What's Up!

Local favorite From Moloka'i The Friendly Isle and its music, food and crafts will be showcased at The Moloka'i Festival, 9:30 a.m.-4 p.m. July 20 at the Ward Warehouse ('ewa end). Here's a chance to pick up the famous bread and other delights from Kanemitsu Bakery and take in the sounds of Darrell Labrado and other musicians. Admission is free. 591-8411.

How far would you go to be famous? The fictional Lusa family in playwright/Advertiser columnist Lee Cataluna's new comedy "You Somebody" goes overboard to get noticed in the new production at Diamond Head Theatre. Loretta Ables Sayre and Ray Bumatai are among the cast members of this world premiere. Tickets are $10-$40. The Advertiser is a sponsor.

• 8 p.m. Thursdays-Saturdays, 4 p.m. Sundays, July 19-Aug.4 / Diamond Head Theatre / 733-0274

CONCERTS: July 19, 20

Grammy Award-winning rocker Melissa Etheridge makes her Hawai'i debut in two concerts, July 19 on O'ahu and July 20 on Maui. Etheridge has been touring in support of her seventh compact disc, "Skin," released last year. She'll be bringing an enthusiastic group of fans, ready to party hearty in Hawai'i, with her. Tickets for both concerts are $45 and $55.

• 7:30 p.m. July 19 / Blaisdell Arena / 526-4400
• 7 p.m. July 20 / Maui Arts & Cultural Center / (808) 242-7469

HULA: July 20

A celebration, not a contest, of hula is what the Prince Lot Hula Festival is all about. The festival, which generally attracts 10,000 enthusiastic attendees each year, is marking its silver anniversary and includes dance by 11 halau, games, demonstrations, art, lei, crafts and food. Bring your own mats or sand chairs and take in a full day of Hawaiiana at Moanalua Gardens. Admission is free.

• 9:30 a.m.-3:30 p.m. July 20 / Moanalua Gardens / 839-5334

CONCERT: July 23

It's an R&B tour from a different, mellower era as the touring '70s Soul Jam hits Honolulu featuring The Stylistics, The Chi-Lites, The Delfonics, Harold Melvin's Bluenotes and The Main Ingredient's Cuba Gooding Sr. Who can forget hits such as "Betcha By Golly, Wow" and "Break Up To Make Up" (Stylistics); "Oh Girl" and "Have You Seen Her" (Chi-Lites); "Didn't I Blow Your Mind" (Delfonics); "If You Don't Know Me By Now" (Bluenotes); and "Everybody Plays The Fool" (Main Ingredient)? Tickets are $35 and $45; available at the box office and Ticket Plus outlets.

• 7 p.m. July 23 / Blaisdell Arena / 526-4400

COLLECTORS: July 26-28

Everybody collects something, or would like to. Don't you cherish that Fire King dish or that hula girl lamp? Then join the crowds and tables crowded with collectibles of all kinds at the 12th annual Hawaii All-Collectors Show at the Blaisdell Exhibition Hall. Among the attractions: vendors from abroad, the Mainland and Hawai'i; a special display on the 50th anniversary of television in Hawai'i; special guests Bill Burgher appears as Elvis July 16, Rubber Soul as the Beatles July 27. Admission is $3.75 general, $2 for kids 7-11; free for seniors 65 and older on July 28 only.

• 4-9 p.m. July 26, 11 a.m.-8 p.m. July 27, 11 a.m.-5 p.m. July 28 / Blaisdell Exhibition Hall / 941-9754, www.ukulele.com

CONCERTS: July 25, 26

The salsa scene just got a heck of a lot hotter now that salsa queen of the world Celia Cruz is heading for Maui and Honolulu with her West Coast Orchestra. The Cuba-born international recording artist is a Grammy winner with dozens of records to her credit. Tickets are $40 for the Honolulu gig; on Maui, $35 general, $30 advance, $10 children 12 and younger.

• 7:30 p.m. July 25 / Maui Arts & Cultural Center's Castle Theater / (808) 242-7469 / 7 p.m. July 26 / Sheraton Waikiki Hotel, Hawaii Ballroom / 941-5216, 526-4400

BALLET: Aug. 2-4

The Japanese folk tale "Momotaro the Peach Boy" is a familiar one to most Islanders. It's the story of a couple who find a magical peach floating down a stream; inside is a baby boy who is the answer to their prayers. Now Hawaii Ballet Theatre gives the tale an added dimension in "Momotaro & the Peach Girl," left, part of a dance concert titled "Momotaro and Other Delights," Aug. 2-4. Conceived and choreographed by Charlys Ing, the one-act ballet is about a childless woman who finds a baby girl in a magic peach and raises her to become a brave maiden, Momohana. On her way to fight a demon who steals the spirits of children, Momohana meets Momotaro, her brother. Tickets are $16 general, $12 children, military, seniors; group discounts available.

• 7:30 p.m. Aug. 2, 2:30 p.m. Aug. 3 and 4 p.m. Aug. 4 / Dillingham Theatre, Punahou School / 839-1596

CONCERT: July 31

The Red Hot Chili Peppers are ready to rock this way with a concert at Blaisdell Arena. The funk-rock funsters' latest disc, "By The Way," was released just this week. Tickets are $38.50 (original asking price was $45), available at the box office, Ticket Plus outlets and the University of Hawai'i-Manoa Campus Center. But hurry: The concert is close to selling out.

• 7:30 p.m. July 31 / Blaisdell Arena / 526-4400

CONCERTS: Aug. 2-3

Tommy Chong, half of the once wildly popular comic duo Cheech and Chong, has claimed the attention of a new generation of fans with this role as Leo (the photo lab owner) on TV's "That '70s Show." Chong, who, by the way, hasn't shirked from drug-themed humor after all these years, brings his musical comedy act, Tommy Chong and Shelby and the Family Stoned, left, to Honolulu for two shows Aug. 2-3 at Gussie L'Amour's. Tickets are $20 cash (extra fee if by credit card), available at Gussie's (3251 N. Nimitz Highway) and at Hawaii's Natural High (339 Saratoga Road).

• 9 p.m. Aug. 2-3 / Gussie L'Amour's / 926-3000, 836-7883

CONCERT: Aug. 9

Hiroshima, the jazzy, fusiony ensemble that blends East and West sensibilities (remember the Hawaiian Electric theme from the group's "Go" album?) offers a concert to benefit Hawai'i Centers for Independent Living, under the auspices of Kristi Yamaguchi's Always Dream Foundation. Tickets are $29.50, $39.50 and $75 (golden circle) for the concert, Aug. 9 at the Hawai'i Theatre. The band also will perform at "A Taste of California," an HCIL benefit dinner/concert the next evening hosted by Yamaguchi and famed chefs Roy Yamaguchi and Alan Wong. Single tickets are unavailable, and the event is nearly sold out. Table tickets for 10 are $1,500, $2,500 and $3,500.

• 7:30 p.m. Aug. 9 / Hawai'i Theatre / 528-0506
• 5:30 p.m. Aug. 10 / Hilton Hawaiian Village / 522-5400

STAGE: July 19-Aug. 11

All the world's a stage ... and Windward Community College's new Paliku Theatre will stage the world of Shakespeare with three productions beginning July 19. Three local directors — R. Kevin Doyle, Tony Pisculli and Harry Wong — are collaborating on the first Summer Shakespeare Festival, dedicated to island stage lion Terence Knapp, who is retiring from the University of Hawai'i-Manoa. The plays:

• "Hamlet," directed by Doyle, 8 p.m. July 19-20, 25, Aug. 8; 4 p.m. July 21, 27.
• "Two Gentlemen of Verona," directed by Pisculli, 8 p.m. July 26-27, Aug. 1, 10; 4 p.m. July 28, Aug. 3.
• "Coriolanus," directed by Wong, 8 p.m. Aug. 2-3, 9; 4 p.m. Aug. 4, 10-11.

Tickets are $15 general, $12 seniors and military, $8 students; also three-play packages for $40 general, $32 seniors and military, $20 students; available at WCC's Hale Kuhina and Ticket Plus outlets. 235-7433, 526-4400

COMING UP:

• "Midsummer Night's Gleam, July 20, Foster Botanical Garden
• Hale'iwa Arts Festival, July 20-21, Hale'iwa Beach Park
• "Once Upon One Kapakahi Time" trilogy, July 26-Aug. 4, Hawai'i Theatre
• 32nd annual 'Ukulele Festival, July 28, Kapi'olani Park Bandstand
• 7th annual AT&T Hawai'i Dragon Boat Festival, Aug. 3-4, Ala Moana Beach Park
• No Doubt in concert, Aug. 10, Blaisdell Arena
• Keiki Fun Fair, Aug. 10, Honolulu Shriners Hospital for Children
• Lou Rawls, with the Symphony Pops, Sept. 27-28, Blaisdell Concert Hall
• Hawai'i International Film Festival's Fall Film Festival, Nov. 1-10 on O'ahu, Nov. 8-10 on the Neighbor Islands
• "Nutcracker," Hawaii Ballet Theatre production, Dec. 14-15, 21-22, Leeward Community College Theatre

BUZZING ABOUT:

• Sold out already?: Tickets have been scooped up for No Doubt's Aug. 10 concert at the Blaisdell Arena and could be sold out by the time you read this. The rock/ska island favorites, who favor the Islands, too, haven't performed here since October 2000. Don't hold out too much hope for a second night; the band has other commitments.
• Cooling off with Disney: Tickets go on sale Monday for "Disney on Ice," a skating production that will bring beloved characters such as Mickey Mouse, Minnie Mouse, Pinocchio, Buzz Lightyear and Woody to the Blaisdell Arena for 20 shows at various times Sept. 6-15. Tickets are $15, $25, $40 and $50, available at the box office and Ticket Plus outlets. 526-4400 (Ticket Plus); group sales, 593-4439.

Submit information for

The Great Index to Fun (TGIF) four-week guide at least 10 working days before the event. This planner appears weekly, featuring major events only; others are listed in the weekend and daily calendars.

Write: TGIF, The Honolulu Advertiser, P.O. Box 3110, Honolulu, HI 96802, or fax 525-8055.

Schedule is subject to change.