“Lilo & Stitch,” the Hawaii-filmed live-action film which originated as a cartoon, recently passed the $1 billion box office milestone. Translation: it’s now Disney’s biggest film and also is a global favorite.
And today (July 22), the film will be available on digital platforms –including Amazon Prime Video, Apple TV, and Fandango at Home – to rent or buy.
On Aug. 26, “Lilo & Stitch” will be released on physical media via 4K Ultra HD, Blu-ray and DVD. A key destination will be Disney+, which traditionally will be a few weeks following the digital release.
The film opened during the Memorial Day weekend and boasted a $1 million budget. Its ascent to the $1 billion rank means, however, that production costs have been recouped.
Stitch and Lilo: The hit film has grossed more than $1 billion.
Clearly, “Lilo & Stitch,” is a home-grown success with prominent participation of Hawaiian actors in the cast. Surely, the feature also is the most successful film entirely lensed in the islands. Big Island discovery Maia Kealoha, who portrayed Lilo in her screen debut, is a pint-sized superstar on the fan circuit.
The ‘ohana of actors include Sydney Elizebeth Agudong as Nani Pelekai, Tia Carrere as Mrs. Kekoa, Amy Hill as Tutu, Blake La Benz as kumu hula, Jason Scott Lee as luau manager, Celia Kenney as AJ, Kaipo Dudoit as David, Hanna Waddingham as Grand Councilwoman (voice), JudyNguyen as agent Huynh, Courtney Coleman as concierge, Christina Souza as Dr. Pereira, Christian Yuen as Agent Yzao, and Skyler Bible as Agent Foster.
Also, Billy Magnusen as Pleakly, Zach Galifianakis as Jamba, Courtney B. Vance as Cobra Bubble, and Chris Sanders as Stitch (voice).
The film was directed by Dean Fleischer Camp. Hawaii’s Chris Kekaniokalani Bright wrote the screenplay, with input by Mike Van Waes and Chris Sanders.
The anticipated Blu-ray Steel Book edition will be a keeper for fans. It will be packaged in a special edition reflecting the blue alien’s mischievous nature and contain bonus features such as deleted scenes and bloopers, plus behind-the-scenes peeks at Lilo and Stitch with cinematic Dolby Vision and Dolby Atmos Disney packaging.
And yes, a “Lilo & Stirtch” sequel has been announced, release date not known…
Diamond Head Theatre has plunged into the whirlpool of fun of “The SpongeBob Musical,” a marvel of stagecraft based on Nickelodeon’s spirited cartoon character and its undersea antics.
Originally dubbed “SpongeBob SquarePants,” the show- — minus the squarepants – is a colorful enterprise of quirky characters residing in Bikini Bottom, whose quiet lives are upended by a volcanic eruption falling and wiping out the sea community.
The real accomplishment is the coming-of-age triumph of the technical crew at DHT, which has had frequent difficulty creating satisfying sets in its still-new theater with fly space that hadn’t been available for more than 100 years.
The sets are remarkable. including this one with underwater rainbow. Photos byBrandon Miyagi, courtesy
Thus, SpongeBob has arrived to rescue and resolve the techie production ills of the recent past, making this perhaps the best-ever, cohesive DHT enterprise.
Advisory: this is not a kiddie show. It’s family-oriented, with wide appeal to adults and parents. So, take a plunge and savor the silliness of SpongeBob.
Chad Navarro, strumming uke, is SpongeBob Squarepants.
The saga of the undersea community threatened to lose its home is one of bonding to challenge and upend and survive the explosion of underwater mountains.
Meana Stone is Sandy Cheeks, who has a great voice,
“SpongeBob SquarePants: The Broadway Musical” – the formal official title –was a huge hit with both critics and spectators and earned 12 Tony Award nominations for it run at the Palace Theatre at Times Square.. I saw it and laughed and applauded and adored this cartoon transformed into a live-action stage musical.
Then, and particularly now, “SpongeBob” satisfies with terrific sets, boasting bright and bold costumes, and a spirited cast plus, inventive staging, strong performances, and all the bells and whistles of a triumphant show.
Greg Zane, an islander with Broadway credits, is the bright mind and master and logically the influence to glue the elements together. He’s attracted skilled techies, along with an inspired corps of actors and dancers, to give “SpongeBob” its energetic heartbeat. As director and choreography (and a former actor-dancer himself), Zane’s zest is a gift well shared.
On stage, diminutive Chad Navarro is a tireless SpongeBob, who sings, prances, and dances like a wind-up toy, and his character is notably optimistic to inspire his sea buddies to become the village that bonds and unifies in a time of crisis.
Nathaniel Ryan-Kern is the four-legged Squidward Q. Tentacles.
His BFF is Patrick Star (Zack Oldman, who has comedic traits, and late in the Act 2, a sleek and sensational dancer), and the characters include Squidward Q. Tentacles (Nathaniel Ryan-Kern, navigating with four legs), Sandy Cheeks (Mehana Stone, bearing a powerful voice), Eugene H. Krabs (Lee Nebe, who runs the Krusty Krab restaurant and bears. a pair of claws), and Sheldon J. Plankton (Pressly Wheeler, an antagonist with vibrant pipes).
The whacky denizens include pirates, sea anemones, sardines and more.
Deanne Kennedy’s awesome scenic design features a splendid oceanscape of a warm light blue with coral accents, against which appears a four-tiered underwater rainbow in Act 2, and a pair on instances of glistening jellyfish descending from the fly space in the first act, and circular bubbles falling from above in the second act. Further, there are a pair of underwater “mountains” on wheels that move and turn with grace and they’re quiet, and silent in movement. Overall, these design elements elevate appeal and provide an element of finesse.
David Decarolis’ lighting is phenomenal, from bright of the day to darkness during the volcanic eruption, with occasional flashes creating dramatic effects.
Tim Manamtam’s and Sarah Velasco’s sound design complement the lights and occasionally augment onstage dramatic moments, like footsteps when the four-legged Squidward character tromps off stage, and visual elements of fog and strobe lights.
Emily Lane’s costumes and Aiko Schick’s hair and makeup design go hand in hand, with very bright colors on styles and outrageous hairdos for the entire cast of 20-plus. You can’t find the garb or the wigs at second-hand shops, so a sizeable budget was well spent.
Sage Nguyen is Pearl Krabs, in Emily Lane’s glorious costume and Aiko Schick’s pink wig.
Kyle Conner was props designer, Jared Paakaula was associate director, and Evan Autio choreographed the “I’m Not a Loser” sequence in Act 2, with Squidward and the anemones.
Jenny Shiroma’s music direction involved an ork of eight, with three keyboards and to guitars, and the music covered a range styles, with tunes tapped by producers. Thus, the score features songs by Steven Perry and Joe Perry of Aerosmith, Cyndi Lauper, They Might Be Giants, Plain White T‘s, David Bowie and Sarah Bareilles.
There’s a multitude of other gems and surprises, if you look hither and yon, like the clever formation of a pineapple, which is the home of SpongeBob, a ticking aerial clock above the theater proscenium, and remote-controlled crab in a couple of scenes. All joyful stuff, in a landscape of unpredictability…
And that’s Show Biz…
“The SpongeBob Musical”
What: A musical by Stephen Hillenburg, with book by Kyle Jarrow, based on Nickelodeon’s “SpongeBob SquarePants” cartoon
Where: Diamond Head Theatre
When: 7:30 p.m. Fridays, Saturdays and Sundays, plus 3 p.m. Saturdays and 4 p.m. Sundays, through Aug. 9
“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…
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!…
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.
