Category: Show Biz

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UH’S ‘RENT’ HEADING TO KAUAI

“Rent,” a popular Broadway musical, is going on the road to Kauai in August.

It’s a first for the Tony Award and Pulitzer Prize-winning show, produced last year by the University of Hawaii’s Department of Theatre and Dance in a sold-out run at Kennedy Theatre. The show, with a 40-member cast and crew, will be performed Aug. 8 through 10 at the Kauai Community Colleges Performing Arts Center.

What a splendid notion and opportunity, to share the success of the UH presentation, directed by Joshua “Baba” Tavares an assistant professor of acting on the Manoa campus, who was a former cast member of the 20th anniversary national tour of “Rent,” an iconic creation by the late Jonathan Larson.

As part of the Kauai visitation, the company will stage a free acting workshop on Aug. , to share with and engage in the Garden Island’s community of artists and storytellers. Touring Broadway casts never present performances on the Neighbor Islands, with shows staged only at Blaisdell Concert Hall in Honolulu.

Joshu “Baba” Tavares

“We are so excited to take our show to Kauai and connect with our Kauai ‘ohana in this way”, said Tavares.

So it’s a win-win proposition.

The staging of a well-known production – “Rent” is a Tony-winning rock production, which speaks to a youthful audience – also was a rarity for Kennedy Theatre, customarily known for Japanese kabuki shows and Chinese Peking opera, art forms that address traditional and classic repertoires and have been widely lauded over decades. “Rent” was a breakthrough experiment that worked.

Tavares is opening new doors and avenues with “Rent,” discovering relevance in the process.. “Even though the show is set in a specific time, its challenges feel just as relevant today, especially here in Hawai,i” he said. “Homelessness, gentrification, mental health struggles and finding a way forward after a devastating disease––are we talking about the ’80s and ’90s, or are we talking about today?”

A scene from “Rent,” a Kennedy Theatre production, heading to Kauai in August.

The venue is the newly reopened Kauaʻi CC Performing Arts Center, which reopened in April 2024 after closing due to the pandemic. It boasts major upgrades to its lighting, sound and backstage systems. The venue is once again a a major cultural hub, enabling a Garde Island venue a shot at booking a Broadway production, under new faciity manager Gregory von Hausch.

Gregory von Hausch

Showtimes are from 7 to 9 p.m. Aug. 8 and 9, and from 1:30 to 3:30 p.m. Aug. 10. Tickets are $15 for students and teachers (any school) $25 general admission and $60 VIP seating; visit https://www.tixtree.com/e/rent-the-broadway-musical-9501aa6f5187

A workshop also is set for Aug. 9, but specifics have not yet been announced….

The 2025 Kalapana, from left: Konrad Kendrick. Alden Levi, Kenji Sano, Gaylord Holomalia, Todd Yukumoto, Ben Taaca, and Sean Thibodeaux.

Kalapana marks 50th anniversary

Kalapana, the legendary island band known for a vast catalogue of hit tunes,  will mark its 50th anniversary in a milestone concert Oct. 4 at the Tom Moffatt Waikiki Shell.

Tickets go on sale today (July 19) at the Neal Blaisdell Center box office at www.ticketmaster.com

While most original group members have gone to the heavenly stage, a retinue of singers-musicians, comprised of friends and contemporary fans, are carrying on the legacy of Kalapana and, of course, the traditional repertoire of classic hits reflecting the still-powerful sound.

Leading the parade are such fans and colleagues as Henry Kapono, the group Summer, and Jordan Kealoha-Yamanaka (formerly of the group, Crossing Rain)..

Founding group member Kirk Thompson will perform, along with Eie Atushi, who has recorded with Kalapana in his native Japan.

Kamasami Kong

Japan’s superstar deejay, Kamasami Kong, will emcee. Of course, islanders know him for his deejaying origins in Hawaii.

Tickets are $225 for limited VIP seats, which includes a meet-and-great with the performers plus a merchandise package. Reserved seats are $150, $75, and $55 and $35 for general admission lawn seats. Keiki 12 and under are free, limited to four kids per couple

A $1 fee will be added to each ticket, with the donation benefitting the Henry Kapono Foundation.

Kalapana’s music has been on radio playlists across the globe, from North and South America to Asia to Europe. In 2011, the group was awarded the Na Hoku Hanohano Lifetime Achievement from the Hawaii Academy of Recording Arts.

The 2025 Kalapana group features Konrad Kendrick, Alden Levi, Kenji Sano, Gaylord Holomalia, Todd Yukumoto, Ben Taaca, and Sean Thibodeaux.

The concert is a presentation of Aloha Group International, headed by Barb Saito. She formerly worked with iconic promoter Tom Moffatt, of Tom Moffatt Productions…

And that’s Show Biz…

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MEDEIROS BIOGRAPHY DUE IN FALL

Most folks know Glenn Medeiros as a singing idol, when he recorded  “Nothing’s Gonna Change My Love for You,” which  spiraled to the Top 10 on the pop charts. His cover of the George Benson love ballad enabled the Kauai High School student to sing his hit on NBC’s “Tonight Show,” where host Johnny Carson interviewed him.

Glenn Medeiros

The recording enabled Medeiros to tour nationally and internationally, a journey that was just one chapter of his multi-career, as depicted in his inspirational  memoir, “From One Stage to Another,” due to be released this fall. With the foundation of a  show biz career, Medeiros  – still adding accomplishments to his dossier  – evolved into a compassionate hyphenate who excels in life, as a son, an athlete, a student, a father, a husband, a teacher, an educational leader, and now, an emerging author.

In the book, Medeiros displays a keen skill in storytelling, with a conversational tone in his text.  Clearly, family was important in his formative years, and his earnest desire to succeed is obvious.

The book will explore the many stages of Glenn Medeiros.

FYI, I read a provided manuscript, and it’s obvious that when doors opened, he was ready to mount a few new chapters in his life.

Of course, the book includes chapters of his teaching career, which led to his current position of president of Saint Louis School. Talk about a climb! An enviable achievement.

Confession: As a former journalist covering entertainment, I’ve tracked Medeiros’ early triumphs as an entertainer, reviewed him in Waikiki shows when he co-starred with comedian-singer Frank DeLima in a revue mixing music with comedy. It’s that stage of his career that I know him best.

 I have talked stories and shared laughter in frequent lunches with Medeiros and DeLima. Simply put, pocho punch lines were plentiful, when two Portuguese sons  of Hawaii – both divine Catholics — convene.

It is with cheerful anticipation that I wish Medeiros blessings  and good fortune in his new endeavor as an author. You go, guy!…  

And that’s Show Biz…

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CAZIMERO’S SONGFEST DODGES MOON

Robert Cazimero’s so-called monthly Full Moon Concerts continue to attract loyalists at Chef Chai’s.  However, the event no longer adheres to the lunar glow.

Reason: the casual serenades – this month’s show was last night (July 13), though this month’s actual full moon was on July 10  — are scheduled according to the entertainer’s mainstream work and travel agenda. And Sundays appear to be the convenient playdate, even though the August show will be on a Friday.

Hula maiden Sky Perkins Gora dances, while Cazimero sings…

Further, December dates are not yet finalized, but will be staged on several evenings because this slate will comprise his Christmas concert gift to the community. So stay tuned to the announcements and sign up early; the shows will be sold out.

Cazimero’s opening number last night was “Sing Me a Song of the Islands,” and that’s kind of his modus operandi. He programs numerous island tunes, some in Hawaiian, some in English, some from left field. But he homers because of candid control. Nostalgia is a common trait – think stories of his first three years at Hongwanji Mission’s grade school, before he switched to Fern School. “I thought I was Japanese,” he chimes with a mischievous tone, then he quickly shares a verse of a folk song in Nihongo.

…and Bully Keola Makakau also lets his hands do the talking

A lot of elements are predictable, but nonetheless precious. Like hula by Sky Perkins  Gora and  Bully Keola Makaiau, who share storytelling with hands, in perfect cadence in difficult, crowded walk space between tables.

Aunty April hulas, too,

Cazimero says it like it is; he tossed darts to a noisy audience a month ago. “You guys the best,” he alludes to this evening’s audience.

He recalls Kui Lee visiting Kamehameha Schools when he was a student, capping the stroll down memory lane with “Days of My Youth;”   and watching Don Ho at the now-gone Duke Kahanamoku’s at the International Market Place. which punctuates this remembrance via a rendering of sHo’s signature, “I’ll Remember You.”

Sitting behind his grand piano, he sips his favorite bubbly, and as the glass empties, another filled one appears. The Louis Vuitton Veuve Cliquot champagne is his magic potion. (It really works!)

Cazimero’s songbook also includes two Dennis Kamakahi classics, “Wahine Ilikea” and “Pua Hone,”  which he renders separately and provides meaningful stories of meanings. And guest performers get brief performance time, like Sistah Robi Kahakalau joining Cazimero at the piano, and  his beloved “Aunty April” sharing her classic “Ei Nei,” hula but this time standing (instead of a sit-down hula).

Our grandnephew Sgt. John Rhoades, now stationed at Schofield Barracks, visits his Uncle Robert, flashing shaka and smiles.

Next month’s endeavor, clearly, will be entirely different. And if he sings “Zippity-Doo-Dah,” the Disney evergreen from “Song of the South,” you can count on his mode of informal but incisive fun…

And that’s Show Biz…

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Robert Cazimero concerts
Where: Chef Chai, at 1009 Kapiolani  \Blvd.

When: Aug. 29, Sept. 14, Sept. 28, Oct. 28; November and December dates to be announced

Schedule: Dinner service, from 5:30 p.m; show at 6:30 p.m.

Cost: $109, includes complete meal, from appetizers, choice of entrée and dessert.

Reservations: (808) 581-0011.

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PAPER TRAIL FUELS SOME MEMORIES

You never know what you’ll find, when you pore through old boxes you’ve neglected for years.

As a journalist, I’m referring  to stuff I’ve kept because newspapers were the focus of my career. I often save many articles for future use.

Interestingly, the three tear sheets I discovered brought flashes of joy, because they were very much a part of my life.

Show directory

One treasure, which reflected the pulse of Broadway, was a compilation of all of the shows in New York, which helped me select shows. The New York Times maintained the tradition of collating small advertisements which – at a glance – reflected the pulse on the Great White Way. This list was dated March 15, 2020, well before the COVID 19 pandemic halted and buried Broadway a few months later.

The prevailing hits included “Phantom of the Opera,” “Come From Away,”  “Dear Evan Hansen,” “Frozen,” “The Lion King,” “Book of Mormon,”  “Mrs. Doubtfire,” “Ain’t Too Proud,” ”West Side Story” and “Six.”

I saw all of these shows – over a couple of visits – before the lights went out. And with the shutdown, The Times  and shows stopped the listings…which never were restored even when the lights were turned on again.

Yeah, I know, the data is available via your iPhone or your laptop. But the at-a-glance peek at what’s playing became history…

Indexing fun

So did the TGIF – The Great Index to Fun – which was a tradition at the Honolulu  Advertiser, a Friday tabloid in the morning paper. Disclosure: I wrote features and/or reviews in TGIF, which was a handy-dandy resource to see where or what was happening for the weekend and beyond.

My colleagues on TGIF – reporters, copy editors, page designers and chief editor (plus staff photographers) – dutifully produced the section week after week, from earlier years when entertainment ruled Waikiki and name acts brought their shows to Aloha Stadium, Blaisdell Arena and/or Concert Hall, and Waikiki Shell.

TGIF didn’t survive the merger of the morning Honolulu Advertiser and the evening Star-Bulletin, and a feature section eventually disappeared. The Star-Advertiser became a two-section endeavor – main and local news, and sports. Instead of a feature section on Sundays, a Travel section prevails – with a key New York Times story with art, week after week.

The paper truly has a content issue, or perhaps it doesn’t give  a damn… 

Bright beginnings

Then I came across a feature article I wrote, published Aug. 3, 2016, in the Star-Advertiser, sharing news that survivors, supporters and former actors in a Ron Bright musical, were launching the I’m a Bright Kid Foundation, to perpetuate the legacy of Mr. B, as he was called.

Ron Bright

The revue, entitled “Brighter Still,” was to feature a roster of Bright Kids in a production July 13 at the Hawaii Theatre, the first IABK show organized  by Ligaya Stice, executive director. The show corraled everyone who was a someone singing and dancing for the late director-educator at Castle High School, whose auditorium bears the Bright name, and at Paliku Theatre at the Windward Community College, where an IABK show usually sets anchor.

Former Bright-directed talent traditionally participate in a Bright show, coming from near and far. Mo Bright, widow of the director, said “A little bit of Ron lives in each one of them/”

IABK’s annual musical production, “Gypsy,” opens Aug. 8, with a three-weekend run at Paliku through Aug.24. For tickets,  visit  Www.iabk.org

‘Wicked” defying gravity; remains No. 1

“Wicked” retains its No. 1 on the Broadway grosses tally, for the week ending July 6.

However, “Hamilton” has jumped into the game, again, moving up a few notches to No. 2.

The Top 10:

1—“Wicked,” $2.257 million.

2—“Hamilton,” $2.110 million.

3—”The Lion King, $2.054 million.

4—” Sunset Blvd.,” $1.940 million.

5—” Aladdin,” $1.378 million.

6—” Maybe Happy Ending,” $1.331 million.

7—”MJ,” $1.232 million.

8-“Just In Time,” $1.231 million.

9—”Harry Potter and the Cursed Child,” $1.167 million.

10—“The Outsiders,” $1.146 million.

The complete list, courtesy the Broadway Guild:

And that’s Show Biz…

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‘LILO & STITCH’ SEQUEL IN WORKS

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.”

The Top 10:

1—”Wicked,” $2.484 million

2—”Glengarry Glen Ross,” $2.234 million

3—”Hamilton,” $2.169 million

4–“The Lion King,”  $2.141  million

5—”Sunset Blvd.,” $1.827 million

6—”The Picture of Dorian Gray,” $1.655 million

7—” Aladdin,” $1.524 million

8—”Death Becomes Her,” $1.458 million

9—”MJ  the Musical,” $1.369 million

10—”The Outsiders,” $1.334 million

The complete list, courtesy the Broadway Guild:

And that’s Show Biz…