’s retelling of “The Princess and the Pea” performed in 1990s-vintage pidgin with music by multi-Pookela Award winner Roslyn Catracchia. Kaimuki High School Performing Arts Center, 2705 Kaimuki Ave. June 26-July 13.

Tickets to go on sale in February 2025; showtimes to be announced.

Manoa Valley Theatre – Dark Night

>> “The Saviour”: Eden Lee Murray and Chris Jaymes share the stage in the Hawaii premiere of Irish playwright Deirdre Kinahan’s critically acclaimed drama about a woman who survived emotional and physical abuse in a church-run institution for young women but never fully recovered from it.

Showtimes: 7:30 p.m. Jan. 27 and 28. Tickets: $12-$25.

THE ACTORS’ GROUP

Brad Powell Theatre, The Shops at Dole Cannery, 650 Iwilei Road; 808-722-6941, taghawaii.net.

Tickets: $32 general; special prices for military, students, seniors and groups.

>> “Gem of the Ocean”: The year is 1904. In the first play of August Wilson’s 10-play “Pittsburgh Cycle,” a young man arrives in Pittsburgh from Alabama seeking Aunt Ester — an ancient enchantress who “washes souls” — while residents of the city’s Hill District are challenged by injustice and racism in their community. Sept. 20-Oct. 6.

Showtimes: 7 p.m. Sept. 20, 21, 26-28 and Oct. 3-5; and 2 p.m. Sept. 22, 29 and Oct. 6.

>> “Fool for Love”: Two former lovers meet at a remote motel. He wants to resume the relationship, she doesn’t. A mysterious “old man” sits off to the side, talks to both of them, and provides commentary of their relationship. Nov. 22-Dec. 8.

Showtimes: 7 p.m. Nov. 22, 23, 28-30 and Dec. 5-7; and 1:30 p.m. Nov. 24, Dec. 1 and 8.

>> “Joe Turner’s Come and Gone”: In the second decade of the 20th century, the sons and daughters of freed slaves come to Pittsburgh in search of the culture and history they’ve lost, bringing with them their hopes for solace and salvation. Jan. 24-Feb. 9.

Showtimes: 7 p.m. Jan. 24, 25, 30, 31, Feb. 1 and 6-8; and 1:30 p.m. Jan. 26, Feb. 2 and 9.

>> “My Name is Asher Lev”: A young Jewish painter is torn between his desire for professional success and the expectations of his parents and the Jewish community. Based on the novel by Chaim Potok. March 21-April 6.

Showtimes: 7 p.m. March 21, 22, 27-29 and April 3-5; and 1:30 p.m. March 23, 30 and April 6.

>> “Ma Rainey’s Black Bottom”: African-American blues singer Gertrude “Ma” Rainey is running late for her scheduled recording session. While her musicians are waiting for her, one of them decides to make a play for his own record deal. May 16-June 1.

Showtimes: 7 p.m. May 16, 17, 22-24 and 29-31; and 1:30 p.m. May 18, 25 and June 1.

>> “The Transylvanian Clockworks”: The iconic heroes, victims and villains of Bram Stoker’s definitive 1897 vampire novel, “Dracula,” are reimagined and reconfigured in playwright Don Nigro’s tale of mysterious deaths in late-Victorian London. July 11-27.

Showtimes: 7 p.m. July 11, 12, 17-19 and 24-27; and 1:30 p.m. July 13, 20 and 27.

DIAMOND HEAD THEATRE

520 Makapuu Ave.; 808-733-0274, diamondheadtheatre.com.

Tickets: $41-$68.

>> “Honeymoon in Vegas”: Broadway’s take on the 1992 movie about a couple whose marriage plans are derailed when he runs up a $58,000 gambling debt, and she’s told that the debt will be considered paid if she spends the rest of the weekend with the man who holds the IOU. Sept. 20-Oct. 12.

Showtimes: 7:30 p.m. Sept. 20, 21, 26-28, Oct. 3-5, 11 and 12; 3 p.m. Sept. 28, Oct. 5 and 12; and 4 p.m. Sept. 22, 29 and Oct. 6.

>> “White Christmas”: The year is 1954. Two World War II veterans, now successful performers and Broadway show producers, help two young women out of a financial jam and end up helping their former commanding officer as well. Nov. 22-Dec. 14.

Showtimes: 7:30 p.m. Nov. 22, 23, 27, 29, 30, Dec. 5-7, 13 and 14; 3 p.m. Nov. 30 and Dec. 7; and 4 p.m. Nov. 24, Dec. 1 and 8.

>> “Master Class”: Famed operatic soprano Maria Callas shares intimate details of her life and recalls the professional challenges she faced while giving frank assessments of her students’ talent and expectations. Jan. 24-Feb. 9.

Showtimes: 7:30 p.m. Jan. 24, 25, Jan. 30-Feb. 1 and Feb. 6-8; 3 p.m. Feb. 1 and 8; and 4 p.m. Jan. 26, Feb. 2 and 9.

>> “Grease”: The perennially popular 1970s parody of early rock ‘n’ roll and the teen movies of the 1950s. March 21- April 6.

Showtimes: 7:30 p.m. March 22, 27-29 and April 3-5; 3 p.m. March 29 and April 5; and 4 p.m. March 23, 30 and April 6. (March 21 performance sold out.)

>> “Man of La Mancha”: Imprisoned during the Spanish Inquisition, Miguel de Cervantes and his fellow prisoners act out the story of elderly Alonso Quijana and his quest to right the world’s wrongs as the idealistic knight Don Quixote. May 23-June 8.

Showtimes: 7:30 p.m. May 23, 24, May 29-31 and June 5-7; 3 p.m. May 31 and June 7; and 4 p.m. May 25, June 1 and 8.

>> “The SpongeBob Musical”: Can SpongeBob SquarePants and his friends — Patrick, Squidward, Sandy Cheeks and SpongeBob’s pet sea snail, Gary — save Bikini Bottom from destruction? July 18-Aug. 3.

Showtimes: 7:30 p.m. July 18, 19, 24-26 and July 31-Aug. 2; 3 p.m. July 26 and Aug. 2; and 4 p.m. July 20, 27 and Aug. 3.

LEEWARD COMMUNITY COLLEGE

96-045 Ala Ike St., Pearl City, 808-455-0380, www.leeward.hawaii.edu/theatre.

Tickets: $40 general; special prices for seniors, staff/alumni, youth and students.

>> Leeward Theatre’s 50th Anniversary Celebration: LCC celebrates the opening of the theatre 50 years ago with performances by the school’s alumni and special guests.

Showtime: 2 p.m. Sept. 22.

>> “Lisa Matsumoto’s ‘Once Upon One Time’”: Matsumoto’s original mash-up of American fairy tales retold in the style of MAD magazine and Rocky & Bullwinkle’s “Fractured Fairy Tales,” and “translated” into traditional pidgin English, never gets old for local audiences.

Showtimes: 7:30 p.m. Nov. 1 and 2; and 2 p.m. Nov. 2 and 3.

>> “Kala‘e + Kalena + Kalikimaka”: Na Hoku Hanohano Award winners Kala‘e + Kalena celebrate Christmas with their originals, country classics, hula and performances by special guests.

Showtime: 7:30 p.m Dec. 13.

>> “Native Intelligence/Innate Intelligence”: Dance, Hawaiian chant and percussion, original compositions for cello and multimedia scenic design become the tools for examining the issues of ancestry, home, belonging, who we are, where we come from, and our ways of knowing these things that are both inherited and learned.

Showtime: 2 p.m. Jan. 26.

>> “Na Lei Hulu i ka Wekiu: ‘Kupukupu’”: Avant-garde kumu hula Patrick Makuakane and his Na Lei Hulu i ka Wekiu return to Hawaii with a stunning new production that features his 10-piece musical ensemble.

Showtimes: 7 p.m. March 15 and 2 p.m. March 16.

UNIVERSITY OF HAWAII AT MANOA

Kennedy Theatre, 1770 East-West Road; 808-956-7655, 808ne.ws/kennedytheatre.

Mainstage Season — Kennedy Theatre Mainstage

Tickets: $25 general, with special prices for seniors, faculty/staff, students and on the first Saturday monthly.

>> “Puana”: Playwright/director Tammy Haili’opua Baker explores the deep connections that kanaka maoli (Native Hawaiians) have with their kupuna (ancestors) through song in this original hana keaka (Hawaiian language theatrical production) created with artistic collaboration by R. Keawe Lopes Jr., Tracie Ka’onohiokalani Lopes, Zachary Alaka’i Lum and Tawaroa Kawana. Sept. 27, 28 and Oct. 4-6.

Showtimes: 7:30 p.m. Sept. 27, 28, Oct. 4 and 5; and 2 p.m. Oct. 6.

>> “Rent”: UH-Manoa Assistant Professor of Acting Joshua “Baba” Tavares makes his directorial debut with a contemporary take on Jonathan Larson’s groundbreaking rock opera. Tavares’ “Rent” explores timeless themes of love, loss and friendship during the height of the AIDS epidemic, while adding contemporary life experiences in post-COVID America. Content advisories: Substance abuse, strong language, sexuality, self-harm. Feb. 28, March 1 and 7-9.

Showtimes: 7:30 p.m. Feb. 28, March 1, 7 and 8; and 2 p.m. March 9.

Prime Time Series — Earle Ernst Lab Theatre

Tickets: $18 general, with special prices for seniors, military, faculty/staff and students.

>> “4.48 Psychosis”: Master of Fine Arts candidate Arlo Chiaki Rowe draws on personal experiences with severe depression “and other disorders” in directing playwright Sarah Kane’s piece that was inspired by her own struggles with psychosis and “difficulty in making genuine human connections with the people around her.” Content advisories: Suicidal ideation, mental illness, self-harm, profane language and flashing lights. Oct. 23-25 and 27.

Showtimes: 7:30 p.m. Oct. 23-25 and 27; and 2 p.m. Oct. 27.

>>“Clocks”: Master of Fine Arts candidate Jay Pitt explores “young, sapphic love” and the challenges couples can face when one wants to leave Hawaii to continue her education and the other wants to stay in the community where they grew up. “Dedicated to queer love and the joy and hardship that comes with it.” Content advisories: Adult language and suggestive themes. April 9-13.

Showtimes: 7:30 p.m. April 9-12; and 2 p.m. April 13.

Late Night Series — Earle Ernst Lab Theatre

Tickets: $10 general, with special prices for seniors, military, faculty/staff and students.

>> “Gothmass”: Ph.D. candidate Mariah Massengill directs an “an interactive, raunchy, warming experience” that includes “collaboratively and independently created performances … that use holidays, spirituality, and alternative living as themes to tell stories of members in our community.”

Showtimes: 8:30 p.m. Dec. 7 and 8.

>> “Mapping Living Histories: Performance as Embodied Archive”: Ph.D. Performance Studies candidate David Crellin directs cast members who use “recorded interviews, documentation, personal artifacts, photographs, and memorabilia” to create “an embodied narrative of a person of substance in their life” for the purpose of creating “a hybrid expression of the space that lies between subject and object. March 1, 2, 7 and 8.

Showtimes: 11 p.m March 1, 7 and 8; and 7:30 p.m. March 2.

HAWAII THEATRE CENTER

1130 Bethel St., 808-528-0506, hawaiitheatre.com.

Tickets: $20-$75.

>> “Prescription: Murder”: Longtime friends Pat Sajak and Joe Moore reunite to star in their revival of this classic 1962 crime drama about a psychiatrist who murders his wife and the police detective assigned to the case. Proceeds benefit the Hawaii Theatre Center. July 31-Aug. 10 2025.

Showtimes: 7 p.m. July 31, Aug. 1, 2, and 6-9; and 2 p.m. Aug. 2, 3, 9 and 10.

The following theaters did not have seasonal programming finalized as of press time: Chaminade University of Honolulu, Hawaii Pacific University and Windward Community College.