What's Up!

•	December film premieres Dec. 6: "Analyze That," "Empire" Dec. 13: "Drumline," "The Hot Chick," "Maid in Manhattan"Star Trek: Nemesis" (left) Dec. 18: "The Lord of the Rings: The Two Towers" Dec. 20: "Gangs of New York," "Two Weeks Notice," "The Wild Thornberrys Movie" Dec. 25: "Catch Me If You Can," "Pinocchio"

DJ-in-demand Reid Speed, right, 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

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; 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. 6

Are we in the Christmas spirit yet? Between shopping and decorating and partying and mailing stuff to friends and family, consider a change of pace with "A Baroque Christmas," a concert by the esteemed Aulos Ensemble, right, Dec. 6 at Orvis Auditorium at the University of Hawai'i-Manoa. The ensemble, composed of five Juilliard graduates, will be joined by vocalist Julianne Baird in a program of Bach, Vivaldi and Scarlatti and traditional carols. Tickets: $24 general, $15 students; available at the Campus Center ticket office. Meet the artists in a free session at 6:30 p.m. in the UH Music Building, Room 36.

• 7:30 p.m. Dec. 6 / Orvis Auditorium / 956-3836, 956-6878

CONCERT: Dec. 7

The University of Hawai'i Choirs, directed by Karen Kennedy, will perform a mixed bag of tunes in this pre-holiday concert Dec. 7 at Central Union Church. From chant through Bach, from gospel to rock, from contemporary choral styles to, yes, Christmas, the concert is a panorama of choral wonderment. Free.

• 7:30 p.m. Dec. 7 / Central Union Church / 956-7235

HONOLULU CITY LIGHTS: Dec. 7-Jan. 5

Honolulu's brightest holiday attraction, the annual Honolulu City Lights, premieres Dec. 7 with the usual downtown flair and finery: Music from 3 p.m. on the Honolulu Hale lawn, where there will be entertainment and food booths; a Kawaiaha'o Church service across the street at 4 p.m.; a tree-lighting ceremony at 6 p.m.; the Electric Light Parade at 6:30 p.m. The parade has a different route this year, beginning at Aala Park, traveling on King Street to City Hall; doors to the Honolulu Hale exhibits open at 6:30 p.m. (thereafter, viewing hours will be from 8 a.m.-11 p.m. daily); lawn entertainment, coordinated by Tom Moffatt, starts at 7:30 p.m.; Santa checks in at 7:30 p.m. at Skygate. Of course, the various lighted displays along Beretania, King, Bishop, Alapai and Kapi'olani will be twinkling overnight for late-hour viewing. Free.

• Various times Dec. 7-Jan. 5 / Honolulu Hale and downtown routes / 523-4385

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

STAGE: Dec. 11-15

"Cookin'," left, 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, South Korea, 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 South 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)

COMEDY: Dec. 11

Gallagher, right, 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)

CONCERTS: Dec. 11-17

Grammy-winning banjo stylist Béla Fleck & The Flecktones will tour the islands beginning Dec. 11 at the University of Hawai'i-Hilo Theatre. Fleck's wide-ranging repertoire includes bluegrass, R&B, bebop and progressive jazz. The schedule:

• 7:30 p.m. Dec. 11, UH-Hilo Theatre. Tickets: reserved seats $25; open seating $25 general, $22 seniors, $18 students/children. (808) 947-7310.
• 7 p.m. Dec. 12 and 8 p.m. Dec. 13, Kahilu Theatre, Waimea, Big Island. Tickets: $20 seats left for Dec. 12; $30, $40, $45 for Dec. 13. (808) 885-6868.
• 7 p.m. Dec. 14, Kaua'i Community College Performing Arts Center. Tickets: $25 general, $5 students with ID. (808) 245-SING (245-7464).
• 7:30 p.m. Dec. 15, Castle Theater, Maui Arts & Cultural Center. Tickets: $10, $18, $25; half price for kids 12 and younger. (808) 242-7469.
• 8 p.m. Dec. 17, Sheraton Waikiki's Hawaii Ballroom, with Jake Shimabukuro guest-starring. Tickets: $35. 526-4400.

CONCERT: Dec. 14

Get ready to rock your rocks off at the third annual "Punk on a Rock" concert Dec. 14 at Pipeline Cafe, part of the Vans Triple Crown of Surfing season. The bands include Anti-Flag, left, Bouncing Souls, One Man Army, Drowning Adam, 86 List and Extra Stout. Doors open at 4 p.m. for the all-ages show. Tickets: $15, at Tower Records, Cheapo's and Jelly's.

• 4 p.m. Dec. 14 / Pipeline Cafe / www.punkonarock.com

STAGE: Dec. 19-22

"LUMA: Theatre of Light," left, 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-monikered 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 / 528-0506

CONCERT: Dec. 22

The Makaha Sons — Louis "Moon" Kauakahi, Jerome Koko and John Koko — have invited Keali'i Reichel to their musical Christmas feast, Dec. 22 at the Pacific Ballroom of the Renaissance 'Ilikai Hotel.

Also aboard: Chinky Mahoe and Halau Hula O' Kawaili'ula and emcee Rodney Villanueva. Doors open at 5:30 p.m.; the evening includes a holiday buffet dinner. Tickets; $100 (platinum circle, includes special seating and personal gifts from The Makaha Sons); regular tickets, $48 general, $24 children 5-10.

• 5:30 p.m. Dec. 22 / Pacific Ballroom, Renaissance 'Ilikai Hotel / 944-6372

COMING UP:

• 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
• Hawaii Ballet Theatre's "The Nutcracker," Dec. 14-15, 21-22, Leeward Community College Theatre
• "Christmas Forgotten," Dec. 13-22, Army Community Theatre
• 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
• "One Flew Over the Cuckoo's Nest," Jan. 23-Feb. 16, Diamond Head Theatre
• "Darkweed," Jan. 29-Feb. 2, Earle Ernst Lab Theatre
• "Godspell," Feb. 27-March 15, Richardson Theatre

BUZZING ABOUT:

Richie in concert: Tickets go on sale from 9 a.m. tomorrow for a Lionel Richie concert — 7:30 p.m. Jan. 11 — at the Blaisdell Arena. The former Commodores lead singer is also a solo hit-maker, with songs such as "Say You (Say Me)," "Truly" and "All Night Long." Tickets are $42.50, $59.50, $69.50; available at the box office and Ticket Plus outlets. 526-4400.

Ho-ho-ho: Daniel Ho, award-winning singer-guitarist-composer, gives a Christmas concert, "In a Christmas Mood (The Ho Ho Ho Show)," at 7:30 p.m. Dec. 13 at the Doris Duke at the Academy. 'Ukulele stylist Gordon Mark will join him. It's part of the "Na Mele O Hawai'i" series.

Culinary cue: Kelvin Ro's Diamond Head Grill launches a store component this weekend, where incredible edibles, imported and locally made, will be available. Ro's the whiz behind "Ho'okipa," the Kapi'olani Community College's annual fund-raiser for the culinary institute on campus, and he formerly owned Kahala Moon restaurant.

Sounds like a hit: Even before its premiere Dec. 6, Diamond Head Theatre has expanded its run of "The Sound of Music," already adding shows at 3 p.m. Dec. 14 and 21, for anticipated matinee crowds. The musical runs Thursdays-Sundays, through Dec. 22.

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.