Kumu Kahua's mixed-plate season filled with isle flavor

By Wayne Harada
Advertiser Entertainment Writer

•	Kumu Kahua Productions are staged at 46 Merchant St. Curtain times: 8 p.m. Thursdays through Saturdays, 2 p.m. Sundays (with some schedule variations) Season tickets: $60 for first-time subscriber, $50 for renewals Single tickets: $16 for adults, $13 for seniors, $10 for students (not yet available) Reservations/information: 536-4441 or www.kumukahua.com

Three are revivals of popular past productions, and three are premieres.

The mood ranges from outrageous comedy to nostalgic flashbacks, from historical drama to political comedy. And a little bit of Christmas talk-story, too.

The season at a glance:

• "Aloha Las Vegas," Aug. 29 through Sept. 29. A slice-of-life comedy by Edward Sakamoto, dealing with 'ohana feelings about where to live: Liliha or Las Vegas? A revival of a 1992 production that broke box office records.
• "The Conversion of Ka'ahumanu," Nov. 7 through Dec. 8. A historical drama by Victoria Nalani Kneubuhl, about Queen Ka'ahumanu and her adoption of a new religion, and her relationship with missionary wives Sybil Bingham and Lucy Thurston. A revival.
• "Christmas Talk Story 2002," Nov. 30 through Dec. 21. A collaboration with the Honolulu Theatre for Youth, featuring holiday memories and songs, reflecting on Hawaiian Christmas of now and then. (Curtain and play dates: 8 p.m. Fridays, 2 and 8 p.m. Saturdays).
• "A Little Bit Like You," Jan. 9 through Feb. 9. A comic ghost story about a Japanese-Chinese family dealing with the realities of being hapa through four generations of island living. A revival, originally produced by Kumu Kahua and the Honolulu Theatre for Youth.
• "Heads by Harry," March 13 through April 13. A tale of a taxidermist family in Hilo and its misadventures with family and neighbors. Based on a novel by Lois-Ann Yamanaka and adapted for the stage by Keith K. Kawashida and John H.Y. Wat.
• "King Kalakaua's Poker Game," May 15 through June 15. A drawing-room comedy by Alan Sutterfield, inspired by the English form but transposed to Hawai'i, about King Kalakaua's love for poker and of those who play with him in the Royal Boathouse.