Weekend Offers Musical, ’80s Dance Party, Health

By Vanessa Wolf

Henry David Thoreau urges you to try a little harder.

In celebration of Henry David Thoreau’s birth at some point a long time ago, today is “Simplicity Day.”

Consider finding ways to simplify your life. Embrace solitude or make something you need rather than buying it.

Thoreau used to make his own lead pencils.

That oughtta provide a thorough distraction for an hour or two.

Not your groove?

Perhaps one of the events we found below is more to your liking.

Best Reason to Gawk at Someone Working Out and Not Be Asked to Leave the Gym

Tonight’s Lahaina town party celebrates Health and Wellness Month.

You can gawk your heart out as personal trainer Emily Shaw and other local fitness providers and sports clubs perform fitness and health demonstrations.

There will also be a show by Emerald City Trapeze Arts Maui.

Not enough healthy excitement for ya? Lahaina’s restaurants will also be serving up their healthiest dishes and the public can join in the health food eating contest sponsored by Bamboo Fresh. Maybe fast in preparation?

Best Reason to Risk an Encounter With a Ghost

Maui OnStage’s production of RENT, the hit Broadway musical, opens tonight at 7:30 p.m. at the Historic (and “haunted”) Iao Theater in Wailuku.

RENT is a rock musical which tells the story of a group of young “starving” artists and musicians on New York’s Lower East Side who are struggling to survive and create while living under the shadow of HIV/AIDS.

The musical originally ran in a limited, Off-Broadway workshop production. However, it soon won a Pulitzer Prize and was moved to Broadway, where it ultimately became the ninth longest-running Broadway show of all time.

If you missed it before the curtains closed in September 2008, you can catch the Maui production over the next few weeks.

RENT opens tonight and runs until Sunday, Aug. 4. Show times are Fridays and Saturdays at 7:30 p.m. and Sundays at 3 p.m.

Tickets are $17 to 28 dollars.

Best Reason to Dress Like a Material Girl… Again

What is it with these ’80s night parties?

No matter, just channel your best Flashdance and head to The Maui Beach Hotel in Kahului tonight from 9 p.m. to 1 a.m.

Next Level Entertainment’s Joe Cortez will be taking you back to the ’80s – or last weekend if you went to Gannon’s – all night long, all night. **Queue Lionel Ritchie.

Cover is $10.

Best Reason to Google “Soroptimist”

Soroptimist International of West Maui in partnership with the Volunteer Center is hosting the first annual Interactive Health and Fitness Expo.

It’s a friendly, fun, family event featuring fitness and cooking demonstrations, healthy vendors, youth obstacle course with slip’n slide, health screenings, mile walk, cross fitness challenge and more.

The first 200 attendees will receive a gift so get to the Maui Prep Campus in Lahaina closer to the start time at 8 a.m. than the end at noon.

p.s. “a member of an organization of clubs (Soroptimist International) for professional and executive businesswomen,” which is a not what we would have guessed.

Best Opportunity to Get Your Hawaiian Music On

Amy Hanaiali‘i performs on Saturday. Courtesy photo

This Saturday at 6 p.m. celebrate the best of this year’s Hawaiian music with performances from the Nā Hōkū Hanohano Award winners.

The artists were chosen and announced by the Hawai‘i Academy of Recording Arts in May.

This 3rd annual Nā Hōkū Hou concert will be held in the MACC’s Yokouchi Pavilion and features Melveen Leed, Amy Hanaiali’i, Mana’o Company and Na Hoa (comprised of Ikaika Blackburn, Halehaku Seabury, and Keoni Souza) and Kamakakehau Fernandez.

Fans or those simply curious about contemporary Hawaiian music are certain to get both their fill and a real-time education from the performances Saturday evening.

Tickets are $25 for standard seats, $45 for reserved table seating, and $75 for an exclusive VIP package.

Best Opportunity to Get Your Classical Music On

Minghuan Xu, violin, and Winston Choi, piano. Courtesy photo

On Saturday at 7:30 p.m. at Keawala’i Congregational Church in Makena, Ebb & Flow Arts present Duo Diorama.

What does that mean?

Well, that means violinist Minghuan Xu and pianist Winston Choi will be performing pieces by Igor Stravinsky as well as pieces by living composers.

The program includes Stravinsky’s neoclassical “Duo Concertante” (1932) and John Corigliano’s “Sonata” (1963).

Also on the program are Mischa Zupko’s “Shades of Grey” (2006) (www.mischazupko.com), and Huang Ruo’s “The Invisible Compass” (2012).

There will be a pre-show discussion at 6:30 p.m.

Both events are free.

Aware of something that’s happening or going to be happening on Maui? For crying out loud, LET US KNOW ABOUT IT: [email protected]