Manoa Valley Theatre boasts a bonanza of fun and thrills during its 2025-26 season, just announced and beginning this fall.
The slate and playdates:
- “Da Mayah,” Lee Cataluna’s political, local-style comedy involving a Hilo mayor with a secret, Sept. 11 to 28.
- “Priscilla, Queen of the Desert: The Musical,” an Australian tale of two drag queens and a trans woman traveling on a bus to perform at resort in Alice Springs; it’s a collaboration of Stephan Elliott and Allan Scott, based on a movie, Nov. 13 to Dec. 7.
- “Dial M for Murder,” a traditional crime drama, about a husband contemplating the murder of his wife, based on a film and adapted by Jeffrey Hatcher from the original by Frederick Knott, Jan. 22 to Feb. 8, 2025.
- “Spring Awakening,” a coming-of-age rock musical including brief, partial nudity, with music by Duncan Sheik and a book and lyrics by Steven Sater inspired by an 1891 German play, March 19 to April 9, 2025.
- “Yellow Face,” a semi-autobiographical satirical comedy about casting white actors in Asian roles, by David Henry Hwang, May 14 to 31 ,2025.
- “Clyde’s,” a whimsical comedy about a small-town diner, by Lynn Nottage, July16 through 25, 2025.
MVT’s traditional add-on family fare, outside of the six-show season, will feature “Shrek: The Musical,” about the green ogre, with music by Jeanine Tesori and book and lyrics by David Lindsay-Abaire, based on the 2001 DreamWorks Animation film, June 25 to July 12, 2025, at the Kaimuki High School Performing Arts Center.
Other pertinent data:
- Renewals for current season-ticket holders will continue through April 16, 2024, to retain their seats.
- New subscriptions open April 1, 2024.
- Single ticket sales start July 1, 2024.
Details: www.manoavalleytheatre.com/new-2025-2026-season
Broadway grosses, for the week ending Feb. 26
“Wicked” remains No. 1, the lone show pulling in more than $2 million, but the big change is the disappearance of “Gypsy” from the Top 10. The reason for the slump? Audra McDonald, in the lead as Mama Rose, skipped two performances because of a death in her family, so ticket sales dropped.
The Top 10:
1—”Wicked,” $2.561 million
2—” The Lion King,” $1.143 million
3- “Hamilton,” $1.900 million
4—”The Outsiders,” $1.443 million
5—”Aladdin,” $1.299 million
6—”MJ The Musical,” $1.270 million
7—” Sunset Blvd.,” $1.160 million
8—“The Great Gatsby,” $1.141 million
9— “Death Becomes Her,” $1.119 million
10—”& Juliet,” $1.076 million
The full roster, courtesy the Broadway Guild:
And that’s Show Biz…