Kennedy Theatre is the University of Hawaiʻi at Mānoa's theatre, home of the Department of Theatre & Dance, with plays, dance and Theatre for Young Audiences shows. Seating is general admission, so you pick your own seats, and phones and tablets must be silenced and dark inside. Each show lists a recommended age; the next Theatre for Young Audiences show is Hey, Black Child! in April 2027.
Know before you go. Kennedy Theatre doesn't list sensory-friendly shows or a quiet room. Here's what it does say about seating, devices, children, late seating and parking.
Hours
Kennedy Theatre Box Office, in person: 11 am to 2 pm, only during the week of a show, and for one hour before showtime. By phone: (808) 944-2697, Monday to Friday, 9 am to 5 pm, or in person at the Stan Sheriff Ticket Windows, same hours. Coming up: The Storyteller, November 18 to 22, 2026 (recommended for ages 16 and up); el momento en que me desperté, December 3, 5 and 6, 2026, 8:30 pm; Seen | Unseen MFA/BFA Dance Concert, February 3 to 7, 2027; Little Shop of Horrors, March 4 to 14, 2027 (recommended for ages 13 and up); Hey, Black Child!, a Theatre for Young Audiences play, April 14 to 18, 2027 (recommended for 4th grade and up); Late Night Raqs, April 23 to 25, 2027.
1770 East-West Road, Honolulu, HI 96822 (UH Mānoa campus)
“Cellular phones and other sound and light emitting devices must be silenced and dark while inside the auditorium. No use of mobile devices is permitted in the theatre during performances.”
“All Performances are General Admission with Open Seating (unless otherwise stipulated)”
“Please allow for time to find parking and arrive at the theatre in time to be seated well before the show begins. Seating usually begins 30 minutes prior to showtime.”
“Latecomers for Ernst Lab Theatre events may not be seated once the performance has begun.”
“Children aged two and over must have tickets for admittance to events.”
“Children are welcome at family theatre events, but patrons attending other events with babies and small children may be seated in locations determined by the House Manager or may be asked to leave the theatre in the event of disturbances.”
“Recording devices, cameras, food, and drink are not allowed inside the auditorium.”
“Patrons with mobility impairments may request assistance for accessing the auditorium. Accessible seating areas are available on a first-come-first served basis.”
Hey, Black Child! (April 14 to 18, 2027) is a world premiere Theatre for Young Audiences play told through poetry, movement and music, recommended for 4th grade and up, with a post-show Q&A after the Friday performance. Tickets go on sale Monday, March 15, 2027: $9 UHM students, $13 non-UHM students and youth, $16 UH faculty and staff, military and seniors, $18 regular adult.
Each production page lists its recommended age and content advisories. Little Shop of Horrors lists depictions of violence and themes of death, dark comedy and horror elements, mild language and suggestive humor; The Storyteller lists themes of grief and loss, spiritual references, and emotional intensity tied to family struggles.
For a full-size copy your child can use, open this page at squaredsteps.com, tap Make it yours, then print.
Ask before you go
sensory-friendly performances
a quiet room
headphones or sensory kits to borrow
whether you can leave the auditorium and come back in
Call 808-956-7655More about Kennedy Theatre, University of Hawaiʻi at Mānoa
Seating is general admission with open seating (unless otherwise stipulated), and it usually begins 30 minutes before showtime.
Phones and other devices must be silenced and dark inside the auditorium, and no devices can be used during performances.
Children aged two and over need a ticket; babes-in-arms (babies under 2 who won't be in a separate seat) don't need one at family theatre events.
Tickets: Mainstage and Primetime shows go on sale online four weeks before opening, at etickethawaii.com; Late Night shows are sold only at the Kennedy Theatre Box Office, starting about one hour before showtime. Prices are set per production; Children/Youth (ages 2 to 12) prices are for family theatre events only, and ID is needed for student, military, senior and UH faculty and staff discounts, also at admittance. Senior, military and UH faculty and staff discounts are limited to two tickets per ID. Groups of 10 or more may get a discount on Mainstage productions.
Exchanges and refunds: all ticket sales are final and tickets are not refundable. An exchange must be to another performance of the same production, with at least 24 hours' notice, depending on availability; exchange fees may apply. No refunds are made for patrons arriving late. Call the Box Office at (808) 956-7655.
Late seating: for Mainstage events, latecomers are seated at the discretion of the House Manager, in locations the House Manager chooses, and for some events late seating may not happen until intermission. In the Earle Ernst Lab Theatre, latecomers may not be seated once the performance has begun.
Parking: visitors use green-lined stalls, $3 per half hour from 6 am to 6 pm with a 3-hour maximum, paid with the JustPark app (or by phone at 1-888-546-1481). Parking is generally free after 6 pm and on Saturdays, Sundays and University holidays, and availability can change during special events, including major athletic or campus activities. Kennedy Theatre can't validate parking. Five accessible stalls (two in front of the theatre, three behind) are first come, first served.
Access: restrooms are wheelchair accessible, and accessible seating is first come, first served; advance notice is encouraged but not required. Assistive listening devices are at the House Manager's Office, and sign language interpreting is generally provided for at least one performance of each run.
Program changes: the Department of Theatre & Dance may cancel or change productions, dates or times due to unforeseen circumstances.
