What's Up!

September film premieres Sept. 5: "Dickie Roberts: Former Child Star," "The Order" Sept. 12: "Cabin Fever," "Cold Creek Manor," "Matchstick Men," "Once Upon a Time in Mexico" Sept. 19: "Anything Else," "The Fighting Temptations," "Secondhand Lions," "Underworld" Sept. 26: "The Rundown" (above, starring The Rock), "Under the Tuscan Sun"

The Honolulu Symphony's popular Halekulani MasterWorks season opens up with violinist Midori, right. This classical music star will perform Brahms Violin Concerto during two concerts. Midori has performed throughout Asia, Europe and the U.S., including Seattle, San Francisco and Washington, D.C. Born in Japan, Midori now lives in New York City with her two dogs. Samuel Wong serves as conductor. Tickets are $16, $28, $33, $44, $59.

• 8 p.m. Sept. 5 and 4 p.m. Sept. 7/Blaisdell Concert Hall / 792-2000

STAGE: Sept. 6-21

Sam-I-am, do you like green eggs and ham? If so, you'll love what Honolulu Theatre for Youth has in store for its season opener. HTY brings back its 1997 hit, Dr. Seuss' "Green Eggs and Ham" and "Gertrude McFuzz". But this time there's a twist, as the production will be produced in collaboration with the Hawaii Opera Theatre and the Honolulu Symphony Orchestra. Children 4 and older should enjoy the exciting music, colorful scenery and comedy in store. Tickets range from $6 to $24.

• 1:30 and 4:30 p.m. Saturdays and 1:30 p.m. Sundays Sept. 6-21 / Hawai'i Theatre / 839-9885

STAGE: Sept. 10-28

Manoa Valley Theatre starts off its 2003-2004 season with a showing of "Bat Boy: The Musical." Based on a story in supermarket tabloid The Weekly World News Ledger, this comedy/horror show is about a half boy/half bat creature discovered in a cave in West Virginia. This off-Broadway hit is full of laughs and gasps. Tickets: $30.

• 7:30 p.m. Wednesdays-Thursdays, 8 p.m. Fridays-Saturdays and 4 p.m. Sundays, Sept. 10-28/ Manoa Valley Theatre / 988-6131

FESTIVAL: Sept. 6

The 3rd annual Windward Ho'olaule'a is gearing up to be a day full of entertainment, food and fun. Bring the whole family to Kane'ohe for the kiddie and extreme games, fishing derby, handcrafted gift items and community exhibits. Amy Hanaiali'i Gilliom, Kapena, Ledward Ka'apana, above, Dita Holifield, Simplisity, Three Scoops of Aloha and others will entertain on two stages. There will be Imaginarium shows and tours of the Aerospace Exploration Lab, NASA Flight Simulation Lab, Paliku Theatre and Gallery 'Iolani. Admission is free.

• 10 a.m.-10 p.m. Sept. 6 / Windward Community College / 235-7400

ALOHA FESTIVALS: Sept. 12, 13, 19

Let the Aloha Festivals festivities begin!

The opening ceremony is at 5:30 p.m. Sept 12. at 'Iolani Palace, and the celebration continues in the heart of Honolulu's business district for the Downtown Ho'olaule'a. There's entertainment and local grinds along Bishop Street and at Aloha Tower Marketplace. Admission is free; $5 for Aloha Festivals ribbon.

• 6:30 p.m. Sept. 12 / Bishop Street / 589-1771

  Head for Waikiki Sept. 13 to watch the Aloha Festivals Floral Parade. Kalakaua Avenue will be filled with the heavenly scents and eye-catching colors of all kinds of flowers, along with hundreds of participants sharing their aloha. The procession includes pa'u riders, floral floats, hula halau and marching bands. Admission is free.

• 9 a.m. Sept. 13 / from Ala Moana Park to Kapahulu Avenue / 589-1771

  Hawai'i's biggest block party makes a highly anticipated return Sept. 19 along Kalakaua Avenue. The Royal Court will be at the Ocean Lawn of The Royal Hawaiian to kick things off before heading to the Waikiki Ho'olaule'a to partake in the festivities, which include entertainment, food and arts and crafts. Featured entertainers include Augie Rey, Ka'ala Boys and Simplisity. Admission is free.

• 7-10:30 p.m. Sept. 19 / Kalakaua Avenue / 589-1771

CONCERT: Sept. 20

The Shanghai Symphony Orchestra brings its world-class sounds to Honolulu in a collaboration by Tim Bostock Productions and Tom Moffatt Productions. The 80-piece orchestra, which received international acclaim with the recording of the Oscar-winning soundtrack from the movie "Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon," will perform selections from the movie and works by Mozart. Founded in 1879 and originally called the Shanghai Public Band, the orchestra holds the longest history among all the symphony orchestras of Asia. The award-winning Chen Xieyang (below) conducts, and pianist Tian Jiang will be featured. Tickets: $35, $50 and $65.

• 8 p.m. Sept. 20 / Blaisdell Concert Hall / (877) 750-4400

STAGE: Sept. 26-Oct. 12

Turn-of-the-century America comes to life during Diamond Head Theatre's season opener "Ragtime." This Tony-award winning musical features three guest artists from the national tour of "Ragtime": Jerold E. Solomon as Coalhouse, Crystal Williams as Sarah and guest director Mary Gutzi in the role of Emma Goldman. Rounding out the cast are Buz Tennant as the Father, Mary Chesnut Hicks as Mother, Douglas Scheer as Tateh, Zenia Zambrano as Bridget, Kirsten Dixon as Evelyn Nesbit, Jimi Wheeler as Harry Houdini and Scott Moura as Henry Ford. Tickets: $12-$42, with discounts for full-time students, seniors and military.

• 8 p.m. Thursdays-Saturdays and 4 p.m. Sundays Sept. 26-Oct. 12/ Diamond Head Theatre / 733-0274

CONCERT: Sept. 27

Classic rock is alive and well in Honolulu. The 1970s band Yes wraps up its current world tour when it performs in concert with the Honolulu Symphony. Band members Jon Anderson, Chris Squire, Steve Howe, Rick Wakeman and Alan White are known for favorites such as "Owner of a Lonely Heart," "Love Will Find a Way" and "Heart of the Sunrise." Tickets: $45 and $65.

• 8 p.m. Sept. 27 / Blaisdell Arena / (877) 750-4400

COMING UP:

• "Art of Rice," puppetry, dance, drama by Asian artists, Sept. 13, Leeward Community College
• Cinema Paradise Film Festival, Sept. 19-25, The Art House at Restaurant Row
• Latin Salsa Music Festival, Sept. 26, Ala Moana Hotel's Hibiscus Ballroom
• Blues Cruise, Sept. 27, with four bands aboard the Navatek I
• Taiwanese Food Festival, Sept. 28, McCoy Pavilion
• Steely Dan, Oct. 10 at the Maui Arts & Cultural Center; Oct. 11 at Blaisdell Arena
• "Chocolate," a traveling exhibit, Oct. 18-Jan. 4, Bishop Museum
• "The Paper Bag Princess and Other Stories," Oct. 25-26, UH-Manoa Kennedy Theatre
• LeAnn Rimes, Nov. 1, Blaisdell Arena
• Dave Alvin, blues and folk artist, Nov. 15, Hawaiian Hut

BUZZING ABOUT:

Screen gems: "Transformation" is the title of a fund-raiser for Cinema Paradise 2003, the indie film festival that begins Sept. 19 at The Art House at Restaurant Row. The benefit, Sept. 5 at Studio 1 downtown, includes a sound-and-video show by artists from New York, San Francisco and Hawai'i; performance art; DJs; and a preview of the film festival. Admission is free 5-9 p.m., $10 at the door 9 p.m.-2 a.m.; for those 21 and older.

On the menu: Kit Samson's Sound Advice will again provide the music for listening and dancing at Diamond Head Theatre's 'Ilima Awards celebration Oct. 13. Samson has secured the vocal talents of Sonya Mendez for the evening — great music to accompany the great food.

Bio-rhythms: Bionicle, the big boy toy franchise in recent times, is coming to DVD and video. "Bionicle: Mask of Light," an action-packed film featuring the toy critters, will hit the stores Sept. 16. The movie explores themes of heroes and villains, darkness and light. And yes, introduces more Bionicle figures.