Author: Wayne Harada

Diamond Head Theatre will launch its 2025-26 stage season this fall, with the Hawaii premiere of the Tony-nominated “Come From Away,” a sentimental show with 9/11 roots, debuting Sept.12, 2025. It brings down the curtain with a popular finale, the Tony-winning “Les Misérables,” the world’s most beloved musical based on Victor Hugo’s iconic novel,  bowing July 31, 2026.

“Next season, we focus on presenting powerful, inspirational stories with an eclectic lineup of shows that offer entertainment for all ages, from keiki to kupuna,” said Trevor Tamashiro, DHT executive director.

For the first time in recent memory, DHT will host an all-musical season, answering the wishes of most season ticket holders. No dramas, no comedies…just four major melodic treasures and two newbies tucked in between the bookend shows.  But the fresh pair of shows will be surprises – one is making its Broadway debut this month, the other will be a fresh, celebratory, fueling a feel-good Christmas! season.

The show lineup is as follows:

• Come From Away,  Sept. 12, 2025 through Oct. 5, 2025. The production is based on true events of Sept. 11, 2001, when 38 aircrafts transporting thousands of passengers, were diverted to Gander, Newfoundland,  because of the tragedy happening in New York City’s Twin Towers, the Pentagon in Washington D.C.,  and in Pennsylvania. The small town welcomed the thousands of passenters diverted to its community, since plane traffic, landings and departures, were halted. The Newfoundlanders provided food, music, and bunks, opening their hearts and doors overcoming cultural  and language barriers, in an extraordinary act of kindness and aloha, demonstrating  resilience, hospitality and humanity in a time of dire need.  The show’s creators, Irene Sankoff and David Hein, were nominated for a Tony.
• “Piney Needlesmith and the Road Less Traveled,” Nov. 21, 2025 to Dec. 7, 2025 — This whimsical production is a heartwarming holiday show – a feel-good Christmas gift! – about a misfit pine tree, an 8-year-old girl named Piney in search of  her place in the world. With the help of a charismatic polar bear, Piney embarks on an unforgettable adventure. The score (music and lyrics) is by Hawaii’s  Roslyn Catracchia (of Lisa Matsumoto’s “Once Upon One Time” trilogy) and Utah’s Peter Seibert (“Captain Marvel”), her new collaborator. The show reflects the spirit of the holidays and maintains an uplifting tone, capturing the wonders of the holidays and targets all ages, including children of all ages.
• “The Last Five Years,”  Jan. 23, 2026 through Feb. 8, 2026 — This contemporary musical follows two New Yorkers, rising author Jamie and aspiring actress Cathy, as they fall in and out of love  as they navigate the complexities of their relationship over a five-year span. The heralded score, by acclaimed Tony-winning Jason Robert Brown, is a draw, and talk about fresh and new …  this show, winner of two Drama Desk Awards, is pegged for a March 18 to May 4 run on Broadway this year.
• “West Side Story,” March 20, 2026 through April 5, 2026 —  This is the classic that has everything: a love story coupled with gang warfare inspired by Shakespeare’s “Romeo and Juliet,” Leonard Bernstein’s iconic, soaring score, Stephen Sondheim’s memorable, moving lyrics, the stunning choreography of Jerome Robbins. The tunes are indelible, including “Maria” “Tonight,” “America,” “I Feel Pretty,” “Somewhere.”
• “Funny Girl,” May 22, 2026 to June 7, 2026.– This beloved evergreen explores the rise and radiance of Fanny Brice, the aspiring girl with can-do determination, from New York’s Lower East Side. She succeeds in becoming one of Broadway’s brightest stars; the role unofficially is “owned” by Barbra Streisand, who originated the part on Broadway and recreated the role in the movie, elevating such signature hits as “I’m the Greatest Star,” “Don’t Rain on My Parade,” and “People.”  The songs are by Jule Styne (music) and Bob Merrill (lyrics) with book by Isobel Lennart.
• “Les Misérables,” July 31, 2026 through Aug. 9, 2026 – History is on the side of “Les Misérables,” aka “Les Mis,” winner of more than 100 international awards and enjoyed by more than 130 million people globally and fifth in the Top 10 most-viewed Broadway shows. Based on Victor Hugo’s novel and set in 19^th century France, this is a powerful tale of passion, redemption and revolution, about Jean Valjean, his unjust imprisonment for 19 years and his enduring life of mistrust and mistreatment. With book by Alain Boublil and Claude-Michel Schonberg, music by Schonberg and lyrics by Herbert Kretzmer, the entire score is loaded with major jewels as “I Dreamed a Dream,” “On My Own,” “Bring Him Home,” “Do You Hear the People Sing,” “One Day More,” “Castle on a Cloud,” “In My Life,” “Master of the House” and “Stars.” “Les Mis” was nominated for 12 Tony Awards in 1987, and won eight, including Best Musical.

Season subscriptions start at $174, guaranteeing seats to the entire season of shows. Subscriptions begin this summer; single tickets go on sale later, date to be announced.

To become a subscriber, visit www.diamondheadtheatre.com or  call the box office at (808) 733-0274…

And that’s Show Biz…

“Moana Jr.,” a Disney’s musical about a seafaring young girl with big dreams, opens Friday (Feb. 28) at the Joseph Rider Farrington Community Auditorium in Kalihi.

The musical, about a young girl named Moana from the mythical Motonui village somewhere in the Pacific, has a wide following, thanks to two animated cartoon features.

Moana hopes to hop in a canoe and explore her heritage. And how far she’ll go is the thrust of “Moana Jr.,” a 60-minute live-action stage based on the original “Moana” animated Disney cartoon.

The “Jr.” in the title alludes to the fact that the show, with a high school student cast, involves an abbreviated script, aimed at students in drama, and has 60-minute running time.

But the spirit and aspirations of Moana are not reduced in the retelling of her dream, to discover her heritage.

 “Moana” also has had a sequel film, “Moana 2,” released last year in the theaters, and a movie has been shooting in Hawaii,  as a live-action film. Further, the Moana legacy is also being developed into what likely will be expanded into a Broadway stage musical, following the Disney tradition of such hits as “The Lion King,” “Beauty of the Beast,” and “Aladdin.”

The ”Moana Jr.” cast:

• Heavenlee Botelho-Sarcedo, as Moana.
• Dicen Kaahu-Akina, as Maui.
• Saphira Cabacongan-Aana, as Gramma Tala.
• Anselm Fautanu, Chief Tui.
• Natalie Kovach, as Sina.
• Marky Rafael, as Hei Hei.
• Julian Sanchez, as Pua.
• Jo Salazar, as Tamatoa.
• Axle Munoz, as Chief Ancestor.
• Kiana Ulep-Lambot, as Young Moana.

The ensemble: Chellcee Acosta, Prince Adena, Alexia Afable, Joel Alonzo, Jacy Brown, Joel Cabrales Jr., Wayne Cadoy, Karefullyn Jack, Leihua Kuhaulua, Kalani Milne, Kyle Rieta, Quincy Sablan, Jemima Titania, Kamakea Wright, Barbara Yano, Rain Young

Kirstyn Trombetta is director, Aubrey Lee Staley is choreographer and Justin Gardem is musical director.

The coming-of-age show explores the riches of Oceania history and taps characters, traditions, and beliefs reflecting the cultures of the South Seas and inserts the dynamics of the aspirations of a heroine.

“Moana” has strong ties with the islands, since Auli‘i Cravalho, then a Kamehameha Schools student, was cast to provide the voice of the titular character in the landmark original feature. She delivered the film’s key tune “How Far I’ll Go,” which quickly became a staple on radio playlists.

“Moana Jr.” features the music of Lin-Manuel Miranda, best known as the creator of “Hamilton” and its score. Miranda, a Tony, Grammy, Emmy and Pulitzer Prize-winning tunesmith, collaborated with Mark Mancina and Opetaia Foa‘i to create a tapestry of original music for this fantasy about hopes, dreams, bravery and selflessness in the spirit of the proverbial “Disney princess.”

And a footnote: Miguel Cadoy III, an Academy Director at Farrington and a prolific actor in the community, has been on a leave of absence to prep a mainstage “Moana” production aboard Disney Cruise Line’s new Disney Treasure ship.

His skills as a versatile performing artist and musician have been a plus at sea; the show is likely to evolve as a full-fledged Broadway attraction, timetable not certain…

And that’s Show Biz…

*************“

‘Moana Jr.’

A Disney stage musical, based on a South Seas heroine

What: A tale about Moana, a girl with big dreams, and her aspiration to become a voyager and sail the waters of the Pacific in search of her heritage

Where: Joseph Rider Farrington Community Auditorium, at Farrington High School.

When: Opens at 7:30 p.m. Friday (Feb. 28); repeats at 7:30 p.m. Saturday (March 1) and 2 p.m. Sunday (March 2)  and again March 7, 8 and 9.

Tickets: $10, adults 18 and older; $5 students 5 through 17; $3, Farrington students (tickets at box office, with student ID); free, keiki on laps

Reservations: https://cur8.com/projects/15389

“Rent,” the storied Jonathan Larson rock opera set in New York’s East Village and based on Puccini’s “La Boheme,” checks in on Friday (Feb. 28) at Kennedy Theatre at the University of Hawaii.

It’s a compelling exploration of crises and coping–talented young artists facing escalating cost of living, homelessness, displacement, mental health issues, and substance abuse. In short,  it’s a journey of self-discovery in the middle of the threat of  AIDS in the late 1980s and ‘90s.

“Rent” has been applauded for its ensemble traits, as depicted in the musical’s  charismatic anthem, “Seasons of Love.”

Expect timeless themes of love, loss, and friendship. “Rent” has been a Tony Award-winning show on Broadway and recipient of a Pulitzer Prize and also been transferred to the movie screen with its brand of  contagious vigor of Bohemian artists struggling to survive the ills of AIDS. The health issues then have parallels to the current challenges of the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic that started in 2019 continues to change the world, culturally and economically.

The Kennedy cast features, in order of appearance:

• Ikaika Mendez, as Roger Davis.
• Jack Romans, as Mark Cohen.
• Ka‘enaaloha Watson, as Mimi Marquez.
• Casey Kekoa Lauti, as Angel Dumott Schunard.
• Dea So‘oalom, as Benjamin “Benny” Coffin III.
• Keanu Roe, as Tom Collins.
• Ainsley Shearer, as Maureen Johnson.
• Daniella Addeo-Corte, as Joanne Jefferson.

The ensemble: Nadia Gene Amian, Rori Ann Barchers, Edward John, Kainoa Bonsell, Laniakea Chun-Rivas, Pono Cummings, Dylan DeAsis, Vanessa Gould, Sara Imata, Kylie Kwak, Casey Kekoa Lauti, Bryce Linsangan, Jessy Marny Pascua, Breanna “Kaponianani” Purdy, Tyler Shimabukuro, Evie Sweet, Hollee Temple, Anneliese Wirsching

“Rent” was the dream project of the inspired Larson, a playwright, composer and lyricist, and it previewed and opened at the New York Theatre Workshop on Jan. 26, 1996, a day before the show’s formal opening night – timed to the 100^th anniversary of Puccini’s opera. Its formal Broadway debut, at the Nederlander Theatre, was on April 29, 1996, so Larson never saw his beloved show, which embraced social and cultural issues, along with substance abuse, and homophobia.

“Rent” has Hawaii ties; one of the show’s award-winning producers is Kevin McCollum, formerly of Honolulu, who continues to be a prolific Tony Award-winning Broadway producer, whose credits include “Avenue Q,” “In the Heights,” “Something Rotten,” “The Drowsy Chaperone.” His current Broadway titles include “Oh, Mary!” and “Six.”

Joshua “Baba” Tavares, an assistant professor of acting, is director of the production. He portrayed Angel in the 20^th anniversary national tour of “Rent” (circa 2019-2020), so the show is close to his heart. That touring company had a run at Blaisdell Concert Hall, and included the former Big Islander now teaching at the UH’s Department of Theatre and Dance.

So, Baba’s memories are vivid and lasting. Of “Rent,” he said: “It’s about love, relationships, healing, passion, and figuring out who we are – things that never stop being relevant or important. It’s uplifting, heartbreaking, and hopeful. It’s  also a great show for students to learn and grow from”…

And that’s Show Biz…

‘Rent’

A musical by Jonathan Larson, playwright, composer, and lyricist

What: A rock-opera, based on the Puccini opera, “La Boheme,” which explores life and challenges of Bohemian youths, in New York City at the time of the height of the AIDS crisis

When: Opening at 7:30 p.m. Friday (Feb. 28); repeats at 7:30 p.m. Saturday (March 1)  and again at 7:30 p.m. March 7 and 8, and at 2 p.m. March 9; pre-show chats at 6:45 p.m. prior to Saturday shows

Tickets: $25, adults; $22, UH faculty and staff, military and seniors; $10, other discount groups; $15, non-UH Manoa students, youths; $8, UHM student with valid ID

Special ‘Throwback Saturday performance, March 1; $15, adults; $10, discount groups; $5, UHM students

Reservations: https://hawaiiathletics.evenue.net/events/KT2