Generations of kids have enjoyed Claire Huchet Bishop’s children’s book, "The Five Chinese Brothers."

The identical brothers — each with a different superpower — stand together and outsmart the law when one brother is wrongfully sentenced to death.

Each time a form of execution is announced, the doomed man requests permission to go home and bid his family farewell, and the brother whose talent makes him invulnerable to that particular form of death takes his place. Four unsuccessful execution attempts later, the judge concludes that the condemned man must be innocent and grants him a pardon.

Bishop’s beloved book provides the basic story line for actor/playwright Alvin Chan’s latest Hono­lulu Theatre for Youth play, "Five Chinese Brothers." But Chan’s version moves the story back in time several hundred years and dresses the characters according to the conventions of traditional Chinese theater. Chan also utilizes the talents of fight choreographer Nick Logue in his production, introducing a martial arts-style fight scene.

Anticipate a colorful introduction to traditional Chinese theater and an opportunity for kids to contrast the variations of the tale. —John Berger

Magic shows infuse audiences of all ages with wonder and joy

Magic has the ability to instill us with a sense of wonder, suspending our disbelief with convincing illusions.

According to local magician Harvey "Mr. O" Ouchi, there are many reasons why magic entices. "It brings smiles and lightens up the spirit," he said. "It heals and makes one forget their troubles and worries."

Ouchi, one of the founding fathers of Ko‘olau Magic Theatre in Kaneohe, began dabbling in magic when he was a teacher in the ’90s. "The thought of learning magic and sharing it with students at my school excited me," he said.

Ouchi currently works as a school administrator for the Department of Education.

Ouchi, along with local, national and international magicians, puts on monthly family magic shows at the theater, which recently celebrated its third anniversary. The shows are held on the fourth Friday of each month. —Nancy Arcayna

STEP-BY-STEP

Magic card trick: Fool your friends

» Glimpse at the bottom card of your deck and remember the card. (This will be your key card that will be next to the volunteer’s selected card.)

» Spread the deck face down and have a volunteer select a card.

» Have the volunteer show it to all members of the audience.

» Cut the deck in two, have the volunteer place the chosen card on top of the deck, then complete the cut. The “key card” should now be on top of the selected card.

» Get the volunteer to cut the deck a few more times. The “key card” should stay with the selected card.

» Now spread the deck face-up and say, “Your card is lost somewhere in the deck, would you agree?” This allows you to scan the spread for the card.

» From there you can use a number of creative ways to identify the selected card. Wave the volunteer’s hand over the deck or pretend to read the volunteer’s mind. Be creative!

Keiki can enjoy Japanese art lessons and short films at Family Sunday event

"Manga Madness" is the focus of this month’s Bank of Hawaii Family Sunday at the Hono­lulu Museum of Art.

Held in conjunction with the Hiroshige exhibit showcasing early work that is the precursor to the Japanese comic art form, the free event features Star-Advertiser comic strip contributors Jon J. Murakami and Audra Furuichi as part of a group of artists who will help keiki create their own manga. MidWeek cartoonist Roy Chang will also review participants’ anime-inspired artwork.

Family Sunday runs from 11 a.m. to 5 p.m. (Activities will end at 3 p.m.)

The Doris Duke Theatre will also screen a selection of favorites from the Children’s Film Festival Seattle.

The 66-minute program, which starts at 11:10 a.m., showcases 11 short films. Award-winning shorts in the program include:

» "The Driving Accident" (Canada): A little boy attempts to clean up after a mishap that only gets worse.
»•"Love Bug" (United States): A shy 9-year-old boy works up his courage to ask a like-minded girl out on a date.
» "Big Drive" (Canada): Four sisters use their imaginations to make a long road trip as fun as possible.

Tickets are $3 for adults and $1 for children ages 13 and under, and will be available a half-hour before screening. Call 532-8700 or visit honolulumuseum.org/events/bank_of_hawaii_sunday. —John Berger

‘Battleship’ screens aboard Mo

If you’re looking for a unique movie experience, attend the free screening of "Battleship" aboard the same ship that starred in the film: the Battleship Missouri Memorial.

The screening will take place at 7 p.m. Aug. 28 aboard the Mighty Mo, which is berthed at Ford Island in Pearl Harbor. There will be complimentary shuttle service from the Pearl Harbor Visitor Center starting at 5:30 p.m.

Although tickets are free, you have to reserve them online at USSMissouri.org/MoMovies.

The battleship played a large role in the film about an invasion of space aliens that land in Hawaii and pretty much cut through every U.S. naval vessel in the region.

"Battleship" was directed by Peter Berg and starred Taylor Kitsch, Alexander Skarsgard, Rihanna, Brooklyn Decker and Liam Neeson. It was shot largely in Hawaii in 2010 and included footage of the decommissioned Mighty Mo. —John Berger