AFTER-PARTY FLAVOR AT LEI DAY

Billed as the Hawaiian Airlines May Day Concert, last night’s Lei Day extravaganza at Bishop Museum was sort of an after-party for core performers at the recent Merrie Monarch Festival in Hilo.

Indeed, Robert Cazimero and his hui of kane dancers in his Halau Na Kamalei O Lililehua  swept the ‘auana and kahiko categories in the prestigious hula competition last weekend. A few numbers were repackaged for the Lei Day audience to examine and experience HNKOL’s signature choreography.

Robert Cazimero, at his white grand piano, festooned with yellow plumeria.

Clearly, some of the memorable Merrie moments still were swirling in the audience and it was Zachary Lum, Keauhou member, who wisely opined that Lei Day felt more like an “after -party” following Na Kamalei’s victories in Hilo.

Halau Na Kamalei O Lililehua, doing hula kahiko at Lei Day “after party.”

For kumu hula Cazimero, this year marks the 50th anniversary of his leadership in training hula gents, and nostalgia was part of an unstated ingredient of Lei Day. Thus, appreciation and gratitude of his own kumu way back in the day — Maiki Aiu Lake—  still resonated, even if he has potential  to become his generation’s Maiki in theory and in practice.

Cazimero, on pahu.

At 76, Cazimero’s leadership and integrity have shaped his mission in life –  he lives and breathes hula to the max, teaching men to tell stories of life through song and dance—for more than half his life. Na Kamalei always has been a rarity, boasting men who not only dance, but sing mele and chants in Hawaiian.

But a new breeze of teamwork has been evolving in recent years.

Keauhou, the trio comprising brothers Zachary Alaka‘i Lum, his brother Nicholas Keali‘i Lum, and their Kamehameha Schools classmate Jonah Kahanuola Solatorio, have   become Cazimero’s “house band,” providing splendid vocals and instrumentals. In select instances, the Lum bros dance, too – they are Na Kamalei regulars and versatility is in their DNA. Keauhou’s excellence in traditional Hawaiian mele is admirable. And Zach’s leadership and performance traits could make him a kumu over the coming years.

Zach Lum and Nick Lum: Keauhou members who also do hula.
Kuana Torres Kahele

The death of Roland Cazimero, Robert’s inventive brother whose guitar skills and harmonics were key to the duo’s sound, left a void for several years. But for several months now, Kuana Torres Kahele  — himself a prolific trouper, who sings, composes songs, and plays ukulele and guitar, and fashions lei in-between — has enriched  the Caz sound. Kahele, a guest artist,  soared in his segment with Keauhou, rendering  beautiful mele like “Ke Anu O Waimea” and “’Ohu ‘ohu O ‘ahu,” two place songs, plus “E Ku‘u Lei,” with Cazimero joining in to fortify and punctuate the duet format.

Kaipo Hale

For special events like Lei Day, Cazimero tapped his  lifetime best-buddy Kaipo Hale,   to continue to join the Caz brand, as he previously has done. He brings the riches of a robust baritone voice and composing vibrancy to the party. Hale shared “Pauoa Hula,”  about his home community; his “Pua Melia ‘Ala Onaona” brought the Royal Dance Company  to the limelight; and his “Huapala Maka Onaona” featured Na  Kamalei. Natch, Keauhou, Cazimero and  Kahele provided support.

Alin “Gunny” Hanzawa

Two halau gents had solo dance moments.  Alvin “Gunny” Hanzawa, no longer a regular but still savvy of the skills he learned, flew in from California to participate,  a rare Japanese hula dancer. And veteran Keola “Bully” Makaiau, clad in the silver-grey  hinahina, had a solo moment with power and grace, unlike his often comedic participation in the monthly Full Moon concert gig with his kumu at Chef Chai’s.

Keola “Bully” MakaiU

Other guest dancers were Kina and Kalani, so there was no shortage of kane hula, and four veteran kumu including Vicky Holt Takamine, showed the audience how the old-timers swished and sashayed with traditional decorum to share their artistry.

On a tune entitled “Ka Lehua I Milia,” Cazimero reached upper-register notes to provide his, and the evening’s, most melodic and trusty tones, belting lyrics while at his grand piano.  It was the peak — the high point — of the evening’s cadence between ‘auana and kahiko gymnastics.

The finale, “Lei Puakenikeni,” tapped everyone in the cast, combining singers and dancers and musicians in uniformed bonding, like threading puakenikeni blossoms to create an immense, fragrant lei.

And that’s Show Biz…

‘SUNSET’ CANCELED, BULLHORN FILLS IN

Even with the ol’ adage, “The show must go on,” the show couldn’t continue for Hawaii’s Nicole Scherzinger on Broadway this past Wednesday (April 23) afternoon.

At a matinee performance of her “Sunset Blvd.” hit at the St. James Theatre on Broadway, a technical mishap forced the cancellation of the show.

Nicole Scherzinger sings “With One Look,” relying on a bullhorn.

Frustrating, yes, but inventive Scherzinger – starring as Norma Desmond in “Sunset” – didn’t allow her audience to be totally disappointed. With her co-star, Tom Francis (he plays Joe Gillis in the show), she took to the stage to announce the cancellation, by grabbing a bullhorn from backstage to make lemonade from a lemon of a situation.

With the support of a backstage track, Scherzinger sang “With One Look,” a tune her Desmond character sings, which at least gave disappointed show-goers to have something to talk about after vacating the theater.

Magician Giancarlo Bernini, in the audience, captured the singer with her bullhorn in an Instagram post, and the show continued as usual for the evening performance…

Show breezes

Coming up:

  • Boys II Men, at 7:30 p.m. Saturday (April 26), at the Tom Moffatt Waikiki Shell. Ticket prices vary, depending on seat location.
  • Jefferson Starship, at 8 p.m. June 7, at the Hawaii Theatre. Tickets: $72 to $262.
  • Lee Ann Rimes, at 6:30 p.m. July 12, at Blaisdell Arena. Ticket prices vary, depending on seat location.

And that’s Show Biz…

HAMMOND’S ICE CREAM COMING

Hammond’s Gourmet Ice Cream is anticipating a summer opening at the Koko Marina Shopping Center.

Hammond’s is targeting a June 7 debut – date subject to change – and will occupy the site vacated by Moena Sweets.

Hammond’s is noted for 32 ice cream flavors, alternating 20 daily, and boasts some enchanting flavors and names, like Kitty Kitty Bang Bang, a cheesecake flavor. The brand has some dairy-free, egg-free and nut-free options, too.

It also is known for the Hammond Flights, where patrons can take flight to try six flavors in mini cones. A yummy idea to get familiar with Hammond’s…

Maple Garden is shutting down

Maple Garden, the Chinese restaurant in Moiliili, is closing – likely at the end of the month—after decades of serving fans of Chinese cuisine.

Like numerous restaurants with decades of residency, Maple Gardens has been faced with a multitude of challenges – dwindling business, high prices, a fickle economy, and a shortage of staff. Two chefs are in the kitchen and struggling to keep the doors open and  serving food, too. Owning a restaurant  is a constant task; you welcome the guests, take orders, prepare and serve the food, and after meal service there are dishes to wash.

In earlier times, there were throngs celebrating birthdays and anniversaries, retirement parties, and more. Owner Richard Lam now is thinking of closure, though he’s not yet set a firm date…

A tasty snack

My latest fave snack is something sweet but healthy.

It’s called Yoggies, and it’s a shred of strawberry, coated with creamy yogurt. It’s somewhat like Raisinets, the raisin  candy cloaked with chocolate.

Got it in a large bag, from Costco, and it’s perfect for a quick snack, since  Yoggies comes in 7-oz packets and that’s enough for a single serving.

EXPLOSION OF BROADWAY MUSICALS

It’s sort of been a  Broadway musical explosion on local stages. A lot of fare, with flair.

An epidemic, in a good way.

And perhaps, the best is yet to come.

Broadway frenzy is everywhere. And growing. Song and dance casts are popular. So are familiar show titles from the past, revived for a new generation. Something new often generates big box office, too.

First off, that three-show “Broadway in Hawaii” season starts next Tuesday (April 22), with the Hawaii premiere of “Tina – The Tina Turner Musical” playing for a week at the renovated Blaisdell Concert Hall.  Following later: “Six the Musical,” a frisky, discofied parody of the six wives of King Henry VII, in a two-week residency beginning June 17, culminating in “Chicago,” the John Kander/Fred Ebb evergreen opening a week’s engagement beginning Dec. 2.

For many seasons, Diamond Head Theatre has flourished  with Broadway musicals; “Grease” just wound up a run, with “Man of La Mancha” following May 22 and  “The SpongeBob Musical” expected to have a huge underwater frenzy beginning July 18.

DHT’s earlier 2023-24 roster was chockfull of musicals: “Mamma Mia!,” “My Fair Lady,”  “The Musical Comedy Murders of 1940,” “Kiss Me Kate,” “Tootsie,” and “Frozen.”

DHT’s forthcoming 2025-26 season is anticipated to be one of the biggest slates yet, with “Come From Away” making its Hawaii premiere Sept. 12, to launch the parade of shows. Revivals of “West Side Story” starting March 20, 2026, and “Funny Girl” beginning May 22, 2026, will fill seats. And  “Les Miserables,” 40 years old and still with an immense heartbeat (meaning a blockbuster pulse), caps the coming season’s agenda beginning July 31, 2026. Do you hear the people sing? You will!  And with a new tech/set designer aboard, anticipation is higher than ever, for visual splendor along with stellar acting.

Manoa Valley Theatre just closed a held-over staging of “Parade,” and earlier mounted a splendid “Once on This Island.” “Side by Side by Sondheim” will conclude the season beginning July 17. And during its 2025-26 season, watch for two Broadway biggies, “Priscilla Queen of the Desert,” starting Nov. 13,  and “Spring Awakening,” beginning March 19, 2026. It’s amazing how much MVT can pack in its little space!

The I’m a Bright Kid Foundation  will follow up its stunning “Newsies” hit from last summer, with a revival of “Gypsy,” playing for three weekends Aug. 8 to 24 at Paliku Theatre, Windward Community Theatre. Everything’s coming up roses for the organization, which continues to perpetuate and preserve the legacy of the late teacher-director, Ron Bright, remembered for his superb high school shows with student casts over the decades when he was primarily a high school director,  and later a disguished force in community extravaganzas with adult performers.

Speaking of high school theatrics: The Broadway fever has  spread to high school slates. Among them:

  • The Kaimuki Performing Arts Company just staged “Beetlejuice.”
  • Farrington High School scored points from kids with its “Moana 2.”
  • Kamehameha thespians  and Mililani High casts tackled “Hadestown.”
  • Iolani said  hello to “Hello Dolly!” at Hawaii Theatre.

HTY season celebrates communities

The Honolulu Theatre for Youth, now in its 71st year, still is perking and creating stories and plays that celebrate Hawaii’s many communities.

The season is themed “Stories From Hawaii and Beyond,” and explores tales from around the globe and even outer space. Four world premieres are among the offerings.

“An important part of growing up “local” is being surrounded by the beauty and complexity of the many cultures that make up our community here in Hawaii,” said Eric Johnson, HTY artistic director. “This in turn, ignites curiosity and aloha for people and places beyond our shores. This season celebrates stories from this pace and invites us to look beyond as far as our imaginations can take us, from outer space to the plains of Africa.”

The season at a glance:

  • “Tales of the Sun and Moon,” is a world premiere by Reiko Ho and the HTY Ensemble, comprised of  myths and legends from Hawaii and cultures around the world.
  • “Line Circle Sphere,” by Danica Rosengren and HTY Ensemble, an interactive exploration of art in collaboration with Capitol Modern: The Hawaii State Art Museum.
  • “Uncle’s (Mostly True) Stories of the Philippines,” by veteran company member Hermenigildo “Junior” Tesoro and the HTY Ensemble, a piece celebrating the history and peoples of the Philippines.
  • “Annika’s Elephants,” by Annie Evans, helmed by Pam Arciero, ‘Sesame Street” veteran and native Hawaiian puppeteer, early 2026. The tale is about a young Kenyan girl who befriends a baby elephant and explores the current plight of Africa’s elephants.
  • “Joseph Kekuku and the Voice of the Steel Guitar,” returns in February and March, paired with “Pa ka Makani.” The former is a story by Moses Goods in collaboration with the Kealakai Center for Pacific Strings, and the latter,” by Lokomaika‘i Lipscomb, Hanalei Marques Marzan and Annie Cusick Wood.
  • “The Tiny Tree,” by Annie Cusic Wood, plays in April. It is an interstellar adventure including songs, puppets and a multitude of characters.
  • “HAPA: The Musical About Being Many Things,” by the HTY Ensemble and Moses Goods, will be staged April through May, as the season’s finale. Playdates of public performances have not been announced.

Information: www.htyweb.org.

And that’s Show Biz…

DRAGONFLY AWARDS HONOR JADE STICE

The late Jade Stice, an extraordinary singer-actress on the Broadway and Hawaii theatrical scene, is the inspiration of The Dragonfly Awards, a new scholarship program providing tuition assistance to students in a core summer program conducted by the I’m a Bright Kid Foundation.

Jade’s ‘ohana is sponsoring The Dragonfly Awards to honor her memory and legacy and to provide financial assistance to youths and families with an interest and commitment to participate in the program she loved so much … and  perhaps inspire future Jade Stices.

Jade Stice: Former Bright Kid

Jade was one of the co-founders of IABK and served as the artistic director of the summer musical theater arts education program, staged every summer until her untimely death last June.

The dragonfly element is apropos, since Jade directed the very first full-length musical production for IABK, “On Dragonfly Wings,” in 2017.

The inspirational musical, written by the late Lisa Matsumoto, with music composed by Roslyn Catracchia, is a story of transformation and self-realization, goals that Jade and the summer program staff shared, to motivate every student, to instill skills in acting and dancing, and to discover the joy of participation in the theatrical experience.

The summer activity – education, culminating in a musical performance – had been Jade’s passion and trademark — and has fueled the IABK engine to promote and preserve the legacy of the late teacher-director, Ron Bright. The acclaimed mentor nurtured and inspired hundreds of students in his remarkable career,at Castle High School’s theater, now bearing his name, and he also was a luminary at Paliku Theatre at Windward Community College, where he directed some of his best-ever work.

Jade was Bright’s first student to land a role in a Broadway production, “Miss Saigon,” in 1991. Since then, numerous former Bright students – Bright Kids – have landed roles on the Broadway stage, in such mega-hits as “Wicked,” “Aladdin,” and “The Lion King.”

The Dragonfly Awards will cover tuition for the core afternoon program only.

Application deadline is April 25.

For specifics on the scholarships, visit https://imabrightkid.org/the-dragonfly-awards/

People can navigate there from the main page of the IABK website.

For the direct link to the application, go to https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLSd5qHYrALyl8BakNwIaugjuzvdWeBw3EYTofbPUhVGZ28eMyA/viewform?usp=sharing

Sajak, Moore in summer thriller

Former Army buddies Pat Sajak and Joe Moore again will team up for a summertime show, “Prescription: Murder,” July 31 to Aug. 10, at the Hawaii Theatre.

Sajak, the incomparable host of the long-running TV game show, “Wheel of Fortune,” will play Dr. Roy Flemming, and Moore, the veteran news anchor at KHON, will portray Lieutenant Columbo, in the Original  Columbo Mystery Thriller.

It’s a longtime summer ritual for the TV twosome, to hone a stage show for their Hawaii fans, with proceeds benefitting the Hawaii Theatre..

The play, by William Link and Richard Levinson,inspired the TV series “Columbo,” which starred Peter Falk.

Rob Duval wiil direct, with local actors Therese Olival, Amy K.S Sullivan, Bryce Moore and Aiko Chinen also participating.

Performances will be at 7 p.m. Wednesdays, Thursdays, Fridays and Saturdays, with matinees at 2 p.m. Saturdays and Sundays.

Tickets: $29.50 to $84.50,  at www.hawaiitheatre.com or (808) 528=0506….

And that’s Show Biz…