Community Calendar

The 39 Steps is a parody play adapted from the 1935 film by Alfred Hitchcock, which is itself adapted from the 1915 novel by John Buchan. The original concept and production of a four-actor version of the story was written by Simon Corble and Nobby Dimon, and premiered in 1996. Patrick Barlow rewrote this adaptation in 2005. The play's concept calls for the entirety of the 1935 adventure film The 39 Steps to be performed with a cast of only four. One actor plays the hero, Richard Hannay; an actress (or sometimes actor) plays the three women with whom he has romantic entanglements; and two other actors play every other character in the show, each occasionally playing multiple characters at once. Thus the film's serious spy story is given a comedic twist.
Don't miss your chance to see it at Kona's historic Aloha Theatre.

Balinese Wayang Listrik (giant shadow puppets in combination with live action and gamelan orchestra)
April 17-26, 2026
*Pre-Show Chats at 6:45pm before Saturday performances

Co-Directed by Kristin Pauka and I Madé Moja
Adapted from a traditional Balinese folktale by Ketut Wirtawan and Madé Moja

Panji and the Lost Princess is a large-scale Balinese shadow puppetry performance in the tradition of wayang listrik. The story is based on the Balinese interpretation of a traditional Javanese story, and adapted to the genre of wayang listrik by Balinese master artists I Ketut Wirtawan and I Madé Moja. The show is dynamically staged with giant shadow puppetry, actors, dancers, special lighting effects, and is accompanied by a live gamelan ensemble, led by master musician I Madé Widana. The style of the production, wayang listrik (Indonesian for “electric shadows”), is a recent development in Balinese shadow puppetry that emerged in the late 1990s. What distinguishes this art form from others is the inclusion of giant screens, paintings, complex lighting, 3-dimensional effects, and dancers, as well as actors behind the screen, wearing shadow masks carved in a similar manner as traditional kulit (“leather”) puppets. Moja has staged two previous wayang listrik productions at Kennedy Theatre: Subali-Sugriwa – Battle of the Monkey Kings and The Last King of Bali. We are thrilled that he will return this season to serve as the master designer and co-director of this production.

Friday, Apr. 17 at 7:30pm
Saturday, Apr. 18 at 7:30pm*
Friday, Apr. 24 at 7:30pm
Saturday, Apr. 25 at 7:30pm*
Sunday, Apr. 26 at 2:00pm
*pre-show chat 4/18 & 4/25 at 6:45pm