Upcoming Events

Everyone has a story.

Residents of the Kilauea’s volcano community experienced 90 consecutive days of earthquakes this past summer. Sixty-three of these quakes were of a magnitude of 5.0 or higher.

It was an extraordinary time and accounts of events that changed the summit landscape and closed Hawaii Volcanoes National Park for months are worth hearing.

Join the Volcano Art Center at 6:30 p.m. Thursday (Jan. 24) for “Stories from the Summit: Kilauea Eruption, Summer 2018,” an evening of personal accounts by Volcano residents. Hosted by Volcano novelist Tom Peek, the evening will consist of varied tales by those living and working at Kilauea’s summit.

Residents of Leilani Estates and the coastal communities have their stories, while those at the top of the volcano have very different tales to tell about the largest eruption in a century.

The evening will be the first in a new storytelling series, beginning with personal accounts of the 2018 eruption. As audience members hear friends and neighbors, national park employees and scientists, children, parents and grandparents tell their stories, it offers a chance to think about their own story and, on the next occasion, step up to tell their tale of life on this living volcano.

This event will take place at the VAC Niaulani Campus, located at 19-4074 Old Volcano Road in Volcano Village, and is free to attend, although a $5 donation to Volcano Art Center is greatly appreciated.

For more information, call VAC at 967-8222 or visit www.volcanoartcenter.org.

This evening is part of a once-a-month Thursday night series at the Volcano Art Center focusing on art, Hawaiian culture and the environment. The series is intended to inspire and enhance the appreciation of art and life experience, while fostering community connections.

The Kahilu Theatre Youth Troupe will have auditions for this year’s production of the musical “West Side Story” from noon-8 p.m. Feb. 24 at the theatre in Waimea.

This Shakespeare-inspired Broadway musical was nominated for six Tony Awards in 1957, and the 1961 film received 10 Academy Awards, making it one of the most well-known musicals in American history.

Director Beth Dunnington is looking for male and female actor/singer/dancers, ages 13-25, to play teenagers and young adults (principals, supporting roles and ensemble) and four adult males (mid-30s and older) to play supporting roles.

The adult roles are non-singing, non-dancing parts. Actors auditioning for the adult roles should not attend the vocal/dance portion of the auditions.

Singing auditions are scheduled from noon-2:30 or 3 p.m.; dance auditions from 2:30-5 p.m.; acting auditions from 5:30-8 p.m. There will be a half-hour dinner break from 5-5:30 p.m.

Those interested in auditioning are asked to bring a theatrical resume and come prepared vocally and physically. Part of the audition will require participants to learn and perform choreography. No monologue preparation is necessary as performers will be provided with script materials and asked to read sides.

Materials will be posted under “Arts Ed” on the Kahilu Theatre website by Feb. 18.

Participants will be asked to sing a song from the “West Side Story” score, or another classical musical theatre song of their choice. Sheet music will be provided for those who want to sing songs from “West Side Story.”

For those who want to audition with a piece from another musical of the same period, sheet music should be provided for the accompanist, in the correct key, or an instrumental recording on a phone that will be played on the speaker.

Please wear appropriate clothing and footwear; no open-toe shoes.

Callbacks are noon-8 p.m. March 3 at the theatre. Performers will be notified Feb 25-26 as to callback status.

Part-time music rehearsals begin in May at the Hawaii Preparatory Academy village campus, with vocal coach Val Underwood; full-time rehearsals with the entire creative team begin June 3 at the Kahilu Theatre.

The show is set for June 21-23.

For audition materials, visit www.kahilutheatre.org. For more information, email director Beth Dunnington at bethbornsteindunnington@gmail.com.

Kahilu Theatre is located at 67-1186 Lindsey Road in Waimea.

The Honpa Hongwanji Hilo Betsuin BWA Shinnen Enkai (New Year’s) luncheon and general membership meeting is scheduled for 10 a.m. Feb. 10 at Sangha Hall in Hilo.

The theme is “Embrace Change: Transformation (Walk in Peace).” Rimban Shindo Nishiyama will conduct the Buddhist service. Carole Tsutsumi will be installed as president for 2019-20.

Other officers to be installed are Deborah Fried, vice president; Bessie Kubo, recording secretary; Sue Okunami, corresponding secretary; Caroyln Mizuno, treasurer; Lillian Watanabe, assistant treasurer; and Shizuho Ota, Janet Iida and Jane Miyasaki, auditors. Officers will be installed by Nishiyama.

Guest speaker is Carrie Kawamoto of Oahu, who was raised in Waipahu. Waipahu Hongwanji was a big part of her life. In addition to attending Sunday service, she participated in the Jr. YBA, taught Sunday School and played the organ. After graduating from Waipahu High School, she attended and graduated from the University of Hawaii with a teaching degree.

Kawamoto retired after 32 years of teaching. She now is an active member of the Mililani Hongwanji.

In 2006, commissioned by the Honpa Honganji Mission of Hawaii on the occasion of the 750th Shinran Shonin Memorial Observance, Kawamoto won the contest for her lyrics to “May Peace Prevail,” with music by Takeo Kudo. In 2013, she won another contest for her lyrics to “Buddha’s Great Light,” with music by Jennifer Taira.

Tickets are $10 for BWA members, $20 for non-members, and are available at the Honpa Hongwanji Hilo office, located at 398 Kilauea Ave. in Hilo, until Jan. 31.

For more information, call Lillie Tsuchiya, chairwoman, at 785-6765.