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Local favorite A modern dance showcase at Castle High Got dance? Circus X Dance Concert does — a lot of it, from hip-hop to jazz, from ballet to lyrical dance. It all happens at the Ronald E. Bright Theatre at Castle High School, with 24/7 Dance Force, Castle High School Dance Force, Pearl City Dance Force and Sabrina Star Dance Studio causing the motion commotion. 8 p.m. Dec. 6-7, 13-14 and 4 p.m. Dec. 8. Tickets; $10 in advance at Windward Mall, $12 at the door. 235-5141.

Ask your kids; they'll know "Dragon Tales Live," the sing-along musical with adorable characters culled from the hit PBS TV show, which opens a 15-performance run Nov. 29 at the Blaisdell Arena. "Missing Music Mystery" is the theme of the show, which focuses on Emmy, 6, and her brother, Max, 4, and all of their dragon friends. "Dragon Tales" encourages children to pursue challenging experiences that support their growth and development and to recognize that there are numerous ways to approach and learn from life's challenges. Playdates: 7 p.m. Nov. 29, 10:30 a.m., 2 and 5:30 p.m. Nov. 30, 10:30 a.m. and 2 p.m. Dec. 1, 10:30 a.m. and 7 p.m. Dec. 5, 10:30 a.m. and 7 p.m. Dec. 6, 10:30 a.m., 2 and 5:30 p.m. Dec. 7 and 10:30 a.m. and 2 p.m. Dec. 8. Tickets: $11 and $15.

• Premieres at 7 p.m. Nov. 29 / Blaisdell Arena / 526-4400

NIGHTCLUBS: Nov. 30

Earth Circus, the edgy, lightning-charged performers from Ruby Skye in San Francisco, bring their stilt-walkers, contortionists, fire artisans and electric go-go dancers — remember them from the NBA finals on TV? — to the Electric Piranha Room of the Ocean Club Nov. 30. Be there, or be square. Doors open at 8 p.m., $5 cover till 10 p.m., $10 thereafter.

• 8 p.m. Nov. 30 / Ocean Club, Restaurant Row / 531-8444

BENEFIT: Dec. 1

"Mistletoe Magic," an unusual shopping experience in Nu'uanu, will appeal to shopoholics eager to score holiday ornaments, poinsettia, Christmas wreaths and more handcrafted originals at three Dowsett Avenue homes. Ballet Hawai'i is the beneficiary and will host its own Nutcracker Suite, offering gift-wrapping services. Tickets: $25 ($20 in advance), includes holiday sweets by Godiva Chocolates and Bubbies Ice Cream, as well as shuttle service from 42 Puiwa Road to the Christmas wonderlands.

• 10 a.m.-3 p.m. Dec. 1 / Nu'uanu / 395-7216

MUSIC AND ART: Dec. 6

DJ-in-demand Reid Speed will headline "First Lesson," a Breakbeat Science NYC showcase of music and art Dec. 6 at the House of Hong. The music, heavy on drum 'n' bass, will include spins by DJs Quartz, Steddie, Mez, Monkey, Toki (from Sisters in Sound), and Princess Leya and Steve (both from Nocturnal Sound Krew). On the artsy side of the spectrum are offerings by Tino (fluorescent acrylics), Joel (tribal arts), Chris Morgan (oil textures) and photographers Arlo Valera and Hye Young. For those 21 and older. Tickets: $10 before 11 p.m., $15 afterward.

• 10 p.m.-2 a.m. Dec. 6 / House of Hong, 206 Lewers St. / dj808.com

CONCERT: Dec. 6-8

Gollee, is it that time again? "A Merry Christmas With Friends & Nabors" returns for a sixth go-'round, with neighborly Jim Nabors assembling his musical buddies for a magical holiday ride through pop, symphonic and Hawaiian turfs, Dec. 6-8 at the Hawai'i Theatre. Guests include Jimmy Borges, Karen Keawehawai'i, and Emma Veary, who'll sing solo and with Nabors; puppeteer Philip Huber and his Huber Marionettes with David Alexander; Hula Hui O Kupunahala O' Nuuanu YMCA, the Company Singers, Halau Kawaili'ula, the Diamond Head Theatre Shooting Stars, and the Honolulu Symphony, conducted by Matt Catingub. You can expect Nabors to sing "O Holy Night," always a chicken-skin moment, and you can marvel at Tom Hansen's military-like precision in moving bodies young and old on and off that stage. Tickets: $45, $55.

• 7:30 p.m. Dec. 6 and 7, 2 p.m. Dec. 8 / Hawai'i Theatre / 528-0506

STAGE: Dec. 6-22

Rodgers & Hammerstein's beloved, enduring and tuneful "The Sound of Music" do-re-mis its way to Diamond Head Theatre, starting Dec. 6 and running through Dec. 22. Good time, then, to refamiliarize yourself with the show's bounty of hit songs: "Edelweiss," "Sixteen Going on Seventeen," "My Favorite Things," "Climb Ev'ry Mountain," and more. Greg Zane guest-directs. Tickets: $10-$40.

• Premieres at 8 p.m. Dec. 6; repeats at 8 p.m. Thursdays-Saturdays, 3 p.m. Dec. 14 and 21, 4 p.m. Sundays, through Dec. 22 / Diamond Head Theatre / 733-0274

STAGE: Dec. 6-15

"Kyogen: Laughter for All Time," a classic Japanese work, is adapted into three staged tales starting Dec. 6 at Kennedy Theatre. Julie A. Iezzi, trained with the Okura School of Kyogen, will direct a tale of a master and his conniving servants who are desperate to get into the master's sake, right; a vignette about a mountain priest who plays a hilarious trick on a servant; and a family farce about a demanding wife and mother-in-law, and a husband seeking revenge. Tickets: $15, $10.

• 8 p.m. Dec. 6-7, 12-14; 2 p.m. Dec. 15 / Kennedy Theatre /956-7655

CONCERT: Dec. 7

Ho'okena, that versatile fivesome comfy in contemporary and traditional Hawaiian music, turns on the yuletide faucet with "Home for the Holidays," Dec. 7 at Mamiya Theatre, St. Louis Center for the Arts. Of course, hula soloist Nani Dudoit will be aboard, along with surprise guests. Tickets: $30.

• 6 p.m. Dec. 7 / Mamiya Theatre / 524-4845

COMEDY: Dec. 11

Gallagher, a one-man laugh brigade, usually leaves his audience in stitches and his stage a mess. He's known to toss watermelons, squirt chocolate milk, and generally create humorous havoc. Up-front patrons are warned, when Gallagher takes the spotlight Dec. 11 at the Blaisdell Concert Hall. (He also plays Dec. 13 on Maui). Tickets: $20, $25, $35 at both venues.

• 7:30 p.m. Dec. 11, Blaisdell Concert Hall; 7:30 p.m. Dec. 13, Maui Arts & Cultural Center's A&B Amphitheater / 526-4400 (Ticket Plus), (808) 242-7469 (Maui)

CONCERT: Dec. 18

Blaisdell Arena will be in the pink Dec. 18, when Pink performs with Lucky 7 as guest star. Pink's Party Tour 2002 — which has been traipsing across America since May and now is in a Down Under and international phase (we're a stopover) — features music from her "M!ssundaztood" CD. Tickets: $45.50, $37.50.

• 7:30 p.m. Dec. 18 / Blaisdell Arena / 526-4400

STAGE: Dec. 11-15

"Cookin'," playing Dec. 11-15 at the Hawai'i Theatre, sounds like a real meal deal — equal parts Jackie Chan (kicks and martial artistry), the Marx Brothers (comedy a-plenty), Gallagher (stuff sails into the audience, either by accident or intentionally), Benihana (those knives fly and dance), "Iron Chef" (folks fussing and rushing to prepare a meal) and "Stomp" (slicing and dicing to a beat). It's a cultural phenom, developed in Seoul in 1997, based on a "story" involving a restaurant manager who informs his four chefs that they must prepare, pronto, a wedding feast. Mayhem and rivalries ensue; the theatrics tap pots and pans, juggling, a love triangle, frenzied music, and more. In Korea, they call it Nanta, or crazy beat. Tickets: $10-$46. (Also on Maui, Dec. 5-7 at 7:30 p.m. and Dec. 7 at 1 p.m.; $10 to $55; call 808-242-7469).

• 7:30 p.m. Dec. 11-14, 2 p.m. Dec. 15 / Hawai'i Theatre / 528-0506 (box office), 956-3836 (University of Hawai'i-Manoa Outreach College)

STAGE: Dec. 19-22

"LUMA: Theatre of Light," an innovative theatrical experience with luminous appeal for youngsters and their parents, makes its Honolulu debut Dec. 19-22 at the Hawai'i Theatre. It is the creation of a single-monickered marvel, Marlin, who performed for many years in Las Vegas before settling on the Big Island in the late 1980s. There, while standing in front of a lava flow at Kilauea, "LUMA" was born. It took Marlin five years to develop the show with collaborators from the worlds of circus, theater and electric design, but the attraction since has found devotees all over the nation. Tickets: $18, $28, $36, $40 and $46, with $8 or $6 discounts available on purchases before Thanksgiving.

• 7:30 p.m. Dec. 19-21 and 4 p.m. Dec. 22 / Hawai'i Theatre / 526-4400

COMING UP:

• Social Distortion, Nov. 29, World Café
• "Christmas Talk Story," Nov. 30-Dec. 21, a Honolulu Theatre for Youth play at Kumu Kahua
• Festival of Trees, Dec. 6-8, Ward Warehouse
• New Moon Madness, Dec. 7, Leeward Community College Theatre
• Quiet Riot, Dec. 7-9, Gussie L'Amour's
• Gingerbread Festival, Dec. 8, Blaisdell Exhibition Hall
• "Christmas Forgotten," Dec. 13-22, Army Community Theatre
• Punk on a Rock, Dec. 14, Pipeline Cafe
• Ballet Hawai'i's "Nutcracker," Dec. 20-22, Blaisdell Concert Hall
• Rough Cut video festival, Dec. 22-24, The Art House at Restaurant Row
• "Visiting Mr. Green," Jan. 8-26, Manoa Valley Theatre
• "Darkweed," Jan. 29-Feb. 2, Earle Ernst Lab Theatre

BUZZING ABOUT:

Fun, Fun, Fun: The Beach Boys will ring in the new year at the Hilton Hawaiian Village Coral Ballroom. Doors open at 9 p.m., with pre-show entertainment till 10:15 p.m. New Year's Eve; the Boys take the stage at 10:45 p.m. Tickets are $160 for platinum seating, $130 gold seating, $100 silver seating, $85 general. Admission includes the show, a drink, a commemorative glass, party favors, service charge and tax. Tickets go on sale Dec. 9 at the ticket desk in the hotel lobby, which will be open 9:30 a.m.-6 p.m., or by phone, 947-7877.

Béla and Jake: Béla Fleck & The Flecktones play at 8 p.m. Dec. 17 at Sheraton Waikiki's Hawaii Ballroom, with Jake Shimabukuro guest-starring. Tickets are $35, on sale tomorrow.

Held over: "Honk!," the musical about the Ugly Duckling, is going bonkers at the box office, triggering an extension. Added playdates are at 8 p.m. today, 6 p.m. tomorrow and 4 p.m. Sunday; and 8 p.m. Nov. 29, 7 p.m. Nov. 30, 4 p.m. Dec. 1. Call 988-6131.

Maui wowie: "Willie Kalikimaka," Willie K's Christmas concert, is a Maui-only attraction, at 7:30 p.m. Dec. 14 at Castle Theatre. Yep, he'll include his "O Holy Night" show-stopper.

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.