Live Entertainment in Honolulu

Ballet Hawaii is the Pacific's most accomplished dance company — a Honolulu organization presenting classical and contemporary ballet to Hawaii's diverse artistic community. Its extraordinary connection to Hawaii's rich dance heritage (hula is one of the world's most sophisticated indigenous dance traditions) and its consistent production of outstanding Western ballet create a dance organization at the crossroads of Eastern and Western performing arts traditions.

Blaisdell Concert Hall is Hawaii's most important concert venue — a 2,158-seat Honolulu hall presenting the Hawaii Symphony Orchestra, Broadway touring productions, and major concerts for the most geographically isolated major city in the United States. Hawaii's extraordinary position as the most remote populated location on Earth creates a concert market where the logistics of touring (an 8-hour flight from Los Angeles) create unusual scarcity and value for major performances.

Diamond Head Theatre is Hawaii's oldest theater company — a 100+ year Honolulu institution presenting outstanding Broadway musicals and plays in the shadow of Diamond Head. Its extraordinary longevity, its role in educating generations of Hawaiian theater artists, and its consistent presentation of quality theatrical productions make it one of the most beloved arts institutions in the Pacific.

Hawaii Opera Theatre is the Pacific's most important opera company — a Honolulu company presenting full-scale opera productions for America's most geographically isolated opera audience. Its extraordinary role in bringing world-class opera to Hawaii's diverse multicultural community (which includes significant Japanese, Filipino, and Korean communities with strong classical music traditions) creates an opera company of unique cultural significance.

Hawaii Shakespeare Festival presents free outdoor Shakespeare in the spectacular setting of Honolulu's Manoa Valley — creating theatrical performances in a natural amphitheater of extraordinary tropical beauty. The extraordinary juxtaposition of Shakespeare's English language and Hawaiian natural splendor creates a theatrical experience of genuine cultural contrast, where 16th-century English literature is performed under tropical stars in the middle of the Pacific Ocean.

Hawaii Symphony Orchestra is the most geographically isolated major orchestra in the United States — a Honolulu symphony presenting classical music to the Pacific's most remote major city. Its extraordinary position as Hawaii's cultural flagship and its programming that bridges Western classical tradition with Hawaiian and Pacific cultural influences create an orchestra of unique geographical and cultural significance.

Hawaii Theatre is Honolulu's most beloved historic performance venue — a stunning 1922 Beaux Arts "Pride of the Pacific" theater presenting Broadway touring shows, concerts, and cultural events in one of the finest restored theatrical interiors in the Pacific. Its extraordinary Spanish-Moorish interior (hand-painted ceilings, gilded plasterwork) and its role as the anchor of Chinatown Honolulu's extraordinary arts district create a performance experience of genuine Pacific historical significance.

Kumu Kahua Theatre is Hawaii's most important theater company — a Downtown Honolulu institution dedicated exclusively to producing plays about the Hawaiian experience, making it one of the most culturally specific theaters in America. Its extraordinary commitment to stories of Native Hawaiians, local cultures, and Pacific Islander communities creates a theater of profound cultural significance for Hawaii's diverse population.

Manoa Valley Theatre is Honolulu's most beloved community theater — a beautiful intimate theater in the lush Manoa Valley presenting Broadway musicals and plays in the most atmospherically lush theatrical setting in America. The Manoa Valley's extraordinary green beauty (it receives 150 inches of rain per year, creating a botanical paradise) and the theater's intimate 152-seat scale create a performing arts experience of unusual warmth and natural beauty.

Neal Blaisdell Arena is Hawaii's largest indoor concert venue — an 8,800-capacity Honolulu arena presenting major rock, pop, and country tours for the Pacific's most isolated major city. As the only major indoor arena in Hawaii, Blaisdell receives artists who specifically route tours through Honolulu as a destination engagement, creating a concert market where every major show is an event of unusual significance.

Honolulu's performing arts scene combines world-class cultural institutions with Hawaii's extraordinary cultural diversity — a city where Native Hawaiian hula, Japanese taiko drumming, Filipino folk dance, and Korean traditional arts all present regular performances. This extraordinary multicultural performing arts ecosystem reflects Hawaii's position as America's most diverse state (there is no ethnic majority in Hawaii) and creates a cultural richness unavailable anywhere else in the United States.

Waikiki Shell is Hawaii's most magical outdoor concert venue — a 7,500-capacity open-air amphitheatre in Kapiolani Park at the base of Diamond Head crater, where performances take place under the stars with the iconic volcanic backdrop behind the stage. The Shell hosts the Hawaii Symphony Orchestra's summer season, major touring acts, and the annual Aloha Festivals concerts, creating unforgettable entertainment experiences unique to Honolulu's tropical setting.

Waikiki Shell is Hawaii's most beloved outdoor concert venue — a 6,000-capacity open-air amphitheater in Kapiolani Park presenting concerts and cultural events against the backdrop of Diamond Head and the Pacific sky. The Shell's extraordinary natural setting at the base of Diamond Head and its role as Hawaii's most iconic outdoor cultural venue create concert experiences shaped by the most beautiful outdoor setting in American entertainment.