Lots to do, so little time — so it’s all about choices.
Here’s what’s coming up:

Stage: MVT’s Christmasy ‘Winter Wonderettes’ bows tonight

Christmas cheer, in terms of stage merriment and holiday goodies and beverages served in the theater, arrives tonight when Manoa Valley Theatre presents the Island premiere of Roger Bean’s “Winter Wonderettes,” a sequel to the off-Broadway bonbon, “The Marvelous Wonderettes.”
Curtain is 7:30 p.m. Thursdays, 8 p.m. Fridays, 3 and 8 p.m. Saturdays and 4 p.m. Sundays. Opening week is virtually sold out, so plan ahead.
The production focuses on the Marvelous Wonderettes girl group, comprised of Betty Jean, Cindy Lou, Missy and Suzay, who are tapped to perform at a holiday party for Harper’s Hardware, where Betty Jean has worked since high school. Alas, news leaks that the hardware store will close so the foursome does its best to share yuletide cheer with even a serenade to Santa.
The Wonderettes are played by Aubrey Lee Glover (Betty Jean), Pomai Lopez (Suzy), Alex Lanning (Cindy Lou) and Becky Matlby (Missy), who uncork a wildly entertaining and lighthearted nostalgic dollop of kitsch, plus such holiday songs as “Santa Baby,” “Rockin’ Around the Christmas Tree,” “Jingle Bell Rock,” “Little Saint Nick,” “Santa Claus Is Comin’ to Town” and even “Mele Kalikimaka.”
Brett Harwood is guest director, Kenji Higashihama is guest musical conductor and Grace Bell is guest choreographer. Dusty Behner is costumer, Benjamin MacKrell is set designer, Janine Myers is lighting designer, Jason Taglianetti is sound designerm Greg Howell is hair and makeup designer and Sara Ward is prop designer.
Tickets: $35 general, $30 seniors and military, $20 patrons 25 and younger. Reservations: 988-6131 or www.manoavalleytheatre.com.

Stage: ‘White Christmas,’ with snow, at DHT

Irving Berlin’s immortal film, “White Christmas,” adapted for the stage, arrives Dec. 5 at Diamond Head Theatre, complete with snow, the famous title song, and other melodic evergreens like “I Love a Piano,” "Snow," “Blue Skies,” “How Deep Is the Ocean” and “Happy Holidays.”
Curtain time is 8 p.m. Friday and Saturday and 4 p.m. Sunday on opening weekend, with a holiday schedule prevailing from Dec. 10 to 20: 8 p.m. Thursdays thorugh Saturdays, 4 p.m. Sundays, 3 p.m. Saturday matinees Dec. 12 and 19.
John Rampage is directing and choreographing, Emmett Yoshioka is conducting.
Joshua Varde-Laguana and Kyle Malis play the song-and-dance team of Bob Wallace and Phil Davis, Army buddies during World War II, who meet two sisters played by Nicole Sullivan as Betty and Kathryn Lee as Judy, and accompany them to an inn in Vermont — where there is no snow, consequently no patrons. They call in the troops to do a show to rev up business.
Tickets: $12 to $42, with discounts for childen under 18, students and seniors 62 and older active-duty military. Reservations: 733-0274, www.diamondheadtheatre.com.

Life’s a beach: ‘Sunset’ offers films, Cypriano, hula
Tesero Hawaii’s “Sunset on the Beach,” Nov. 14 and 15 at Waikiki Beach, offers a panorama of free activities.
Food booths open at 4 p.m., followed by music both days; films are shown at dusk, at about 6 p.m.
The Saturday event, is sponsored by the Juvenile Diabetes Research Foundation, in conjunction with Lilly. Highlights: Reggae vibes from HiRiz; “Life of a Child,” a documentary, and the animated “Monsters vs. Aliens.”
The Sunday event is presented by Japan Airlines. Highlights: Performances by Nohelani Cypriano and kumu hula Blaine Kamalani Kia and the Ladies of Halau Ka Waikahe Lani Malie and the Men of Halau Kahulaliwai; “Hula Aloha — the Love of Dance,” and three films on Waikiki and hula, including Edgy Lee’s “Waikiki in the Wake of Dreams,” narrated in Japanese.

Music: Loggins & Messina reunite at Blaisdell
Loggins & Messina, the folk-rock dudes of “House at Pooh Corner,” “Your Mama Don’t Dance,” “Danny’s Song” and “Lahaina,” update their catalogue and renew their friendship of Islanders in a concert at 7:30 p.m. Nov. 15 at Blaisdell Concert Hall.
Kenny Loggins and Jim Messina, who date back to the 1970s, have been a particular fave with Hawaii fans and have routinely included the Islands in their concert stops. Loggins has owned property on the Big Island and both have Hawaii friendships built over the decades.
Tickets: $45 to $75. Reservations: 591-2211, www.ticketmaster.com.

Mall: City Lights photo exhibit at Kahala

To mark the 25th anniversary of the holiday tradition “Honolulu City Lights,” Friends of the Honolulu City Lights is presenting a photo display now through Nov. 28 at Kahala Mall.
The exhibit, fronting The Walking Company, is free and viewable during shopping hours.

Stage: ACT’s ‘High School Musical 2’ opens Nov. 19

Army Community Theatre’s “High School Musical 2,” the Disney phenom, opens Nov. 19 at Richardson Theatre, Fort Shafter.
It continues the saga at East High, when Troy, Gabriella and the Wildcats gang finish junior year and work at the Lava Springs Country Club.
Curtain time is 7:30 p.m.; performances are on Fridays and Saturdays through Dec. 12.
The cast features Seth Lilley as Troy, Kayla Kashimoto as Gabriella, Vincert Fitzgerald as Ryan, Jana Souza as Sharpay and Jalen Thomas as Chad.
Coco Wiel is directing, Daren Kimura is conducting and Philip Amer Kelley is choreographing.
Tickets: $15 adults, 12 children. Reservations: 438-4480, www.armytheatre.com.

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