HONOLULU -- Nestled on Bethel Street in Honolulu’s Chinatown sits a large building that clashes with the dingy street. Bright neon and a beaming scrolling marquee make it more than apparent that this building is meant for nothing but entertainment.
The Hawaii Theatre, proclaimed as the “Pride of the Pacific,” is a historic theatre with a grand opera styling and lavish interiors that are just as beautiful to look at as the performances taking place on its stage.
The Consolidated Amusements of Honolulu built the theater in 1922 as a venue for live stage performances, popular entertainment, such as vaudeville and film. It remained a popular grand movie palace throughout the 1930s until the popularity of the television increased in the 1950s.
This architectural artwork was later closed in 1984. The Hawaii Theatre Center was soon formed and quickly took over the theater, operating it on a limited basis until the fall of 1989 when it was closed for renovation.
A prestigious architectural company out of New York led an award-winning interior renovation and the Hawaii Theater was rededicated and re-opened April 26, 1996.
Since its dedication, the Hawaii Theatre has once again become a popular venue for national touring shows, theater, concerts, industrials, film and television; it has attracted hundreds of thousands of patrons back through its doors to witness its resurgence as Honolulu's preeminent venue.
This two-story building that spans the entire block has several opera house balconies with a warm and inviting interior and old-style charm reminiscent of the theaters of yester-year. Wherever a patron sits he is sure to have a full panoramic view of the stage. Its tapered balconies and artfully designed arches and ceiling alone make the venue a worthwhile place to see a show.
Plays old and new are featured on this historic stage. The curtain has opened for plays such as “Much Ado About Nothing,” by William Shakespeare, and the off Broadway musical comedy, “Altar Boyz.”
Even the military has a history within these acoustically sound walls. The annual Combined Military Band Concert brings together top musicians from the U.S. Army, Navy, Marine Corps, Air Force, Coast Guard and the Hawaii National Guard and combines them into one ensemble.
Some world-renowned film festivals are also held at the Hawaii Theatre, including the Louis Vuitton Hawaii International Film Festival.
Along with scheduled performances the theater offers weekly tours of its facilities every Tuesday starting at 11 am. The one-hour guided tour allows patrons to experience the Hawaii Theater through its history, architecture, artwork, and a demonstration of the Robert Morton Orchestral Theater Pipe Organ.
The prices of tickets vary according to each event. To order tickets call (808) 528-0506 or visit http://purchase.tickets.com/buy/TicketPurchase?organ_val=21640. Tickets may also be purchased at the door.
For more info on upcoming events visit http://www.hawaiitheater.com/event_calendar.html.