Author: Wayne Harada

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A FLOCK OF FILIPINOS ON BROADWAY

It’s a good time to be Filipino  on Broadway – a handful of notables are starring in Broadway attractions this year, according to ABS-CBN, a Filipino media company based in Quezon City, Metro Manila in the Philippines.

The best-known Filipino actress in the world is marquee favorite Lea Salonga, who was the first Asian actress of Filipino ancestry to win a Tony Award (and an Olivier Award) for her performance as Kim in “Miss Saigon” in 1991.

Lea Salonga, the world’s best known award-winning Filipino actress.

Salonga now is co-starring with Bernadette Peters (also a Tony winner), Jasmin Forsberg and Camille Liwanag in “Old Friends,” a Stephen Sondheim revue, now at the Samuel J. Friedman Theatre.

In 2023, Salonga also had a cameo role in “Here Lies Love,” the musical biography of Philippines first lady, Imelda Marcos, featuring an all-Filipino cast, a first for Broadway.

Nicole Scherzimger, starring in London-produced”Sunset Blvd.”

Hawaii’s Nicole Scherzinger, former Pussycat Dolls lead singer, is starring as Norma Desmond in the acclaimed revival of “Sunset Boulevard” at the St. James Theatre. It’s a role she originated in the West End and imported to New York last year. And yes, Scherzinger is of Filipino heritage, too.

Marc delaCruz of “Hamilton.”

Hawaii also can claim two other male Filipino performers in current hit shows: Marc delaCruz  is a standby to play the lead of Alexander Hamilton plus other key roles in “Hamilton,”  at the Richard Rodgers Theatre; and Zare Anguay is a swing actor, dance captain and fight captain in Disney’s “Aladdin,” at the New Amsterdam Theatre.

Zare Anguay. of “Aladdin.”

Filipino American trouper Eva Noblezada has assumed the role of Sally Bowles in “Cabaret at the Kit-Kat Club,” at the August Wilson Theatre.

And Darren Criss is Oliver in “Maybe Happy Ending,” at the Belasco Theatre.

Among other Filipino actors on Broadway now:

  • Kay Siba is Katherine Howard, one of the six wives of King Henry VIII in “Six: The Musical,” at the Lena Horne Theatre.
  • Daryl Tofa is  Two-bit Matthew in “The Outsiders,” at the Bernard B. Jacobs Theatre.
  • Angelica Hale is Trisha in “Boop: The Musical,” a newcomer at the Broadhurst Theatre.
  • Jhailyn Farcon is Imogen and Alaina Vi Maderal is Gwynne in “& Juliet,” at the Stephen Sondheim Theatre.
  • Nico De Jesus, Raechelle Manalo, and Niki Saludez are ensemble members in “Hell’s Kitchen,” at the Shubert Theatre.
  • Kay Trinidad is Fate and KC Dela Cruz is a swing actor in “Hadestown,” at the Walter Kerr Theatre.
  •  Jessica White is in the ensemble of “The Great Gatsby,” at the Broadway Theatre.
  •  Jeigh Madjus is Baby Doll and Heather Makalani is in the ensemble in “Moulin Rouge,” at the Al Hirschfeld Theatre.
  • Lissa DeGuzman is Elphaba standby in “Wicked,” at the Gershwin Theatre…

A reimagined, existential ‘Mulan’

An up-front advisory: “I Am Mulan,” opening today (April 9) at the Earle Ernest lab Theatre adjoining Kennedy Theatre at the University of Hawaii, is not recommended for young children.

The play’s subtitle, “Rewriting the Legacy of a Timeless Heroine,” sets the tone. This is not a Disney princess fable; youths 13 and older may attend.

Elizabeth Ung, an MFA candidate, has written and directed an existential dramady that reimagines the popular heroine   into five distinct personas – a battle-hardened veteran, a modern American-born Chinese, a romantic dreamer, a politically charged revolutionary, and an irreverent, gender-fluid performer – all trapped in a surreal purgatory known as Dìyù.

Another challenge: the production is multi-lingual featuring English, Mandarin, and Cantonese languages.

The storytelling taps a rich tapestry of history – from the origins of “The Ballad of Mulan” in 4th-century China through turbulent periods such as 1930s Shanghai, the 1966 Cultural Revolution, and the late 1980s New York City AIDS crisis, to the contemporary impacts of COVID-19.

Lily Hi’ilani Okimura, left, with Jill Sanders.–Christine Lamborn photo.

An all-Asian ensemble includes alum Lily Hi’ilani Okimura as ABC Mulan, alongside Justin Fragiao, Qi Zhang, Ariean Jimenez, and Jill Sanders.

The design team includes set designer Lacey Tuell, light designer Tyler Kanemori, projections by Alison Bruce-Maldonado, and costumes by Kāneikoliakawahineikaʻiukapuomua Baker.

Performances are at 7:30 p.m. today (April 9) through Saturday (April 12) and at 2 p.m. Sunday (April 13). Tickets: $8 to $18, available at manoa.hawaii.edu/liveonstage/mulan Information: (808) 956-7655…

Washington beats Clooney in the Broadway grosses

Denzel Washington and Jake Glynenhaal have regained the No. 1 spot on the Broadway gross competish, for the  round-up, for the week ending April 6. George Clooney slides to No. 2.

The Top 10:

1—“Othello,” $3.179 million.

2—“Good Night, and Good Luck,” $3.315 million.

3—“Wicked,” $2.476 million.

4—“The Lion King,” $1.986 million.

5—“Hamilton,” $1.965 million.

6—“Glengarry Glen Ross,” $1.789 million.

7—“The Outsiders,” $1.359 million.

8—“Aladdin,” $1.268 million

9—“The Picture of Dorian Gray,” $1.218 million.

10 – “MJ the Musical,” $1.170 million.

The complete list, courtesy the Broadway League:

And that’s Show Biz…

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BREAKFAST BREWS AND BITES…

The array of morning munchies at Bits & Bites Cafe.

I’m a scones fan, and adore breakfast finds, so I’m happy Bits & Bites Café has moved from Kailua to Hawaii Kai. But its hours haven’t suited my timetable. So consequently, I haven’t had a chance to try the morning munchies despite the café’s presence for a few months.

I had to get a blood test early one recent morn – 6 a.m., if you want to know –  at the Diagnostic Lab next door, but the shop (in the former Taco Del Mar site)  does not open till 7 a.m. You can get a whiff of the yummy pastries, because the bakers are already getting the goodies ready for purchase. And yes, scents drift out from the closed door. The temptation is maddening.

 Many Hawaii Kai folks are commuting from 5:30 or 6:30 a.m. weekdays, to beat the town-bound freeway traffic. So, a pause between 6 and 7 a.m. to buy pastries is truly unfathomable. I see early drivers stopping at Starbucks at 6:30 a.m. around the corner, for coffee and perhaps some nibbles that don’t measure up to Bits & Bites’ delicacies.

Bits & Bites’ morning goodies.

The Bits and Bites shop is open till mid-afternoon (like, 3 p.m.) and I wonder who buys these  goodies that late in the day. The fare is solidly early morning-oriented, and I’m curious if timing was part of Bits & Bites’ scope and vision.

Reminds me of the misdirected Scratch restaurant, where Outback Steakhouse used to be in Hawaii Kai. Scratch peddled breakfast, but it opened at 9 a.m. and by then, most  Hawaii Kai breakfast traffic is long gone, either already at work or off to do errands. The menu also was part of the reason Scratch shut down, but methinks the hours also had to do with its inability to build and maintain a morning club of diners. With Zippy’s dining room shut down, folks in East Oahu move on to do breakfast at Jack’s in Aina Haina or Zippy’s at Kahala. bEASTside Kitchen in Niu Valley served breakfast for a brief period, after a trial run didn’t work out.

Of course, on special occasions, some folks play tourists and enjoy and view at Plumeria Café at the Kahala resort and its impeccable views.

Breakfast pancakes at Heavenly at Koko Marina.

Heavenly is splendid for a leisurely morning breakfast, with a view of the Koko Marina, but rather expensive without a wide range of options, and Moena Café a few doors down is OK but mostly experimental for folks who’ve heard about its signature menu. My concern: when you go to Moena, and there’s a crowd of 15 outside waiting for a table, you can’t linger and chat over a second or cup of coffee…

Finally, and sadly, two closures at Koko Marina in Hawaii Kai

  • Moena Sweets, the ice cream parlor operated by Moena Café, has closed its doors.
  • Fatboy’s, a stone’s throw away, apparently is closed, too. This, despite earlier renovations and more sidewalk tables and seats.

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ALIIS LEADER JOE MUNDO DIES AT 83

Entertainer Joe Mundo, who was the leader of The Aliis – the group supporting Don Ho –died Wednesday  (April 2) while in the hospital, in Auburn, WA.

His son Mark Mundo said his dad had heart issues but ultimately died of kidney failure.

Mundo was 83 and a 1960 graduate of Farrington High School.

Joe Mundo

“He had a long, successful life,” said Mark, who remembers the time he spent with his dad and The Aliis on tour.

“It was pretty cool, hanging out in the summers. My dad was resilient and persistent and fun to watch,” he said.

Mundo played keyboards in Ho’s performances, a talent nurtured while he was a student pianist at Farrington. Mundo often put a comedic spin with The Aliis.

“It was a whole culture, watching and touring with the group,” said Mark. He was inspired to work in several rock groups but never turned professional in music. “I stopped touring with the group when I turned 18 and was hired by Hawaiian Airlines.”

Joe Mundo, in comedic mode with a floral headpiece, played keyboards with The Aliis.

He described his father as “a kind soul, very strong, and a good dad and husband. The time I spent with him as a kid was the best.”

Arleen Laimana, a longtime friend of Joe (they both attended Kalakaua Intermediate School in Kalihi), said she got an unexpected  phone call from Mundo on March 14. “He told me he was calling to say goodbye,” she said. “What do you mean?” she asked. “My body hurts all over,” he said. She concluded, about the phone comments, that “Joe had a weird sense of humor.”

The Aliis last performed in a reunion concert in 2017 In Los Angeles and rehearsed at Laimana’s home in Torrance.

Mundo, at left, with Don Ho, center, and the original Aliis.

Mundo was in Honolulu for the unveiling of Don Ho’s statue at the International Market Place, an iconic location where Don Ho and The Aliis were the main nightlife attraction at Duke Kahanamoku’s. The supper club no longer exists.

“I miss the guys and the touring,” said Benny Chong, the original guitarist of The Aliis who has navigated his career as a jazz ukulele virtuoso since retirement. “But the guys are scattered all over, and I hate to drive at night (to make the gigs). We had so many memorable good times together.”

Mark is the lone survivor of his family; his mom Patricia died in 2014.

Services are pending but will be private. “My dad wanted something simple and private; his ashes will be scattered off Waikiki, just like my mom’s,” he said…

And that’s Show Biz…

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‘MERRILY’ READIED FOR CINEMATIC RUN

“Merrily We Roll Along,” the uncanny 2024 Tony Award winner for Best Revival of a Musical,
will be rolling out sometime soon as a motion picture to be released by Sony Pictures Classics.

Thus, the Stephen Sondheim-George Furth show — once a failure in 1981 before becoming a box office hit after it opened in October 2023 till its closing in July 2024 — has been preserved for the ages. The music and lyrics are Sondheim’s; Furth did the book.

This is the show, if you recall, that was initially a box office dud in 1981, when it ran for 14 previews and 44 performances. “Merrily” was then mothballed until its first-ever revival in 2022, leading up to its phenomenal sell-out fave in 2023 through 2024.

And the reverse storyelling chronology – the show biz tale unfolds at the ending and works toward the beginning — will give the production a new life as a cinematic release. Fans who couldn’t score tickets in its run at the Hudson Theatre will finally have an opportunity to see what  the buzz was all about.

“Merrily” examines the friendship, the friction, and possible erosion of  workplace best friends, whose lives intersect with highs and lows, with some alienation and many challenges.

Daniel Radliffe, Jonathan Groff and Lindsay Mendez in “Merrily We Roll Along.” Photo by Matthew Murphy.

Jonathan Groff portrays Frank Shepard, an ambitious composer who wants to be a producer, who thrives alongside his longtime friends, lyricist Charley Kringas (played by Daniel Radcliffe) and writer Mary Flynn (enacted by Lindsay Mendez). Groff and Radcliffe earned Tonys, with a third Tony bestowed on Jonathan Tunick for orchestrations.

Maria Friedman directed the show and was a Tony nominee, and her illuminating vision made her characters come alive with vitality and vigor, drawing in the spectators.

Can’t wait from the transformation from stage to screen; imagine there will be a DVD release, too. Since this was my favorite Broadway show last year, I’d buy the DVD…

Clooney’s ‘Good Night’ still tops Broadway grosses

The rankings haven’t changed on Broadway. The pair earning more than $3 million last week, dominated again this week. Translation: George Clooney reigns as the top grossing actor via his “Good Night, and Good Luck;” and  Denzel Washington and Jake Gyllenhaal maintain their second place slot with “Othello.”

The Top 10, for the week ending March 30:

1—“Good Night, and Good Luck,” $3.282 million.

2—“Othello,” $3.150 million.

3—“Wicked,” $$2.561 million.

4—“Hamilton,” $2.123 millon.

5—“The Lion King,” $2.114 million.

6—“Glengarry Glen Ross,” $2.110 million.

7—“Cabaret,”$1.521 million.

8—“The Outsiders,” $1.459 million.

9—“Gypsy,” $1.386 million.

10—“Aladdin,” $1.355 million.

The complete list, courtesy the Broadway League:

And that’s Show Biz…

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TWO MORE EATERIES CLOSE DOWN

Hokkaido Ramen has shut down in Kaimuki

Two popular restaurants shut their doors in March.

Sayonara: Hokkaido Ramen, the tiny Japanese eatery in the Kaimuki municipal parking lot, served its last meals in early March. Regulars loved the friendly staff and besides great food, the prices were reasonable Hokkaido will be missed…

Romano’s Macaroni Grill at Ala Moana Center also has closed.

A lockdown: Romano’s Macaroni Grill, at the Ala Moana Center, apparently closed abruptly, even locking out surprised staff workers reporting for work on March 2. Certainly not the way to call it quits. In its prime, Macaroni was a popular family and date destination, with Italian fare affordably price.  Online chatter mentions declining quality, and the usual matter of competition in a tight economy when  higher prices are charged for everything from bread to coffee…

Liliha Bakery has shelved its coffee pot, shown behind the cup of coffee.

Speaking of coffee: As a longtime and frequent patron of breakfast (lunch and dinner, too sometimes) at Liliha Bakery at Macy’s Ala Moana, I noticed that the usually mini pot of coffee, always there when you ordered coffee, has disappeared. You still can get a refill by asking the server, but often, it’s a task to find the wait staffer because of the flock of diners. That silver coffee pot was a trademark of the Liliha experience. Wonder if that basket of the grilled dinner roll, with Liliha’s red jelly in the tiny container, might be the next to go?…