Comedian Frank DeLima’s Christmas gift to fans and followers is a parody of the yuletide classic, “Blue Christmas.”
In his treatment, DeLima moans and groans – like most of us – about the prevailing inflation that affects every aspect of life. Eating – brunch, to cut out one meal. Shopping – a single banana, instead of the whole bunch. Commuting – selling his Caddy because of gas prices.
Of course, he groans In his own inimitable manner. In pidgin. This time, in his video, a companion – a sock puppet.
“Blue Christmas” sounds like a new song, with his new lyrics:
Frank DeLima and sock puppet pal.
“Ima havin’ a Blue Christmas
“Inflation
“Hamburgah price outrageous
“Inflation
“Thanksgiving dinna set me back
“I gotta sell my Caddalac
“My money…no can go as far…”
To download the parody, go to www.frankdelima.com and make a donation to his Frank DeLima Enrichment Program to support his tour of inspirational tours of local schools.
The video also is posted on my Facebook page.
DeLima will premiere this parody at his holiday brunch show, at 12:30 a.m. today (Dec. 11) at Blue Note Hawaii, at the Outrigger Waikiki resort. Doors open at 10:30 a.m. (Blue Note announced the time changes earlier this morning).
“Almost,” which means “not quite” or “nearly,” is an operative word in describing “The Year Christmas Was Almost Cancelled.”
It’s a holiday musical, which opened last night (Dec. 3) at Mamiya Theatre at St. Louis School/Chaminade College, and runs Fridays through Sundays through Dec. 18 as the lone family-friendly theatrical show in Honolulu this Christmas.
It is the premiere endeavor for Mo‘olelo Studios, and it’s almost certainly won’t be its last.
Adoringly written and directed by Kyle Kakuno with a delightful and charming score by Roslyn Catracchia, they also collaborated on the lyrics for the 10 assembled songs.
It’s a big little show, brimming with goodwill and tidings of the season, with potential to prevail as a future or returnee. It’s almost but not quite perfect.
The threat of a no-Christmas agenda emerges when Santa Claus (Matthew Pedersen, delightful with a commanding presence) discovers that he is ill and “burned out,” because of the pace and stress of the yuletide. Mrs. Claus (Callie Doan, comforting and forthright) summons a doctor (Jantzen Shinmoto) to assess the wellness of the man in the red suit. The analysis: Santa needs three months off to rest and recuperate, meaning there could be no Christmas just days ahead.
This is where the “almost” comes in. Santa’s workshop is filled with elves young and older, all concerned about the jolly one’s health and the dilemma of skipping Christmas. These elves are effusive, almost always singing and dancing with good cheer. There almost seems to be a scene missing, where elves help Santa with toy-making to fill his bag for delivery. The production lacks that holidaze hustle-and-bustle within the workshop.
The playbill for “The Year Christmas Was Almost Cancelled.”
Not that the elves aren’t helping Santa. They make hot chocolate and bake gingerbread cookies, like a kitchen squad, supported by theme-specific tunes, “There’s Something About Hot Chocolate” and “Gingerbread Cookies.”
Can’t argue about the singing; the cast boasts expressive, impressive voices that underscore the excitement about providing nourishment for ill Santa. While Alexandria Zinov’s choreography is brisk and fills the stage, it doesn’t jingle with the Christmas spirit.
The ranks are filled with sweet and lively elves, with fairy tale names like Shinny (Poasa Aga), Gander (Christopher Casupang), Bushy (Samuel Tafolo), Alabaster (Sanoe Harris), Pepper (Isaiah Castillo), Wunorse (La Faamausili-Siliato) and Sugarplum (Ka‘iulani Iaea), with their nationalities clearly reflecting diverse casting.
Catracchia’s songs like “I Believe in You” (sung by Iaea and Casupang) and “Christmas Magic” (rendered by Harris and Faamausili-Siliato and the elves) properly uphold the season’s messages and tidings. The merriment is perfect, not almost.
As the Narrator, Isaac Kapono Chock shares a welcoming spirit and presence, from his perch next to a Letters-to-Santa mailbox.
Now here’s a minor quibble, almost like a half-cup full, half-cup empty matter on whether Christmas is cancelled or not. It depends on where you are in the world– in Santa’s onstage workshop home or elsewhere around the world.
The bottom-line theme — that wellness and good health are equally important in your life — resonates with a feel-good aura. Almost makes you want to sing your favorite Christmas carol.
Hearty kudos to the production team. There’s periodic snow falling in the show, and Santa gets aboard his red sleigh (looks like Rudolph’s on sick leave) and the sleigh takes flight as the curtain falls. And that handy-dandy playbill listing cast and credits, is joyful and triumphant, a keepsake for the cast ensemble for years to come. The producers do everything right here.
Tip: After you exit, kids may take photos with Santa in the theater lobby; outside in the courtyard, there’s a free snowflake light show (nighttime) and more faux snow, plus hot cocoa with marshmallows (yummy!), gingerbread cookies and s’mores kits for purchase, for a merry show extra.
*. * *
“The Year Christmas Was Almost Cancelled”
Showtimes: 7 p.m. Fridays and Saturdays and at 6 p.m. Sundays, through Dec. 18.
Remember when jack-o-lanterns were made from papier-mâché?
You could put a candle inside, so the glow made its eyes and mouth bright.
If you added a flame, you probably needed a stick attached to the lantern’s wire or cord to avoid getting burned.
No, it wasn’t safe.
Some kids used these unlighted pumpkins to collect their treats. Back in the day, you didn’t go for the huge haul to fill shopping bags.
You still can get these papier-mâché creations online; vintage ones can cost anywhere from $50 to $400. It would be a collectible item, if its origins date back, say, five decades.
But most kids nowadays don’t carry a jack-o-lantern, which are largely fashioned from plastic, and require a battery-supported “candle” for the glow.
So the question is, are jack-o-lanterns necessary anymore?
If you have a memory of the lanterns from yesteryear, share your thoughts here.
Surviving members of Kalapana will take the stage at Blue Note Hawaii at 6:30 p.m. Nov. 8 and 9, to remember three of the founding members of the group: DJ Pratt, Malani Bilyeu and Mackey Feary.
The participating musicians likely will include Gaylord Holomalia and Kenji Sano, who have had longstanding stints with the original band, and others who have had tenure with Kalapana could emerge, too, including Kirk Thompson, Alvin Fejarang, Randy Aloya, and Michael Paulo.
However, the Blue Note website does not identify who will be taking the stage, and efforts to secure a roster of vocalists and musicians so far have not been successful.
Clearly, most of Kalapana’s hit songs – still getting some airplay on local radio – featured the voices of Feary and Bilyeu.
The original Kalapana, from left: Kirk Thompson, Mackey Feary, Malani Bilyer and DJ Pratt.
Kalapana was bestowed the Hawaii Academy of Recording Arts Lifetime Achievement Award in 2011; recipients then included Bilyeu, Feary (posthumously), Pratt, Thompson, Fejarang, Paulo and Aloya.
Feary, who had drug addiction issues, died Feb. 20, 1999, at age 43. He apparently took his own life while imprisoned, leading to a tragic end. His legacy includes such classic musical moments as “Nightbird,” “Juliet,” “Moon and Stars,” and “The Hurt.”
Bilyeu died of a heart attack on Dec. 27, 2018, on Kauai. He was 69. His Kalapana compositions included “(For You) I’d Chase a Rainbow,” “You Make It Hard,” “ Naturally,” “Girl” and “Many Classic Moments.”
Pratt was found unresponsive in his home on Sept. 7, 2021. He was 67. Pratt earned two Na Hoku Hanohano Awards for his work as a member of Kalapana. He earned three more for his skills as a recording studio engineer.
Hawaii ArtSpace, a new theatrical production company, will be holding its first fundraiser from 5 to 9 p.m. Sunday (Oct. 23) at The B Side HNL, (1200 Ala Moana Blvd., the former Ryan’s location) at Ward Center.
There’s a holiday-themed show as well as a sweepstake and costumes are encouraged but not required.
Candi Shell
Drag Queen extraordinaire, Candi Shell, will emcee a program featuring opera singer Lea Woods Almanza, as Elvira, Queen of Darkness. HA-lloween themed songs, suitable for the bewitching season, will be re-imagined: “Moon Over Bourbon Street,” “Werewolves of London,” Who Ya Gonna Call, “ “Time Warp,” “One Way or Another“ and “I Put A Spell on You.”
Theatrical talent you might recognize will include, Jody Bill, Nick Amador, Aiko Schick, Jarren Amian, Starr Kalahiki, David Heulitt, Stacy Pulmano, and Tito Berinobis.
Seasonal characters like Frankenstein, Beetlejuice, The Sanderson Sisters and Frankfurter will make appearances.
And you could win a trinket box by Edgar Berebi, dinner for two at The Chart House, an abalone shell ring, and two tickets to the Elton John concert at Dodger Stadium in Los Angeles (excluding air fare and housing).
There will be heavy pupu and a cash bar.
Proceeds will support future Hawaii ArtSpace productions.
