John Cruz and Eric Gilliom are among the artists who will perform during a March 1 fundraiser in support of the ProArts Playhouse. Maui Photographer LLC/Michael Enovijas

A gallery of esteemed Maui talent including John Cruz, Amy Hānaiali`i, Eric Gilliom, Steve Grimes and Sheryl Renee have teamed to support Kihei’s popular entertainment venue, the ProArts Playhouse, with a “Curtain Up” fundraiser on March 1.

“It’s the first one we’ve done at the theater,” says Lin McEwan, ProArts executive director. “It’s sort of our trial run with a display of the full experience of going for a night out. We’ve got music, magic, aerial work and performance art, and we’re going to be doing a preview of ‘The Little Shop of Horrors.’ So we’re really trying to show off the full breadth of what we do.”

With all the performers donating their services, magician David Kuraya will likely mesmerize the audience.

“He’s the only magician from Warren and Annabelle’s (Magic Nightclub in Lahaina) who was a Maui boy,” McEwan explains. “He’s the only one who stayed on island after the fires, and we moved his show into ProArts with Warren’s blessing. We really have tried to make that show something special. It’s very Vegas style with great lighting and sound. He will be doing tabletop magic for the event.”

Other entertainers include Dickie Tilton playing the grand piano and Caye McKibben demonstrating her aerialist skill.

“We’re going to have hula and an oli,” McEwan continues. “It’s an opportunity to support our mission and our community-driven efforts because we are a nonprofit and we take that very seriously. At its core, we are an inclusive space, serving the community through a large variety of art forms.”

The “Curtain Up” fundraiser for the ProArts Playhouse on March 1 will feature Sheryl Renee as one of the performers in a lineup that’s packed with talented local artists. Courtesy Shooting Stars Maui

The “Curtain Up” fundraiser for the ProArts Playhouse on March 1 will feature Sheryl Renee as one of the performers in a lineup that’s packed with talented local artists. Courtesy Shooting Stars Maui

ProArts was the brainchild of founders Doug Kendrick and Jonathan Lehman, who wanted to provide Maui with access to shows that might not otherwise be produced on island and to compensate all those involved with these productions.

Beginning in 2005 with dinner theater at the Maui Beach Hotel, subsequent events were held at the Fairmont Kea Lani and the Steppingstone Theater. In 2009, ProArts opened its own theater at Azeka Plaza.

“We really believe that the arts have the power to build understanding and empathy between communities,” says McEwan. “And we really do try to be artist-focused and artist-driven. We prioritize putting the artists first, and we really function truly as a nonprofit, where we try to give as much of the money that comes in the door right back into the artists’ hands. The sound engineers, lighting designers and directors, we consider them artists as well. The last time that I did the math, we gave 45% of our gross directly back to artists.”

As a lead-up to the event, ProArts is hosting an online auction featuring items from Mick Fleetwood, “Hamilton’s” Lin-Manuel Miranda, Trilogy Excursions, Steve Grimes, the Old Lahaina Luau, Pickleball Maui and more.

“We have significant expenses and one of the reasons we’re doing the fundraiser is to get the support of the community members who can afford to do so,” says McEwan. “Costs continue to go up for arts organizations, but we really prioritize trying to keep our pricing very affordable, both for tickets as well as for opportunities for the community to use the space. We largely do co-productions, which means that we split our box office so that there’s no cost to artists. There are groups where they technically rent the space, but we keep it at absolute basement bottom pricing to make it doable for them.”

Funds raised will benefit the ProArts Access for All Program (which provides up to two complimentary tickets and up to two tickets discounted by 50% to any ProArts-produced show), the theatrical season, the Pono Project, and the Non-Profit Discount Program. The Access for All Program also provides free seats to wildfire survivors and first responders.

The ProArts Playhouse “Curtain Up” fundraiser is presented on March 1. Tickets are $250 for premium seating, preferred seats are $150, and regular seats are $100.