The “Curtain Up” fundraiser to support the ProArts Playhouse will feature a host of Maui talent on Saturday. Courtesy photo

An ensemble of Maui talent, including multi-Nā Hōkū Hanohano Award-winners John Cruz and Eric Gilliom, Anthony Pfluke and Sheryl Renee, has teamed to support Kihei’s popular entertainment venue, the ProArts Playhouse, with a “Curtain Up” fundraiser Saturday.

“This is our second year, and we’re really excited because last year went really beautifully,” said Lin McEwan, ProArts executive director. “It’s a big smorgasbord of everything that we do. We’re also making it an opportunity to get a taste of a number of the businesses down there, helping with pupus and things like that. And we’re really grateful to our landlords who run Azeka (Shopping Center) because they’ve just been incredibly kind to us.”

Other entertainers include magician David Kuraya, Dickie Tilton playing the grand piano, Caye McKibben demonstrating her aerialist skill and the cast of the upcoming musical “RENT,” which will open March 13.

“‘RENT’ is our next big musical,” said McEwan. “We’ve got ‘Gutenberg,’ and then after that we’ve got ‘RENT,’ which transformed the landscape of musical theater. It’s based on ‘La Bohème,’ a modernization of that, and it’s got some truly astounding music. We’re going to have two pieces from that, and we’ve got a couple of special surprise guests.”

The event will open with a special preparty at 5:30 p.m. for those who purchase premium seats. At 6:30 p.m., pupus and drinks will be served with preshow entertainment by McKibben and Tilton. The main show will begin at 7:30 p.m.

Besides singing at the fundraiser, Gilliom will celebrate the 150th performance of his “White Hawaiian” show on March 1.

“I’m going to give it a rest,” he said. “It’s not the end of ‘Hawaiian.’ It’s just the end of it at ProArts, and we’re talking about taking it to Oahu.”

Eric Gilliom will celebrate the 150th performance of his “White Hawaiian” show on March 1. Courtesy photo

Gilliom is continuing to perform at the “Mele: The Hawaiian Music Experience” show at the Maui Ocean Center on Tuesdays with “a really beautiful, amazing new lighting system.”

And he is in negotiations to direct on Maui “a musical in the summer with some of Hawaii’s famous women,” he said, as well as working on “a project in Waikiki.”

Besides events inside the theater, “we will take over the whole area out front of our space and out front of the Home Made Cafe,” said McEwan. “In the outside area we have space for people to mill around a bit more since we’re tiny. And we’re having our first-ever special liquor license for this event.”

Money raised at “Curtain Up” will help the ProArts Playhouse’s many programs including one that gives free tickets to those in need.

“We’re grateful to everybody involved with the event and those who are attending for their support,” McEwan said.

The “Curtain Up” fundraiser will be presented Saturday at the ProArts Playhouse. Tickets are $500 at proartsmaui.org for premium, which includes large front-row chairs with small tables and food. Preferred seats are $250 with elevated seating and a small gift. An optional $150 upgrade allows a preferred seat and the preparty. Regular seats are $175, which includes a small gift.