The season opener for Hono-lulu Theatre for Youth may be its biggest technical-effects extravaganza, but its story gets distracted amid all the razzle-dazzle.

"Aladdin's Luck," adapted by Janet Stanford from "The Arabian Nights" classic tale, has music by Fahir Atakoglu, direction by Paul Mitri and a production concept lifted directly from a video arcade.

The play begins traditionally enough, with a scenic design by H. Bart McGeehon that features a stage full of Persian arches, mosaics, rich carpets, fabrics and pillows. The design continues out into the audience, where drapery swags and hanging lamps create a shadowy, tentlike atmosphere. Samantha Fromm's costumes follow suit, with harem pants, turbans and shawls.

As the action gets under way, we see that Hermen Tesoro Jr. plays the title role of Aladdin, but that company actors Nina Buck and Maile Holck are triple cast in a variety of roles. That's nothing new for HTY, which often fills multiple parts with a small cast. But somehow, in this production, the technique goes into hyper-overdrive.

Performers dart behind a curtain for quick costume changes, and then emerge on the opposite side as new characters. Rapid changes can be fun if they're part of the act, but they cause the action to become disjointed when the pace opens up too much throttle. Suddenly, the characters are dashing about and shouting — and we're not exactly sure why.

Scene changes happen like they are controlled by a heavy thumb on a remote-control device. Aladdin goes with the magician, he falls into a cave, and he's back again. And so it goes without full continuity or enough time to absorb what's going on.

Ultimately, Aladdin must decide between keeping the girl and keeping the magic lamp. And even if the story gets somewhat lost in the shuffle, the kids will no doubt stay glued to the edge of their seats.

The frenetic action is underscored by the lighting plot. Adam Larsen designed the lights and video projections into a dazzling display of animated silhouettes, exploding stars and whirling vortexes.

Shifts between live action and animation carry the visuals to places where HTY has not gone before, and these techniques delight the youngsters.

Atakoglu's score melds Middle Eastern and Turkish wind instruments, strings and percussion with Western and symphonic influences, weaving music around the action as part accompaniment and part soundtrack.

Director Mitri describes his intent to give audiences "a taste of the real culture" and "a Genie that isn't blue and sounds like Robin Williams." Consequently, when Aladdin rubs the lamp, it results in echoing women's voices and disembodied arms projected against the rear backdrop.

But there are traditional Hollywood touches, nevertheless. The show has a dance sequence and a scimitar duel that ends up in a harmless pillow fight.

The cast affects curious Middle-Eastern accents, and the recorded narration is not always clear or effective, but the production will dazzle the eye.

Joseph T. Rozmiarek has been reviewing theater performances in Hawai'i since 1973.