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.
Comedian Frank DeLima, a somewhat regular parody singer-composer, has been silent in recent months but broke the silence a few days back to share and release a pain-centric tune entitled “76 Hormones,” based on “76 Trombones” from “The Music Man.”
The achy lyrics, of course, reflect what is true in senior hood. When you age, you tend to hurt a lot in areas you never imagined. DeLima’s delivery is swift and precise, belying his personal bouts with pain. Of course, the song and the musical are performed nightly when Hugh Jackman stars and sings it on Broadway.
Frank DeLima
DeLima shared the Meredith Willson tune with me, and I posted it on my Facebook page at https://www.facebook.com/wayne.harada.5 (The program I use to create this column does not allow video).
But you can download it, at www.frankdelima.com, by making a modest donation to his ongoing Student Enrichment Program, in which he provides valuable life lessons for students in public and private schools statewide.
He’s now trying to get the parody stored in his mind, to premiere a live performance at his Blue Note Hawaii brunch show Dec. 11 at the club within the Outrigger Waikiki resort.
“I kinda know it, because it was done a while back, but I need to memorize it again,” said DeLima. When he performs a parody for video release, he usually has the lyrics displayed on a iPad or computer for reference, just so you know his process.
David Talisman
On this one, he collaborated with David “Kawika” Talisman, a sometimes lyricist for parody numbers in DeLima’s shows, who suggested DeLima do this parody. He’s now an active private investigator, though once was a singer and composer in his earlier life on the mainland, but his fingerprints are obvious on “76 Hormones.”
Speaking of seniors, DeLima will emcee the Lanakila Senior Center Thanksgiving Celebration from 9 to 11 a.m. Nov. 16 at the Senior Center. There will be pre-show entertainment from 8 to 9 a.m, featuring Victor’s Kapakahi Group and the Happy Senior Serenaders.
Meanwhile, DeLima will have a mini-performance slot at this year’s Made in Hawaii show, at 12:30 p.m. Nov. 13 at the third floor parking lot above Longs at Ala Moana Center.
Silk Sonic will skip the Grammys
Bruno Mars and Anderson .Paak, the duo comprising Silk Sonic, won’t be participating in the upcoming Grammy Awards. And they won’t submit their hit album, “An Evening With Silk Sonic,” for awards consideration, set for Feb. 5, 2023 in Los Angeles. Huh?
Bruno Mars
Mars recently said in a statement he and .Paak will dodge the Grammys.
Not that they aren’t proud of their album.
“We truly put our all on this record, but Silk Sonic would like to gracefully, humbly, and most importantly, sexually, bow out of submitting our album this year,” said Mars, “We hope we can celebrate with everyone on a great year of music and partake in the party. Thank you for letting Silk Sonic thrive.”
Earlier this year, Silk Sonic earned Grammy kudos for the first single, “Leave the Door Open,” which earned Song of the Year, Record of the Year, Best R&B Performance and Best R&B Song.” The album came later so would have been a prime contender for honors in 2023, but by not submitting the album, it’ll give other acts a chance in the spotlight. …
However, Silk Sonic appears to be an Album of the Year nominee at the Soul Train awards next month in Las Vegas. No word (yet) of a pull-out. …
Not one, but Three Phantoms
Craig Schulman
Just a reminder that “The Three Phantoms” descend upon the Hawaii Theatre stage this week, with shows at 7 p.m. Saturday (Oct. 29) and 2 p.m. Oct. 30 (Saturday). And because it’s Halloween weekend, with folks expected to be donning boo-tiful costumes, the Hawaii Theatre is enabling and welcoming costumed patrons to the shows, too.
Of course, the chief phantom will be Craig Schulman, who has appeared here as Jean Valjean in “Les Miserables” but has played the masked fella elsewhere, with two other phantoms aboard: Keith Buterbaugh and Gary Mauer.
The show will feature the trio in the rich library of gents-sung tunes in a range of Broadway hits, so you’ll likely recognize all the music of the night, some without masks…
And nice supportive gesture for Manoa Valley Theatre to remind its patrons that Schulman will be in town for his own show, but previously did a Manoa Marquee fundraiser for MVT. …
Broadway grosses, week ending Oct. 23
Lea Michele
It was back to normal, sort of, with “The Music Man” rising up to $3.023 million, for No. 1.
Of course, “Hamilton” continues to be hot, with $2.041 million. And “MJ the Musical” followed at No. 3, with $1.746 million.
With Lea Michele now playing Fanny Brice in “Funny Girl,” that musical had a $1.723 million gross, its best since the show opened, good for No. 4.
“The Lion King,” still dependable, logged a $1.714 million gross, landing at No. 5.
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.
Let’s talk cars: What brand of car was the very first you owned or drove?
And how many cars have you owned or driven since?
I remember my first vehicle, after obtaining a license, was my family’s Dodge.
The first car I bought, after getting married, was a Ford. A second Ford followed.
Then I switched to a Mazda, my third vehicle.
I discovered the Nissan brand, so had a Pathfinder SUV for a spell. — the height of an SUV gave you a better view of the traffic,
Then I moved up to the Infiniti brand, getting an Infiniti SUV, even if gasoline prices were high. ‘Twas all about the height and view again.
Returned to a sedan, switching to a sleek Infiniti G35, then acquired my dream car, the Infiniti Q50, and recently upgraded to a “loaded” Q50, a previously-owned model (my first “used” car.
So the count of “owned” cars: Eight over a little more than five decades.
Reason for sticking to Infiniti: Dependability and value (kept two models for more than 100,000 miles) and service (never had issues, always had a loaner when servicing).
Frances Kakugawa, a life-long poet, author, teacher, caregiver and Alzheimer’s advocate, never imagined that her words and books would be resources for a musical play.
Thus, like a dream come true, “Wordsworth: The Musical” will receive its world premiere Nov. 4 at the University of Hawaii-Hilo campus theater. It’ll be a short three-day run.
“I was on cloud nine,” said Kakugawa, a Kapoho native who previously taught and authored poetry books in Honolulu. She now resides in Sacramento, and has been commuting to and from Hilo (with emails flying back and fourth) to collaborate and consult with the script writer, a director, a musical composer and a choreographer, to shape the show, based on two of Kakugawa’s books, “Wordsworth the Poet” and “Wordsworth Dances the Waltz.”
Frances Kakugawa
Wordsworth is a wise, fictional mouse whose wisdom, words and warmth have been reimagined from the printed page into a musical that resonates with island folks and life. He resides in a rainforest and shares a sunny disposition when things get tough.
Perceived and pampered since 2020, the book and the intent to transform it into a stage musical, survived the pandemic clouds and the sunshiny launch of “Wordsworth: The Musical” finally happens this fall.
“They (the production team) had involved me every step of the way; I felt so honored to be given such respect for Wordsworth,” said Kakugawa, speaking via phone from Sacramento.
So real is her zeal for the production, that her portfolio of the give-and-take script is aptly filed away under the title, “Off Broadway.” The Tonys may a far-off dream, but the tension of opening night is real in sleepy Hilo, a continent away from the Great White Way.
Wordsworth, the poet mouse.
In actuality, there already exists a digital performance of “Wordsworth,” translated in Hawaiian with a Hawaiian-speaking cast. This version targeted a Hawaiian-speaking community, and provided a template for the staged musical version, which is youth- and family-friendly, with many fetching Hawaiian surprises.
“When I saw the filmed version in Hawaiian, I wept and thought, ‘If I died tonight, I would have died happily,’” Kakugawa said.
“Wordsworth is a humble little poet, so he keeps me under wraps,” she continued. “He’s simply delighted that his poetry is being set to music and dance. He’s also pleased that they didn’t change his aloha shirt.”
The notion of birthing a musical is credited to Lizby, a health care worker in Hilo, who had earlier invited Kakugawa to speak on “Poetry and Caregiving.”
Liszby is Dr. Elizabeth Logsdon, known in the movie and stage costume realm, who had the instinct that the Wordsworth had characters and situations made for a musical, rich with relatable folks ranging from a youngster struggling to fit in with his peers to an aging and fragile tutu wahine. Plus plenty butterflies.
Justina Mattos, who is directing, said the play has 15 speaking roles, plus a small chorus of extra “neighbors.” Dancers are from an advanced campus class, serving as the dance ensemble.
Justina Mattos
Wordsworth is portrayed by Kamau Beaudet , who is a football player when he’s not acting. The cast also features Ben Publico as Father and Amy Erece as Mother. Jackie Pualani Johnson, who adapted the Kakugawa book for the book of the play, is cast as Tutu Wahine.
Big Island school groups will be taking in special matinee performances, prior to the formal debut, but these youth tickets sold out quickly.
“I’ve been told that teachers are reading the Wordsworth books with their classes, to prepare for their visit to the theater,” said Mattos.“I think having a musical that is rooted in a book makes it much easier to draw an audience. Young readers are already familiar with these characters and the world of Wordsworth.
“Mounting an original work for the stage is tricky because the team is creating everything from scratch. I think our creative team appreciated having the opportunity to try things out for video first, before doing a fully-staged production for live audiences,” said Mattos.
Jackie Pua Johnson, who scripted the play, wanted to capture Kakugawa’s spirit of the printed poetry, transferring that element to the script. “I wanted to keep the integrity of the sources– the nuances found in life in the rainforest, the interaction of the mouse community, familial connections, the rich poetry -— all the elements that Frances shaped that make Wordsworth so appealing,” said Johnson.
Jackie Pua Johnson
“It became obvious that I needed a style that paid homage to the books in their original form,” she said. “Ah! Rather than take the story line and do the usual job of creating a narrator and assigning lines to each character, I decided on a ‘reader’s theatre’ approach. That meant that I would preserve every word Frances wrote and build Wordsworth’s world in real time, right before the audience.”
The biggest challenge? “Integrating the two books so neither storyline suffered from the melding,” said Johnson. “Since I left Francesʻ original text intact, it was the structure and juxtaposition of characters that I focused upon. I placed Grandma in Wordsworthʻs life from the very beginning, showing her joie de vivre, dancing with her moʻopuna at every turn and never wavering in her enthusiasm about how he processed the beauty of the world around him. It also seemed right for Grandma to speak her native language, so she peppers Hawaiian throughout, as real tutu wahine do in our lives. I worked hard to give a sense of place, too, because the rainforest is both sacred and magical for the characters, a place where nature appears in all her glory and love and friendship heal and rejuvenate. Again, just like wao kele in real life.”
Choreographer Kea Kapahua staged the dancing in the digital version as well as the stage musical, acknowledging each medium is different from the other.
Kea Kapahua
“Choreographing for a musical is much different than choreographing for a dance concert,” she said. “It’s a different kind of a collaborative process. In a dance concert the dances are the main focus. In a show like ‘Wordsworth,’ dance plays an important and delightful but supportive role in bringing out the storyline. The dance is not the end-all, but a way to help the audience connect with the narrative.
She continued, “When choreographing for film you are always viewing everything as if through the eye of the camera lens and thinking of angles and what you might want to highlight or frame for the viewer.” On stage, the choreography needs to blend with Wordsworth’s imagination and creativity to life, “to make visible what he sees for the audience,” she said.
For composer Wendell Ing, the task was to create songs from poems. “From having been music director for many theater productions through the years, I had definite ideas about how I wanted to approach composing this music,” he said. “I wanted to stay true to her (Kakugawa’s) text and the underlying feelings. To compose music to fit the poems, not vice-versa. There is more repetition of phrases and a different narrative flow to most songs. Poems are often more elliptical. I wanted to preserve the natural beauty and flow of her poems.”
Wendell Ing
The lyrics, he said, shouldn’t be his but should reflect the characters.
“Since this was a children’s musical, that constrained some of the musical choices and styles,” said Ing. “I wanted to create music that was melodic and pretty, but not overly complicated.”
The score features six main tunes and more than a dozen underscores suiting different scenes. Being an islander, Ing wanted to enrich the show with island traditions tapping keyboards, ukulele, bass and flute.
And he created varying moods. “My particular favorites are ‘Of Sand Sea,’ a personal ballad sung by Wordsworth; ‘Circus Time in the Sky,’ sung by Kolohe Brother, which is the most bombastic and visceral; and ‘Rainbow,’ a group song that is the happiest.”
He added: “Yes, I read both Wordsworth books before I composed the music, to get a feeling for her poetic style,which is fairly direct and imagistic.”
