Finally, the Easter bunny delivered the final 2025 Easter pins. So: if you’ve not received yours, you’ll likely get ’em tomorrow or Saturday, in plenty of time to celebrate Easter.
Made, too, a limited number of Easter baskets with a pink rose attachment on the front.
Here’s a first look at the Easter pins I’ve created for 2025. This year, Easter will be on April 20, so there’s a month to prep for the event. Some Easter pins are in the mail now; doing an early roll-out and distribution, since the pins were finished last month. Mailings will continue for the next few days, so hope recipients will be a bit patient
Manoa Valley Theatre boasts a bonanza of fun and thrills during its 2025-26 season, just announced and beginning this fall.
The slate and playdates:
“Da Mayah,”Lee Cataluna’s political, local-style comedy involving a Hilo mayor with a secret, Sept. 11 to 28.
“Priscilla, Queen of the Desert: The Musical,” an Australian tale of two dragqueens and a trans woman traveling on a bus to perform at resort in Alice Springs; it’s a collaboration of Stephan Elliott and Allan Scott, based on a movie, Nov. 13 to Dec. 7.
“Dial M for Murder,” a traditional crime drama, about a husband contemplating the murder of his wife, based on a film and adapted by Jeffrey Hatcher from the original by Frederick Knott, Jan. 22 to Feb. 8, 2025.
“Spring Awakening,” a coming-of-age rock musicalincluding brief, partial nudity, with music by Duncan Sheik and a book and lyrics by Steven Sater inspired by an 1891 German play, March 19 to April 9, 2025.
“Yellow Face,” a semi-autobiographical satirical comedy about casting white actors in Asian roles, by David Henry Hwang, May 14 to 31 ,2025.
“Clyde’s,” a whimsical comedy about a small-town diner, by Lynn Nottage, July16 through 25, 2025.
MVT’s traditional add-on family fare, outside of the six-show season, will feature “Shrek: The Musical,” about the green ogre, with music by Jeanine Tesori and book and lyrics by David Lindsay-Abaire, based on the 2001 DreamWorks Animation film, June 25 to July 12, 2025, at the Kaimuki High School Performing Arts Center.
Other pertinent data:
Renewals for current season-ticket holders will continue through April 16, 2024, to retain their seats.
“Wicked” remains No. 1, the lone show pulling in more than $2 million, but the big change is the disappearance of “Gypsy” from the Top 10. The reason for the slump? Audra McDonald, in the lead as Mama Rose, skipped two performances because of a death in her family, so ticket sales dropped.
As Tom Selleck attempts to get a write-in movement to restore his cancelled CBS series, “Blue Bloods,” the network has announced instead a spinoff series dubbed “Boston Blue,” which will star Donnie Wahlberg.
“Boston Blue” has been given a straight-to-series order — in other words, minus a pilot — and will feature Wahlberg’s Danny Reagan character from the original “Blue Bloods” show fighting crime in a new territory.
Donnie Wahlberg
Wahlberg was an instrumental figure in “Blue Bloods,” during its 14-season run, in which he partnered with Marisa Ramirez, who played Maria Baez. It’s probably uncertain but unlikely that this new procedural will reach out and throw out the net to other players from the original hit show to portray Reagan family characters in the new universe.
Sellelck has not yet commented on the new CBS venture — without him…
Something wicked this way comes?
It’s been announced that “Wicked” star Cynthia Erivo, who portrays the green-faced Elphaba in the hit film musical, will play Jesus in “Jesus Christ Superstar” this summer. Huh?
Cynthia Erivo
Erivo will headline a production of Andrew Lloyd Webber’s “Superstar,” at the Hollywood Bowl Aug. 1 to 3.
Certainly, this is uncommon casting. Makes you wonder who’ll play Mary Magdalene. “Superstar” has not yet announced other participating cast members.
Erivo is a versatile performer and a previous Emmy, Grammy and Tony award winner; she has been nominated three times for an Oscar, and again is a Best Actress contender this year, for playing Elphaba in “Wicked.”
“Superstar” marks the return of Broadway musicals at the Hollywood Bowl since the Covid pandemic.
Erivo, who enjoys being busy, also will host this year’s Tony Awards, set for 8 p.m. ET on June 8, broadcasted on CBS from the Radio City Music Hall in New York…
Broadway grosses, for the week ending Feb. 16
“Wicked” remains invincible, in the tally of Broadway grosses. It’s still grossing more than $2 million weekly, leading the pack of contenders,. In a switcheroo, “Hamilton” moved up to No. 2, sending “The Lion King” to No. 3.
Somewhat surprisingly, “Romeo + Juliet” came out of nowhere to wind up at No. 6, sending “Gypsy”to an elevator ride down to No. 7. “The Outsiders” is an insider in an upward move at No. 4, but “Hell’s Kitchen” is off the Top 10, certainly a hellish fate.