Posts

Posted on

FAMILY, FAITH PART OF PAPA’S BIRTHDAY

For his 80th birthday celebration, Jack “Tihati” Thompson received the gift of love, adoration, respect, hugs, handshakes and accolades for being the best Papa on the planet.

Last night (May 18), the Waialae Country Club was converted into a makeshift showroom, alive and active with South Seas rhythms, staged by  astounding family members – grandkids galore, all talented and capable to render Samoan and Tahitian songs and dances and even a trademark haka number with body-slamming and rigorous voicing. In other words, a brand of passionate enterprise, normally displayed night after night at in showrooms and on lawns statewide, where Tihati Productions earn applause and appreciation as the world’s most prolific producers of Polynesian luau extravaganzas.

 An ensemble of singers and drummers provided the syncopation and  heartbeat to replicate the Tihati trademark…expressly for Papa.

There’s no shortage of dancing family members.

This was no ordinary performance, but an extraordinary  salute to the co-founder (now retired) and creator of Tihati Productions. The evening reflected the values of faith and family, which have always been part of Tihati’s journey, coupled with the mission to uphold the roots and the culture he adores.

Afatia Thompson and Misty Tufono, who now share the helm of Tihati Productions, were the creative minds behind Papa’s birthday blast. They shored up snippets of Tihati’s specialties —  like the haka dance — and the cast of willing Tihati troupers provided the vigor and the momentum. The littlest performer – Tihati Thompson, one of Afatia’s children – was a scene stealer. FYI, he’s the young fire knife dancer on the Waikiki strip, but fire marshal rules forbid the flaming knife dance in enclosed structures.

Tihati troupers provided the sounds and syncopation of the South Seas.

Some observations:

Cha and Jack Thompson unite in dance.
  • Jack and spouse Cha Thompson seldom take to the dance floor, but were united in dance.  They seemed to enjoy the two or three brief moments in motion, especially on “Unchained Melody.”.
  • The audience included  a lone, legitimate Hawaiian songbird, Nina Keali‘iwahama, a family friend  who rarely basks in the limelight. Coaxed to sing, she did “only if Cha dances.” So, this was a double treat a pair of reluctant Incredibles.
  • The Thompson grandkids are devoted to their Papa, and he shares inspirational Biblical thoughts; you know they bond when it comes to faith.
  • The Johnny Valentine quartet provided a splendid musical show during dinner, and Valentine had the smarts to research the hit songs of the era of the ‘60s when Jack and Cha were Farrington High School students. Tunes like “Moon River,” “Beyond the Sea,” and “Dream Lover” prevailed. He has the makings to become a showroom headliner.
  • The foundation of the guest list was family first; then folks who’ve made a difference in the Tihati growth and success, like Jerry Gibson, longtime Hilton Hawaiian Village  general manager and now a Marriott corporate official, and Keith Vieira, former Starwood Hotels executive and now a hospitality industry consultant, and Kalo Mataele Soukop, former producer of a competitive Tongan show at the Hawaiian Hut.
  • A former politician was in the house, too. But Mufi Hannemann not only has mayoral roots but he’s family – Thompson’s cousin.
Little Tihati
  • A historical video of snapshots Tihati featured voiceover by little Tihati. Someday, when he’s 80, he’ll reminisce about the time Papa had a swanky birthday party.
  • Afatia said that the night’s proceedings were filmed so that video release of sorts will be available. For Papa, for sure…

And that’s Show Biz…

Posted on

SECOND FILIPINO IN ‘HAMILTON’ CAST

And then there were two.

Filipinos in the cast of “Hamilton,” that is.

So the mega hit musical show — approaching its 10th anniversary on Aug. 6 on the Great White Way — has another dash of Hawaii’s aloha spirit in the company.

You might recall we’ve earlier written about Marc delaCruz, who had been the lone Filipino performer in the ensemble. He’s originally from the Big Island, the first Filipino to play the hit show’s titular character, after understudying Alexander Hamilton originally played by Lin-Manuel Miranda, the show’s creator. DelaCruz emailed me recently that another former islander has joined the company, and he helped me get in touch with this colleague.

Reanne Acasio, as Eliza Schuyler in :”Hamilton” debuting during the Filipino American History Month, when she became the first Filipina portraying the character on Broadway.

So say aloha to Reanne Acasio, a Filipino actress and also a former resident of Hawaii. She’s now in the ensemble but also has been understudying andctively playing the three Schuyler sisters, Angelica, Eliza and Peggy.  She and delaCruz thus are the only Filipinos in the multi-racial cast…and both are proud of their heritage.

Acasio’s Broadway journey started in 2022 with a national tour of “Hamilton,” dubbed the Angelica Company, First National. “I was an offstage cover for Angelica, Eliza and Peggy, as well as one ensemble track,” said Acasio.

Acasio’s trio of Schuyler roles, from left, as Eliza, Peggy and Angelica; she also plays Maria Reynolds (center).

“I had gone to an open call in NYC, got one in-person callback for Eliza, and then had a series of Zoom callbacks and tapes that finally led to the job,” she said. “ I booked it with four days left on a contract in New Hampshire, with no jobs lined up afterward. It was a Godsend!”
She joined the Broadway “Hamilton” cast in  2024, this time as the onstage cover of the Schuyler sisters, performing every night in the ensemble while still understudying Angelica, Eliza, and Peggy.(She understudies a fourth role, Maria Reynolds, the character who has an affair with Alexander Hamilton).

Thus, when she reports to the Richard Rodgers Theatre every day, she winds up playing different characters, according to need.

“It’s quite fun to test my range,” she said. “You really never get bored. I’ve also gotten to make history as the first Filipina to play all three sisters on Broadway.” 

Curtain call at the Richard Rodgers Theatre: from left, ensemble player Phil Colgan; Marc delaCruz, fellow Filipino actor who’s in the ensemble but also understudies the Alexander Hamilton role; Acasio,; and Trey Curtis, the current titular lead actor.

By now, Acasio probably has performed the Schuylers dozens of times. “My favorites are Eliza and Angelica, but I do love the huge switch-up in energy from Peggy to Maria Reynolds. I love the subtleties, acting challenge, arc, and music of Eliza, and the strength, power vocals, and humor of Angelica.” 

Acasio lived in Hawaii in the early 2000s, residing first in Kapolei then in Waipahu. During the pandemic, she lived in Honolulu. And yes, family members, flying in from all over the world, have seen her in ”Hamilton” “They were so proud to see me achieving my wildest dreams,” she said.

Before “Hamilton,” Acasio was part of the all-Filipino “Here Lies Love” on Broadway, based on the life of Imelda Marcos. Acasio shared the role of Aurora Aquino with Lea Salonga, the first Filipina to win a Tony Award for her pivotal portrayal of Kim in “Miss Saigon.” 

Acasio appreciates how Broadway “has become more inclusive of all cultures, skin tones, genders, sexual orientations, and beliefs, than in the past. I am so lucky to witness and be a part of the industry in this era of celebrating diversity in storytelling. I think it’s cool that I get to play four different people in this show, and my heritage/skin tone isn’t the center of the story. I get to color my performance with my Filipino identity, for example, sprinkling a little “Ate” (Tagalog for older sister) energy when playing Angelica. But the audience sees me as Angelica, not as ‘the Filipina.’ Although it is such a joy to meet Filipinos at the stage door who get so excited that they saw a fellow Filipino onstage.” 

While landing a role on Broadway is a dream come true, Acasio is a bona fide island girl and misses everything Hawaii. A military brat born in Guam, she has lived  in Turkey, Germany, and different states. “I attended Hickam Elementary School, Kapolei Elementary School, and Kapolei Middle School in Hawaii,” she said. “My family and I lived on Oahu for six years. 

Because New York is a concrete jungle, her thirst for Hawaii is natural. “I miss the green, the ocean, the ʻāina,” she said. “I miss going to hula as a kid in Kapolei at my neighbor’s house and as an adult at Halau Keolakapuokalani with kumu Drake Keolakapu Dudoit Delaforcé even getting to go to the Merrie Monarch Festival in Hilo. I miss the people and the community who took care of each other and the land. I miss the food — oh the food! I miss the music, the vibrant culture, the hikes, the sunrises. Hawaii was the best place I’ve ever lived, and I’ve gotten to experience a lot of the world in my lifetime. Hawaii will always feel like home”…

Two Broadway dramas recoup initial investment

George Clooney’s hit drama,  “Good Night, and Good Luck,” no longer is in the $4 million club, but it  earlier recouped the show’s initial investments. Clooney also is a Tony nominee for Best Actor in a Drama.

“Othello,” which also has passed the $3 million milestone, has managed to recover its initial investment, too, effective the week ending May 11.

Which means both shows are  hereon riding the gravy train.  But “Othello” has been snubbed, denying lead actor Denzel Washington  a Tony nomination.

The Tonys are set for June 8 at the Radio City Music Hall. Since I have not visited Broadway since last June, I have not seen a single nominated production this year. Sigh…

The Top 10:

1—“Good Night, and Good Lock,”  $3.812 million

2—“Othello,” $3.229 million

3—“Glengarry Glen Ross,” $2.432 million

4—“Wicked,” $2.128” million

5—“The Lion King,” $1.795 million

6—“Hamilton,” $1.660 million

7—“Death Becomes Here,” $1.343 million

8—“MJ the Musical,” $1.214 million

9—“The Picture of Dorian Gray,” $1.204 million

10—“Gypsy,” $1.180 million

The complete list of grosses, courtesy the Broadway League:

And that’s Show Biz…

Posted on

TIHATI’S 80TH BIRTHDAY PARTY SUNDAY

Jack “Tihati” Thompson, a founder of Tihati Productions, will celebrate his 80th birthday this Sunday (May 18) at Waialae Country Club.

His actual birthdate is May 11, but because that date was Mother’s Day, Tihati – formal name, HC Papaliitele Jack Eli Tihati Thompson –his milestone birthday will be celebrated belatedly.

At 80, Tihatiand his wife Cha are retired from their Polynesian production they both founded and turned over the operations of their biz to their son Afatia Thompson and daughter Misty Thompson Tufono.

Grandchildren and great-grandchildren will gather, along with some close friends, to wish their Papa good tidings.

Since he retired, Tihati has been taking it nice and easy, devoting his energy and time, working toward wellness,  since he’s had a few health issues. But he’s happy and well-rested, and tends to his beloved non-profit, the South SeasChristian Ministries, based in Samoa. The  Ministry has been actively raising funds to provide building supplies to create schools and medical clinics and water tanks to  Samoan villages in need. Thus, the birthday party also is a fundraiser for the Ministry, to help carry on the good deeds.

Happy, happy , happy, happy, happy, happy, happy, happy birthday, Jack, one happy for each decade…

And that’s Show Biz…

Posted on

UP THERE IN THE SKIES, IT’S STITCH

Images of Stitch, from “Lilo and Stitch,” will fly Hawaiian now through summer.

Stich, the sometimes-naughty blue alien from Disney’s “Lilo and Stitch” film, is hitching a ride on Hawaiian Airlines’ plane, receiving aerial exposure, now through summer.

The first aircraft  with a Stitch image, is an Airbus A330, released earlier this week. It is the first of a trio of specially designed HAL planes depicting Stitch, whose image is highly visible on the exterior of the design, all part of a partnership with Disney, whose live-action, filmed-in-Hawaii  “Lilo and Stitch” film will be released May 23.

Next week, a second aircraft, an A331, will  be painted with another Stitch image, followed with a third Stitch on a Boeing 717 debuts next month.

The second Stitch plane will arrive next week, joining Hawaiian’s iconic Pualani on the tail.

Clearly, Stitch will be a vital companion for Pualani, the steadfast woman, depicted on the tail of all Hawaiian planes.

In announcing the Disney promotion with Stitch, Hawaiian – the state’s flagship carrier – referred in a media release to Stitch’s much-quoted notion that ‘ohana (Hawaiian for family) is important, so Hawaiian noted that the Stitch presence is one form of the spirit of aloha and hospitality in the friendly skies


“At Hawaiian Airlines, Hawai‘i is our home, and we consider our guests to be our ‘ohana,” said Alisa Onishi, director of brand and culture at Hawaiian Airlines. “Our hope is that all who visit our islands feel welcomed from the moment they step onboard, just as Lilo welcomed Stitch. We’re also excited to have Stitch be our new Travel Pono ambassador through an AR experience and as the star of our in-flight video, where he learns valuable lessons on how to be a mindful visitor.”

Further, Stitch’s visibility will be inside the cabin, too, interfering with the Travel Pono in-flight video, the focus of a search-for-Stitch game, the star in several in-flight video streaming of his past TV and movie credits.  And Disney being Disney, there will be Lilo and Stitch merch to order onboard select flights and online at LogoStore.HawaiianAirlines.com …

And that’s Show Biz…

Posted on

FOX AXES ‘RESCUE,’ LAST OF SERIES

Fox’s “Rescue: HI-Surf” has been canceled after 19 episodes filmed here.

And then there were none.

With Fox cancelling the first-responder drama, “Rescue: HI-Surf,” set in the North Shore of Oahu, there no longer will be a Hawaii-based, Hawaii-shot TV series.

The series survived a one-season run – a total of 19 episodes — which concluded in March. An order for a second season is not forthcoming.

Fox picked up the show, originally destined for HBO Max, which brought life to a sinking and shrinking number of Island drama and trauma. “Rescue” tracked the life and tempo of lifeguards, who saved lives while and providing thin story lines on land. It provided some local jobs for the film industry here, since the last of the procedurals – CBS’ “NCIS: Hawaii —ceased filming last year.

Ariellle Kebbel

The “Rescue” squad featured Arielle Kebbel, Adam Demos, Robbie Magasiva, Kekoa Kekumano, Alex Aiono and Zoe Cipres. Matt Kester created the series, filmed in the famous rough waters often described as one of the world’s most treacherous turf, also served as an executive producer alongside co-showrunners John Wells and Daniel Nathanson…

Clooney is the first $4 million winner!

George Clooney

By, George, he’s done it again. George Clooney, in his Broadway debut with the drama, “Good Night, and Good Luck,” keeps breaking his (and his show’s) record again!

The show has logged an unprecedent $4 million at the box office, for the week ending May 4.

The Top 10:

1—”Good Night, and Good Luck,” $4.000 million

 2—”Othello,” $3.065 million

 3—“”Glengarry Glen Ross,” $2.336 million

4— Wicked,” $2.232 million

5—”The Lion King,” $1.999 million

6—”Hamilton,” $1.674 million

 7—”The Picture of Dorian Gray, $1.344 million

 8—”Aladdin,” $1.283 million

9—”MJ the Musical,” $1.227 million

10—”Moulin Rouge! The Musical,” $1.178 million

The entire list, courtesy the Broadway League:

And that’s Show Biz…