Posted on: Wednesday, November 24, 2004

ISLAND LIFE SHORTS
Dance companies kick off 'Nutcracker' season this weekend

Advertiser Staff

Thanksgiving Day raises the curtain on the holiday dance season, and this year two ballet companies are off and running with their Christmas observances, starting Friday.

• Honolulu Dance Theatre's adaptation, "The Hawaiian Nutcracker Ballet," is first, playing Friday through Sunday at Paliku Theatre, Windward Community College.

Set in the Kalakaua era (with Ian Campbell as the Merrie Monarch), the ballet places the young Princess Ka'iulani (Tiffanie Ferrer) in the traditional Clara role. Her journey takes her to an Island-style wonderland with dancing menehune, 'ukule, geckoes and the like. Showtimes: 7:30 p.m. Friday and Saturday, 2 p.m. Saturday and Sunday. Tickets: $24 adults, $20 seniors and military, $16 children; call 235-7433.

• On Saturday and Sunday, Ballet Hawaii's "Nutcracker" brings Hawai'i alum Amanda Schull, star of the film "Center Stage," in the role of the Sugar Plum Fairy to Castle Theatre, Maui Arts & Cultural Centre. Joan Boada — who, like Schull, is a principal dancer at San Francisco Ballet — is featured as the Cavalier. Showtimes: 7:30 p.m. Saturday and 2 p.m. Sunday. Tickets: $35, $25, $20; $10 discount for keiki 12 and younger; call (808) 242-7469.

FINAL WORD

Author Stephen King, in Entertainment Weekly, on why he's thankful for the TV series "Lost":

"Of course, I'm jealous that ABC has a hit show with a strong suspense element after mine ("King-dom Hospital") flopped last season, but 'Lost' is pretty great. If I'm lyin', I'm dyin'."