MAY THE FOURTH BE WITH YOU!
‘LILO & STITCH’ AIMING $1 BILLION
Disney’s blue alien from outer space, initially a cartoon figure but now a live-action feature star, is a red-hot commodity among film-goers.
“Lilo and Stitch,” the live-action film shot in Hawaii last year, looms to become the first Hollywood title of 2025 to join the $1 billion box office club. The feat could be accomplished over the Fourth of July weekend.
And the film is enjoying enormous success without the benefit of a big-name Hollywood star. Maia Kealoha, who portrays Lilo, is the discovery playing opposite the dog-like Stitch character, the alien who needs no introduction.
In its sixth week at the cinema, the film has already logged $401 million taking kids to see it, and in some situations, a second outing to watch the movie. R-rated features are customarily one and done.
Disney’s “Frozen” was able to break the billion-dollar mark, accumulating just shy of $1.3 billion globally. Currently, “Lilo & Stitch” has earned $948 million worldwide, with every likelihood to pass the billion-dollar count.
The live-action picture already has out-grossed the entire $273.1 million global of run of 2002’s animated “Lilo & Stitch” and the tally has not been adjusted for inflation.
Tom Cruise smartly did not anticipate his “Mission: Impossibe,” which opened the same day opposite “Lilo & Stitch,” would exceed his action film, and he certainly didn’t anticipate the little girl named Lilo and her blue pet named Stitch would unseat his 2022 feature adventure “Top Gun: Maverick” ($160.5 million) as the biggest Memorial Day opener of all time.
Oh, the power and prowess of the Hawaii-groomed flick…
Whee, the people
Manoa Valley Theatre’s “Manoa Marquee” event, at 7:30 p.m. July 23 at MVT, will feature Jerry Santos, the legendary island entertainer.
Henry Kapono is hosting the program, also featuring Kailua Moon, as part of an ongoing Kapono/MVT series of a variety of shows.
Tickets start at $25, available at https://ci.ovationtix.com/35307/production/1211148?performanceld=11513542 …
Ukulele virtuoso Jake Shimabukuro will appear at Blue Note Hawaii in a two-night stand July 22 and 23.
His accompanists will be Jackson Waldhoff, bass; Michael Grande, keyboards; and Shawn Pimental, drums.
Shimabukuro then heads to the Fuji Rock Festival in Japan.
Showtimes are 6. and 8:30 p.m. Doors open at 4:30 and 8 p.m. for beverage and food service.
Tickets are $55 for premium seating and $45 for bar area.
Reservations: www.bluenotehawaii.com or 808-777-4890…
“‘Wicked’ still topping Broadway gross list
The leaders led — in the weekly list of Broadway show grosses — for the week ending June 29. Thus, “Wicked” was the hot ticket.
But two newcomers made their first appearance on the Top 10: “Maybe Happy Ending,” at No. 9, and “Just in Time,” at No. 10.
The Top 10:
1–“Wicked,” $2.435 million
2—”Glengarry Glen Ross,” $2.230 million
3—”The Picture of Dorian Gray,” $2.092 million
4—”The Lion King,” $2.067 million
5—”Hamilton,” $1.939 million
6—”Sunset Blvd.,” $1.851 million
7—”Aladdin,” $1.376 million
8—”Death Becomes Her,” $1.355 million
9—”Maybe Happy Ending,” $1.307 million
10—“Just in Time,” $1.279 million
The complete list, courtesy of the Broadway League:
And that’s Show Biz…
‘LILO & STITCH’ SEQUEL IN WORKS
To no one’s surprise, “Lilo & Stitch 2” is in the planning stages at the House of Mouse.
Disney today announced the sequel to the popular live-action, Hawaii-filmed audience favorite, which so far has grossed $914 million – and counting – as the summer’s hot ticket.
“Should’ve known we couldn’t keep a secret,” Disney said on social media. “A 626 Day surprise: ‘Lilo & Stitch 2’ is now in development!”
Numerically speaking, June 26 – 626 Day – ties into Stitch’s origins as Experiment 626.
The sequel logically means the ultimate callback of the first live-action cast, including Maia Kealoha, Sydney Elizebeth Agudong, Kaipo Dudoit, Tia Carrera, Amy Hill, Billy Magnussen, Hannah Waddingham, Chris Sanders, Courtney B. Vance and Zach Galifianakis.
The hit film was directed by Dean Fleischer Camp from a screenplay by Chris Kekaniokalani Bright and Mike Van Waes.
Stay tuned for more details…
‘Glengarry’ rises to No. 2 on Broadway list
There’s a major change in the weekly list of Broadway’s best, with “Glengarry Glen Ross” moving up to No. 2, behind “Wicked” and ahead of the longstanding faves “Hamilton” and “The Lion King.”
The Top 10:
1—”Wicked,” $2.484 million
2—”Glengarry Glen Ross,” $2.234 million
3—”Hamilton,” $2.169 million
4–“The Lion King,” $2.141 million
5—”Sunset Blvd.,” $1.827 million
6—”The Picture of Dorian Gray,” $1.655 million
7—” Aladdin,” $1.524 million
8—”Death Becomes Her,” $1.458 million
9—”MJ the Musical,” $1.369 million
10—”The Outsiders,” $1.334 million
The complete list, courtesy the Broadway Guild:
And that’s Show Biz…
POSSIBLE 10-YEAR RUN FOR ‘CIRQUE’
I revisited “‘Auana,” the Cirque du Soleil spectacle, the other night at the Outrigger Waikiki Beachcomber resort.
The show, launched last December, has just passed its six-month residency, with its stunning 80-minute spectacle in the heart of the Waikiki mainstream. I said in a December review that Cirque is the future of Waikiki attractions. Highly visible, a non-stop showcase of faith in Hawaiiana, loaded with artistry and creativity. And huge.
Business has been brisk, with two performances at 5:30 and 8 p.m., Wednesdays through Sundays.
The good news: “‘Auana” — Hawaiian for wandering, drifting thoughts – has an agreement with the Outrigger for a run of 10 years, a keen investment by the hotel with the team from Montreal, Canada, known for its prolific planting of performance companies in a wide range of destinations over the decades.
Honolulu is the creator’s newest production, with pure Hawaii story lines, with narrations and songs and dancers, delivered in native Hawaiian language. Though the title of the show might suggest wandering, it’s quite certain “‘Auana” will stay put here. It is the essence of the ‘olele spirit (language, speech, texture) of original island songs and dances. And the Hawaii influences flow beautiful in the lively choreography embellished by the eye-filling island costumes
Cirque’s next launch will be Germanic, in Berlin, in November 2025.
Instead of another review of the Waikiki show, let me share highlights via a recapitulation of images of the major segments that have resonated with an audience comprised largely of spectators who don’t speak or understand Hawaiian. Not to fret …this is a wholly visual endeavor, and a satisfying cultural entity. Let us count the ways.
1 – A journey via canoe sets the story in motion…
2—A surfer dude defies gravity and “surfs” on cylinders…
3 – A segment on the naupaka flower depicts the bloom’s unique idiosyncrasy: only half-a-flower emerges from the buds.
4—Let’s call this the balloon boy, whose feat is a wonderment.
5—If there’s an acrobat, and an oversized cocktail glass filled with water, she’ll share her balletic poses.
6—A salute to “Hawaii Five-O” features a tourist ork (from the audience), for comic relief. More fun than gents learning to hula.
7—The Hawaiian sand painter creates images with, yes, sand and hand…shared on the show’s huge screen…
8—And voila, her art sashays into a mystifying, colorful rainbow…backed by a sweet vocal by a gent of “Over the Rainbow,” delivered in – what else? – Hawaiian.
9—Hawaii welcomes visitors, so why not include a cache of postcards?
10 – And Hawaii means beach boys, too, so they get their moments of fame.
11—When it’s time to bid adieu, the word to know is “aloha” (again, on a postcard).
12 – Two daredevils walk, jump rope, and risks their lives in this rotating
behemoth, often featured in a traditional circus…
13—And this being Cirque du Soleil, the finale means a burst of color, too…
14 – And this is us when the bright lights go off – me, grandnephew John Rhoades, and my wife Violet…
And that’s Show Biz…
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Cirque du Soleil’s “‘Auana”
When: 5:30 and 8 p.m., Wednesdays through Sundays
Where: Cirque showroom, second floor, Outrigger Waikiki Beachcomber Hotel
Tickets: From $86; visit https://www.tickets-center.com
Discounts available for kamaaina and military
Information: (877) 773-6470
‘SPONGEBOB’ DIRECTOR, CAST NAMED
Greg Zane will direct and choreograph Diamond Head Theatre’s “The SpongeBob Musical,” opening a run July 18 through Aug. 3.
Jenny Shiroma will be musical director.
Nickelodeon’s undersea world of Bikini Bottom, originally a TV cartoon favorite of young kids, was transformed into a flashy Broadway musical, bringing the heart, humor, fantasy and fun to an adult sensation, with an explosion of sea-worthy colors and antics, and a bounty of bubbly music enriching the score, with tunes by John Legend, Cyndi Lauper and David Bowie.
The cast is already rehearsing for the see-worthy fun. Chad Navarro will play the beloved SpongeBob SquarePants, Zach Oldham will be his buddy Patrick Star, Nathaniel Ryan-Kern is Squidward Q. Tentacles, Mehana Stone is Sandy Cheeks, Lee Nebe is Eugene H. Krabs, Presley Wheeler is Sheldon Plankton, Aiko Schick is Karen the Computer, Sage Nguyen is Pearl Krabs, Lainey Hicks is Mrs. Puffs, Landon
Ballesteros is Patchy the Pirate/Perch Perkins, Cassidy Ross is The Mayor of Bikini Bottom,
Genesis Kaeo is Buster Bluetang/Electric Skates, Isaiah Gundermann Graham is Old Man Jenkins/Electric Skates, and Andrew Erwin is Larry the Lobster/Electric Skates.
The ensemble will include Nanea Allen, Marisa Noelle Capalbo,
Celia Chun, Alana Clayson, Sammy Houghtailing,
James Lauer, and Timmy “Tino” Nozaki.
Performances will be at 7:30 p.m. Thursdays, Fridays, Saturdays and at 3 p.m. Saturdays and 4 p.m. Sundays. Extended playdates are likely, considering the popularity of “SpongeBob.”
Tickets are $41 to $68, on sale at the at www.diamondheadtheatre.com and at the box office, (808) 733-0274….
And that’s Show Biz…