The Hawai'i Theatre will stage "Rumpelstiltskin," the popular children's fairy tale directed and choreographed by education director Hester Kamin, in performances for both school students and the general public, March 11 through 13 at the Downtown theater.

Local actor-playwright Jason Kanda stars as Rumpelstiltskin/Vigelentine, with Seleena Harkness as Rose and University of Hawai'i adjunct professor of drama and theatre Paul Mitri as the King.

School shows are at 9:15 and 11 a.m. March 11, 9:15 a.m. March 12 and 9:15 and 11 a.m. March 13. More than 4,000 students are already signed up to attend; the best remaining seats are available for the 11 a.m. shows on March 11 and 13. Tickets are $5 per student, with one adult free with every 20 keiki.

The school performances are made possible by a grant from the James and Abigail Campbell Foundation to bring Leeward area students in grades 6 through 8 to the Hawai'i Theatre.

A single public performance is set for 7 p.m. March 12. Tickets are $7 for students, seniors, military and HTC members; $11 for the general public at the box office, 1130 Bethel St., 528-0506 or www.hawaiitheatre.com.

"Rumpelstiltskin" was originally created and performed by Drama Ties Theatre in France, where Kamin was a former member and where the show has been touring for six years. It is a British pantomine-style show involving broad comedy, audience participation and giant puppets up to 14-feet tall made by students in the Hawai'i Theatre's Hawaii Young Actors' Ensemble program.

Puppeteers will be Adrianne Lionson, Burch Godwin and Jenifer Evans from the Hawaii Young Actors' Ensemble and fellow teen Ali Crighton.

In addition to Kamin, the creative team includes Tanya Kirk, original music; H. Bart McGeehon, set and lights; Hannah Schauer, costumes; Kat Pleviak, puppets; Douglas Perry, props; Chris Suzuki, musical arrangements; Adrianne Liongson, hip-hop choreography; Carolyn Cubit-Tsutsui, stage management; and Charles Robert, sound engineering.