Month: November 2024

Cirque du Soleil, the magical and mystical show that embraces diverse circus acts fused with cultural traditions, is 40 years old now, with a proud history.

Its French-Canadian  co-founder, Guy Laliberté, was visiting Hawaii in 1984, and was inspired by the gorgeous sunrises and sunsets here. He connected with the beauty and energy of the sun, mostly while on the beach, and created a myriad of Cirque signature productions over the decades.

 The company’s logo, not surprisingly, depicts the soleil, which is French for sun.

Finally, decades later, Cirque has come full circle to launch “‘Auana,” its first Hawaii-themed, Waikiki-based spectacle, premiering Dec. 5 at the Outrigger Waikiki Beachcomber Hotel’s second-floor theater-showroom. “‘Auana” means “to wander or veer off the beaten path or to embark on a new journey.”

Requests for specifics on the show have been denied; little has been announced, regarding content, performing cast and other details. However, with an island cultural history consultant and a Hawaiian choreographer, it’s safe to assume that the productions will depict Hawaiian motifs, perhaps chants and even hula, and showcase island-inspired costumes.

The show’s website boasts sequences  inspired by “Moana,” the wayfaring navigator with the Disney pedigree, a glimpse of Hina, the moon goddess, and a fiery volcanic segment.

Neil Dorward is director; the island resources are Aaron Sala, cultural creative director; Manaola Yap, costume designer; and Hiwa Vaughan, island choreographer.

Performances will be Wednesdays through Sundays, and following the opening few days when only one show is staged, the schedule eventually will include shows at 5:30 and 8:30 p.m.  The running time is 1 hour, 20 minutes.

Historically, Cirque du Soleil has been a popular attraction for local audiences; the company staged “Saltimbanco” in 2008 and “Alegria” in 2010, with much success at the Blaisdell Arena. Because of its new Waikiki residency at the Outrigger Waikiki Beachcomber resort, “‘Auana,” should attract islanders, for certain; the target audience will be global visitors who previously supported Cirque over the past four decades and newbie spectators seeking grand entertainment beyond the customary luau shows…

And that’s Show Biz…

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“‘Auana” by Cirque du Soleil

What: A Hawaiian-themed spectacle with the Cirque du Soleil acrobatics

Where: Outrigger Waikiki Beachcomber Hotel’s showroom-theater

When: Wednesdays through Sundays, generally at 5:30 and 8:30 p.m.

Tickets: Varies, from $85 to $110, at www.cirquedusoleil.com > auana or (877) 773-6470

Soon it will be December, so with Christmas also on the horizon, Ho‘okena’s holiday show — at 7 p.m.  Sunday (Dec. 1 )at Blue Note Hawaii, at the Outrigger Waikiki resort — is a savvy destination.

“Ho‘okena: Home for the Holidays” has been the yuletude theme for the group, known for its blend of Hawaiian and pop/folk music, served with the aloha spirit.

Ho‘okena is a Na Hoku Hanohano Award-winning and Grammy-nominated group, featuring Horace Dudoit III (12 string guitar),  Chris Kamaka (stand-up fiddle bass) and Glen Smith (slack guitar). Maila Gibson Bandmann, traditionally a featured trouper with Ho‘okena, will be aboard to render “The Prayer” with Ho‘okena.

Of course, kumu hula Nani Dudoit and her halau will be aboard, with support from Aron Nelson (keyboards) and Kalei Dudoit (bass).

Doors open at 5 p.m., for dinner and drinks service.

Tickets: $35-$45, at www.bluenotehawaii.com or (808) 777-4890…

Anuhea’s Thanksgiving gig at Blue Note

Singer Anuhea celebrates the launch of her newest album, “Lotus,” with performances at 6:30 and 9 p.m. this Thanksgiving weekend (tomorrow, Nov. 28 and  Saturday, Nov. 30) at Blue Note Hawaii, Outrigger Waikiki Hotel.

Doors open at 5 p.m. and 9 p.m., prior to showtime, for dinner and drink service.

Tickets: $35-$45, available at www.bluenotehawaii.com and (808) 777-4890…

Broadway grosses, for week ending Nov. 24

The arrival of “Wicked,” the movie, clearly helped buoy  “Wicked,” the Broadway stage musical, to remain atop the pinnacle of show grosses, for the week ending Nov. 24.

The Top 10:

1—“Wicked,”$2.560 million

2—“The Lion King,” $2.006 million

3—“Hamilton,” $1.977 million

4—“Sunset Blvd.,” $1.870 million

5—“McNeal,” $1.438 million

6—“The Outsiders,” $1.425 million

7—“MJ the Musical,’ $1.359 million

8—“Hell’s Kitchen,” $1.316 million

9—”Oh, Mary!,” $1.225 million

10—“Aladdin,” $1.199 million

The complete list, courtesy the Broadway Guild:

And that’s Show Biz…

Diamond Head Theatre delivers a Christmas gift of nostalgia, in Irving Berlin’s “White Christmas,” in production through Dec. 15.

Inspired by Paramount’s film that was 1954’s highest-grossing hit, the stage show captures the heart and soul of the movie, via book by David Ives and Paul Blake, showcasing Berlin’s timeless music and lyrics that capture the spirt of the holidays.

However, the show has some issues.

Admittedly, there’s a lot of goodwill and cheer, thanks to the dedicated and dependable army of an ensemble of singers and dancers, garbed in vintage and vibrant costumes by  Emily Lane. That’s definite a plus, visually and emotionally.

And the timeless Berlin tunes —  “White Christmas,” “Happy Holidays,”  and “Count Your Blessings Instead of Sheep”  – make for an unforgettable stroll down memory lane.
Director-choreographer John Rampage, corroborating with Caryn Yee, stage impressive and spectacular tap dancing – who can resist tappers? – and lots of moves and momentum from the past, perfect for the timetable beginning at Christmas Eve, 1944.

The cast, led by Army buddies Bob Wallace (Adam Allison, in the Bing Crosby role in the film) and Phil Davis (David Sheftell, in the Danny Kaye role), are club crooners teamed as Wallace and Davis in Florida following World War II. They meet the Haynes Sisters, Betty (Lainey Hicks, in the Rosemary Clooney part) and Judy (Alexandria Zinov, in the Vera-Ellen role), known for their song-and-dance routine with blue feather fans, and they detour for Vermont instead of New York.

Their destination in Vermont is the Columbia Inn, which they discover is operated by retired general Henry Waverly (Joe Martyk) and is poised to be crowdless because there’s no snow. The entertainers commit to stage a show to attract patrons, and help raise funds for Waverly.

For me, the beacon in the show is Martha Watson (Mary Chesnut Hicks, radiating), a former Broadway star and currently the general’s housekeeper. The role in essence is a meddlesome woman, filled with wisecracks and humor, a wannabe trouper who radiates merriment of the holidays. Hicks has a couple of stirring numbers, “What Can You Do With a General,” performed with Bob and Phil, a solo on “Let Me Sing and I’m Happy,” and another beaut, “Falling Out of Love Can Be Fun,” with Betty and Judy.

However, the show is not without issues.

Wille Sabel’s hit-and-miss set design is a key distraction; apparently, there’s still designing challenges for the new DHT, which has been plagued with set shortcomings. The oversized backdrops – of Christmas ornaments, snowscapes – are serviceable and bright with Christmas hues. However, other set creations –  tiny rooms, the nightclub scene, the unritzy front of the Regency Room in New York  – reflect a lack of stagecraft funding and budgeting, resulting in clumsy and creaking sounds emanating when bulky pieces are moved on and off the stage.  Dear Santa: Can you help boost funds for set design to match the riches elsewhere, like costumes? The oversized red-and-white box from which Wallace and Davis make one grand entrance was splendid, however. The red and black piano for the “I Love a Piano” number seemed to be out of sync of the times.

I’m no Grinch nor Scrooge; I love theater, and I’m a sucker for festive Christmas shows and songs. However, the continuing problematic sets become a detraction.

Happily, the finale complete with red Santa costumes and a reprise of “White Christmas” help elevate  the holiday mood. And an audience sing-along before the final curtain, was a brilliant touch. And blissfully, the stage Christmas tree was twinkly and glistening, like a tree should be.

No complaints about Phil Hidalgo’s orchestrations, Jericho Sombrio’s sound, and Dawn Oshima’s lighting. Too, Akiko Shick’s hair and makeup for a cast of 30-plus is continuously remarkable.

Berlin’s “Blue Skies,”  “How Deep is the Ocean,” and “I’ve Got My Love To Keep Me Warm” are reminders of his composing skills, non-Christmas fare with beaucoup appeal to seniors who remember singing ‘em in decades past.

Go see the show, to feel the glow. The finale snow is faux, but adds to the yuletide spirit.

Merry Christmas, one and all…

And that’s Show Biz…

‘White Christmas’

What: A musical with songs by Irving Berlin (music and lyrics) and book by David Ives and Paul Blake, based on the 1954 Paramount film.

Where: Diamond Head Theatre

When: at 7:30 p.m. Fridays and Saturdays and 4 p.m. Sundays, with select shows 7:30 p.m. Wednesdays and Thursdays and 3 p.m. Saturdays, through Dec. 15

Tickets: $41 to $68, at www.diamondheadtheatre.com or (808) 773-0274.

Are first responders the new detectives and cops in the paradise that is Hawaii?

Could be. Ryan Murphy, the prolific television producer, writer and director of a myriad of TV hits, apparently is eyeing Hawaii for his next small screen spin-off.

“9-1-1: Hawaii” is in development at ABC, according to Deadline. Precisely what genre of first responders has not yet been determined.

The new show will be Ryan’s third in the “9-1-1” universe, following his “9-1-1” original set in Los Angeles on ABC, featuring cops, and “9-1-1: Austin” on Fox, with firefighters.

Even a lead actor – John Stamos – is apparently set to star in the “9-1-1: Hawaii” spin-off, according to TVLine. The website said Stamos is a likely choice, because like Rob Lowe, he’s got pop culture history. Stamos is known for roles in “General Hospital,” “Full House,” among others, and including the current streaming responder show at sea, “Doctor Odyssey,”  on ABC and streaming on Hulu. Further, he has history with Murphy, the TV mogul of many shows, like “Glee,” “Scream Queens,” and “The New Normal,” plus the  current “Odyssey” and “Grotesquerie” on Hulu.

If the project materializes – and it seems to be a good bet it will  — it would be the second series in Hawaii with first responders saving lives and answering SOS calls. Audiences get hooked on the potential tragedy/heroic rescues of the first responder formula because they are provide emotional and action-filled entertainment.

 “Rescue: HI Surf” is the first. It boasts lifeguards in primetime on Fox, with its first season under way on the North Shore, where pounding high waves put swimmers and surfers in jeopardy.

The arrival of “Rescue” ends the decades-long CBS’ reign of procedurals of cops and sleuths chasing murderers, robbers and other  criminals in Honolulu, rendering  these shows obsolete. CBS canceled “NCIS: Hawaii,” which was the  franchise’s spin on navy crimes earlier this year, after three seasons, despite touting the franchise’s first-ever female Special Agent in Charge in Vanessa Lachey.  

For several decades, CBS was the key network of the crime-in-paradise shows: “Hawaii Five-0,” original and reboot, and “Magnum P.I.,” also with original and revival.  The  shows didn’t book stars, but created stars , who became famous: Jack Lord  (“Five-0”), Tom Selleck (“Magnum”),  Alex O’Loughlin (“Five-0”) and Jay Hernandez (“Magnum.”)

Show creator Ryan Murphy and collaborator Tim Minear have been pitting Honolulu against Las Vegas for the  newest “9-1-1” installment. Honolulu over Las Vegas?  The tropics or the desert?  Honolulu would be the best fit. And why not? Hawaii News Now’s meteorologist Guy Hagi reminds us daily that “Hawaii has the best weather on the planet.”

Further, the cameras love Hawaii; “Five-0” and “Magnum” always captured the money shots – blue skies, turquoise seas, pristine beaches and sunshine galore, in missions hither and yon, even leaving an imprint on Kualoa Ranch, where dozens of film and TV scenes have been filmed. Our visitor industry – Waikiki in particular – would welcome the subsequent publicity.

If it’s a greenlighted, “9-1-1: Hawaii” would start filming in March, 2025, and debut in the fall of 2025,  joining the ABC family, so a formal announcement is imminent. “Lone Star” is in the midst of its fifth and final season, which ends Feb. 3, so a  fresh spinoff for a sister show, would keep the brand and momentum going, hopefully for multiple seasons.

First responder shows are particularly costly endeavors for its creators, because they aim high for quality, high-end concepts with expected spiraling costs. Add salaries for “name” stars, like Angela Bassett, Peter Krause and Rob Lowe on the earlier “9-1-1” shows, the budgets soar. Further, actors earn off-camera executive producer credits, too; Lowe not only stars on “Lone Star,” but wears a producer’s hat, and Bassett, who starred on the original “9-1-1,” has also served as an exec producer on “Lone Star.”

An oddity in the investigative brand is “NCIS: Sydney,” which begins its second season in January; it is not produced by the domestic NCIS team. The original “NCIS” still airs on CBS, with a prequel, “Origins,” which was launched this fall.

If “9-1-1: Hawaii” materializes, a network of actors, casting directors, and behind-the-scenes trade craftsmen are understandably waiting in the wings for the “greenlight” call. The mode right now is amber.

According to Deadline, representatives for ABC and Studio 20^th Television, which are behind the  project have declined comment….

And that’s Show Biz…

Let it be said that once is not enough, when embracing and experiencing “Once on This Island,” now at the Manoa Valley Theatre. There’s so much to adore, appreciate and applaud.

The production is a treasure — and a pleasure — to watch.

I last saw this soulful, sensational show in 2018, at Broadway’s Circle in the Square in New York. Lea Salonga was one of the goddesses in the show; sand covered the in-the-round stage floor;  a realistic pool of water was part of the scene; a diapered goat (yes, live!) provided realism and whimsy.

The MVT production boasts the sandy floor and a tiny pool of water sits in one corner. Otherwise, this “Once on This Island” is spartan, yet boasting an incredible ensemble of singers and dancers, and that’s the beauty of this show. Its makers transform the spirit and shape the substance of the storytelling process.

“Once on This Island”  — with book and lyrics by Lynn Ahrens and music by Stephen Flaherty — is set on a rustic Caribbean island, and its troupers bring the words and music to life, playing rich and poor, gods and peasants, and – like in any traditional story – projects a beginning, a middle, and an end.

 Ahnya Chang, visionary director and choreographer, turns in her career-best work, molding and shaping this formidable non-stop engine, challenging her cast to fuel vocals and dances with typhoon-strength strokes, all the while demonstrating her power of synergy. She’s on a roll, truly, following this past summer’s I’m a Bright Kid Foundation’s “Newsies” at Paliku Theatre, where her choreography was stupendous.

As audience members stroll in to find their seats, the ensemble folks  are already at work, portraying resident islanders in a prelude,  milling around as survivors of a hurricane.

“Once on This Island” prosseses the traits of a morality play, embracing universal themes like hope and pain, struggles and successes, gladness and sadness, highs and lows, and conflicts and peace. 

To survive, togetherness matters; rights and wrongs abound. 

Four gods add a mythical mode; and like in “Romeo and Juliet,” star-crossed lovers from different sides of the tracks fall in love.

The four compelling gods propel the action, trigger bursts of emotions,  and guide the  emotional tempo of the citizenry: Asaka, the mother of the Earth, played by Lelea‘e “Buffy” Kahalepuna-Wong; Agwé,  the god of water, portrayed  by Jarren Amian; Erzulie, enacted by Jorin Young, the goddess of love; and Papa Ge, performed by Kimo Kaona, the demon of death.

Each actor is a thorough delight, approaching godliness with mythic and marvelous tonal qualities, putting their individual vocal imprint into their earthy folk songs that define their spirited strengths.

The love story  entails the protagonist Ti Moune (Alexis Burgarin, a  beautiful go-getter), an orphan raised by peasant parents (Mama Euralie, portrayed by La Masae Fa‘amausili, and  Tonton Julian, played by Keanu Roe), after the powerful gods save her life in the storm. 

Ti Moune is somewhat of a manipulator with a heroic streak, defying her parents and rescuing the wealthy Daniel Beauhomme (Darian Aquino, her attractive suitor) from death, whose hands and heart she seeks by the tale’s end.

Other secondary roles include Nicole Villejo as Daniel’s wealthy wife Andrea Deveraux  and Jared Duldulao as Armand Beauxhomme, Daniel’s rigid dad. And Sadie Hokama-Satele is the featured Little Girl.

The incredible ensemble should take individual bows, because they sing their hearts out and dance tirelessly, with their spectrum of motion and commotion. They form the solid and sustaining mid-section of the storytelling, so hurrahs to Pono Cummings, Landon Ballesteros, Marnita Nychelle Billups, Caitlin Bright, Drew Bright, Journey Glasbow, Alexandra Holloway and Presley A. Wheeler.

Kudos, too, to the tech crew: Chris Gouveia and Janine Myers, lighting; Jax Pitts, props; Kimmerie H.O. Jones, costumes; Willie Sabel, set; Sarah Velasco and Timothy Manamtam, sound; Lisa Ponce de Leon, hair and makeup; Eric Steinwandt-Gudoy, stage management; and Jenny Shiroma, music.

The show has been extended till Dec. 15, so if you can secure tickets, go. You’ll applaud and cheer the fine work.

And that’s Show Biz…

‘Once on This Island’

What: A musical by Lynn Ahrens (book and lyrics) and Stephen Flaherty (music), based on Rosa Guy’s novel, “My Love, My Love”

Where: Manoa Valley Theatre

When: At 7:30 p.m. Thursdays through Saturdays,  and 3 p.m. Sundays (plus a 3 p.m. matinee on Saturday Nov. 23), through Dec. 15.

Tickets: $25 through $48, available at the box office, at (808) 988-6131, www.manoavalleytheatre.com and https://ci.ovationtix.com/35307/production/1195089 …