For more than a hundred years, the Hawaii Theatre has provided a home for quality entertainment, student educational programs, and cultural events celebrating Hawaii’s diversity.  But you don’t get to your 100th birthday without some drama and a bit of wear and tear. 

The theatre’s tale of being rescued from destruction is well known. By the mid 80’s, business had severely declined.  Tourism was shining light on other parts of Hawaii, and the entertainment palace competed against the modernization of television and cinema.  When the Hawaii Theatre’s lease expired in 1984, it seemed to be the end of an era for The Pride of the Pacific. The building had survived a world war then sat deserted, deteriorating, and slated for demolition.  But as word spread about imminent demolition, a group of community volunteers rewrote history by forming the Hawaii Theatre Center, a non-profit organization dedicated to saving and restoring the theatre. Our rich history is highlighted in a timeline here.

Over the next 20 years, the Hawaii Theatre Center spearheaded a colossal $34 million effort to return the historic Honolulu landmark to its former glory. 

When interior renovations were completed in 1996, the theatre reopened with a mission to offer Hawaii a broad range of high quality entertainment, cultural and educational programs. Plans for exterior restorations were put on hold so the community could enjoy the theatre. A decade later, the facade was restored, but now, we face an urgency to update the building’s exterior. Extensive spalling repairs are needed, which will require a restoration team to remove layers of concrete and refurbish the rusting rebar. The walls, which are still covered in the original paint applied at the time of construction, will also be repainted. This critical work is estimated to cost $1.5 million.