Friends will have a chance to say goodbye to the beloved Frances Kirk, the former Outrigger Waikiki entertainment director and one-time manager of the Society of Seven, in a celebration of life memorial set for 1:30 p.m. Friday (Jan. 28) at Nuuanu Mortuary.
Kirk, who moved from Honolulu to Las Vegas, died Nov. 29.
She was a pivotal force in establishing and launching the career of the SOS show band, earlier known as the Fabulous Echoes, as a manager of the group, but also helped shaped and booked acts at the Main Showroom of the Outrigger Waikiki, which since has become the home of Blue Note Hawaii.
Because of pandemic protocols, there is a limit of 25 to attend the service, according to Mike Kirk, son of Frannie. He is attempting to work with the mortuary to perhaps schedule a second around of mourners after the initial services, but that has not yet been confirmed.
Folks who were close to the legendary entertainment icon – from former Mayor Mufi Hannemann, who will emcee the services, to performers such as Marlene Sai and Glenn Medeiros — are expected to share their recollections of Kirk, with a few others yet to be named.
While she was best known as mentor to the SOS, she also was a published author with a passion for storytelling, who wrote a biography of the Tony Ruivivar-led group from the Philippines and Hong Kong, sharing indelible memories of her alliance with the act back in the day when they performed on the Ed Sullivan Show, to more current times, when the band mounted lavish nightclub revues with costumed tributes to Broadway shows, from “The Phantom of the Opera” to “A Chorus Line.”
At the time of her death, Kirk also had been scribbling a novel or two with the hopes of getting them published.
She also was an avid golfer and a realtor, who also enjoyed a good meal and a side order of show biz gossip.
Mike Kirk also is planning an invitational post-service gathering later in the day, with fellowship and kaukau …
Another Kolivas musician
Kainalu Kolivas’ group, Dreams of Future Machines, is appearing in a string of New York-area gigs this week, at Pianos in NYC on Wednesday (Jan. 26), The Locker Room in Brooklyn on Friday (Jan. 28) and at East Berlin in NYC Saturday (Jan.29). Yes, if the Kolivas name rings a bell, he’s the son of John and Deanna Kolivas, dad being the leader of a jazz group here….
One exit, one new arrival
Because Jason Taglianetti is departing our islands, his “Applause in a Small Room” weekly radio show, which features live shows originating from Hawaii Public Radio’s Atherton Studio, is terminating this Sunday (Jan. 30).
Taglianetti is an accomplished sound engineer who hosted the radio series, and he’s assembled a mixed bag of performers for the finale: Amy Hanaiali‘i, Alx Kawakami, Peter Rowan and Booker T. Airtime will be from 4 to 5 p.m. Sunday on HPR-1…
Beginning Feb. 6, a new program will launch, “Mauka to Makai,” hosted by Roger Bong, creator of the Aloha Got Soul, a record label that also is a vinyl record shop on King Street. …
And that’s Show Biz. …
Thanks Wayne for the info about Frannie Kirk’s Celebration of Life. Hope you will be able to attend even with the number of people being limited. I hope there will be a write up in the news about her.
Aloha Dolores