Hawaii Theatre Center

The Carnegie Hall of the Pacific, it opened in 1922 as a showcase for organ concerts, vaudeville acts, and silent movies. Following a slow but steady decline, it shuttered its doors in 1989, but concerned residents, anxious to preserve a bit of local history, raised enough funds to spare it from demolition and restore it to its original glory in a project that took four years and $22 million. The rich interior of the neo-classical beaux-arts landmark features gilded columns and grillwork, ruby-toned tapestries, and restored murals. There is ample spacing between rows, providing generous legroom, and the parterre section to the rear of the orchestra is on a slight incline, resulting in elevated views of the stage. The theatre hosts a wide variety of events, including touring Broadway productions, cultural dance performances, films, classical and pop concerts, and the Hawaii International Jazz Festival.