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February 11, 2026February 11, 2026

‘HI’IAKA’ LOOMS BIG; TRYOUTS SET

The legendary tale of Hi‘iaka, historically part of the Hawaiian oral tradition and notably passed on from generation to generation through song and dance, has been honed and developed as an eventual spectacle on Broadway. It’s been on the burner since 2019, and final auditions are ahead to cast the production.

The spectacle is due to debut on Broadway this October, with details still forthcoming.

The Hawaiian story has all the epic elements of high drama, based on the goddess Hi‘iaka – full name, Hi‘iakaikapoliopele – whose quest is to find her sister Pele’s dream lover, restore him to life, and deliver him safely to Pele, the volcano goddess at her crater home on the Big Island. With Pele among the characters, there should be some explosive eruptions of sorts.

Of course, it is not a simple journey filled with ordeals and dangers, but one very much alive with a very human retelling of love and lust, with challenges of jealousy and justice, with deities and chiefs, commoners and demons, and a potential fall out of the two sisters.

Essentially, the story is about two goddesses, who happen to be sisters, and thus boasts grandeur as well as grace. It is storytelling with cultural impact, with collaborative input by the legendary stage and film visionary Stephen Schwartz (“Wicked,” “Godspell,” “Pippin,” “Children of Eden,” “The Prince of Egypt”), Broadway guidance by stage producer Michael Jackowitz {“How To Succeed in Business Without ReallyTrying,” “tick, tick, Booml”) and stalwart Hawaiians Roslyn Catracchio (music and lyrics) and Patrick Makuakane (choregraphy, music and lyrics). Keali’i Reichel (multi Na Hoku Hanahano Award winner, recording artist and kumu hula) was an advisor in preliminary development of the show, along with Schwartz).

The production, earlier utilzing the title “Hi’iaka,” now boasts a formal new name, “The Epic Tale of Hi‘iaka: A New Hawaiian Musical.” The operative word is “Hawaiian.” The story will be told – with a roster of vivid and atmospheric Hawaiian songs, dances, and chants – and performed by a cast of Hawaiian artists on both sides of the limelight.

Once cast. “Hi’iaka” will loom as a mammoth cultural spectacle with pulsating and harmonizing vocals rendered in traditional Hawaiian, with choreography and costuming unlike anything ever seen and heard on the Great White Way.

Applicants should designate voice range and roles sought; audition documents and head shots must be submitted by Feb. 15, with call backs to follow. Email applications to castinghiiaka@gmail.com

The creative team boasts remarkable star-studded notables:

Book, Music and Lyrics: Roslyn Catracchia and Patrick Makuakane.
Original Story: Ho’oulumahiehie.
Hawaiian Consultant: Puakea Nogelmeier.
Stage Director: Scott Schwartz.
Choreographer: Patrick Makuakane.

Scenic Designer: Kevin Depinet.
Costume Designer: Manaola.
Music Supervisor: Brad Haak.
Orchestrations and Instrumental Track Production: David Kauahikaua.
Hawaiian Music Advisor: Shawn Pimental.
Musical Arrangements: David Kauahikaua and Brad Haak.
Producers: Michael Jackowitz for WitzEnd Productions and Kuhio Lewis for Hawaiian Council.
Associate Director: Melanie Lockyer.
Associate Choreographer: Christine Yasunaga.
Costume Coordinator: Maile Speetjens.
Preliminary Artwork: Solomon Enos.
Keyart by Mance Creative for Rubicon Theatre Company.
State of Hawaii Tourism/Creative Industries Division Consultant: Georja Skinner.
Marketing: NMG Networks.
PR Consultant: Adrian Kamali‘i.
Casting Director: Aubrey Lee Staley
Advisors During Development: Keali’i Reichel and Stephen Schwartz.

Footnotes:

Prolific author: Ho‘oulumāhiehie, credited as original story writer, was a prolific Hawaiian (The Epic Tale of Hi‘iakaikapoliopele), which ran in the newspaper Ka Na‘i Aupuni in 1905–1906. His 500-page narrative is renowned for containing 375 chants, and vivid portrayal of the goddess Pele and the scholar and author was best known for chronicling the epic saga Ka Mo‘olelo o Hi‘iakaikapoliopeler, sister Hi‘iaka.

Father and Son: Stephen Schwartz (“Wiz” icreaator) is the father of Scott Schwartz.

Principal roles:

Hi’iaka, the youngest of the sisters and the favorite of Pele.
Pele, the volcano goddess.
Lohiau, chief of Kauai and Pele’s lover.Hopoe, Hi ‘iaka’s best friend.
Wahine: Hi ‘ika’s most trusted ally and traveling companion.
Kane: God of procreation…

‘Chicago’ returns to Broadway’s Top 10

“Chicago,” one of the longest-running Broadway hits, surged its way to No. 7 this week – a remarkable return to the charts.

“Harry Potter and the Cursed Child” continues to be Broadway’s top-grossing play, earning $2.339 million for the week ending Feb. 8.

“Chicago” landied at No 7.

The Top 10:

1—”Harry Potter and the Cursed Child,” $2.339 million

2—”Hamilton,” $1.848 million

3—”Wicked,” $1.596 million

4—”The Lion King,” $1.514 million

5—”Stranger Things: The First Shadow,” $1.400 million

6—”Chess,” $1.379 million

7—”Chicago,” $1.316 million

8—”Just in Time,” $1.314 million

9—”Oedipus,” $1.212 million

10—“Ragtime,” $1.090 million

The complete list, courtesy the Broadway Guild:

And that’s Show Biz…

February 1, 2026February 1, 2026

‘OUTHOUSE’ BOOK-SIGNING TODAY

Frances Kakugawa, the prolific poet and author known for her literary mouse Wordsworth, concludes her brief island visit today (Feb. 1).

Kakugawa is originally from Kapoho on the Big Island, who was a long-time Honolulan while toiling for the Department Education here before retiring bin Sacramento. She will autograph her latest tome, “The Outhouse Poet,” at 2 p.m. today at Barnes & Nobles at Ala Moana Center.

“Outhouse” (Watermark Publishing) is her 19^th book – but not her last, since her 20^thpublication is in the works. Surely, her current volume is a keeper, with its cover shot of an outhouse, and likely the most ingenious book jacket of any season.

Those of a certain vintage, who were raised in the islands amid a rustic landscape minus running water and a flushing toilet, will remember with mixed thoughts the closet-like wooden structure commonly erected somewhere on the property of a country home. Yes, the outhouse was out there, outside of the home, perhaps with a wee window or none at all, with a key feature: a hole in the ground and likely a copy of the Sears Roebuck catalogue which served the purpose of what now would be Charmin toilet paper.

“The Outhouse Poet” has a subtitle, “Reflections of a Writer,” indicative of the think-tank moments back in the day, when Kakugawa would perhaps nurture a poem, or a thought, that would someday be fodder for a book. There are poems, her specialty, along a chapter on banned books.

Kakugawa will sign copies of her book, and perhaps reflect on Those Days in isolation. While here, she spoke at an Altheimer’s event at the Elks Club and signed copies of her book at Hilo’s Basically Books where her former first graders from Laupahoehoe School on the Big Island showed up to support their former teacher.

On Saturday (Jan.31) we met up with her at Heavenly at the Koko Marina Center, for a sumptuous breakfast, which just may wind up as a future destination for more meals and reflections together…

Santos and Kimokea at The Lounge

Jerry Santos and Kamuela Kimokea will team up for a splendid show from 5 to 7:30 p.m. and from 8 to 10:30 p.m. Feb. 21 at Kapono’s on The Lounge at the Hawaii Kai Shopping Center. The first show was a quick sell-out but eats remain for the nightcap.

**Kimokea and Santos: Together again at Kapono’s at The Lounge.**

Reservations are $110 for two seats; VIP seats are also available.

I’ve not been in this venue since it became an active night spot. Santos teamed up with Kimokea recently for an evening at the Kahala Resort, and the show included a buffet meal but viewing accommodations were problematic. Best moment at any Santos show: “E Kuu Home O Kahaluu.” And their interplay and harmonies are first-stage.
The Plumeria Beach House is not a proper fit for live music, though it’s also a plus to sit through a Santos show anytime, even if you can’t see him. I went for the music but wound up “reviewing” the buffet — great misoyaki butterfish, too salty choi sum; wonderful salmon-poke salad, bland chicken long rice; yummy haupia dessert, and so on.

Consequently, The Lounge site — tailor-made for live acts — should be a bonanza that simply couldn’t churn up the vibes at the Kahala.

And that’s Show Biz…

February 1, 2026February 1, 2026

VALENTINE PINS IN THE MAIL

Except for a couple of last-minute additions to my mailing list, most of the 2026 Valentine’s pins are en route to recepiens.

In fact, more than 75 per cent already have received their pins by now.

Monday’s deliveries should reach others.

The motifs widely feature hearts, the essence of Valentine’s, and red and pink dominate the palette.

These are among the designs this season,

January 16, 2026January 16, 2026

EXHIBIT HONORS CAZIMERO’S LEGACY

Entertainer Robert Uluwehionāpuaikawēkiuokalani Cazimero, for more than 50 years a beacon of Hawaiian music, hula, and an iconic ambassador of island culture, will be the focus of “Ke Kilo Lani,” an exhibition of his artistry and accomplishments in a luminous career unlike any other.

The show will open Jan. 23 from 4 to 7 p.m., and will continue till May 15, at Gallery ‘Iolani, on the campus of Windward Community College. The gallery adjoins the Paliku Theatre in Kaneohe.

Cazimero has established a remarkable legacy in hula, emerging as an award-winning kumu hula and the heartbeat and pulse of Halau Na Kamalei O Lililehua, which last year was judged the overall winner of the annual. Merrie Monarch Festival, an annual event that draws hula groups from all over Hawaii and often out-of-town competitors.

Cazimero said: “I am deeply honored to be the subject of this exhibit. It is both very humbling and awkward at the same time as I never thought about building a lasting legacy while simply living my life. I hope that gallery visitors will learn that my success came from having a little luck, favorable timing, and through the love and support of my family, hālau, and friends. Welcome to ‘Ke Kilo Lani!’”

“Ke Kilo Lani” can be interpreted as one who observes the heavens, or a star-gazer.

The exhibition opens a contemplative window into Cazimero’s extraordinary life work, illuminating how ʻike Hawaiʻi (to understand, or see) is carefully observed, nurtured, and carried forward through time. The displays reflect a continuum of ancestral wisdom and contemporary expression, revealing how cultural continuity is sustained through disciplined practice, mentorship, and unwavering commitment.

Through archival materials, visual storytelling, and embodied practices, visitors are invited to engage deeply with Cazimero’s body of work. Vintage photos and some artifacts from his livelihood are part of the attraction.

The exhibition emphasizes cultural transference as a living process, shaped by kuleana, mālama, and aloha for future generations.

Robert’s treasured past includes a stint with his late brother Roland in the Sunday Manoa group with Peter Moon, which led to developing their own brand and sound as The Brothers Cazimero, whose vision embraced recordings of traditional and contemporary Hawaiian tunes, and Na Hoku Hanohano Awards and spin-off community events like May Day extravaganzas and festive Christmas concerts that involved Na Kamalei dancers who also sing, and – for many years, until her passing — the hula and comedy of “the third brother,” Leinaala Kalama Heine.

Robert perennially pays homage to his kumu, the late Maiki Aiu Lake, for the wisdom and tradition he learned, and since her death he has developed his own imprint over the decades and he now is a role model in the annals of hula.

He’s sharing his talent in his ongoing monthy concerts at Chef Chai on Kapiolani Boulevard.

The Wāhea Foundation is collaborating with Gallery ‘Iolani, in staging the exhibition. Gallery hours are from 12:30 to 4:30 p.m. daily except Sundays and holidays. Information: (808) 236-9155, www.gallery.windward.hawaii.edu

And that’s Show Biz…

January 15, 2026January 15, 2026

MARS’ TOUR TO SKIP HAWAII

Bruno Mars, perhaps the most revered native son icon on the planet now, will go global with his mammoth tour beginning April 10 at the Allegient Stadium in Las Vegas. Tickets went on sale Jan. 14 at GoTickets.com but are also available at other ticketing agencies.

The tour supports Mars’ new “The Romantic” album, due to be released by Atlantic on Feb. 27. The first single, “I Just Might,” dropped a few days ago, and already is charted as a bona fide hit.

For Hawaii fans, catching Mars means fetching tickets for one of his playdates, which run from spring to fall, elsewhere. FYI, several cities already have added new playdates because of brisk, healthy sales.

Some data worth sharing:

* The Romantic Tour broke records for the largest single-day ticket sales in Live Nation history throughout North America, Europe and the UK.

* Ticketmaster logged 2.1 million tickets in a single sales day.

* Mars’ first-ever stadium sked now spans more than 70 shows, a decade after his record-breaking 24K Magic World Tour nearly a decade ago.

**The many moods of local-boy and homegrown superestar, Bruno Mars.**

In plain talk, Mars is a hottie, with shows scheduled between June 2026 and July 2027. But obviously, Mars can’t concertize in the Islands since the Aloha Stadium is closed for renovations, and there’s no viable venue unless you consider outside-of-the-box locations like Diamond Head Crater, Kualoa Ranch, or the plains at Schofield Barracks, which would mean impossible challenges like a lack of infrastructure or parking or security measures. But wouldn’t this make for an indisputably spectacular TV special after the fact? Just daydreaming.

His tours will be on hiatus during the holiday season, since he has a Christmas-New Year’s residency to fill at Dolby Live at Park MGM, Las Vegas.

“The Romantic” is the Hawaii-born superstar’s fourth album and the first in nearly a decade.

Mars is a familiar figure in Billboard Charts and the Grammy Awards since he became a household name. His trademark retro-inspired rhythm ‘n’ blues sound, elevated with a pop punch thanks to the versatility of his group, the Hooligans, includes the likes of “Just the Way You Are,” “Uptown Funk, “When I Was Your Man,” “Locked Out of Heaven,” “24K Magic,” “Treasure,” and “Marry You.” He just might slip in “I Just Might,” natch.

In the 2018 Grammy Awards, Mars won 16 trophies, in a major sweep of seven awards, and additional wins with Silk Sonic, and his 2024 collaboration with Lady Gaga on “Die With a Smile,” was reflective of his versatility and fluidity in partnering with landmark peers. In the 2026 Grammy Awards on Feb. 1, he is nominated for for his collaboration with Rosé on the song “APT.,” for Record of the Year, Song of the Year, and Best Pop Duo/Group Performance. And betcha he wins big time, too,..

And that’s Show Biz…