Old country customs can be embarrassing when your family moves to a place where people do things differently. HTY explores the clash of cultures in Hawaii from a Chinese perspective with playwright Alvin Chan’s not-quite-autobiographical play, “The Lion Dancer.”

Chan, a Hawaii-born Chinese-American whose parents were born and raised in Hong Kong, stars as a young boy who has a love-hate relationship with the culture of his parents. He writes in the HTY study guide that “My parents wanted me to go to Chinese school, but I wanted to play sports. … I spent a lot of time trying not to be Chinese when I was young. I wanted to fit in with the local kids,” and the story follows the experiences of a “dorky kid” named Ansen for whom dodge ball, kung fu, malasadas and the ancient Chinese tradition of lion dancing become the route to acceptance.

HTY has been dealing with bullying this season, as well as exploring cultural traditions, so Ansen’s journey of self-discovery and success as a lion dancer includes overcoming some bullies, in keeping with the theme.

The opening night performance Friday includes a post-show buffet-and-punch reception with cast members Chan, Moses Goods, Maile Holck and Hermenigildo “Junior” Tesoro Jr.