THE HOBBIT to Open at UH Mānoa's Earle Ernst Lab Theatre
UH Mānoa's TYA Program marks its 55th anniversary with a five-actor fundraising production.
The University of Hawai'i at Mānoa's Theatre for Young Audiences (TYA) program proudly presents The Hobbit, Greg Banks' inventive stage adaptation of the beloved novel by J.R.R. Tolkien, featuring music by Tom Johnson. This limited-run production will be presented in the Earle Ernst Lab Theatre at the Kennedy Theatre from August 21 through September 6, 2026 with evening performances at 7:00 p.m. and matinees at 2:00 p.m. All tickets are $15, general admission seating, and available now for purchase online.
In a bold and playful theatrical feat, The Hobbit is brought to life by just five actors who transform everyday objects into dragons, dwarves, goblins, and epic landscapes. Set inside “Tutu's garage,” the production celebrates the ingenuity of local storytelling and serves as a heartfelt tribute to the make-believers—those who understand that imagination can transform the ordinary into the extraordinary.
This production also marks a major milestone: the 55th anniversary of the Theatre for Young Audiences program at UH Mānoa. Founded in 1971 by Tamara Montgomery as Children's Theatre (later known as Youth Theatre), the program has spent more than five decades inspiring young audiences and training generations of actors, directors, puppeteers, teaching artists, and arts leaders who have gone on to enrich communities throughout Hawai'i, the nation, and beyond.
In honor of this legacy, all proceeds from The Hobbit will support a newly established University of Hawai'i Foundation account dedicated to sustaining and strengthening the TYA program for future generations.
The story of The Hobbit follows Bilbo Baggins, a comfort-loving hobbit who is unexpectedly swept into an epic adventure alongside a company of dwarves and the wizard Gandalf. Along the way, he encounters trolls, goblins, dragons, and the mysterious Gollum, discovering courage and resilience he never knew he possessed. Told through the inventive lens of five actors and a world built entirely through theatrical imagination, this production reminds audiences that extraordinary adventures can begin in the most ordinary places.
Filled with humor, heart, and adventure, The Hobbit invites audiences of all ages to rediscover the joy of live theatre and the limitless possibilities of imagination.
Kennedy Theatre | Press Release – The Hobbit
Tickets & Additional Information:
For more information about the show and to purchase tickets online please visit: https://www.zeffy.com/en-US/ticketing/the-hobbit-3.
For accessibility questions, please call 808-956-7655.
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