Hawaii Theatre Center Awarded $75,000 City Grant

            Mayor Mufi Hannemann has awarded a $75,000 City grant to the Hawaii Theatre Center to support its 2007-2008 Hana Hou! Hawaiian Music Series.

            Mayor Hannemann said, “The Hawaii Theatre Center’s commitment to perpetuating the arts through its wonderful cultural, artistic, and civic programs not only preserves and promotes Hawaii’s unique heritage, but contributes to the revitalization of our Chinatown area.  The work of the Hawaii Theatre has been among the key reasons AmericanStyle magazine ranked Honolulu as the No. 7 arts destination among mid-sized U.S. cities.”

The mayor is scheduled to present the grant to Hawaii Theatre Center officials on Friday, February 8, at 8:00 p.m., at the theatre as part of the opening for the performance of the New Traditionalists.

The grant provides support for the production of at least six performances as part of the Hana Hou! Hawaiian Music Series from December 2007 through May 2008.  The series will include performances by such artists as The Brothers Cazimero, Makaha Sons, and Nathan Aweau.  The grant will also underwrite the presentation of “Hawaii Theatre Follies” in February and “In The Mood” in May.

The grant to the Honolulu Theatre Center was appropriated by the Mayor’s Office of Culture and the Arts.  The Hawaii Theatre Center will serve about 13,000 audience members during the season.

$5,000 Grant to Hawaii Youth Opera Chorus

The City also awarded a $5,000 grant to the Hawaii Youth Opera Chorus for its 2007-2008 season.

Mayor Hannemann is scheduled to present the check on Saturday, February 9, at 6:00 p.m., at Kawaiahao Church when the chorus opens its 11^th annual E Mele Kakou Choral Festival.

Said the mayor, “The Hawaii Youth Opera Chorus is the longest-running and largest youth chorus in Hawaii.  Since the 1960s, the organization has groomed our future performing artists, some of whom have gone on to enjoy great success.  The chorus has done a tremendous job in representing Honolulu throughout the state, as well as nationally and internationally.  The City is proud to support these efforts.”

The grant provides support for the annual OPERAtunities program, four choral festivals, including the Pacific Rim Children’s Choral Festival, and a number of collaborative projects.  The Hawaii Youth Opera Chorus serves 2,000 students grades K-12 during the year.

The grant to the Hawaii Youth Opera Chorus was appropriated by the Mayor’s Office of Culture and the Arts.

Contact

Dymian Racoma, 527-5288