What's Up!

Local favorite Laugh it up with Frank Frank DeLima, the master of mirth and an ally of student enrichment sessions with local school kids, stages a benefit for the Tree Center as well as his Student Enrichment Program, 3-5 p.m. Sept. 29 at the Wisteria Restaurant. You bring an appetite for laughter, he'll serve up the comedy. Tickets: $25 ($15 tax deductible). 591-9276

Diavolo Dance Theatre, an ensemble that explores realms of physicality and imagination, breezes into town for shows at 8 p.m. at Leeward Community College Theatre. Diavolo, making its Hawai'i debut, excels in a vigorous and thrilling form of Movement Theatre — action that yields thunderous reaction. Tickets: $25, $30.

Neighbor Island note: The troupe begins its tour at 7:30 p.m. today at the Maui Arts & Cultural Center; $10, $18, $25, half price for kids 12 and younger. (808) 242-7469.

• 8 p.m. Sept. 27-28 / Leeward Community College Theatre / 455-0385

CONCERT: Sept. 27-29

Crooner Lou Rawls brings his bold, bluesy presence to Blaisdell Concert Hall as the first guest-star in the Honolulu Symphony's 2002-2003 Pops Series. Pops conductor Matt Catingub conducts the orchestra as Rawls unravels his biggie, "You'll Never Find (Another Love Like Mine)." Tickets: $15-$57.

• 8 p.m. Sept. 27-28, 4 p.m. Sept. 29 / Blaisdell Concert Hall / 792-2000, 526-4400

STAGE: Sept. 27-Oct. 13

"Chicago," the Bob Fosse musical about two Roaring Twenties murderesses (Velma Kelly, enacted by Katie Leiva, and Roxie Hart, played by Tricia Marciel), has a sizzling score by John Kander, including "All That Jazz," "Cell Block Tango," "When You're Good to Mama," "Mr. Cellophane," "Razzle Dazzle" and "Class" — each a virtual show-stopper. Andrew Sakaguchi directs and choreographs. Curtain: 8 p.m. Thursdays through Saturdays, 4 p.m. Fridays. Tickets: $10-$40.

• Premieres at 8 p.m. Sept. 27 / Diamond Head Theatre / 733-0274

CONCERT: Oct. 4-5

Nancy Sinatra brings her boots and song bag to two shows at Gussie L'Amour's, 3251 N. Nimitz Highway. Sinatra is the toots who sang "These Boots Are Made for Walkin'" in 1966, and she's had a number of '60s hits, such as "Sugar Town," "So Long Babe," "How Does That Grab You Darlin'?" and — with her dad, Frank Sinatra — "Something Stupid." Her latest CD is "California Girl." Tickets: $35 general, $30 advance.

• 8:30 p.m. Oct. 4-5 / Gussie L'Amours / 836-7883 (Gussie's), 622-6928 (Gold Zone)

CONCERT: Oct. 5

Maria Muldaur, who has given magic to the midnight hour via her "Midnight at the Oasis" signature, returns to the island concert scene with a statewide tour, including a Honolulu stop at 8:30 p.m. Oct. 5 at the South Seas Village at the Hawaiian Hut, Ala Moana Hotel. She'll perform with the Red Hot Bluesiana Band in support of her latest "Richland Women Blues" release, No. 25 in her still-sizzling career. Doors open at 8:15 p.m.

Muldaur also tours, as follows:

• Oct. 4, 8 p.m., Royal Lahaina Resort's Ali'i Room, Maui. (808) 661-3611
• Oct. 6, 2 p.m., Kilauea Military Camp Theater, Big Island. (808) 985-7167
• Oct. 12, 8 p.m., Orchid Village Restaurant's Uncle Mikey's Showroom at Waiakea Villages, Big Island. (808) 933-2636

Tickets: $25 ($20 advance).

• 8:30 p.m. Oct. 5 / South Seas Village / 941-5205, hotline (808) 326-9148

STAGE: Oct. 5

"Hello Broadway," a show mounted by New York-based Second Generation, will collate and spotlight top tunes from Great White Way biggies, including "The Phantom of the Opera," "Jekyll and Hyde," "Man of La Mancha," "Chess," "Ain't Misbehavin'" and more. Welly Wang, who is directing, also will be on stage, along with two colleagues who have Hawai'i origins, Cliffton Hall and Jade Stice. DeeDee Lynn Magno, who is Hall's main squeeze, also is in the cast; Nataysha Echevarria, 12, a local talent discovered in recent auditions here, also will star. Tickets: $24, $38, $48, $58, with discounts for students and seniors at the box office only and only for tickets at the top three prices.

• 2 and 8 p.m. Oct. 5 / Blaisdell Concert Hall / 526-4400

CONCERT: Oct. 10-11

Journey looms as big now as it was two decades ago — a second night has been added to the rockmeisters' Honolulu schedule. In addition to the original Oct. 10 show at Blaisdell Arena, Journey — whose signatures include "Faithfully," "Don't Stop Believing," "Open Arms," "Separate Ways," and "Any Way You Want It" — now performs at 7:30 p.m. Oct. 11, too, with a final gig at 7:30 p.m. Oct. 12 at the Maui Arts & Cultural Center. Honolulu tickets: $55, $45, at the box office or Ticket Plus outlets.

• 7:30 p.m. Oct. 10-11 / Blaisdell Arena / 526-4400

CONCERT: Oct. 10

Hard-core punksters Bad Religion, come to town for a concert at World Cafe. Tickets: $20, at Tower Records, Cheapo Music, 808 Skate Kailua, the University of Hawai'i-Manoa Campus Center, World Cafe, Foodland stores and military ticket outlets. It's an all-ages concert.

• 7 p.m. Oct. 10 (doors open 6 p.m.) / World Cafe / 526-4400

CONCERT: Oct. 12-13

Nobody does it better than Jim Brickman, when it comes to contemporary love songs, and his aptly-themed "Love Songs & Lullabies," at 7:30 p.m. Oct. 12 and 4 p.m. Oct. 13, is aimed at the romantics. You know his calling cards — "Valentine," "The Gift" and so on — and you can swoon along. The show also will include tunes from his recent public television special, taped live at the Bushnell Center for the Performing Arts in Connecticut. Tickets: $30, $35; $125 Golden Circle seats available.

• 7:30 p.m. Oct. 12 and 4 p.m. Oct. 13 / Hawai'i Theatre / 528-0506

CONCERT: Oct. 18-19

Pianist-vocalist Michael Feinstein, a darling of the New York concert and cabaret circuit, brings his chic artistry and his Americana songbag (he is the unparalleled interpreter of tunes by George and Ira Gershwin, Irving Berlin, Jerome Kern, Johnny Mercer, Duke Ellington and Harry Warren), to the Honolulu Symphony's Hawaiian Airlines Pops Series, at 8 p.m. at Blaisdell Concert Hall. Find out why he's dubbed "America's Ambassador of Song." Tickets: $15-$57.

• 8 p.m. Oct. 18-19 / Blaisdell Concert Hall / 792-2000

CONCERT: Oct. 19

John Prine shares his country songs in a one-nighter at the Hawai'i Theatre; his themes typify the genre, centering on loving, losing, leaving and cheating. Tickets: $33, $37.

• 8 p.m. Oct. 19 / Hawai'i Theatre / 528-0506

COMING UP

• "The Art of the Solo 'Ukulele," Sept. 28-29, Orvis Auditorium
• The Ahn Trio, Oct. 21, Blaisdell Concert Hall
• "Lysistrata," Oct. 25-31, Nov. 1-3, Kennedy Theatre
• Easter Seals Haunted House, Oct. 25-26, Easter Seals 'Ewa Office
• Hawai'i International Film Festival's Fall Film Festival, Nov. 1-10 on O'ahu, Nov. 8-10 on the Neighbor Islands
• Dashboard Confessional, Nov. 5, World Cafe
• B.B. King, Nov. 8, Blaisdell Arena; also, Nov. 7 on Kaua'i; Nov. 9 on Maui; Nov. 10 on the Big Island
• "Death of a Salesman," Nov.8-Dec. 8, Hawai'i Pacific University
• Honolulu City Lights, annual tree-lighting ceremony and Electric Light Parade, Dec. 7, City Hall
• Gingerbread Festival, Dec. 8, Blaisdell Exhibition Hall
• Honolulu Marathon, Dec. 8, Ala Moana to Kapi'olani Park
• "Cookin'," Dec. 11-14, Hawai'i Theatre

BUZZING ABOUT

Tony tuner: Jason Robert Brown, who won a Tony Award for composing the 1999 Broadway hit "Parade," will replace the earlier-announced David Lai as conductor of the 25-piece orchestra for the "Hello, Broadway" musical playing at 2 and 8 p.m. Oct. 5 at Blaisdell Concert Hall. Lai, who helms the "Phantom of the Opera" orchestra on Broadway, is unable to leave the New York production.

Back again: Richard Thompson returns for a concert in mid-November at Doris Duke at The Academy. The vocalist/guitarist last performed here in April 2000. Details to be announced.

Good vibrations: If New York can muster up hit shows with titles like "Urinetown" and "Naked Boys Singing," why shouldn't Honolulu get in on the fun? Hilary Wright has written "Hysterical: A Short History of the Vibrator," which Jennifer Goodlander is directing, starting tomorrow night at Earle Ernst Lab Theatre.

Zydeco zip: If you love zydeco, that contagious rhythm of New Orleans, one of the masters, Terrance Simien, is heading this way — Feb. 22 at Leeward Community College. Specifics will be announced, but this one's a zowie: Entry will be $20 per carload.

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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.