Updates Archives - Page 25 of 38

September 9, 2022September 9, 2022

KEALI’I REICHEL: 6 SHOWS AT BLUE NOTE

Keali‘i Reichel will return to the Blue Note Hawaii stage with six shows over four days, at 6:30 p.m. Nov. 17, 6:30 and 9 p.m. Nov. 18 and 19 and 6:30 p.m. Nov. 20.

Reichel is the award-winning Maui-based kumu hula, singer, composer, choreographer, chanter and dancer, known for his traditional Hawaiiana and his creations with a contemporary mele.

Dancers from his Halau Kealaokamaile hula studio will take the stage, along with guest artists to be announced soon.

With most of Hawaii’s musicians favoring the more intimate venues like Blue Note, anchored at the Outrigger Waikiki resort vs. larger concert spaces, this residency will quickly sell out.

Tickets are $85 and $125, costlier than his previous performances there, but Reichel is noted for including halau dancers in the mix of his classic and newer repertoire.

Reservations: www.bluenotehawaii.com or (808) 777-4890. …

Also at Blue Note

Bandsmen of the distant past continue to give periodic performances, albeit with a nostalgic twist, and two scheduled at Blue Note include:

“Take Me Back to Chicago Tour,” featuring musicians from two pop/rock acts of an earlier era. Danny Seraphine, co-founding lead singer and drummer of Chicago, and Jeff Coffey, guitarist during the Chicago Transit Authority (CTA), will assemble at 6:30 and 8 p.m. Oct. 8 and 9. Doors open at 5 p.m. (first show) and 8:30 p.m. (second show). Tickets: $25 and $35. Reservations: www.bluenotehawaii.com or (808) 777-4890. …
The Commodores, minus Lionel Ritchie, will concertize at 8 pm. Dec. 15 through 18 (doors open at 6 p.m.), with original band members Walter “Clyde” Orange, James Dean “JD” Nicholas and William “WAK” King recreating the classic bluesy funk and rockaballads of an earlier year. Tickets: $85, $95, $125. Reservations: www.bluenotehawaii.com or (808) 777-4890. …

Here ’n’ there

Out Hilo way, the original musical based on characters and themes from a pair of books by poet Frances Kakugawa’s “Wordsworth” series, has sold out its run of matinee shows for grade school Department of Education students, set for Nov. 1-3 at the theater at the University of Hawaii’s Hilo campus.

The play features a mouse-poet, who advocates creating poetry to get through dark times, and provides valuable insights of life lessons. Kids from kindergarten to fifth grade will be attending, and there is an extensive waiting list not likely to diminish.

So parents with young children may want to consider booking the public performances, at 7 p.m. Nov. 4 and 5 and at 2 p.m. Nov. 6. …

The Annual Celebrities and Their Pets Fashion Show – part of the Young at Heart Expo — will be held from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. Sept. 17 at the Blaisdell Center Exhibition Hall. The pets and celebs event will be at noon, with notables strutting with pooches and kitties who’ll be the ones in fashionable costumes. Admission is free. Al Waterson hosts. …

Broadway grosses, week ending Sept. 4

Maybe it’s because of the 76 trombones, or more likely, Hugh Jackman as Prof. Harold Hill in the titular role in “The Music Man,” that keep this one atop the Broadway gross list: it amassed $2.863 million last week.

Other leaders: “Hamilton” with $2.106 million, at No. 2; “MJ –the Michael Jackson Musical,” with $1.76 million, at No. 3; and “The Lion King,” with $1.757 million, at No. 4.

The list is courtesy The Broadway League:

And that’s Show Biz. …

August 29, 2022August 30, 2022

A SECOND MOMOA-KAHANAMOKU FILM

First, there was the PBS documentary, “Waterman,” that profiled the life and times of Duke Kahanamoku, the beloved surfer-swimmer known as the Ambassador of Aloha. Jason Momoa, the Islander who become a superstar actor thanks to “Aquaman,” narrated that documentary.

Soon, “Aquaman” Momoa will be producing a feature film on Kahanamoku, the iconic Hawaiian Olympian winner, widely credited as the father of surfing. Momoa is teaming up with producer Peter Safran to tell the story of Hawaii’s first well-known surfer-swimmer,

who was a five-time Olympian, who broke racial stereotypes when he was a minority Hawaiian swimmer who helped popularize surfing in his lifetime, competing in four Olympic Games in 1912, 1920, 1924 and 1932.

And writing the screenplay for this project is Christopher Kekaniokalani Bright, who has been based in California, but settled back at home in Hawaii to diligently and quietly work on the script. Bright is the grandson of the late Ronald Bright and Mo Bright; Ron was the popular teacher-director-mentor of thousands of island actors and techies who earned their stripes in Bright-directed productions at the Ron Bright Theatre at Castle High School and Paliku Theatre at Windward Community College.

Chris Bright has been on stage, performing in musicals helmed by his grandfather, but has focused on shaping scripts, including “Conviction,” a 2018 Black List selection.

Details are still scanty; there’s no data on when the filming will start, or where it will be done; when a casting call will be held and the biggest wonderment: will a Hawaiian, from here or elsewhere, be tapped to portray Kahanamoku.

Over the decades, there have been trademark issues on rights to projects involving Kahanamoku. Momoa, Safran and producers Susan Miller Carlson and Eric Carlson of Carlson Company have been negotiating with Don Love, a California investor who has been operating Malama Pono Ltd.since 1999, to manage IP (intellectual property) rights to Kahanamoku’s legacy.

After his notable athletic career, Kahanamoku served as the sheriff of Honolulu until the early 1960s and had various jobs as a gas station owner and was the namesake of Duke Kahamaoku’s, the fabled International Market Place nightclub, where Don Ho launched his global fame. The Duke often made appearances at the restaurant club, in the era when entrepreneur Kimo McVay operated Duke’s.

Kahanamoku died of a heart attack in January, 1968, at age 77. …

Mariota is a TOYA

Kudos to Marcus Ardel Taulauniu Mariota, quarterback of the Atlanta Falcons, who has been named one of Ten Outstanding Young Americans by the U.S. Junior Chamber (Jaycees). The awards will be formally made at Virginia Beach next month.

He was nominated for the laurel by the Rising Phoenix Jaycees, who wasted no time to honor the former Saint Louis Crusader. Hope the function doesn’t conflict with a Falcons game. …

One for the grandparents

Frank DeLima will stage a brunch show to mark Grandparents Day

from 10:30 a.m. Sept. 11 at the Central Oahu Event Center, formerly Dot’s in Wahiawa.

DeLima will perform at 12:30 a.m., preceded by a brunch buffet from 10:30 a.m. to noon.

A brunch for kupuna is not all that common, but DeLima has been booking brunch gigs recently —twice at Blue Note Hawaii, for Easter, with another coming up on Dec. 11. Before the Pagoda Restaurant welcomed Sorabol as its current tenant, DeLima did brunch and evening shows at the Pagoda ballroom.

The Wahiawa brunch event will offer a range of assorted breakfast breads and pastries, salads and anti pasto dishes, with entrees such as fresh island catch, medallions of chicken in sun-dried tomato and mushroom cream, braised shoulder of beef with cremini mushroom sauce, and a lavish display of desserts, accompanied by coffee, tea or hibiscus-mint iced tea. Beer and wine will also be available for purchase.

The buffet is $47 for adults, $23.50 for youths under 19, and free for keiki 5 and under.

The Central Oahu Event Center is located at 130 Mango St., in Wahiawa.

Reservations: (808) 627-5451.

Details: www.centraoahueventcenter.com. …

And that’s Show Biz. …

August 3, 2022August 4, 2022

READERS THEATRE MOVING TO TAG

Windward Readers Theatre, a fixture at Pohai Nani retirement residence in Kaneohe for many years, will launch its 9^th Readers Theatre season Aug. 8 at a new location, the Brad Powell Theatre at TAG, The Actors Group at the Dole Cannery complex in Iwilei.

WRT, championed by the remarkably tireless director Vanita Rae Smith and a booster of the Readers Theatre format, has played to intimate audiences for years. Smith scheduled Readers Theatre for 12 years, which were Sunday afternoon sessions at the Army Community Theatre’s Richardson Theatre at Ft. Shafter, for 12 seasons, where Smith was artistic director of 24 years of musical theater successes under the auspices of the U.S. Army.

The Readers format meant that elite and discriminating viewers would huddle on seats on the mainstage, where some of Hawaii’s legendary names would rely on the words of playwrights of works to bring drama to life, with listeners bringing their imagination to the plate.

Now the format will still be targeting readers and listeners alike, in the modest but effective TAG space. These theatrical Dark Night selections — meaning attractions staged during the usual non-show evenings — will be embraced as part of TAG’s new season, with tickets at a modest $20 price.

The premier Readers Theatre vehicle at TAG will be staged at 7:30 p.m. Monday, Tuesday and Wednesday – Aug. 8, 9 and 10 – with Dwight Martin, former Manoa Valley Theatre producing director, embracing John Barrymore, in William Luce’s “Barrymore” directed by Smith. The piece is filled with tension and surprises, surrounding the film and stage star, in the grips of advanced alcoholism, prepping for a production of “Richard III,” and reflecting on his multifaceted life, loves and legendary statue, a leading man on the brink of his last hurrahs.

“The last time we did a Readers Theatre at Pohai Nani was in March of 2020, and the auditorium there has been shut down since,” said Smith of the pandemic that closed nearly everything. “We didn’t charge an admission at Pohai Nani, and had a plate for donations, which went to them to cover expenses (of producing fees).

“Our new home at TAG will broaden the horizon of Readers Theatre, which are oral interpretations that fits the spirit at our new location,” said Smith, who has assembled a slate of Readers Theatres scripts which amount to a legitimate “season.”

Also in the Readers Theatre agenda:

* Jo Pruden, portraying Lillian Hellman in William Luce’s “Lillian,” at 7:30 p.m. Sept. 26, 27 and 28. Replaces an earlier-announced Bronte work. Directed by Smith.

* Alan Shepherd’s “Mary and Joe,” at 7:30 p.m. Oct. 4, 5, 10, 11, 12. Featuring Shepherd, Amy K. Sullivan, Christine Umipeg and others. Directed by Shepherd.

* Agatha Christie’s “Murder, Margaret, and Me,” at 7:30 p.m. Jan. 23, 24 and 25. Featuring Jo Pruden, Shari Lynn and Eden Lee Murray. Directed by Smith.

* “Sea Marks,” based on a memoir of Gardner McKay, at 7:30 p.m. May 29, 30 and 31, 2023. Featuring Annie Rennick and Peter Clark. Directed by Smith. …

Dark Night Readers Theatre shows require an additional admission, apart from the fees of TAG’s weekend shows.

TAG’s 2022-23 season launches with David Lindsey-Abaire’s “Good People,” directed by Peggy Anne Sigmund, opening at 7:30 p.m. Friday (Aug. 5), with performances Thursdays through Sundays through Aug, 21 (2 p.m. curtain on Sundays). Tickets are $35 adults, $25 seniors and $20 students and military. Visit www.tagtickets@hawaii.rr.com or call (808( 722-6941. TAG requires viewers to don facemasks at all of its shows. …

Broadway grosses, for week ending July 31

The leaders still lead, in the roster of box office champs, but the dollars are fewer at least for now.

“The Music Man” still is No. 1, grossing $2.940 million, but not over the top of $3 million for much of its run to date. So Hugh Jackman is still the Money Man, too.

“Hamilton” again is No. 2, demonstrating it’s still a hottie in the room where it happens, pulling in $2.246 million.

“The Lion King” still has its roar, at No.3 and $2.166 million.

The list is courtesy the Broadway League. And note that the charts now show the rundown by grosses, not alphabetically. …

And that’s Show Biz. …

July 2, 2022July 2, 2022

MOMOA CASTING FOR ISLE FILM

Jason Momoa, the Nanakuli native who’s become a Hollywood superstar, will take on the leading role, co-write the screenplay, and serve as an executive producer, of a historical project that will probe the unification and colonization of the Kingdom of Hawaii.

“Chief of War,” earlier announced as an AppleTV+ film, will view island history from an indigenous point of view.
The project will film here this fall, so Momoa has scheduled two casting calls in July, with specific needs for adult men and women of Hawaiian and Polynesian descent, including Maori prospects. The search will include speaking roles, too.

The audition dates:

July 15, from 1 to 5 p.m., at Waianae Intermediate School Cafeteria.
July 16, from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m., at the Bishop Museum.

The film will focus during the turn of the 18^th century, when there were four major kingdoms of Hawaii, engaged in wars. The story is historically true, about Kai‘ana, a war chieftain, who travels the world outside of Hawaii and discovers his island home is being invaded and anticipates that the kingdoms would not be able to survive the power of foreign interests. Thus, Kai‘ana returns home to find a bloody campaign and joins the fight for unity.

Momoa will star as Kai‘ana, who also was known as the Prince of Kauai. Momoa is co-writing the script with collaborators Thomas Pa‘a Sibbett and Doug Jung. He has been particularly passionate about “Chief of War,” because he was born in Nanakuli and is part Hawaiian, making him a certified keiki o ka ‘aina.

Applicants must be residents of Hawaii, 18 years or older, and experienced actors as well as newcomers are invited. Other audition details are posted here: https://www.instagram.com/p/Cbb37YGO0ff/

“Chief of War” will be streamed on AppleTV+, where Momoa had his foot in the Apple door as a star for two seasons as Baba Voss, in the just concluded action-drama, “See.”…

Broadway grosses, week ending June 26

With Hugh Jackman returning to the cast of “The Music Man,” the Meredith Wilson musical, after a post-Tony bought with COVID 19, the show has an attendance bounce, topping a $3.2 million gross once again, besting “Hamilton” and its $2.2 million take last week. “The Lion King” was third, with $2.1 million.

The outlook:

And that’s Show Biz. …

June 19, 2022June 19, 2022

CAN’T ALWAYS GET THE COKE ZERO

Just asking…

If Consolidated Theatres show an on-screen commercial about Coke Zero, aka Zero Sugar Coke, wouldn’t you think that they should stock that Coca-Cola product at their refreshment counters at all theaters?

It’s advertised, but you can’t always get Zero Sugar Coke at some Consolidated theaters.

I can order and receive Coke Zero at the Koko Marina theater, with no problem; but at Kahala and Ward Center, they don’t serve this particular choice.

When you nestle into your seat, the Coke Zero advertisement is screened. Regularly.

Coke’s wasting its ad dollars, don’tcha think?