Special Events
Current Events
March 30-April 30, 2021
The University of Hawaii at Hilo Performing Arts Center Presents
The Conversion of Ka'ahumanu
Set during the tumultuous period immediately following the fall of the kapu system and during the arrival of the first American missionaries, The Conversion of Kaʻahumanu explores the relationship between Hawaiʻi’s Queen and the missionary women who seek to convert her to Christianity. Kaʻahumanu’s ultimate choice is made with the hope that it might serve to protect her nation during a time of catastrophic loss and immense change.
This is an early off-book rehearsal of the production that was set to open April 3, 2020. Due to the world-wide COVID-19 pandemic, the UH Hilo Performing Arts Center was shut down indefinitely on March 16, 2020. With the premonition of this impending shut down, the cast and artistic staff of the production hurriedly rallied together to salvage what they could, videotaping this final rehearsal three weeks before the scheduled opening.
The Conversion of Kaʻahumanu is available for streaming in two parts March 30 at 7pm through April 30, 2021.
Past Events
Friday-Sunday, March 26-28, 2021
The University of Hawaii at Hilo Performing Arts Center Presents
The Dance Collective: Pandemic Edition
The Dance Collective: Pandemic Edition showcases the works of eleven intrepid choreographers through ten inspired pieces. This virtual dance concert puts the spotlight on a segment of this island’s talented and dedicated dance community, who despite the pandemic managed to find the time, energy and means to bring you this show. Until we can all meet in a live setting once more, we hope you will enjoy this gift of dance.
March 26-28, 2021 Dance Collective: Pandemic Edition
The stream will be available from 7:00pm on March 26 and will be accessible through 10:00pm March 28 HST.
Saturday-Monday, February 13-15, 2021
The UH Hilo Performing Arts Department and the Performing Arts Center Present
Virtually Yours: Valentine Vignettes 2021
Virtually yours, but then again maybe not. Love isn’t always a bed of roses. In pieces that are sometimes comic, and sometimes tragic, UH Hilo students explore loneliness, unrequited love, and other scenarios related to coping and surviving in an imperfect world.
February 13-15, 2021. Valentine Vignettes 2021
The stream will be available from 7pm on the 13th and will be accessible through Feb 15, 2021.
Monday-Friday, December 21-25, 2020
The UH Hilo Performing Arts Department and Performing Arts Center present
Kalikimaka 2020: Celebrating the Holidays at Home An evening of stories, songs, poems and reminiscences
We can't open the theatre to the community this holiday season due to Covid restrictions, so instead, we invited the community to create theatre with us, ONLINE! UH Hilo students, faculty, staff, alumni, and other members of our island community have joined together to share their favorite holiday memories, stories, songs and poems. Join us in celebrating the holidays at home...separate, but together.
The program will stream on YouTube December 21 – 25
Use the following links to view.
Friday through Sunday, December 4-6, 2020
Viewing opens on December 4 at 7pm and closes on December 6 at 9pm. You are able to watch as many times as you want during this period. Use the link below to view.
The UH Hilo Performing Arts Department and the Hawaiʻi Community College dance programs will showcase students from Ballet I and III, Jazz Dance I, Modern Dance I and Intro to Environmental Dance. Guest artists Sarah Polloi and Wrenn Bunker-Kosters will perform with dance instructors Kea Kapahua and Annie Bunker.
“We are so excited to be presenting this year’s first ever Virtual Great Leaps dance concert! The students of the University of Hawaii at Hilo and the Hawaii Community College have made tremendous leaps and bounds in learning dance through online methods despite the limitations of small bedrooms, dorm rooms, carpeted or concrete floors and both music and video delays on Zoom. It is so important for us to keep the performing arts alive and to maintain our human connection and expression especially in these challenging times. Please “come out” virtually and celebrate our wonderful dance students, dance instructors, theater staff and technicians who have given so much time, energy, creativity and heart to bring something beautiful to our community.”, said Kea Kapahua, UH Hilo Dance Instructor.
Funding for this event is provided in part by the WESTAF CARES relief fund for Organizations and supported by the National Endowment for the Arts through the Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security (CARES) Act of 2020. Thank you @westaf and @nea!
Watch Virtual Leaps.