Month: April 2025

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HAMMOND’S ICE CREAM COMING

Hammond’s Gourmet Ice Cream is anticipating a summer opening at the Koko Marina Shopping Center.

Hammond’s is targeting a June 7 debut – date subject to change – and will occupy the site vacated by Moena Sweets.

Hammond’s is noted for 32 ice cream flavors, alternating 20 daily, and boasts some enchanting flavors and names, like Kitty Kitty Bang Bang, a cheesecake flavor. The brand has some dairy-free, egg-free and nut-free options, too.

It also is known for the Hammond Flights, where patrons can take flight to try six flavors in mini cones. A yummy idea to get familiar with Hammond’s…

Maple Garden is shutting down

Maple Garden, the Chinese restaurant in Moiliili, is closing – likely at the end of the month—after decades of serving fans of Chinese cuisine.

Like numerous restaurants with decades of residency, Maple Gardens has been faced with a multitude of challenges – dwindling business, high prices, a fickle economy, and a shortage of staff. Two chefs are in the kitchen and struggling to keep the doors open and  serving food, too. Owning a restaurant  is a constant task; you welcome the guests, take orders, prepare and serve the food, and after meal service there are dishes to wash.

In earlier times, there were throngs celebrating birthdays and anniversaries, retirement parties, and more. Owner Richard Lam now is thinking of closure, though he’s not yet set a firm date…

A tasty snack

My latest fave snack is something sweet but healthy.

It’s called Yoggies, and it’s a shred of strawberry, coated with creamy yogurt. It’s somewhat like Raisinets, the raisin  candy cloaked with chocolate.

Got it in a large bag, from Costco, and it’s perfect for a quick snack, since  Yoggies comes in 7-oz packets and that’s enough for a single serving.

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‘LA MANCHA,’ ‘KIM’S’ CASTS SET

“Man of La Mancha’

Buz Tennent, an accomplished baritone with musical comedy and operatic credits, will portray Miguel de Cervantas, aka Don Quixote, in Diamond Head Theatre’s “Man of La Mancha,” which opens May 23 for a run through June 8.

The Tony Award-winning show is considered one of the greatest musicals of all times, set in the time of the Spanish Inquisition, written by Dale Wasserman, with music Mitch Leigh and lyrics by Joe Darion.

The story is about a man who doesn’t give up his impossible dream and show is operatic in motif, featuring such riches as “I, Don Quixote,” “Dulcinea,” and the trademark anthem, “The Impossible Dream.”

The cast also includes Mo Radke as Sancho Panza, Richard Power as the Governor/Innkeeper, Garrett Hols as The Duke/Dr. Carrasco, Laurence Paxton as Padre, Joe Kartyak as Barber/Captain of the Inquisition, Anna Young as Aldonza/Dulcinea, Amy K. Sullivan as Housekeeper, Brianna Johnston as Maria/Moorish Girl, Lakshmi Vermui as Fermina, Lainey Hicks as Antonia, Michael Abdo as Muleteer Anselm/Dr. Carrasco, Brian Willis as Muleteer Pedro.

Other Muleteers are Joseph Lee, Lee Nebe, Phillip Ikaika Foster, Paul Garcia and Casey Lauti.

Ensemble players are Celia Chun, Lainey Hicks, Brianna Johnston, James Lauer, Cassidy Ross, Amy K. Sullivan, Lakshmi Vemuri and Presley Wheeler.

Buz Tennent

 Bryce Chaddick is director, John Rampage is choreographer, and Jenny Shiroma is musical director.

Performances are at 7:30 p.m. Thursdays, Fridays and Saturdays, at 3 p.m. Saturdays and at 4 p.m. Sundays.

Tickets: $41 to $68, at www.diamondheadtheatre.com or (808) 733-0274.

‘Kim’s Convenience’

 “Kim’s Convenience,” a comedy by Ins Choi, will be staged May 15 through June 8, at the Manoa Valley Theatre.

The show, about a family operating a convenience store in Toronto, has been a popular sit-com favorite on cable TV. It explores a myriad of topics and themes, about family traditions, cultural and racial clashes, generational confrontations, and everyday  9moments in making a living while retaining work-a-day highs and lows.

The cast features  Brandon Hagio as Appa, Sun Min Chun-Dayondon as Umma, David Tang as Jung, Miki Yamamoto as Janet, Jonathan Beck as Mr. Lee/Alex/Mike and elywyattnakaulu’aina rapoza as Rich.

Reiko Ho is director.

Performances will be at 7:30 p.m. Thursdays, Fridays and Saturdays and also at 3 p.m. Saturdays and Sundays. Tickets are $25 to $48, available at www.manoavalleytheatre.com or (808) 988-6131…

Clooney breaks his own record

George Clooney’s “Good Night, and Good Luck,” which he co-wrote with Grant Heslov, has broken its own record.

George Clooney

The drama, directed by David Cromer, surpassed its own record-high grossing record, amassing ticket sales of $3,784,200 for the first full week of performances for the week ending April 11.

The gross also broke the house record of its venue, the Winter Garden Theatre.

Could the show rev up sales a skosh, to bypass the elusive  $3 million? Hmmmm…

The Top 10:

1—“Good Night, and Good Luck,” $3.784 million.

2—“Othello,” $3.120 million.

3—“Wicked,” $2.482 million.—6

4—“Glengarry Glen Ross,” $2.228 million.

5—“The Lion King,” $2.089 million.

6—“Hamilton,” $1.953 million.

7—“Aladdin,” $1.425 million.

8—“The7Picture of Dorian Gray,” $1.379  million.

9—“The Outsiders,” $1.322 million.

10—“MJ the Musical,” $1.302 million.

The complete list, courtesy the Broadway League:

And that’s Show…

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NYC’S TISCH SCH00L SALUTES KIM

Actor-producer-writer Daniel Dae Kim,  the “Lost” and “Hawaii Five-O” actor who’s a sometime resident of Honolulu, recently was honored at the NYU Tisch School for Arts.

Winnie Holzman, an American playwright, screenwriter, and producer, also was an honoree. A Tisch grad like Kim, she wrote the book of the Tony Award-winning Broadway musical “Wicked,”” and also co-wrote the screenplays for the movie version of “Wicked” and next year’s Part Two, “Wicked for Good.”

Kim earned his MFA in Tisch School’s Graduate Acting Program in 1996. His son Jackson also is an NYU grad.

Like Father, Like Son: Dad Daniel Dae Kim. left, with son Jackson, right.

Kim’s a man for all seasons, and an entertainment icon for all reasons. He’s become a prolific and pertinent Asian resource in recent years, widening his savvy and significance in everything, on camera and off.

Kim is a powerhouse TV figure: He’s completed three TV series with more than 100 episodes – the Hawaii-originated “Lost” on ABC and “Five-0” on CBS, and he appeared in and also produced “The Good Doctor” on ABC.

He’s big in voicing: In season one of Netflix’s “Avatar: The Last Airbender,” Kim voiced General Fong in one episode, but in season two, he’s playing Fire Lord Ozai in the live-action adaptation. He voiced seven episodes as Hiroshi Sato in “The Legend of Korra,” an animated series.

Kim, in “The King and I.”

He sings — when going theatrical: He’s successfully conquered the musical stage, starring as the The King of Siam in “The King and I” at  London’s Robert Albert Hall and on Broadway at Lincoln Center. Last year, he also starred in a comedy, “Yellow Face,” at the Todd Haimes Theatre. But no vocalizing here.

Next up: Kim is producing and will star in a spy series, “Butterfly,” already filmed in South Korea, where he was born (in Busan). It is his first multi-season scripted series where he plays the lead role. Amazon has not set a release date.

Still simmering: “Makawalu,” a feature film initiated by the Hawaii International Film Festival, which he has agreed to executive-produce. The ambitious project will be co-directed by eight Kanaka Maoli (Native Hawaiian) filmmakers, the first of its kind in the islands

He’s got the spirit: Yes, he lives in Hawaii as often as feasible, traveling to wherever and whenever a project beckons. He also has residences in New York and Los Angeles, but for Kim, it’s Hawaii No Ka Oi. It’s all about the aloha spirit…

And that’s Show Biz…

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EXPLOSION OF BROADWAY MUSICALS

It’s sort of been a  Broadway musical explosion on local stages. A lot of fare, with flair.

An epidemic, in a good way.

And perhaps, the best is yet to come.

Broadway frenzy is everywhere. And growing. Song and dance casts are popular. So are familiar show titles from the past, revived for a new generation. Something new often generates big box office, too.

First off, that three-show “Broadway in Hawaii” season starts next Tuesday (April 22), with the Hawaii premiere of “Tina – The Tina Turner Musical” playing for a week at the renovated Blaisdell Concert Hall.  Following later: “Six the Musical,” a frisky, discofied parody of the six wives of King Henry VII, in a two-week residency beginning June 17, culminating in “Chicago,” the John Kander/Fred Ebb evergreen opening a week’s engagement beginning Dec. 2.

For many seasons, Diamond Head Theatre has flourished  with Broadway musicals; “Grease” just wound up a run, with “Man of La Mancha” following May 22 and  “The SpongeBob Musical” expected to have a huge underwater frenzy beginning July 18.

DHT’s earlier 2023-24 roster was chockfull of musicals: “Mamma Mia!,” “My Fair Lady,”  “The Musical Comedy Murders of 1940,” “Kiss Me Kate,” “Tootsie,” and “Frozen.”

DHT’s forthcoming 2025-26 season is anticipated to be one of the biggest slates yet, with “Come From Away” making its Hawaii premiere Sept. 12, to launch the parade of shows. Revivals of “West Side Story” starting March 20, 2026, and “Funny Girl” beginning May 22, 2026, will fill seats. And  “Les Miserables,” 40 years old and still with an immense heartbeat (meaning a blockbuster pulse), caps the coming season’s agenda beginning July 31, 2026. Do you hear the people sing? You will!  And with a new tech/set designer aboard, anticipation is higher than ever, for visual splendor along with stellar acting.

Manoa Valley Theatre just closed a held-over staging of “Parade,” and earlier mounted a splendid “Once on This Island.” “Side by Side by Sondheim” will conclude the season beginning July 17. And during its 2025-26 season, watch for two Broadway biggies, “Priscilla Queen of the Desert,” starting Nov. 13,  and “Spring Awakening,” beginning March 19, 2026. It’s amazing how much MVT can pack in its little space!

The I’m a Bright Kid Foundation  will follow up its stunning “Newsies” hit from last summer, with a revival of “Gypsy,” playing for three weekends Aug. 8 to 24 at Paliku Theatre, Windward Community Theatre. Everything’s coming up roses for the organization, which continues to perpetuate and preserve the legacy of the late teacher-director, Ron Bright, remembered for his superb high school shows with student casts over the decades when he was primarily a high school director,  and later a disguished force in community extravaganzas with adult performers.

Speaking of high school theatrics: The Broadway fever has  spread to high school slates. Among them:

  • The Kaimuki Performing Arts Company just staged “Beetlejuice.”
  • Farrington High School scored points from kids with its “Moana 2.”
  • Kamehameha thespians  and Mililani High casts tackled “Hadestown.”
  • Iolani said  hello to “Hello Dolly!” at Hawaii Theatre.

HTY season celebrates communities

The Honolulu Theatre for Youth, now in its 71st year, still is perking and creating stories and plays that celebrate Hawaii’s many communities.

The season is themed “Stories From Hawaii and Beyond,” and explores tales from around the globe and even outer space. Four world premieres are among the offerings.

“An important part of growing up “local” is being surrounded by the beauty and complexity of the many cultures that make up our community here in Hawaii,” said Eric Johnson, HTY artistic director. “This in turn, ignites curiosity and aloha for people and places beyond our shores. This season celebrates stories from this pace and invites us to look beyond as far as our imaginations can take us, from outer space to the plains of Africa.”

The season at a glance:

  • “Tales of the Sun and Moon,” is a world premiere by Reiko Ho and the HTY Ensemble, comprised of  myths and legends from Hawaii and cultures around the world.
  • “Line Circle Sphere,” by Danica Rosengren and HTY Ensemble, an interactive exploration of art in collaboration with Capitol Modern: The Hawaii State Art Museum.
  • “Uncle’s (Mostly True) Stories of the Philippines,” by veteran company member Hermenigildo “Junior” Tesoro and the HTY Ensemble, a piece celebrating the history and peoples of the Philippines.
  • “Annika’s Elephants,” by Annie Evans, helmed by Pam Arciero, ‘Sesame Street” veteran and native Hawaiian puppeteer, early 2026. The tale is about a young Kenyan girl who befriends a baby elephant and explores the current plight of Africa’s elephants.
  • “Joseph Kekuku and the Voice of the Steel Guitar,” returns in February and March, paired with “Pa ka Makani.” The former is a story by Moses Goods in collaboration with the Kealakai Center for Pacific Strings, and the latter,” by Lokomaika‘i Lipscomb, Hanalei Marques Marzan and Annie Cusick Wood.
  • “The Tiny Tree,” by Annie Cusic Wood, plays in April. It is an interstellar adventure including songs, puppets and a multitude of characters.
  • “HAPA: The Musical About Being Many Things,” by the HTY Ensemble and Moses Goods, will be staged April through May, as the season’s finale. Playdates of public performances have not been announced.

Information: www.htyweb.org.

And that’s Show Biz…

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DRAGONFLY AWARDS HONOR JADE STICE

The late Jade Stice, an extraordinary singer-actress on the Broadway and Hawaii theatrical scene, is the inspiration of The Dragonfly Awards, a new scholarship program providing tuition assistance to students in a core summer program conducted by the I’m a Bright Kid Foundation.

Jade’s ‘ohana is sponsoring The Dragonfly Awards to honor her memory and legacy and to provide financial assistance to youths and families with an interest and commitment to participate in the program she loved so much … and  perhaps inspire future Jade Stices.

Jade Stice: Former Bright Kid

Jade was one of the co-founders of IABK and served as the artistic director of the summer musical theater arts education program, staged every summer until her untimely death last June.

The dragonfly element is apropos, since Jade directed the very first full-length musical production for IABK, “On Dragonfly Wings,” in 2017.

The inspirational musical, written by the late Lisa Matsumoto, with music composed by Roslyn Catracchia, is a story of transformation and self-realization, goals that Jade and the summer program staff shared, to motivate every student, to instill skills in acting and dancing, and to discover the joy of participation in the theatrical experience.

The summer activity – education, culminating in a musical performance – had been Jade’s passion and trademark — and has fueled the IABK engine to promote and preserve the legacy of the late teacher-director, Ron Bright. The acclaimed mentor nurtured and inspired hundreds of students in his remarkable career,at Castle High School’s theater, now bearing his name, and he also was a luminary at Paliku Theatre at Windward Community College, where he directed some of his best-ever work.

Jade was Bright’s first student to land a role in a Broadway production, “Miss Saigon,” in 1991. Since then, numerous former Bright students – Bright Kids – have landed roles on the Broadway stage, in such mega-hits as “Wicked,” “Aladdin,” and “The Lion King.”

The Dragonfly Awards will cover tuition for the core afternoon program only.

Application deadline is April 25.

For specifics on the scholarships, visit https://imabrightkid.org/the-dragonfly-awards/

People can navigate there from the main page of the IABK website.

For the direct link to the application, go to https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLSd5qHYrALyl8BakNwIaugjuzvdWeBw3EYTofbPUhVGZ28eMyA/viewform?usp=sharing

Sajak, Moore in summer thriller

Former Army buddies Pat Sajak and Joe Moore again will team up for a summertime show, “Prescription: Murder,” July 31 to Aug. 10, at the Hawaii Theatre.

Sajak, the incomparable host of the long-running TV game show, “Wheel of Fortune,” will play Dr. Roy Flemming, and Moore, the veteran news anchor at KHON, will portray Lieutenant Columbo, in the Original  Columbo Mystery Thriller.

It’s a longtime summer ritual for the TV twosome, to hone a stage show for their Hawaii fans, with proceeds benefitting the Hawaii Theatre..

The play, by William Link and Richard Levinson,inspired the TV series “Columbo,” which starred Peter Falk.

Rob Duval wiil direct, with local actors Therese Olival, Amy K.S Sullivan, Bryce Moore and Aiko Chinen also participating.

Performances will be at 7 p.m. Wednesdays, Thursdays, Fridays and Saturdays, with matinees at 2 p.m. Saturdays and Sundays.

Tickets: $29.50 to $84.50,  at www.hawaiitheatre.com or (808) 528=0506….

And that’s Show Biz…