Even with the ol’ adage, “The show must go on,” the show couldn’t continue for Hawaii’s Nicole Scherzinger on Broadway this past Wednesday (April 23) afternoon.
At a matinee performance of her “Sunset Blvd.” hit at the St. James Theatre on Broadway, a technical mishap forced the cancellation of the show.
Nicole Scherzinger sings “With One Look,” relying on a bullhorn.
Frustrating, yes, but inventive Scherzinger – starring as Norma Desmond in “Sunset” – didn’t allow her audience to be totally disappointed. With her co-star, Tom Francis (he plays Joe Gillis in the show), she took to the stage to announce the cancellation, by grabbing a bullhorn from backstage to make lemonade from a lemon of a situation.
With the support of a backstage track, Scherzinger sang “With One Look,” a tune her Desmond character sings, which at least gave disappointed show-goers to have something to talk about after vacating the theater.
Magician Giancarlo Bernini, in the audience, captured the singer with her bullhorn in an Instagram post, and the show continued as usual for the evening performance…
Show breezes
Coming up:
Boys II Men, at 7:30 p.m. Saturday (April 26), at the Tom Moffatt Waikiki Shell. Ticket prices vary, depending on seat location.
Jefferson Starship, at 8 p.m. June 7, at the Hawaii Theatre. Tickets: $72 to $262.
Lee Ann Rimes, at 6:30 p.m. July 12, at Blaisdell Arena. Ticket prices vary, depending on seat location.
Jayna Elise is Tina in “Tina: The Tina Turner Musical” now at Blaisdell Concert Hall.
“Tina: The Tina Turner Musical” is a powerful eruption of explosive, energetic and expressive songs and dances, probing the ascent and survival of the queen of rock amid a climate of sex abuse and domestic violence.
In the title role, Jayna Elise is luminous and fiery and delivers most of the tunes in the score.( Meagan Dawson plays Tina in some performances).
The show opened last night (April 22) at Blaisdell Concert Hall and continues its short week’s run through Sunday (April 27).
Act I is a painful history of how Tina – formally named Anna-Mae Bullock — became infatuated with music and stardom, despite a relationship with a dominating and abusive beau/husband, Ike Turner (Sterling Baker McClary), who is perfectly unlikeable. He smacks her repeatedly and it is painful to endure.
Act II is where Tina validates her reign and delivers simply the best of her ditties – with the splendid support of the Ikettes (Mya Bryant, Daniya Jazel, Morgan Lewis and Aiyana Smash, back-uppers who possess pizzazz. ).
Jayna Elise as Tina: Luminous and fiery…and delivers a punch!
Elise/Tina received the loudest support (applause, cheers, hoots) in the moment that she stopped being Ike’s punching bag, and delivered a pivotal return punch (yeah, right where it hurts the most!) in an unexpected response to halt being a victim.
“Tina” has everything you’d expect:
A parade of juke box hits (“What’s Love Got to Do With It,” “Private Dancer,” “River Deep, Mountain High,” “We Don’t Need Another Hero,””(Simply) The Best”).
Shimmering gowns, some fringed.
That one costumed piece that became a Tina trademark: a blue jean jacket worn with a dress.
Infectious and demanding choreography (by Anthony Van Laast).
An array of background projections and scenic (by Jeff Sugg).
Because of the adult themes, the show is not suitable for young children; perhaps age 15-16 and up could attend. Further, the dialogue contains some swear words, and the N word is uttered several times.
While the score should rightfully relate to Ike and Tina, the usage is occasionally awkward. So, the overview is like a patchwork blanket with random pieces that suit the eye or color motif.
The 10-member orchestra often is too loud, drowning stage vocals; a bit of toning down might be in order, even though this is a rock/pop act performance. Or the alternative might be considered: those with soft voices might amp up a skosh.
Elise has quickly picked up the local spirit, shouting “Aloha, Hawaii” at the final curtain, before launching a couple of hana hou selections; no, she’s not yet acclimated to the island shout-out for an encore. Surely, she’ll know the terminology and turf by the end of the run.
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“Tina: the Tina Turner Musical”
What: A musical biography of the queen of rock, with book by Katori Hall, with Frank Ketelaar and Kees Prince, with music by various composers
Where: Blaisdell Concert Hall
When: 7:30 p.m. April 23 and 24, 8 p.m. April 25, 2 p.m. and 8 p.m. April 26; and 1 p.m. and 6:30 p.m. April 27
Tickets: Varies, depending on date and seat locations; visit www.Broadway inHawaii.com
Running time: 2 hours 45 minutes.
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Three Broadway shows in $3 million club
And then there were three: “Wicked,” in the No. 2 slot on this week’s roster of Broadway grosses, outpaced “Othello,” which slid to No.3. George Clooney’s “Good Night, and Good Luck” remained No.1.
It was the first time ever that three productions surpassed $3 million in the weekly recaps.
The Top 10:
1—”Good Night, And Good Luck,” $3.882 million
2—” Wicked,” $3.333 million
3—”Othello,” $3.123 million
4—”The Lion King,” $2.940 million
5—”Glengarry Glen Ross,” $2.362 million
6— “Hamilton,” $2.164 million
7—” Aladdin,” $2.027 million
8—”MJ the Musical,” $1.719 million
9—” Harry Potter and the Cursed Child,” $1.612 million
Hammond’s Gourmet Ice Cream is anticipating a summer opening at the Koko Marina Shopping Center.
Hammond’s is targeting a June 7 debut – date subject to change – and will occupy the site vacated by Moena Sweets.
Hammond’s is noted for 32 ice cream flavors, alternating 20 daily, and boasts some enchanting flavors and names, like Kitty Kitty Bang Bang, a cheesecake flavor. The brand has some dairy-free, egg-free and nut-free options, too.
It also is known for the Hammond Flights, where patrons can take flight to try six flavors in mini cones. A yummy idea to get familiar with Hammond’s…
Maple Garden is shutting down
Maple Garden, the Chinese restaurant in Moiliili, is closing – likely at the end of the month—after decades of serving fans of Chinese cuisine.
Like numerous restaurants with decades of residency, Maple Gardens has been faced with a multitude of challenges – dwindling business, high prices, a fickle economy, and a shortage of staff. Two chefs are in the kitchen and struggling to keep the doors open and serving food, too. Owning a restaurant is a constant task; you welcome the guests, take orders, prepare and serve the food, and after meal service there are dishes to wash.
In earlier times, there were throngs celebrating birthdays and anniversaries, retirement parties, and more. Owner Richard Lam now is thinking of closure, though he’s not yet set a firm date…
A tasty snack
My latest fave snack is something sweet but healthy.
It’s called Yoggies, and it’s a shred of strawberry, coated with creamy yogurt. It’s somewhat like Raisinets, the raisin candy cloaked with chocolate.
Got it in a large bag, from Costco, and it’s perfect for a quick snack, since Yoggies comes in 7-oz packets and that’s enough for a single serving.
Buz Tennent, an accomplished baritone with musical comedy and operatic credits, will portray Miguel de Cervantas, aka Don Quixote, in Diamond Head Theatre’s “Man of La Mancha,” which opens May 23 for a run through June 8.
The Tony Award-winning show is considered one of the greatest musicals of all times, set in the time of the Spanish Inquisition, written by Dale Wasserman, with music Mitch Leigh and lyrics by Joe Darion.
The story is about a man who doesn’t give up his impossible dream and show is operatic in motif, featuring such riches as “I, Don Quixote,” “Dulcinea,” and the trademark anthem, “The Impossible Dream.”
The cast also includes Mo Radke as Sancho Panza, Richard Power as the Governor/Innkeeper, Garrett Hols as The Duke/Dr. Carrasco, Laurence Paxton as Padre, Joe Kartyak as Barber/Captain of the Inquisition, Anna Young as Aldonza/Dulcinea, Amy K. Sullivan as Housekeeper, Brianna Johnston as Maria/Moorish Girl, Lakshmi Vermui as Fermina, Lainey Hicks as Antonia, Michael Abdo as Muleteer Anselm/Dr. Carrasco, Brian Willis as Muleteer Pedro.
Other Muleteers are Joseph Lee, Lee Nebe, Phillip Ikaika Foster, Paul Garcia and Casey Lauti.
Ensemble players are Celia Chun, Lainey Hicks, Brianna Johnston, James Lauer, Cassidy Ross, Amy K. Sullivan, Lakshmi Vemuri and Presley Wheeler.
Buz Tennent
Bryce Chaddick is director, John Rampage is choreographer, and Jenny Shiroma is musical director.
Performances are at 7:30 p.m. Thursdays, Fridays and Saturdays, at 3 p.m. Saturdays and at 4 p.m. Sundays.
“Kim’s Convenience,” a comedy by Ins Choi, will be staged May 15 through June 8, at the Manoa Valley Theatre.
The show, about a family operating a convenience store in Toronto, has been a popular sit-com favorite on cable TV. It explores a myriad of topics and themes, about family traditions, cultural and racial clashes, generational confrontations, and everyday 9moments in making a living while retaining work-a-day highs and lows.
The cast features Brandon Hagio as Appa, Sun Min Chun-Dayondon as Umma, David Tang as Jung, Miki Yamamoto as Janet, Jonathan Beck as Mr. Lee/Alex/Mike and elywyattnakaulu’aina rapoza as Rich.
Reiko Ho is director.
Performances will be at 7:30 p.m. Thursdays, Fridays and Saturdays and also at 3 p.m. Saturdays and Sundays. Tickets are $25 to $48, available at www.manoavalleytheatre.com or (808) 988-6131…
Clooney breaks his own record
George Clooney’s “Good Night, and Good Luck,” which he co-wrote with Grant Heslov, has broken its own record.
George Clooney
The drama, directed by David Cromer, surpassed its own record-high grossing record, amassing ticket sales of $3,784,200 for the first full week of performances for the week ending April 11.
The gross also broke the house record of its venue, the Winter Garden Theatre.
Could the show rev up sales a skosh, to bypass the elusive $3 million? Hmmmm…
Actor-producer-writer Daniel Dae Kim, the “Lost” and “Hawaii Five-O” actor who’s a sometime resident of Honolulu, recently was honored at the NYU Tisch School for Arts.
Winnie Holzman, an American playwright, screenwriter, and producer, also was an honoree. A Tisch grad like Kim, she wrote the book of the Tony Award-winning Broadway musical “Wicked,”” and also co-wrote the screenplays for the movie version of “Wicked” and next year’s Part Two, “Wicked for Good.”
Kim earned his MFA in Tisch School’s Graduate Acting Program in 1996. His son Jackson also is an NYU grad.
Like Father, Like Son: Dad Daniel Dae Kim. left, with son Jackson, right.
Kim’s a man for all seasons, and an entertainment icon for all reasons. He’s become a prolific and pertinent Asian resource in recent years, widening his savvy and significance in everything, on camera and off.
Kim is a powerhouse TV figure: He’s completed three TV series with more than 100 episodes – the Hawaii-originated “Lost” on ABC and “Five-0” on CBS, and he appeared in and also produced “The Good Doctor” on ABC.
He’s big in voicing: In season one of Netflix’s “Avatar: The Last Airbender,” Kim voiced General Fong in one episode, but in season two, he’s playing Fire Lord Ozai in the live-action adaptation. He voiced seven episodes as Hiroshi Sato in “The Legend of Korra,” an animated series.
Kim, in “The King and I.”
He sings — when going theatrical: He’s successfully conquered the musical stage, starring as the The King of Siam in “The King and I” at London’s Robert Albert Hall and on Broadway at Lincoln Center. Last year, he also starred in a comedy, “Yellow Face,” at the Todd Haimes Theatre. But no vocalizing here.
Next up: Kim is producing and will star in a spy series, “Butterfly,” already filmed in South Korea, where he was born (in Busan). It is his first multi-season scripted series where he plays the lead role. Amazon has not set a release date.
Still simmering: “Makawalu,” a feature film initiated by the Hawaii International Film Festival, which he has agreed to executive-produce. The ambitious project will be co-directed by eight Kanaka Maoli (Native Hawaiian) filmmakers, the first of its kind in the islands
He’s got the spirit: Yes, he lives in Hawaii as often as feasible, traveling to wherever and whenever a project beckons. He also has residences in New York and Los Angeles, but for Kim, it’s Hawaii No Ka Oi. It’s all about the aloha spirit…
