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TWO ‘TOOTSIE’ ROLES FOR HALFORD

Reyn Halford will portray the dual roles of Michael Dorsey/Dorothy Michaels in the Broadway musical, “Tootsie,” premiering May 31 at the Diamond Head Theatre.

The story by Don McGuire and Larry Gelbart involves a competent actor, who can’t find work, until he disguises himself as an actress. The comedy was a hit film starring Dustin Hoffman, adapted for the stage by Robert Horn (book) and David Yazbek (music and lyrics).

Two ‘Tootsie’ roles for Reyn Halford

The cast also features Chandler Converse as Julie Nichols, Aiko Schick as Sandy Lester, Moku Durant as Jeff Slater, Sam Budd as Max Van Horn, Mary Chesnut Hicks as Rita Marshall, Andrew Simmons as Ron Carlisle, Rick Smith as Stan Fields, Alex Bishop as Stuart, Ixchel Lopez-Duran as Suzie, Issac Liu as Carl, and Marisa Noelle Capalbo, Brandee Doi and Lainey Hicks as the Vocal Trio.

John Rampage is director, Roslyn Catracchia is musical director and Rampage and Celia Chun are choreographers.

Performances are at 7:30 p.m. Thursdays through Saturdays and at 3 p.m. Saturdays and 4 p.m. Sundays through June 16; extended at 7:30 p.m. June 22 and 3 p.m. June 23.

Tickets: $37 to $62; best available seats June 22 and 23, at www.diamondheadtheatre.com or (808) 733-0274…

MVT’S ‘Salesman’ extended

Manoa Valley Theatre’s “Death of a Salesman,”  starring Dwight Martin as failing salesman Willy Loman, opens May 23 but has added two extended performances, at 7:30 p.m. June 8 and 3 p.m. June 9,

The show’s scheduled run May 23 through June 2 is expected to be a sellout; hence, the added performances. Tickets: $25 to $48, at www.manoavalleytheatre.com or (808) 988-6131…

Broadway grosses, for week ending May 12

 There are two $2 million club members this week; “The Lion King” and “Cabaret at the Kit Kat Club.”  Didn’t take long for “King” to say willkommen to “Cabaret.”

The Top 10:

1—”The Lion King,” $2,114 million.

2—”Cabaret at the Kit Kat Club,” $2,009 million.

3—”Hamilton,” “$1,723 million.

4–“Wicked,” $1,721 million.

5—”MJ the Musical,” $1,609 million.

6—”The Wiz,” $1,567 million.

7–“Moulin Rouge! The Musical,” $1,528 million.

8—”Merrily We Roll Along,”  $1,518 million.

9—”Hell’s Kitchen,” $1,503 million.

10—“Aladdin,” $1,274 million.

The full list, courtesy The Broadway Guild:

And that’s Show Biz…

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MORNING, NOON, ‘N NIGHT

If you like your meals simple yet satisfying, I have a few suggestions for breakfast, lunch, and dinner.

Of course, you have to explore multi-destinations, to partake of these fun edibles. And no, these meals were spaced over several days, so the truth is, you need to pace the fun, or you’d burst.

For breakfast, I discovered a generous treat only because I ventured into Tanaka Saimin on Nimitz Highway after the noon cut-off for its breakfast specials. This was a Saturday, but also a menu item I never encountered, because of  the day and time: A modified waffle with  chicken special, available till 2 p.m., was a nice surprise.

Waffles and chicken, at Tanaka Saimin.

The platter came with four individual Belgium waffles (a circular version) and oodles of popcorn chicken on a tray. Eaten fresh, the waffles were delish; ditto, the chicken. I ate two waffles and perhaps a half-dozen of the crispy chicken bites, including skin, so I had a bundle to brown-bag. Only problem: the waffles don’t get crispy in the microwave but were too bulky to fit into the toaster. But it was another breakfast meal, so no complaints.

The cobb salad, at Kona Brewing Company.

For lunch, try the cobb salad at Kona Brewing Company. I had it at the Hawaii Kai branch, and it was a visual feast – the bed of lettuce boasted sliced avocado, boiled eggs, bacon, cherry tomatoes, and goat cheese – begging for a photo op, so I got out my iPhone and started shooting. I would have had to be rolled out if I consumed the entire serving, so I ate half, with the remainder rescued as a side-salad for dinner.

The Shaghai Fried Udon, at Panya.

For dinner, this is a repeat – it had been quite a while since I had Panya’s Shanghai Fried Udon, a wok-seared medley of udon noodles, cabbage, and chicken tidbits, in a love sauce. If it looks like a whole lot, it is, and I have yet to gulp down every bit of this noodle dish since it became of my regular choices at Panya. Besides, a nuke in the micro refreshes the dish without overcooking, for a dinner hana hou, and who doesn’t an encore?

Roy’s deluxe bread pudding.

Dessert, you wonder? On a recent sunset visit to Roy’s in Hawaii Kai, for an all pupu dinner (instead of entrees)  for the four of us, the fare ranged from multi orders of assorted sushi, edamame, grilled Brussel sprouts, a double order of escargot, beef ribs and an item or two I can’t remember, there’s hardly room for dessert. Well, not this crowd. Scoops of vanilla ice cream with chocolate sauce and Kona coffee ice cream were chilled delights, but in my corner, I opted for Roy’s gourmet bread pudding, a confection not like most others, surrounded with fresh fruit and accompanied by a scoop of vanilla ice cream. Amid all the nibbles and drinks, half my bread pudding came home with me, maintaining my customary tradition to have something in the fridge for tomorrow…

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McCOLLUM’S LATEST A TONY NOM

Kevin McCollum, Hawaii’s Tony-winning Broadway producer, is at it again. His latest production is “The Notebook”– now playing at the Gerald Schoenfeld Theatre — and it’s nominated for three awards this year.

McCollum and Kurt Deutsch are the lead producers of the new show, based on the popular novel, and co-directed by Michael Greif (“Dear Evan Hansen,” “Next to Normal,” “Rent”) and Schele Williams (“The Wiz,” “Aida.”)

Kevin McCollum

While a 2024 “Best New Musical” nomination eluded “The Notebook,” the show earned three noms, for Best Book of a Musical, Leading Actor in a Musical (Dorean Harewood) and Leading Actress in a Musical (Maryann Plunkett).

A number of high profile names – a few expected, several not expected — also are among this season’s producers:

Angelina Jolie
  •  Angelina Jolie (“The Outsiders.”)
  • Hillary Clinton (“Suffs.”)
  • Eddie Redmayne (“Cabaret at the Kit Kat Club.”)
  • Steven Spielberg (“Water for Elephants.”)
  • Leslie Odom Jr., Alan Alda, Samuel Jackson, Phylicia Rashad (Purlie Victorious: A Non-Confederate Romp Through the Cotton Patch.”)

The Tony Awards will be held June 16, originating from the David H. Koch Theatre at Lincoln Center, and televised on CBS…

A heavenly reunion of Rap and Kawika

Rap Reiplinger

Leesa Clark Stone, widow of comedian Rap Reiplinger, posted a sweet anecdote on my Facebook page, following the death May 2 of David “Kawika” Talisman.

“I sent Rap’s bible to Kawika and we talked a lot about spirituality in recent years after I interviewed him for Rap’s bio,” Stone wrote. “One day Kawika called me to say his cancer had taken a turn for the worse and said, ‘I guess I’ll see Rap before you.’ I’m so happy Kawika was baptized by Kahu (Ken) Makuakane and I know he and Rap are having a great reunion now. I’m also happy he is no longer in pain.”

Can you imagine how zany but productive a Rap/Kawika brainstorming reunion would be? Perhaps a routine about the bible, too?…

Services for Al Waterson, the prolific veteran of Hawaii’s entertainment community who died April 21, will be held June 1 at Sts. Peter and Paul Church at 800 Kaheka St.  Visitation will be from 9 to 11 a.m., services from 11 a.m. to noon, Catholic Mass from noon to 1 p.m. and fellowship and refreshments from 1 to 2:15 p.m. …

Hawaii Theatre offers kupuna freebie

“Bird of Paradise” poster

Hawaii Theatre is launching a new monthly film series for kupuna, “Rise & Shine,” with a free screening of “Bird of Paradise,” a 1951 flick partly filmed in Hawaii. A nostalgic gem!

But it’s coming up quickly: at 10 a.m. Tuesday (May 14) and reserved tickets are necessary for admission.

The film stars Debra Paget, Louis Jordan and Jeff Chandler, marque favorites in their time,  and I remember seeing it as a youngster at the now-gone Liliha Theatre.

The series is being presented by the Hawaii LGBT Legacy Foundation, in partnership with the Hawaii Theatre, providing Hawaii’s elder community a place to see an oldie in safe environs. A hosted coffee hour is included, and while there is no charge, donations – give what you can – will be accepted to cover costs of hosting the movie.

Doors open at 8:30 a.m. for the 10 a.m. screening.

If you have kupuna in your household, order seats for them, and order seats for yourself, too, and make it an unusual outing.

Tickets can be reserved at www.hawaiitheatre.com …

And that’s Show Biz…

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WARD TAKES ON HAWAII KAI BUZZ

Rumors have been flying high and wide in Hawaii Kai– some true, most not – about the fate of area businesses. And Rep Gene Ward  (R, House District 18), has taken on the role of taskmeister, sorting out the truth, in an email to constituents.

I’ve heard some of the buzz, but not all. And Ward examines the riff and the raff. But he has not addressed all the concerns in the neighborhood.

Like: Costco Hawaii Kai is not closing. Never heard that it might exit our neighborhood. Nor the chatter that the Hawaii Kai Satellite City Hall was shuttering. Ward indicates that Councilman Tommy Waters’ office revealed that the convenient satellite city hall, tucked behind Roy’s Restaurant, has a lease through Aug. 31, 2031. Good to know.

Rep. Gene Ward

More disclosures:

The Hawaii Kai office of the Honolulu Police Department is staying put; the office “functions solely as  an unmanned workspace, which officers may intermittently utilize for writing reports” and is not open to the public, so it would have no impact on staffing levels in East Oahu. That’s comforting news.

Here are some good news and bad news: The abandoned restaurant space at the Hawaii Kai Towne Center, once occupied by Outback Steakhouse and most recently by the failed launch of Scratch Kitchen near Roy’s, will gain a new tenant, but  it won’t be an eatery. Bank of Hawaii, which has a small space at Koko Marina Center, will expand again to occupy the Scratch space. (The bank had been a long-time tenant at Koko Marina, across Zippy’s).

I have two questions for Rep. Ward: There’s been buzz that Zippy’s might shut down its take-out counter, which has been operating after Zippy’s closed its dine-in restaurant. That area still is vacant, and folks are wondering: Will Zippy’s reconsider and return to dine-in, too, or might another restaurant move in?

And more queries: What or who might acquire the abandoned Koko Marina multi-plex movie theaters? The front signage has been removed and the building frontage painted; but the rear sign, visible from Lunalilo Home Road, still is there. Why?

One final query: since Ben Franklin left its Koko Marina home years ago, the vacancy remains after a game center failed. There had been earlier rumors that a health-food market might move in, and also an H-Mart store, but the doors are stlll locked, with the UPS store the only surviving merchant on that corridor.

 Rep. Ward welcomes queries and concerns about Hawaii Kai businesses. You may reach him via phone at (808) 586-6420 or email repward@capitol.hawaii.gov …

TAG seeks $15,000 to upgrade light and sound

The Actors’ Group (TAG), the fledging theater group located at the Brad Powell Theatre at Dole Cannery, is seeking 15,000 to upgrade its lighting and sound systems.

And it’s off to a great start: $7,900 already has been committed from donors and supporters.

The plans will include acquiring LEDs and updated software to replace antiquated equipment from the theater group’s Yellow Brick Studio facilities in Kaka‘ako.

LEDs are energy-efficient, with longer lifespan, and will reduce on-stage heat for actors. Power speakers will enhance amplification and depth, benefitting theater audiences.

Contributions, large or small, may be made at the theater during performance or at the group’s website, at www.taghawaii.net …

Broadway grosses, for the week ending May 5

While “The Lion King” still lords over the weekly list of Broadway grosses – the lone show in the $2 million club – the arrival of newbies will likely change the rankings in future weeks.

The Top 10:

1–“The Lion King,” $2,035 million.

2—”Cabaret at the Kit Kat Club,” $1,920 million.

3—”Sweeney Todd: The Demon Barber of Fleet Street,” $1,762 million.

4—”Hamilton,” $1,732 million.

5—”Wicked,” $1,586 million.

6—”The Wiz,” $1,458 million.

7—” MJ the Musical,” $1,456 million.

8—”Merrily We Roll Along,” $1,435 million.

9—”Moulin Rouge! The Musical,” $1,405 million.

10—“Hell’s Kitchen,” $1,270 million.

The complete list, courtesy the Broadway Guild:

And that’s Show Biz…