BRUNO MARS, WEDDING SINGER

Say you’re getting married, have a lot of money or a source to get the moolah, and want Bruno Mars to sing “Marry You” as your headliner.

It’s not impossible, and it did happen earlier in September, according to The New York Post, when Troy Brown got hitched to Kristin Ryan at the Chatham Bars Inn on Cape Cod, MA.

The deep pockets to pay the tab was the groom’s father, who is CEO of Motorola Solutions. His name is Greg Brown, who reportedly had a salary of $20.3 million last year.

Bruno Mars

The Post reported that following dinner, a marching band led guests to a “secret speakeasy,” where guests had to utter the secret password, “Magic,” to receive keys that said “Join us in room 24.”

The clues might have been obvious: “24K Magic” was a monster hit for Hawaii-born Mars.

How long Mars entertained, or what he sang, is not known. How much he was paid is unknown, too, though Scarlet Events, a luxe party planner, indicated that Mars’ standard fee for an event like a wedding starts at $3 million … so the sky’s the limit, budget willing …

New Ballet Hawaii exec director

Kimi Takazawa

Kimi Takazawa is the new executive director of Ballet Hawaii, effective today (Oct. 1). She succeeds John Parkinson, who served the organization for the past 14 years.

Takazawa, most recently the chief operating officer at ‘Olelo Hawaii, has vast leadership and experience with non-profit organizations such as the Boy Scouts and After-School All-Stars.

And that’s Show Biz. …

KAPONO’S EPIC CONCERT POSTPONED

Henry Kapono and Friends’ mammoth concert Nov. 6 at the Tom Moffatt Waikiki  Shell – a highlight of the fall music calendar – has been postponed till June 18, 2022, organizers announced today (Sept. 28).

The uncertainty of the prevailing cloud of the coronavirus pandemic was the reason for the postponement.

“We are all due for some Good Times Together, an epic celebration,” said Kapono, an award-winning singer, composer, musician and organizer of the event.  But now is not the time, hence the pushing of the pause button.

The  announcement alluded to the ongoing threat of COVID-19, with see-sawing protocols that change from day to day, week to week.

Safety is the bottom line of the decision to reschedule the concert.

Henry Kapono

“We all need it, we all deserve it,” he said of performing. “But not until the current COVID-19 crisis and uncertainty is behind us and we can all be safe and comfortable together again. Let us always aloha together.”

Generally, outdoor events like this one at the Shell can be staged, probably at half-the-house capacity, with spectators donning facemasks and sitting socially distanced – with empty seats separating patrons, similarly like the guidelines for indoor movie theaters.

The spacing would require a reconfiguration of the seating plan if the show went on as originally scheduled. General admission lawn seating would have to be monitored, with space between gathered show-goers.

All tickets previously purchased will be honored and transferred to the new date, according to the announcement. Those who cannot attend the new June 22 date may seek refunds by contacting the Blaisdell Center box office, at https://blaisdellcenter.com/ticket-refunds/ by Dec. 31, 2021.

New concert tickets may be purchased online beginning today (Sept.28) at https://www.ticketmaster.com/event/0A005AF0F1353054 or at the Blaisdell Box Office from Tuesday through Saturday from 8 a.m. to 4 p.m. or by calling (808) 768-5252.

Formally billed as the “Home in the Islands With Henry Kapono & Friends,”
the show will assemble an all-star lineup of Hawai‘i’s most iconic and emerging musical artists together, celebrating the soundtrack of Hawai‘i. Presumably, an updated roster of participants will be announced at a later date.

The event is a partial benefit for the Henry Kapono Foundation, with $1 from every ticket and a portion of the show’s proceeds, going toward helping the many musicians, stagehands, audio engineers, lighting technicians, and backstage crews that lost their jobs over the past 18 months due to the COVID-19 pandemic. …

‘NCIS: Hawai’i’ in third place again

The overnight ratings are in for Monday (Sept. 27) night TV, with numbers down from a week ago:

CBS’s “NCIS,” the mothership led by Mark Harmon in the franchise, was Monday (Sept. 27) night’s most-watched show, continuing to rule the airwaves. It drew 7.8 million viewers and a score of 0.7 in the key demographics between 18 and 49 years old.

NBC’s “The Voice” attracted 6.7 million viewers, placing second, but  led  the coveted demographics with a 0.95 rating.

CBS’ “NCIS: Hawai‘i” newbie  was third again, pulling in  5.4 million viewers and a 0.5 demo. …

Jeremy Kama Hopkins

Virtual ukulele workshop

Jeremy Kama Hopkins will present “Nā Tutua Heleuī,” a one-hour virtual ukulele session, at 1 p.m. Hawaii time on Oct. 2. You can learn a Hawaiian Halloween song entitled “Nā Tutua Heleuī,” with lyrics and translation sent to you once you sign up by 6 p.m. Oct. 1. Fee is $25, with registration at Venmo @Jeremy-Hopkins-4 and on PayPal at paypal.me/kamakane73. The session also will provide simple ʻukulele chords. Type “Nā Tutua Heleuī” in a note at the time of registration; a confirmation will be sent to you. …

And that’s Show Biz. …

HALLMARK YULE FLICK FOR PARRISH

Former islander Janel Parrish, whose show biz career began when she played Little Cosette here and in Broadway’s “Les Miserables,” will co-star with Ryan Paevy in a Hallmark Christmas movie this coming holiday season.

But she’s not a Hallmark newbie; she previously starred in the rom-com channel’s flicks in 2018, 2019 and 2020.

Janel Parrish

Of course, you remember her from “Pretty Little Liars” and “To All the Boys,” among other projects. …

A galactic Cinderella

Cinderella goes galactic in “Interstellar Cinderella,” a University of Hawaii Department of
Theatre and Dance and Kennedy Theatre production next month.

The show, a Theatre for Young Audiences  (TYA) presentation, is based on an award-winning children’s book by the same name, authored by Deborah Underwood. In its Hawaii incarnation, the project will be directed by MFA candidate Taylor Bogan, who also will portray the reimagined heroine in a space adventure incorporating themes of science, courage, kindness and storytelling dreams.

It also will have a streaming element – staged virtually, at 7:30 p.m. Oct. 22 and 2 p.m. Oct. 23 and 24 – because of the prevailing pandemic.

Cinderella takes viewers into the 31st century; she is a space engineer seeking to revolutionize space travel with a new invention. Her prince stages a space parade and she sees it as an opportunity to demonstrate a hyper-warp speed engine. Of course, there is an evil stepmother in the mix.

Tickets: $15 adults, $10 seniors, military, UH faculty-staff, and non-UHM students; $5 students with valid UHM ID; visit  showtix4u.com/events/kennedytheatre.

Information: manoa.hawaii.edu/liveonstage/ella.

A Jane Powell memory

I was saddened by the death Sept. 16 of Jane Powell, legendary star of stage and screen and one of the giants of the Golden Age of Hollywood musicals. Sure, she was from another era, when film actors also were marvelous singers and dancers. She was 92.

Jane Powell

I recall going to see Elizabeth Taylor in the leading role in “The Little Foxes” on Broadway, and I was able to buy house seats, meaning res in prime orchestra locations.

While my wife and I were seated, who should come in the same row, but Robert Wagner and Natalie Wood, who settled to the left of us. Then another Hollywood couple showed up and sat next to us to the right, Jane Powell and her hubby.  The four of ‘em headed backstage after the performance, to wish Liz well. I introduced myself to the celebs, before  we simply exited the theater in awe of the stars onstage and surrounding us. … and surprise! Wagner and Wood were on the same home-bound United flight, en route to an appearance at a Waikiki hotel, which, coincidentally I covered for the Honolulu Advertiser. …

And that’s Show Biz. …

BEWITCHING SEASON IS NEAR…

With October around the corner, the bewitching season is coming up, too.

That’s why I’ve been creating a whole bunch of Halloween pins in time for trick-or-treating or holiday parties. Will be sharing with friends, family and colleagues in the days and weeks ahead.

Since late August and most of September, I’ve been tinkering with stick-on or glue-on pumpkins,  jack o’ lanterns, ghosts, ghouls, bats and witches, skeletons, bat girls and boys– in the orange and black motif.

Yep, a lot of busy-work and concentration, but fun when the array of creations are assembled.

Boo!

TAG SELLING LIFETIME TICKETS

You only live once, and perhaps now is the time of your life to make a point and make a difference.

How about Lifetime Tickets to The Actors’ Group?

TAG has made that option possible, with different prices for difference ages. No matter if you’re a TAG newbie or a TAG patron for decades. Remember the Yellow Brick Studio era?

Here are the options:

  • $1,000 per person if you’re 65 years and older.
  • $1,500 per person if you’re between 40 to 64 years old.
  • $2,000 per person if you’re under 40 years old.

Think about the convenience of not having to purchase a ticket for the rest of your life. Whatever your price/age entry level, you’ll be part of the TAG family for life.

Since TAG’s playhouse, the Brad Powell Theatre at Dole Cannery, has limited seating, betcha you’ll get priority dibs for seats when you need ‘em.

Lifetime tickets are not transferrable, for obvious reasons. Your name will be on your tickets till you die so this is something you can take to heaven. And like life, this is a limited -time offer and will, um, terminate .

Order online at: https://www.taghawaii.net/lifetime-tickets

Al Harrington

Harrington’s last role

We haven’t seen ’em yet, but while Al Harrington is gone — the actor-entertainer died Sept. 21 — his last acting gig is yet to be seen.

“I wanted you to know that Al Harrington’s last role was in ‘Doogie Kamealoha, MD,'” according to consulting producer Chris Lee, of the Hawai’i-based comedy now streaming via Disney+. Harrington plays Jason Scott Lee’s uncle “and has some very moving episodes later in the season. It was an honor to have him on the show,” said Lee (no relation to the actor). Harrington portrays Uncle John and we all should anticipate these appearances. …

Channel hopping

While the world wrestles with coronavirus and the delta variant, Daniel Dae Kim (does he still live in Hawai’i, when he’s not working?) soon will be seen battling anthrax threats in “The Hot Zone: Anthrax,” part of National Geographic’s anthology based on factual incidents.

Daniel Dae Kim

In this one, Kim portrays an FBI agent named Matthew Ryker, said to be a composite of several agents, who investigates post 9/11 issues with anthrax-laced letters to media and politicos following the terrorism and the toppling of the World Trade Center Twin Towers. His partner in crime fighting is Tony Goldwyn, playing Dr. Bruce Ivins, an actual microbiologist whose work involved analyzing the deadly mailings.

Good to know that Kim, one of the pillars of ABC’s “Lost” and CBS’s “Hawaii Five-0” reboot, misses us in the islands. You see, “Anthrax” filmed in Canada during the pandemic crisis, and as he told Entertainment Weekly, “The Toronto winter, combined with a strict lockdown, made it one of the most challenging on-location experiences I’ve ever had. It certainly wasn’t Hawai’i.” Atta boy; Hawai’i no ka oi. …

The series bows Nov. 28 and a preview now is airing. …

And that’s Show Biz. …