To no one’s surprise, “Lilo & Stitch 2” is in the planning stages at the House of Mouse.
Disney today announced the sequel to the popular live-action, Hawaii-filmed audience favorite, which so far has grossed $914 million – and counting – as the summer’s hot ticket.
“Should’ve known we couldn’t keep a secret,” Disney said on social media. “A 626 Day surprise: ‘Lilo & Stitch 2’ is now in development!”
Stitch, with Lilo (Maia Kealoha), in the live-action “Lilo & Stitch” hit film.
Numerically speaking, June 26 – 626 Day – ties into Stitch’s origins as Experiment 626.
The sequel logically means the ultimate callback of the first live-action cast, including Maia Kealoha, Sydney Elizebeth Agudong, Kaipo Dudoit, Tia Carrera, Amy Hill, Billy Magnussen, Hannah Waddingham, Chris Sanders, Courtney B. Vance and Zach Galifianakis.
The hit film was directed by Dean Fleischer Camp from a screenplay by Chris Kekaniokalani Bright and Mike Van Waes.
Stay tuned for more details…
‘Glengarry’ rises to No. 2 on Broadway list
There’s a major change in the weekly list of Broadway’s best, with “Glengarry Glen Ross” moving up to No. 2, behind “Wicked” and ahead of the longstanding faves “Hamilton” and “The Lion King.”
I revisited “‘Auana,” the Cirque du Soleil spectacle, the other night at the Outrigger Waikiki Beachcomber resort.
The show, launched last December, has just passed its six-month residency, with its stunning 80-minute spectacle in the heart of the Waikiki mainstream. I said in a December review that Cirque is the future of Waikiki attractions. Highly visible, a non-stop showcase of faith in Hawaiiana, loaded with artistry and creativity. And huge.
Business has been brisk, with two performances at 5:30 and 8 p.m., Wednesdays through Sundays.
The good news: “‘Auana” — Hawaiian for wandering, drifting thoughts – has an agreement with the Outrigger for a run of 10 years, a keen investment by the hotel with the team from Montreal, Canada, known for its prolific planting of performance companies in a wide range of destinations over the decades.
Honolulu is the creator’s newest production, with pure Hawaii story lines, with narrations and songs and dancers, delivered in native Hawaiian language. Though the title of the show might suggest wandering, it’s quite certain “‘Auana” will stay put here. It is the essence of the ‘olele spirit (language, speech, texture) of original island songs and dances. And the Hawaii influences flow beautiful in the lively choreography embellished by the eye-filling island costumes
Cirque’s next launch will be Germanic, in Berlin, in November 2025.
Instead of another review of the Waikiki show, let me share highlights via a recapitulation of images of the major segments that have resonated with an audience comprised largely of spectators who don’t speak or understand Hawaiian. Not to fret …this is a wholly visual endeavor, and a satisfying cultural entity. Let us count the ways.
1 – A journey via canoe sets the story in motion…
2—A surfer dude defies gravity and “surfs” on cylinders…
3 – A segment on the naupaka flower depicts the bloom’s unique idiosyncrasy: only half-a-flower emerges from the buds.
4—Let’s call this the balloon boy, whose feat is a wonderment.
5—If there’s an acrobat, and an oversized cocktail glass filled with water, she’ll share her balletic poses.
6—A salute to “Hawaii Five-O” features a tourist ork (from the audience), for comic relief. More fun than gents learning to hula.
7—The Hawaiian sand painter creates images with, yes, sand and hand…shared on the show’s huge screen…
8—And voila, her art sashays into a mystifying, colorful rainbow…backed by a sweet vocal by a gent of “Over the Rainbow,” delivered in – what else? – Hawaiian.
9—Hawaii welcomes visitors, so why not include a cache of postcards?
10 – And Hawaii means beach boys, too, so they get their moments of fame.
11—When it’s time to bid adieu, the word to know is “aloha” (again, on a postcard).
12 – Two daredevils walk, jump rope, and risks their lives in this rotating
behemoth, often featured in a traditional circus…
13—And this being Cirque du Soleil, the finale means a burst of color, too…
14 – And this is us when the bright lights go off – me, grandnephew John Rhoades, and my wife Violet…
And that’s Show Biz…
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Cirque du Soleil’s “‘Auana”
When: 5:30 and 8 p.m., Wednesdays through Sundays
Where: Cirque showroom, second floor, Outrigger Waikiki Beachcomber Hotel
Greg Zane will direct and choreograph Diamond Head Theatre’s “The SpongeBob Musical,” opening a run July 18 through Aug. 3.
Jenny Shiroma will be musical director.
Nickelodeon’s undersea world of Bikini Bottom, originally a TV cartoon favorite of young kids, was transformed into a flashy Broadway musical, bringing the heart, humor, fantasy and fun to an adult sensation, with an explosion of sea-worthy colors and antics, and a bounty of bubbly music enriching the score, with tunes by John Legend, Cyndi Lauper and David Bowie.
Greg Zane
The cast is already rehearsing for the see-worthy fun. Chad Navarro will play the beloved SpongeBob SquarePants, Zach Oldham will be his buddy Patrick Star, Nathaniel Ryan-Kern is Squidward Q. Tentacles, Mehana Stone is Sandy Cheeks, Lee Nebe is Eugene H. Krabs, Presley Wheeler is Sheldon Plankton, AikoSchick is Karen the Computer, Sage Nguyen is Pearl Krabs, Lainey Hicks is Mrs. Puffs, Landon Ballesteros is Patchy the Pirate/Perch Perkins, Cassidy Ross is The Mayor of Bikini Bottom,
Genesis Kaeo is Buster Bluetang/Electric Skates, Isaiah Gundermann Graham is Old Man Jenkins/Electric Skates, and Andrew Erwin is Larry the Lobster/Electric Skates.
The ensemble will include Nanea Allen,Marisa Noelle Capalbo, Celia Chun, Alana Clayson, Sammy Houghtailing, James Lauer, and Timmy “Tino” Nozaki.
Performances will be at 7:30 p.m. Thursdays, Fridays, Saturdays and at 3 p.m. Saturdays and 4 p.m. Sundays. Extended playdates are likely, considering the popularity of “SpongeBob.”
Tickets are $41 to $68, on sale at the at www.diamondheadtheatre.com and at the box office, (808) 733-0274….
“Six: The Musical” might be deemed a musical for the Tik Tok generation. It’s now, it’s pow, it’s empowerment for women.
The Broadway show opened last night (June 17) for a two-week residency (through June 29) as the second of three Broadway in Hawaii attractions at Blaisdell Concert Hall.
“Six” plays like a pulsating concert and doubles like a talent show competition. It’s like a routine Broadway musical , but on steroids, with unbridled energy from a versatile cast of six, which sings loudly and proudly and uncorks choreographics like disco divas. They enacting the six wives of King Henry VIII.
The cast of “Six: The Musical:” Like a “British Got Talent” competition.
With its competitive spirit, it resembles a “British Got Talent” competish, with emphasis on Tudors, but minus the judges.
It’s a volley of twisted history – fact-checkers need not apply – about grand dames who are “divorced, beheaded, died, divorced, beheaded, and survived,” in the order of the fates of Catherine of Aragon, Anne Boleyn, Jane Seymour, Anna of Cleves, Katherine Howard and CatherineParr. They form the exes of Henry VIII.
Alize Cruz, as Katherine Howard; she dons a pink ponytail, a la Ariana Grande.
In the touring company, the wives are portrayed by Chani Maisonet, Gaby Albo, Kelly Denice Taylor, Danielle Mendoza, Alize Cruz and TasiaJungbauer. You won’t remember their names, so labeling the characters as numbers – 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6 – would facilitate their identities and fate.
This is super cast with tireless moves and grooves. They’re the highlights of a modern playing field, with ounces of bounces like a pin ball machine.
There’s sizzle and socko animation in the scenic design and lighting (often neon), costumes that are reflective short skirts for four ladies, long pants and short pants for two, orchestration that go-go-goes with throbbing and titillating syncopation. The choreography is brisk and bold, with solo and ensemble dynamics.
Gaby Albo, as Anne Boleyn.
If there were a dance floor, hundreds would be gyrating with joy. Many dress to the nines, to reflect the party spirit. And the audience is generous in cheer and esprit.
The show runs a tidy 80 minutes, with no intermission, and clearly leaves the fans wanting more – could be the reason for the two-week residency, compared to a single week for the first show (“Tina, the Tina Turner Musical,” earlier this summer) and the finale (“Chicago,” in December).
Curiously, there are only nine numbers in the production, a solo apiece for the principals, and a trio of tunes featuring The Queens, in the opening, midway through the show, and at the finale. Because the songs are rich and robust, most with a catchy cadence and delivered by the all-star queens, it just feels like there’s a lot more in the score, thanks to the riveting deliveries.
“Six” could be described as an entertainment to empower womanhood, because of the outspoken rants and ramblings in the storytelling. Surely, the wider appeal is to women, but their beaus will find enough eye candy to relish. The four-member house band dubbed The Ladies in Waiting is comprised of women, deliberately playing on the empowerment of m’ladies.
Pop culture influences are shared, if you explore. Alize Cruz as Katherine Howard flashes a pink ponytail which soars as an obvious tribute to Ariana Grande;Kelly Denise Taylor as Jane Seymour exudes the tone and delivery of either Adele or Beyonce on her “Heart of Stone” tune, bluesy with familiar love overtones.
You’re not likely to carch all the commotion in one visit, so consider a hana hou visit — with seats a-plent, if you buy now…/
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“Six: The Musical”
What: A historical musical by Toby Marlow and Lucy Moss
Where: Blaisdell Concert Hall
When: 7:30 p.m. Tuesdays through Thursdays, 8 p.m. Fridays, 2 and 8 p.m. Saturdays, and 1 and 6:30 p.m. Sundays, now through June 29
Cameron Macintosh’s “Les Miserables,” easily the world’s No.1 and best-loved musical of all time, descended on Kennedy Center in Washinton D.C. this past Wednesday night, for a residency through July 11.
The show brought out the First Family and the Second Family, plus a contingent of cabinet members of Kennedy Center, not the usual dedicated arts-and-culture leaders.
There were shouts and boos, when President Donald Trump and wife Melania took their seats in the president box in the balcony. To challenge the negativity of the uncomfortable boos, there were chants of “USA! USA!” from the MAGA cheerleaders, even if this was not a rally.
Certainly, this was not the usual tone or turnout of a “Les Miz” evening. Then again, Kennedy Center is no longer quite the usual performing space anymore, since Trump named himself as the board chair, who raised the temperature of usual attendees of productions of theatrical fans, and the president fired everyone on the existing board to hand-pick his choice of supporters.
Donald Trump
According to media reports, about a dozen “Les Miz” cast members declined to show up for work – they didn’t like the politics now at Kennedy – which prompted Richard Grenell, president of the center, to call “out” and ID the holdouts to prevent them from future stage jobs.
Ironically, the production is about heroes and villains, truths and lies, rights and wrongs, war and peace, and much more, based on the epic Victor Hugo novel, with music by Claude-Michel Shoenberg and lyrics by Herbert Kretzmer.
It’s the kind of powerhouse shows patrons adore, but will it elevate Kennedy Center to its former glory days? Subscriptions are a third down since the Trump takeover and the ouster of a savvy board. When No 47 took over, he announced he would not just clean house but eradicate and eliminate drag shows and sidestep drag queens and that brand of actors and themes. That would mean that legit shows like “La Cage Aux Folles” and “Kinky Books” and perhaps even “Cabaret” – box office gold in their prime – might not earn the presidential seal of approval at Kennedy.
J.D. Vance
Trump, who apparently had not seen “Les Miserables” earlier, was asked if he identified more with the protagonist (Jean Valjean) or the antagonist (Inspector Javert), and he couldn’t say one or the other. Smart move; if you don’t know, being mum is best.
Meanwhile, VP J.D. Vance joked on the online X that he had no idea what the musical was about. Sometimes, cluelessness works, too…
‘Princess and the Iso Peanut’ next at MVT
Manoa Valley Theatre will revive Lisa Matsumoto’s and Roslyn Catracchia’s“The Princess and the Iso Peanut,” opening June 19 for a run through July 6.
Curtain time is 7:30 p.m. Thursdays, Fridays and Saturdays, and at 3 p.m. Sundays. Matinee shows will be at 2 p.m. June 21, 28 and July 5.
The pidgin English romp, part of the legacy of Matsumoto, is an adaptation of the fairytale classic, “The Princess and the Pea,” where a princess falls in love with a local Japanese prince in the kingdom of Allyria. The book is by the late playwright, who partnered with Catrachiia, who created the music.
Patrich Fujioka is director, Ka‘ohi Yojo Daniels and Ahnya Chang are choreographers, MJ Matsushita is set designer and scenic artist, Annie Yoshida is prop designer, Chris Gouveia is lighting designer and master electrician, Mattea Mazzella is sound designer, Mei Nakano is costume designer, and Ponce de Leon is hair and makeup designer.
Devon Nekoba
The bountiful cast features Devon Nekoba as King Arthur, Kana Tyler as Queen Yumiko, Seanalei Nishimoto as Royal Sing/Lumpia/Guinevere, Brandee Doi as Royal Singer/Nisan, Chaslyn Kuiee as Royal Singer/Tink She Baddes, Julie Okumura as Queen Alyssa/Tink She Mo Bad, Chad Okumura as King Alfred/SanSan, Mark Ikenaga as Nathan, Austin Ajimura as Prince Chah Ming Won, Jantzen Shinmoto as Prince Yoshi, Kevin Molina as Russell, Allan Okubo as Uncle Masa, Nolan Hong as King Yuichi, Casey Park as Queen Evelyn/Trad Singer/Bagaong, Jacob Edwards as King Rup/Alexander/Navy Cap, Jill Chung as Janice/Titaele.
Also, Caitlin Bright as Queen Alana, Relle Reavis as Princess Alexis, Carley Park as Trad Singer/Tink She Bad, Mana Franquez as Trad Singer/Ho Stuck Up, Keela Chung as Ichisan, Stephanie Sanchez as Isabel, Aya Fujioka as Prin Jeannette/ Cassie/Habuteru, Giada da Silva as Princess Jacquelyn/Adobo, Kamalani Hanuna-Siqueira as High Makamakapiapia, Andrew Baker as Prince Phillip/One-Eyed Jack, Ryan Shinmoto as Sailor 1, Trent Yamagata as Sailor 2, Asaeli Hikila as Peter the Pirate, Jay Laeno as Tiny, Cayden Park as Cinderella/Eteokalani, Easton Ikenaga as Lancelot, Swings/Ensemble are Aaliyah Thomas and Annie Yoshida.
