HTY Presents World Premiere of A PLANTATION CELEBRATION

This year during the holidays, Honolulu Theatre for Youth will mark the end of an era while toasting the traditions and connections that sprang from it with A Plantation Celebration, a collection of original scenes, stories and songs that look back on a major chapter in Hawaii's history-one that has just now come to a close.

Some of Hawaii's best contemporary writers have imagined the stories of our past in a production that continues HTY's ongoing priority of creating intergenerational programming celebrating the unique history of Hawaii: A Plantation Celebration was created and directed by former HTY Artistic Director Mark Lutwak and showcases works by authors Lee Cataluna, Alvin Chan, Moses Goods, Juliet Kono, Gary Pak, Darrell Lum and Bryan Wake, interspersed with original songs by Lutwak and Chan.

The play opens Friday, November 25 at 7 p.m., then performs Saturdays, November 26 and December 3, 10 and 17 at 4:30 p.m. Sensory-friendly/ASL-interpreted performance is Saturday December 17 at 11 a.m.

A Plantation Celebration will be performed at Tenney Theatre on the grounds of The Cathedral of St. Andrew. It is ideal for ages 5 and up. Single tickets are $20 for adults, and $10 for youth (18 and under) and $15 for seniors (over 60).

A special "One of the Kids" promotional ticket package is available to encourage grandparents to bring their grandchildren to this multi-generational show: $30 for two youth and one senior (i.e., for every two youth tickets purchased, a senior ticket is available for the price of a youth ticket). For more information, to receive a season brochure, order tickets to a show or learn more about HTY's educational programming call 839-9885. Tickets may also be ordered online at www.htyweb.org.

The cast are Alvin Chan, Sean-Joseph Choo, Maile Holck, Junior Tesoro and Christina Uyeno. Set and props design is by Jennifer Eccles; lighting and projection design is by Chesley Cannon; costume designer is Iris Kim.

Lutwak said, "This is an important year for plantations in Hawaii. With the closing of the last sugar plantation we have reached a moment when the present becomes history. If our young people are going to understand the history and culture of Hawaii they will need stories and images from those times to carry the history forward. It is just at this moment that we reached out to an extraordinary group of local writers to reflect on this moment and our collective history."

HTY Artistic Director Eric Johnson added that while the play is not a holiday program in the traditional sense, it does contain references to the season and celebrates the coming together that we see both on a plantation and at the holidays. "These stories are such a strong part of our heritage," he said. "They showcase the humor of the language, the times, the connections between people on a plantation (or an island) who are working for a common cause, living, growing together in greater understanding. It's what we do during the holidays as well."

Show sponsors are City & County of Honolulu, Department of Environmental Services and Alexander and Baldwin, Inc.

Honolulu Theatre for Youth is Hawaii's non-profit professional theatre company providing theatre and drama education programs that make a difference in the lives of Hawaii's young people and families. Founded in 1955, HTY is recognized the world over as one of America's most honored theatres.

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