Aerial artistry will sing with jazz this weekend at the Palace Theater in downtown Hilo.
Aerial Arts Hawaii presents “CRAZY — An Aerial Jazz Cabaret” at 7 p.m. Friday, Sept. 20 and 3 p.m. Sunday, Sept. 22.
The 1920s-inspired show runs more than 90 minutes and is set to jazz tracks and jazz-inspired covers of modern pop music. The show features 15 circus acts and a handful of live vocal performances by Hawaii Island’s Kat Reuss.
“This is the fifth show Aerial Arts Hawaii has produced and the fourth one at the Palace Theater,” said co-director Zoe Eisenberg, who also is a co-founder of Aerial Arts Hawaii. “With each show, we try to grow a bit bigger …”
“CRAZY” is the group’s first show to feature live vocals — Reuss will sing four songs — and the first show to have “a very loose narrative,” Eisenberg explained.
The show is loosely built around the premise of a jazz club owner struggling over the loss of her club during the 1920s.
Eisenberg said she and co-founder Bella O’Toole “usually have a long list of ideas for shows we want to do and like to build our shows around the talent we have.”
Reuss previously performed in the group’s 2017 Valentine’s Day show, and is a “really wonderful artist.”
“We have access to really immense talent here on the island, and there aren’t as many opportunities as we would like to see their work, so Bella and I, we try to create those opportunities,” Eisenberg said.
Aerial artists train several hours a week to stay in condition to do their craft, she said, and when there aren’t opportunities to showcase what they’re building, “it can be frustrating for the artist, but sad for the community to not know that we have this wealth of talent here.”
Thirteen of the artists are based on the Big Island, two will come from Maui and one from Portland, Ore.
Eisenberg said, too, the group is appreciative of the venue.
It’s “fun to be producing a ’20s-themed show in a theater that was built in the ’20s “
According to Eisenberg, the show is PG-13. There is no nudity, but some of the acts can be sensual.
Eisenberg said those attending should pre-order tickets. Shows sold out in the past.
Tickets are $25 general admission and $35 for reserved seats in advance, and $5 more at the door.
Reserved seating tickets can be purchased only at the Palace Theater box office and by calling 934-7010 from 10 a.m.-3 p.m. Monday through Friday.
General Admission tickets are available online at aerialartshawaii.com and hilopalace.com.
Email Stephanie Salmons at ssalmons@hawaiitribune-herald.com.
