‘MAGNUM’ HAS A LUCKY STREAK GOING

“Magnum P.I.,” abandoned by CBS and rescued by NBC, just might be the fall season’s luckiest procedural.

First, it has a bunch of completed but not yet viewed episodes – dubbed the second-half of season five – when CBS rushed to cancel the show. NBC became the savior, like the good soul that rescues a abandoned child at the fire station.

This has been a tense, unexpected fall season, since WGA and SAG-AFTRA members decided to go on strike, creating a havoc for series that had to shut down since writers could no longer create valuable new scripts to film and actors joining the picket lines.

Because “Magnum” had half-a-season of episodes in the can, this was a gold mine, good enough for NBC programmers deciding to give the island-filmed, island-shot a solid Thursday night slot since fresh scripted shows were not available.

So on Oct. 4, at 8 p.m., “Magnum” wlll air where one of NBC’s prestigious  franchise “Chicago” episodes called home, since the “Chicago” shows – M.D., Fire and P.D. –are also off the radar, till new scripts are written and readied for production. The “Chicago” camp is not thrilled that one of its slot is going to be taken by “Magnum.”

Perdita Weeks as Higgins, Jay Hernandez as Magnum: Lucky and tardy?

NBC has released a trailer on the resilient “Magnum,” with Jay Hernandez as Thomas Magnum, uttering “Doing what I do is risky,” as he leaps from a rooftop. But with a dramatic new edge, he admits, “When you least expect it, everything can change.”

That’s when Perdita Weeks, as his sweetheart-partner Juliet Higgins, tells him, “Thomas…I’m late.” Don’t think she means “tardy for a dinner,” so late, in adultspeak, probably means she’s hapai, missing her period.

The coy, playful dialogue could mean a little Magnum might be on the way, though this can’t be played out since episodes are already filmed and unless “Magnum” earns new life and more show orders, viewers won’t see the baby’s birth.

In addition to Hernandez and Weeks, “Magnum” also stars Zachary Knighton as Orville “Rick” Wright, Amy Hill as Teuila “Kumu” Tuileta, Tim Kang as Gordon Katsumoto, and Stephen Hill as Theodore “T.C” Calvin.

 All previous four season episodes pf “Magnum” are now airing only via Freevee, as part of Amazon Prime’s free-streaming service. …

Only a new development would give birth to more “Magnum” marvels. …

HTY world-premiering‘The Royal School’

“The Royal School” will make its world premiere at 7 p.m. today (Sept. 8) at the Honolulu Theatre for Youth’s Tenney Theatre.

The historic play brings to life a time and place where Hawai‘i’s ali‘I attended the Royal School, an elementary school still operating in Honolulu today.

Hawaiian leaders such as Kamehameha IV, Kamehameha V, Bernice Pauahi Bishop, Queen Lili`uokalani, Queen Emma, and King Kalakaua were together as children at Ke Kula Keiki Ali`i, the Royal School. 

The boarding school was established in 1839 by Kamehameha III for the education of ali`i children, all of whom could be called upon to lead the Nation of Hawaiʻi.

Goods and Cataluna’s play recalls the time when Royal School students often looked to each other for friendship and support to establish aa balance between the Hawai‘i of their ancestors and the changes of global influences, technology and political upheaval being brought to the islands.

The staging is modern with historic material, alongside original songs composed in ʻŌlelo Hawaiʻi, as well as English/Hawaiian rap and mele. 

The production is designed for children 8 years old and up and will appeal to high school students and adults.

Catalulna, co-creator of the piece, said,“The creative team on this project worked to keep the story from the point of view of the royal children — some of whom entered the boarding school when they were 4 years old — rather than from the perspective of their missionary teachers or from the distant gaze of historians. In this play, the childhood voices of Hawaii’s kings and queens transcend time and speak to the children of today, the future leaders of Hawai’i.”

“The Royal School” cast includes Alysia Kepaʻa, Moses Goods, Damani Jones Timson, Annie Lokomaikaiʻi Lipscomb, and Kaonohiokalaealohilohinei Muller

HTY commissioned the new songs by co-creator Goods, music by Mattea Mazzella, and dramaturgy by Ryan I. Kahaʻiolelo Sueoka.

Eric Johnson, HTY artistic director, is directing an ensemble of HTY newcomers, including Alysia Kepaʻa, Kaonohiokalaealohilohinei Muller, and Damani Jones Timson performing with veteran company members, Moses Goods and Annie Lokomaikaʻi Lipscomb.

Jonathan Clarke Sypert is choreographer, Chesley Cannon and Eric West are set and props designer, Iris Kim is costume designer, Mattea Mazzella is sound designer, Chesley Cannon is lighting designer, and Kalani Pokipala is DJ consultant and musician.

After the premiere, performances will be at 4 p.m.Sept.16, 2 p.m. Oct. 1 and 4 p.m. Oct. 7.

Tickets may be purchased online at www.htyweb.org or by calling the box office at (808) 839-9885 ext. 720. HTY Members receive tickets for shows as part of their membership. …

‘Funny Girl’ exits with $2.137 million gross

“Funny Girl” and its leading lady, Lea Michele (as Fanny Brice), have left the building but not before posting a $2.137 million gross, topping the Broadway charts for the week ending Sept. 3. Nope, it did not rain on her parade.

Last week’s leaders, provided by The Broadway League:

1 – “Funny Girl,” $2.137 million.

2 – “The Lion King,” $2.077 million.

3 – “Hamilton,” $1.895 million.

4 – “Wicked,” $1.697 million.

5 – “Sweeney Todd, the Demon Barber of Fleet Street,” $1.674 million.

6 – “MJ, the Musical,” $1.591 million.

7 – “Aladdin,” $1.362 million.

8 – “Harry Potter and the Cursed Child,” $1.316 million.

9 –“Moulin Rouge,” $1.262 million.

10 – “Back to the Future: The Musical,” $1.234 million

And that’s Show Biz…