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SOAK IN DHT’S ‘SPONGEBOB’ HIT

Diamond Head Theatre has plunged into the whirlpool of fun of “The SpongeBob Musical,” a marvel of stagecraft based on Nickelodeon’s spirited cartoon character and its undersea antics.

Originally dubbed “SpongeBob SquarePants,” the show- — minus the squarepants – is a colorful enterprise of quirky characters residing in Bikini Bottom, whose quiet lives are upended by a volcanic eruption falling and wiping out the sea community.

The real accomplishment is the coming-of-age triumph of the technical crew at DHT, which has had frequent  difficulty creating satisfying sets in its still-new theater with fly space that hadn’t been available for more than 100 years.

The sets are remarkable. including this one with underwater rainbow. Photos by Brandon Miyagi, courtesy

Thus, SpongeBob has arrived to rescue and resolve the techie production ills of the recent past, making this perhaps the best-ever, cohesive DHT enterprise.

Advisory: this is not a kiddie show. It’s family-oriented, with wide appeal to adults and parents. So, take a plunge and savor the silliness of SpongeBob.  

Chad Navarro, strumming uke, is SpongeBob Squarepants.

The saga of the undersea community threatened to lose its home is one of bonding to challenge and upend and survive the explosion of underwater mountains.  

Meana Stone is Sandy Cheeks, who has a great voice,

“SpongeBob SquarePants: The Broadway Musical” – the formal official title –was a huge hit with both critics and spectators and earned 12 Tony Award nominations for it run at the Palace Theatre at Times  Square.. I saw it and laughed and applauded and adored this cartoon transformed into a live-action stage musical.

Then, and particularly now, “SpongeBob” satisfies with terrific sets, boasting bright and bold costumes, and a spirited cast plus, inventive staging, strong performances, and all the bells and whistles of a triumphant show.

Greg Zane, an islander with Broadway credits, is the bright mind and master and logically the influence to glue the elements together. He’s attracted skilled techies, along with an inspired  corps of actors and dancers, to give “SpongeBob” its energetic heartbeat. As director and choreography (and a former actor-dancer himself), Zane’s zest is a gift well shared.

On stage, diminutive Chad Navarro is a tireless SpongeBob, who sings, prances, and dances like a wind-up toy, and his character is notably optimistic to inspire his sea buddies to become the village that bonds and unifies in a time of crisis.

Nathaniel Ryan-Kern is the four-legged Squidward Q. Tentacles.

His BFF is Patrick Star (Zack Oldman, who has comedic traits, and late in the Act 2, a sleek and sensational dancer), and the characters include Squidward Q. Tentacles (Nathaniel Ryan-Kern, navigating with four legs), Sandy Cheeks (Mehana Stone, bearing a powerful voice), Eugene H. Krabs (Lee Nebe, who runs the Krusty Krab restaurant and bears. a pair of claws), and Sheldon J. Plankton (Pressly Wheeler, an antagonist with vibrant pipes).

The whacky denizens include pirates, sea anemones, sardines and more.

Deanne Kennedy’s awesome scenic design features a splendid oceanscape of a warm light blue with coral accents, against which appears a four-tiered underwater rainbow in Act 2, and a pair on instances of glistening jellyfish descending from the fly space in the first act, and circular bubbles falling from above in the second act. Further, there are a pair of underwater “mountains” on wheels that move and turn with grace and they’re quiet, and silent in movement. Overall, these design elements elevate appeal and provide an element of finesse.

David Decarolis’ lighting is phenomenal, from bright of the day to darkness during the volcanic eruption, with occasional flashes creating dramatic effects.

Tim Manamtam’s and Sarah Velasco’s sound design complement the lights and occasionally augment onstage dramatic moments, like footsteps when the four-legged Squidward character tromps off stage, and visual elements of fog and strobe lights.

Emily Lane’s costumes and Aiko Schick’s hair and makeup design go hand in hand, with very bright colors on styles and outrageous hairdos for the entire cast of 20-plus. You can’t find the garb or the wigs at second-hand shops, so a sizeable budget was well spent.

Sage Nguyen is Pearl Krabs, in Emily Lane’s glorious costume and Aiko Schick’s pink wig.

Kyle Conner was props designer, Jared Paakaula was associate director, and Evan Autio choreographed the “I’m Not a Loser” sequence in Act 2, with Squidward and the anemones.

Jenny Shiroma’s music direction involved an ork of eight, with three keyboards and to guitars, and the music covered a range styles, with tunes tapped by producers. Thus, the score features songs by Steven Perry and Joe Perry of Aerosmith, Cyndi Lauper, They Might Be Giants, Plain White T‘s, David Bowie and Sarah Bareilles.

There’s a multitude of other gems and surprises, if you look hither and yon, like the clever formation of a pineapple, which is the home of SpongeBob, a ticking aerial clock above the theater proscenium, and remote-controlled crab in a couple of scenes. All joyful stuff, in a landscape of unpredictability…

And that’s Show Biz…

“The SpongeBob Musical”

What: A musical by Stephen Hillenburg, with book by Kyle Jarrow, based on Nickelodeon’s “SpongeBob SquarePants” cartoon

Where: Diamond Head Theatre

When: 7:30 p.m. Fridays, Saturdays and Sundays, plus 3 p.m. Saturdays and 4 p.m. Sundays, through Aug. 9

Tickets: $41, $52 and $68, at (808) 733-0274 or www.diamondheadtheatre.com

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UH’S ‘RENT’ HEADING TO KAUAI

“Rent,” a popular Broadway musical, is going on the road to Kauai in August.

It’s a first for the Tony Award and Pulitzer Prize-winning show, produced last year by the University of Hawaii’s Department of Theatre and Dance in a sold-out run at Kennedy Theatre. The show, with a 40-member cast and crew, will be performed Aug. 8 through 10 at the Kauai Community Colleges Performing Arts Center.

What a splendid notion and opportunity, to share the success of the UH presentation, directed by Joshua “Baba” Tavares an assistant professor of acting on the Manoa campus, who was a former cast member of the 20th anniversary national tour of “Rent,” an iconic creation by the late Jonathan Larson.

As part of the Kauai visitation, the company will stage a free acting workshop on Aug. , to share with and engage in the Garden Island’s community of artists and storytellers. Touring Broadway casts never present performances on the Neighbor Islands, with shows staged only at Blaisdell Concert Hall in Honolulu.

Joshu “Baba” Tavares

“We are so excited to take our show to Kauai and connect with our Kauai ‘ohana in this way”, said Tavares.

So it’s a win-win proposition.

The staging of a well-known production – “Rent” is a Tony-winning rock production, which speaks to a youthful audience – also was a rarity for Kennedy Theatre, customarily known for Japanese kabuki shows and Chinese Peking opera, art forms that address traditional and classic repertoires and have been widely lauded over decades. “Rent” was a breakthrough experiment that worked.

Tavares is opening new doors and avenues with “Rent,” discovering relevance in the process.. “Even though the show is set in a specific time, its challenges feel just as relevant today, especially here in Hawai,i” he said. “Homelessness, gentrification, mental health struggles and finding a way forward after a devastating disease––are we talking about the ’80s and ’90s, or are we talking about today?”

A scene from “Rent,” a Kennedy Theatre production, heading to Kauai in August.

The venue is the newly reopened Kauaʻi CC Performing Arts Center, which reopened in April 2024 after closing due to the pandemic. It boasts major upgrades to its lighting, sound and backstage systems. The venue is once again a a major cultural hub, enabling a Garde Island venue a shot at booking a Broadway production, under new faciity manager Gregory von Hausch.

Gregory von Hausch

Showtimes are from 7 to 9 p.m. Aug. 8 and 9, and from 1:30 to 3:30 p.m. Aug. 10. Tickets are $15 for students and teachers (any school) $25 general admission and $60 VIP seating; visit https://www.tixtree.com/e/rent-the-broadway-musical-9501aa6f5187

A workshop also is set for Aug. 9, but specifics have not yet been announced….

The 2025 Kalapana, from left: Konrad Kendrick. Alden Levi, Kenji Sano, Gaylord Holomalia, Todd Yukumoto, Ben Taaca, and Sean Thibodeaux.

Kalapana marks 50th anniversary

Kalapana, the legendary island band known for a vast catalogue of hit tunes,  will mark its 50th anniversary in a milestone concert Oct. 4 at the Tom Moffatt Waikiki Shell.

Tickets go on sale today (July 19) at the Neal Blaisdell Center box office at www.ticketmaster.com

While most original group members have gone to the heavenly stage, a retinue of singers-musicians, comprised of friends and contemporary fans, are carrying on the legacy of Kalapana and, of course, the traditional repertoire of classic hits reflecting the still-powerful sound.

Leading the parade are such fans and colleagues as Henry Kapono, the group Summer, and Jordan Kealoha-Yamanaka (formerly of the group, Crossing Rain)..

Founding group member Kirk Thompson will perform, along with Eie Atushi, who has recorded with Kalapana in his native Japan.

Kamasami Kong

Japan’s superstar deejay, Kamasami Kong, will emcee. Of course, islanders know him for his deejaying origins in Hawaii.

Tickets are $225 for limited VIP seats, which includes a meet-and-great with the performers plus a merchandise package. Reserved seats are $150, $75, and $55 and $35 for general admission lawn seats. Keiki 12 and under are free, limited to four kids per couple

A $1 fee will be added to each ticket, with the donation benefitting the Henry Kapono Foundation.

Kalapana’s music has been on radio playlists across the globe, from North and South America to Asia to Europe. In 2011, the group was awarded the Na Hoku Hanohano Lifetime Achievement from the Hawaii Academy of Recording Arts.

The 2025 Kalapana group features Konrad Kendrick, Alden Levi, Kenji Sano, Gaylord Holomalia, Todd Yukumoto, Ben Taaca, and Sean Thibodeaux.

The concert is a presentation of Aloha Group International, headed by Barb Saito. She formerly worked with iconic promoter Tom Moffatt, of Tom Moffatt Productions…

And that’s Show Biz…

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QUEEN’S FOR A DAY: IT WENT WELL

Well, it went well.

Talking about my Same Day Surgery yesterday (July 17) at Queen’s Medical Center.

The visit was to replace an outdated Abbott neuromodulation device and replace it with a new, compatible  Boston Scientific version. It’s part of the therapy to control chronic lower back pain and soreness in my sciatic right leg.

Me wearing the hairnet

Some things haven’t changed,  when I last underwent this procedure:

  • I’m still a risk for falling. Soon as I checked in, I received the customary wrist band, which  boasts your name and birthdate. But because of my mobility issues and could fall,  I must wear a yellow band with a “Fall Risk” declaration. For safety’s sake.
  • Those silly hairnets still are issued. Necessary, I suppose, but no one looks great with this bonnet.

However, some things have changed:

  • Socks for the fall prospects are bright yellow like corn on the cobb. Yep, had to put them on, but they were comfy!
  • Those horrid open-back gowns are still donned openly but now there’s a bunch of snaps at both shoulders, to enable easier access for aides to paste body switches on your chest. Or check your heartbeat.
No denying, the Fall Risk wrist band is for safety’s sake.

There’s quite a village to get patients “fixed,” so it’s not a surprise to get a pre-op visit by your doctor (mine is Dr. Jeffrey Loh), plus a retinue of staff/nurses, like nurses, anesthesiologists, and others who buzz in to take blood pressure, temperature checks, and more.

I also had a pre-op visit, as well as a post-op visit, from Michael Chrysler, the Hawaii rep of Boston Scientific, who donned what looked like scrubs – but he wore a very special red head net. He regularly visits the hospital when a client/patient has a device implanted. I’ll have learned how to properly utilize the new acquisition. And medical insurance should cover the cost of $20,000.

So: I have a new device installed, and that means a wound on the mend. Dr. Loh had to oversee the removal of the old one and the installation of the new one. This involves a magnet that transmits signals to wires attached to the spine.

I’m on antibiotics for a week – pills must be taken once every six hours – and I have a follow-up office visit with Dr. Loh next Friday, where Chrysler will meet me and run through the how’s of operating a controller that will help me navigate the Boston model.

The downside of the surgery? I cannot shower for a week, nor can I wet and/or remove the bandage protecting the zone where the magnet was installed – on the left cheek of my butt. I had a request to Dr. Loh to be sure the magnet was attached deep enough to avoid the fate of the Abbott magnet, which was inserted with a bit of a tilt, which was awkward and a bit painful when I moved around when asleep.

Of course, my wife Vi continues to be an angel in these medical quests. She was bedside before and  after the procedure. Thanks, hon; that’s dedication.

A postscript: I didn’t miss it earlier but thought about it now.  For some reason, I wasn’t moved to a recovery room like in past procedures. I recall recovering patients were asked and served juice and a cracker when asked “are you thirsty” or “are you hungry?”   Must be an inflationary issue to cut back. —

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“MERRILLY’ FILM ROLLS OUT DEC. 5

“Merrily We Roll Along,” the 2024 Tony Award-winning “Best Revival of a Musical,” will finally hit the movie theaters Dec. 5, domestically and internationally.

This is the celebrated Stephen Sondheim project, with collaborator George Furth, that featured a dream cast, starring Daniel Radcliffe as Charley Kringas, Jonathan Groff as Franklin Shepard, and Lindsay Mendez as Mary Flynn. Their chemistry and  performances at the Hudson Theatre on Broadway were filmed for posterity toward the end of its New York run. So ultimately, the feature film beckons from Sony Picture Classics and Fathom Entertainment.

Lindsay Mendez as Mary Flynn, Jonathan Groff as Franklyn Shepard and Daniel Radcliff as Charley Klingas.

“Merrily” wasn’t always merry and does not boast a conventional story motif. When it first made its debut at the Alvin Theatre (now, the Neil Simon Theatre), on Nov. 16, 1981 the show was a humiliating dud, doing 44 previews and a mere 16 performances before  shuting down due to bad reviews.

Clearly, the show was kind of  an oddity, told in reverse chronology. It starts in 1976, and works backward to 1957, so it requires a different mindset when viewing.

But for Sondheim devotees, this is the ultimate musical in scope and in style. So what if  story unfolds backward. This gimmick is part of its charm.

Radcliff, Groff and Flynn, as Old Friends in “Merrily We Roll Along” play and film.

Thematically, “Merrily” is a genuinely appealing exploration of friendship among colleagues, comprising three office pals who share dreams, goals, and conflicts in a show biz climate.  Frank is a rich Hollywood producer, who hosts a party, often alienating his best buddies, Charley and Mary. Their see-sawing inter-action reflects the rhythm of life. To punctuate the timetable a skosh, there’s a scene where the three-some are sky-gazing, and they witness Sputnik from a garage roof. Whoopie!

Over time, Sondheim’s fans have generally adored his music, but occasionally his lyricism can be distancing. The collection of tunes in “Merrily” includes some singable ditties with lasting appeal; you needn’t be a trained crooner to sing such feel-good titles like “Old Friends” and vocalize to the swirl of warmth in the show’s title song. This isn’t “Into the Woods” or “A Little Night Music,” but there’s vision and substance in the score.

When “Merrily” was reinvented for a Broadway run, the show recouped its $12 million capitalization by March of 2024, and by the time of its finale on July 7, 2024, it became the highest grossing ever for a Sondheim musical. Throughout its residency, it was a top-grossing show, often bypassing the usual chart giants, “Wicked” and “The Lion King.”

The show won a Best Orchestrations Tony for maestro Jonathan Tunick. 

According to Playbill, another version of “Merrily” – not to be confused with the one with Broadway creds opening in December – and has been an obscure project of Richard Linklater, the director best known for his 2024 film, “Boyhood,” tracking a lad’s aging over the decades. Linklater’s adaptation of “Merrily” is said to track actors like Ben Platt, Beanie Feldstein, Paul Mescal and Hannah Cruz, who will be filmed sequentially a la “Boyhood” till each performer becomes the actual age of the role he/she is enacting. If he’s lucky, director Linklater will wrap it up in 2039,  lord willing. Not so merrily a roll is this…

‘Wicked’ still rules the Broadway grosses

“Wicked” continues to defy gravity, and soars at the No. 1 in Broadway’s weekly gross charting. “The Lion King’ (No. 2) swapped slots with “Hamilton” (No. 3).

The Top 10:

1—”Wicked,” $2.311 millon

2—”The Lion King,” $2.190 million

3—”Hamilton,” $2.136 million

4—” Sunset Blvd.,” $1.974 million

5—” Aladdin,”$1.456 million

6—”MJ,” $1.354 million

7—”Maybe Happy Ending,” $1.341 million

8—”Just In Time,” $1.287 million

9 –“Death Becomes Her,” $1.255 million

10—”The Outsiders,” $1.157 million

The complete list of shows, for the week ending July 13, courtesy the Broadway Guild:

And that’s Show Biz…

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SAME DAY SURGERY SET AT QUEEN’S

Folks:

Some breaking news, from me.

I’ve moved up a planned Sept. 4 surgery at Queen’s Medical Center, since a slot became available.

The new surgery is set for tomorrow afternoon, July 17. It’s a Same Day Surgery, so not overnight stay. I’ll be out and about and functioning as usual.

I will have an outdated Abbott device removed from my body, and a new, compatible Boston Scientific system, to combat longtime chronic lower back pain. It’s part of the ongoing alternative treatment  supervised by  Dr. Jeffrey Loh.

I also have more procedures in the coming weeks:

n  A CT scan treatment on July 30.

n  A potential colonoscopy, date to be set, depending on results of the scan.

n  Possible surgery in my mid-section,  by Dr. Steven Nishida, to treat  recurring pain not yet identified.

Not to worry; however, these procedures will determine treatment for what’s happening under the hood in this aging body. So, thanks for your concern.

–Wayne Harada