The heart of University of Hawaiʻi at ±á¾±±ô´Ç’s creative community is getting a well-deserved upgrade. Beginning in January 2027, the (PAC) will undergo a major $6 million renovation, closing its doors for eight months to transform the 50-year-old facility into a more modern, efficient space for artists and audiences alike.

“We want to ensure we have welcoming and up-to-date facilities for our students, faculty, staff and community that provide a quality environment to showcase the great work and talent of our institution and visiting performers from around the world,” said Lee Barnette-Dombroski, the Performing Arts Center manager.

Long-awaited face-lift

While the building remains structurally sound, many of its public spaces haven’t been updated since it first opened in 1974. This project aims to change that—focusing heavily on cosmetic and functional upgrades to the exterior, lobby, inner auditorium and box office.

For Barnette-Dombroski, who has steered the facility for nearly two decades, the renovations are deeply personal and long overdue. When asked what she is most excited to see, her answer combines practical relief with aesthetic excitement: “The expansion of the ladies’ room, new carpet, and fresh paint.”

Bidding farewell to lengthy lines

That restroom expansion isn’t just a minor detail—it is a massive win for anyone who has ever attended a crowded show.

“The expansion of the ladies’ room will be a big change, reducing the wait time during intermissions and after performances,” Barnette-Dombroski said.

One last act before intermission

Because the facility will be completely closed from January through August 2027, the theatre team is squeezing a lot of energy into a condensed fall 2026 “mini-season.” Patrons can look forward to a vibrant lineup before the construction crews roll in.

“We’ll have a mini-season in the fall 2026 with a couple of presented artists and an in-house holiday musical production of ‘Dr. Seuss’s How The Grinch Stole Christmas! The Musical,’ and of course our fall special event, the 10th Annual Dance Collective,” Barnette-Dombroski said.

The University of Hawaiʻi at ²ÑÄå²Ô´Ç²¹â€™s is taking its celebrated production of RENT to Kauaʻi. Following a sold-out run at Kennedy Theatre earlier this year, the Pulitzer Prize-winning rock musical will be performed at , August 8–10.

Directed by Joshua “Baba” Tavares, an assistant professor of acting at ÌÇÐÄÊÓƵ ²ÑÄå²Ô´Ç²¹ and former cast member in the 20th Anniversary National Tour of RENT, the production was praised for its raw emotional power, dynamic staging and local resonance.

“We are so excited to take our show to Kauaʻi and connect with our Kauaʻi ʻohana in this way,” said Tavares.

The touring team includes more than 40 cast and crew members, including ÌÇÐÄÊÓƵ ²ÑÄå²Ô´Ç²¹ students, faculty, staff, musicians and technicians, representing a wide range of ÌÇÐÄÊÓƵ ²ÑÄå²Ô´Ç²¹ programs, including theatre and dance, psychology, music, law, cinematic arts, Hawaiian language and more.

As part of the visit, the team will offer a free acting workshop to share and engage Kauaʻi’s community of storytellers and artists. The workshop will take place on Saturday, August 9—more information to come.

Related ÌÇÐÄÊÓƵ News story: No day but today: ÌÇÐÄÊÓƵ ²ÑÄå²Ô´Ç²¹ theatre and dance brings award-winning RENT to life, February 11, 2025

The ÌÇÐÄÊÓƵ ²ÑÄå²Ô´Ç²¹ production earned critical acclaim in March, with BroadwayWorld calling it “a soaring and heartfelt production” blending “aloha, heartbreak, queer joy…and unbridled energy of young people united for justice and love.”

Tavares emphasized the show’s continued relevance. “Even though the show is set in a specific time, its challenges feel just as relevant today, especially here in Hawaiʻi. Homelessness, gentrification, mental health struggles and finding a way forward after a devastating disease—are we talking about the ’80s and ’90s, or are we talking about today?”

He added, “RENT isn’t just about struggle—it’s about hope, tolerance, human rights and above all, aloha. It’s about love.”

The Kauaʻi performances mark the production’s first appearance outside of OÊ»ahu, offering new audiences a chance to experience one of the most impactful works in modern musical theatre, through a uniquely ʻohana lens.

Performances will take place at the newly reopened Kauaʻi CC Performing Arts Center, which reopened in April 2024 after closing due to the pandemic and has major upgrades to its lighting, sound and backstage systems. The venue is once again a key cultural hub under new manager Gregory von Hausch.

Loosely inspired by Puccini’s La Bohème, RENT follows a group of struggling young artists in 1990s New York City navigating love, loss, identity, and survival during the height of the HIV/AIDS crisis. Since its 1996 Broadway debut, Jonathan Larson’s groundbreaking musical has become a global cultural phenomenon.

Performance and ticket information

Performance dates: August 8–10, 2025
Time: 7–9 p.m., Friday and Saturday; 1:30–3:30 p.m. Sunday
Location: Kauaʻi CC Performing Arts Center
Tickets: Prices range from $15–$60. .

For general inquiries, email .edu or call (808) 245-8352.

Support and sponsorship opportunities

This partnership between ÌÇÐÄÊÓƵ ²ÑÄå²Ô´Ç²¹ and Kauaʻi CC aims to build a lasting bridge through the performing arts. Financial support is welcome to offset travel and production costs. To support the tour or inquire about sponsorships, contact Joshua Tavares at tavares8@hawaii.edu.

The Performing Arts Center (PAC) at Kauaʻi Community College is undergoing a transformation from an empty building to a thriving community hub, thanks to new Manager Gregory von Hausch.

“I want to establish this building as a resource for not only the college, but for the whole island to attract name talent; and to attract all kinds of performances, not just music, not just conferences, but something exciting—an explosion of arts, the whole nine yards,” von Hausch said. “We want to make this a real hub of activity here.”

Recent performances have included a concert by The Green and a showing of the movie At Her Feet, with a special guest appearance by Lilo & Stitch actress Sydney Agudong.

Upcoming highlights include:

• HAWAIIAN STORYTELLERS: Where I Live – Kauaʻi, June 27
• Kauaʻi Calls (“Hawaiʻi Calls | Advancing Hawaiʻi to the World”), July 20
• RENT, August 7–10
• Celebrating Queen tribute band, September
• Rocky Horror Picture Show (play), October 22–25
• Renowned ʻukulele player Jake Shimabukuro, December 14

There are also film festivals, musicals, movies, a free comedy show and more planned.

.

Partnering with the community

Von Hausch’s more than 50 years’ worth of experience in nonprofit work shows in the way he has transformed the PAC. When he started, the PAC had been vacant for four years after closing in 2020 due to COVID-19 and for renovations. The PAC reopened in April 2024.

Now, the sprung dance floor in the separate Dance Studio behind the stage is being utilized by the Kauaʻi Ballet Academy throughout the year. Also, Kauaʻi CC student clubs and organizations are able to sell concessions and tickets to movie showings and benefit from the proceeds, and these same movie showings are free to Kauaʻi CC staff and employees while only costing $10 for the general public.

Von Hausch is currently working with Kauaʻi CC Dean Kurt Takamine on the conversion of the production office into a music studio for community members and students to be able to record music and teach classes.

He’s got more big ideas including art showings in the lobby, farm-to-table film and food experiences, and has asked some celebrities to visit Kauaʻi to host Q&As alongside showings of their films.

“I think we’re just beginning to tap the potential,” von Hausch said.

If you have a community-focused idea, or if you have a nonprofit or group that could utilize the PAC, visit the , email kccpac@hawaii.edu, or call (808) 245-8352.

held a reopening and blessing of the (PAC) in April following the pandemic and repairs.

PAC closed in May 2020 as many facilities did due to COVID-19 restrictions. During the closure, officials found damage to stage beams. Extensive structural work had to be completed before the center could be reopened.

“We are extremely grateful to again be able to provide a state-of-the art facility for our campus and community,” Kauaʻi CC Chancellor Margaret Sanchez said.

“After long-awaited anticipation of the Kauaʻi Performing Arts Center’s reopening, we are incredibly excited to welcome our KCC ʻohana and our community to enjoy the many talents that our theater will host here on our campus,” said Cheryl Lum, who oversees PAC.

Community members interested in using PAC can contact Lum at cstig@hawaii.edu.

It’s been two decades since the tragic events of 9/11. To pay homage to one of the nation’s darkest days, the University of Hawaiʻi at Hilo and the will debut its fall season with the production . The play, written by California-based writer Jeannie Barroga, takes place after the attacks and parodies the chaotic moment in history of falling buildings and intertwines symbolic Wizard of Oz icons.

“We are opening on 9/11 because this year marks 20 years since that day, and the central character in the play is dealing with the trauma and fallout from that event,” said ÌÇÐÄÊÓƵ Hilo Associate Professor of Drama Justina Mattos, who directed the production.

Due to the pandemic, the performance was filmed over the summer, will premiere virtually on September 11 and run continuously through the 13th. A viewing link will be available here beginning on opening day.

“I found out about the existence of this play through a Thursday evening playwrights’ Zoom Hui that I created and have been leading since the start of COVID a year-and-a-half ago,” said Mattos. “We gather online each week to read works in development, and many of the works have appeared onstage or online after being workshopped with us.”

The play’s lead actress is Rhealiza Pira, a 2017 alumna of the ÌÇÐÄÊÓƵ Hilo performing arts and English departments. (PDF).

—By Susan Enright

The ’s Performing Arts Center presents Rent, an inspiring Broadway musical set in New York that follows a group of impoverished young artists and musicians struggling to survive and create under the shadow of HIV/AIDS.

Rent is about falling in love, finding your voice and living for today. Loosely based on Giacomo Puccini’s opera La Boheme, this is theater at its best—exuberant, passionate and joyous.

Rent, the winner of a Tony Award for Best Musical and the Pulitzer Prize for Drama, incorporates rock songs and a storyline that resonates with audiences of all ages. It is directed by Justina Mattos, musically directed by Trever Veilleux and choreographed by Celeste Staton and Kea Kapahua.

Showtimes and ticket information

• April 5, 6, 12, 13 at 7:30 p.m.
• April 7, 14 at 2 p.m.

Tickets are available for purchase at the ÌÇÐÄÊÓƵ Hilo Performing Arts Center box office, Tuesdays to Fridays from 10 a.m.–2 p.m. or by calling (808) 932-7490 or .

.

’s fall 2018 season celebrates dance, rich Cuban music, scary Halloween plays, holiday musical classics and so much more.

Dance Collective

September 28 at 7:30 p.m.

Presenting the work of new and established dancers and choreographers from Island Dance Academy, Center Stage Dance Alliance, Paradise Performing Arts Center, N2 Dance, Kona Dance and Performing Arts, and ÌÇÐÄÊÓƵ Hilo dance department. The dance concert provides choreographers with a platform to share their art and vision without restriction.

Harold López-Nussa Trio

October 19 at 7:30 p.m.

Harold López-Nussa’s music reflects the full range and richness of Cuban music, with its distinctive combination of classical, folkloric and popular elements, and embracing jazz improvisation and interaction.

Holiday Card to Hilo: Come Back Home

December 9 at 2 p.m.

This concert has been a tradition among Hilo families for more than a decade, bringing sing-alongs and holiday classics to the stage. The concert will bring together ÌÇÐÄÊÓƵ ±á¾±±ô´Ç’s Kapili Choir and University Chorus with Hilo Community Chorus, the ensemble VOICES, the Orchid Isle Orchestra and special guest performers.

Fall Trifecta

Scary Scenarios

October 26, 27, 30, 31 at 6 p.m. and 8:30 p.m. and October 28 at 4 p.m.

Creep through the halls of the Performing Arts Center to experience four Halloween-themed one-act plays, shared at four different locations. Written by ÌÇÐÄÊÓƵ Hilo students, the plays are Trust Issues, Come Home, Lattes and Ignorance is Bliss.

Fall 2018 Great Leaps Dance Concert

December 1 at 7:30 p.m.

Enjoy more than 150 ÌÇÐÄÊÓƵ Hilo, Hawaiʻi CC and community dancers performing ballet, jazz, modern and aerial dance pieces choreographed by instructors Celeste Staton, Annie Bunker and Kea Kapahua, as well as guest choreographers and graduating students’ senior projects.

ÌÇÐÄÊÓƵ Hilo Jazz Orchestra Concert

December 5, 6 at 7:30 p.m.

The ÌÇÐÄÊÓƵ Hilo jazz orchestra will perform its annual Frank Zappa tribute concert. Zappa’s music, with its virtuosity, humor and high energy, is best experienced live in concert.

The Fall Trifecta package offers three events for $20. To receive the deal, the package should be purchased by October 26.

for a full schedule of events including ticket prices.

Halloween celebrations at the University of Hawaiʻi at Hilo and Honolulu Community College.

Honolulu CC

The presents a Halloween Gala. Join students, staff and faculty for a night of terror as they put on their spookiest and most creative looks for Halloween.

• October 27, 6 p.m. at the Cosmetology Building 27, room 116
• Admission is free

ÌÇÐÄÊÓƵ Hilo

The Drama Club presents A Serial Theatre Event: Scary Senarios. Sample a variety of Halloween scenes and stories as you wander though the nooks and crannies of the Performing Arts Center.

• October 30–31, 6–9 p.m. at the ÌÇÐÄÊÓƵ Hilo Performing Arts Center

ÌÇÐÄÊÓƵ ²ÑÄå²Ô´Ç²¹

Pint-sized super-heroes, goblins, ballerinas, space villains and more populated the ÌÇÐÄÊÓƵ ²ÑÄå²Ô´Ç²¹ on October 31. More than 100 students, faculty, staff and their families gathered to celebrate a safe and happy Halloween.

The ’s features a remix of a cultural stronghold by the group On Ensemble on Saturday, November 17 at 7:30 p.m.

With Japanese drums at the foundation of its world fusion mix, On Ensemble takes the ancient instruments of taiko into new realms. Infusing the powerful rhythms of ensemble Japanese drumming with elements of hip-hop, rock and electronica, their unique sound has been praised as “completely original and brilliantly conceived.”

Modern Drummer magazine calls On Ensemble “an exciting taiko ensemble looking at new ways to apply traditional Japanese drums.”

Tickets

To purchase tickets go to the . Tickets are $20 general, $10 Children 17 and under and ÌÇÐÄÊÓƵ students

Dancers from the University of Hawaiʻi at Hilo Performing Arts Department and presents the Great Leaps dance concert on Tuesday, December 6, 7:30 p.m. at ÌÇÐÄÊÓƵ Hilo’s .

This annual event features more than 150 dancers from Hilo and Hawaiʻi dance classes and invited guests from the community.

Great Leaps Highlights

• Jazz and ballet pieces choreographed by Celeste Staton, including excerpts from the Nutcracker Ballet
• Pas de deux featuring performing arts majors Heather Cloud and Joshua Tavares
• Rebecca Baumsteiger performing the Sugar Plum Fairy solo
• Modern and aerial dance choreographed by Annie Bunker
• Tap dance taught by Cheryl Aue
• Contemporary pieces by Grady Sullivan, Stephanie Shepherd and Dori Yamada

Ticket Information

The performance is open seating and tickets are $6 general and $4 for students, seniors, children, faculty and staff. or stop by the Performing Arts Center box office.

Advance ticket purchase is recommended due to the popularity of the event.

For disability accommodation, contact Heidi Veilleux at (808) 933-3209 (V) or (808) 933-3334 (TTY) at least 10 working days prior to the event.