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Let the season begin…
OK, it’s not yet Thanksgiving, but Santa’s workshop has been working overtime the past few weeks.
Translation: I’ve created more than 400 Christmas pins and perhaps 150 table decorations and have begun distribution to family and friends, via mail and personal delivery.
Here are samples of the pins … and a portion of the decorations.
Keali‘i Reichel, one of Hawaii’s true luminaries of mele and hula, opened a four-night, six-show engagement last night (Nov. 18) at Blue Note Hawaii. Performances continue today (Nov. 19) through Sunday (Nov. 21), at the Outrigger Waikiki venue.
They say absence makes the heart grow fonder, and you get better with age – and both apply to Reichel, one of Hawaii’s beloved entertainers. His followers have missed him during the pandemic that shuttered the performing venues and that break seems to have mellowed Reichel.
I once called him a reluctant singer, because while he boasts a heavenly voice, he’s been rather shy of strutting his stuff, from the vantage point of taking centerstage to croon like, well, Adele. Hello? He’s not Adele but he could take a few cues from her.
It’s been 27 years since Reichel issued his first and best-selling “Kawaipunahele,” a landmark album/hit that put him on the map as a vocalist and compose. Since then, he’s been a prolific contributor of Hawaiian and some haole titles that have made him a certified star.
Wish he would be more of an up-front-and-center headliner, like Adele.
It’s been about 40 years since he established his Halau Kealaokamaile and developed a trademark of tapping alakai – lead dancers/teachers — and hula stylists over the decades. I recall hearing him before seeing him, singing in a malo at a Kauai fund-raiser for his halau, back in the day.
It’s been two years since he appeared on the Blue Note stage, when he guest-starred with Ho‘okena during the early stages of the coronavirus crisis, in what loomed as a bona fide powerhouse of a double-bill.
It’s been nine years since he’s staged in his own show in Honolulu, though he infrequently has brought his star power to Maui venues. So he’s been ripe for this homecoming.
As he delivered his opening tune, he seemed to struggle his way into finishing “I Will Be Here,” a ballad in English which was one of his hits from earlier years. He gave a huge sigh of relief , “Whew,” when he completed the tune in the lone moment where he was front and center, singing into the mike, without a trusty guitar or ukulele which he would alternately strum throughout the rest of the show.
That static position — sitting with his three trusty accompanists and kinda tucking himself behind a fresh maile lei that hung on the mike stand – is not what stars generally do.
Assuredly, Reichel is a not just a singer/musician; he is a composer, a chanter, a dancer, a choreographer and a kumu hula of Halau Kealaokamaile. A true show biz hyphenate.
In a volley of charming but unnecessary self-deprecating comments, he admitted he was gay, er grey, and – alluding to the shutdown of the pandemic – fat but alive. He said he’s finally reached the uncle status, when younger folks use that nickname in the spirit of respect.
He said he was rusty, because he’s been idled by the pandemic, but I found him trusty, despite the staging concept. His compositions are in English and Hawaiian and suited for choreography, hence the waves of hula by his six dancers (and one alakai, a leader within the halau) who performed in gorgeous eye-filling hula, in mulitples of six, four, three or even one dancer.
Oh, and his backup trio and three backup singers, made it quite a crowd on stage. The instrumentalists provided stellar support, but the three voices often were not miked properly and had moments of not being properly heard.
Reichel never acted like a star and his style and manner haven’t changed much over the decades. He shared his stage time generously, with perhaps more hula than necessary.
He appeared wearing a black shirt over a pair of gray trousers, his graying hair coiled in a small ponytail, suggesting his 60ish age. A cluster of bracelets adorned his right wrist, and his only other jewelry was a white shell necklace.
And he was barefeet, sans shoes, the hallmark of a true hula stylist, and likely is/was the only other headliner taking the Blue Note stage minus footwear.. The other is/was the late Willie K, a fellow Mauian.
Reichel’s serenades favored Maui mele, reflections of home and life and love. (He’s gleeful about double-entendre tunes that relate emotions on two levels, one nice, one naughty).
The numbers ranged from the sit-down hula,”Ke Aloha,” by the ladies, and a graceful and sentimental “E O Mai,” one of his signature Hawaiian ballads.
While “Nematoda,” a novelty song, was one of his off-center favorites, Reichel did not share with his first-show audience his biggest hit, “Kawaipunahele,” a true misstep (he performed it as a hana hou entry for his second-show fans).
Adele would never leave her stage without sharing the likes of “Someone Like You,” “Rolling in the Deep,” or “Hello” … and Reichel should not abandon titles that made him a star, even if he doesn’t believe he’s a star. You get rusty when you lose the trust of your following…
And that’s Show Biz …
With the coronavirus pandemic easing somewhat, shows that were earlier shuttered and new ones holding off till the entertainment climate improves, are beginning to sprout again.
Biggest news: Marc delaCruz, who was understudying the titular role in Lin-Manuel Miranda’s megahit, will appear as Alexander Hamilton when “Hamilton” reopens tonight (Nov. 18) after a long “intermission” at the Richard Rodgers Theatre.
It’s a major credit and achievement for the actor from the Big Island and for the AAPI community. While Joseph Morales, another islander, has inherited the lead role (see below), he’s never performed it on Broadway.
DelaCruz becomes the first Filipino-Japanese actor to fully embrace the role of America’s Founding Father. He’s worked hard and long to achieve this prestigious part, and did a performance or two as Hamilton in 2019. Before landing the lead, DelaCruz was understudy for the roles of Philip Hamilton, John Laurens and King George, and had been covering the roles of Philip Schuyler / Doctor / James Reynolds, too.
Clearly, this is reason enough to finally see “Hamilton” in the flesh, even if you’ve watched the Disney+ film, or revisit the show again to support and applaud our local boy.
Jin Ha, a Korean American, will appear as Aaron Burr, joining DelaCruz in demonstrating the AAPI triumphs on the Great White Way. …
And yes, the aforementioned Morales was in the midst of an ongoing tour of “Hamilton,” is resuming his performances as Alexander Hamilton as the musical criss-crosses the mainland. He was the first local boy to don the costume of AH. …
Two Broadway regulars with Hawaii roots – Ann Harada and Jason Tam – are winding up their performances in “Fairycakes,” packing up Sunday (Nov. 21) at the Greenwich House Theatre in New York instead of the earlier announced Jan. 2 closing. Harada was portraying Musterseed, Tam was Prince/Cupid in the play with Shakespearean influences. …
Stan Egi, an islander who transplanted to the mainland years ago, is rehearsing for the role of Yeye in Max Yu’s “Nightwatch” play, in rehearsals for a run at Chicago’s Goodman Theatre. …
Villanueva now a restaurateur
Rodney Villanueva, the popular emcee/comedian, now is a restaurateur. He’s the man behind Celebrahtee’s – local version of Celebrity’s – at the former Pearl City site of Buzz’s atop the hilly terrain.
A manager also is aboard: Lisa Campollo.
Apparently, Villaneueva hopes to get a Hawaiian vibe going, with lunch and dinner service. The kau kau will be local and there are plans to feature entertainment because the site includes a stage that could easily host singers-musicians, hula dancers or stand-up comics. …
Villanueva used to host wedding receptions and other parties in his previous life. …
And that’s Show Biz. …
Surely you’ve participated in a school classroom or work office ritual called “Secret Santa” during the holidays.
I don’t have fond memories or success with this illogical tradition. I mean, there’s usually a price ceiling, like $5 for school kids and perhaps $10 for working adults.
You usually pick a name, from a proverbial hat, of a classmate or an office co-worker, and they’re not supposed to know who the Secret Santa is.
Argh! What if your recipient is someone you have little to do with?
Argh again! What can you buy and wrap on a trinket budget?
You can’t not participate, so either you purchase a boring item, say a couple of ball point pens, or seek out a sale item even you wouldn’t want to receive.
This whole process is supposed to enhance holiday goodwill and cheer. But does it?
Methinks it brings out the Grinch instead.
Presents should come with sincerity and admiration, from the givers. So if you have classmates or workmates, you usually enchange gifts with anyway, why can’t the angst of the Secret Santa process be nullified?
What memories, or nightmares, do you have of this Secret Santa thing?
With the airing earlier this week of the last of 10 episodes of “Doogie Kamealoha, M.D.,” it’s time to reflect on and endorse a second season for the Disney+ Hawaii-based, Hawaii-filmed show.
Without doubt, “Doogie” is the best thing to happen here since sliced pineapple.
It’s authentic, credible, consistent, groundbreaking and professional, from top to bottom.
OK, its inspiration is yesteryear’s Neil Patrick Harris medical sitcom, “Doogie Howser, M.D.,” reshaped and rebooted with a new spin – updated for today, wholly filmed here, boasting more local faces on camera and off whose presence glows and certifies the show as a bona fide Hawaii gem.
Simply, this one is a measuring rod and a model of execution for other filmed-in-the-islands productions to adopt. It’s got the visual integrity among its population of characters and actors, knowing looks matter more than the visitor-appealing customary sights and scenes of tropical Hawaii filling network series.
An unlikely lass named Lahela becomes a doctor at 16 and is conflicted with high school expections, so it’s simultaneously an homage to the original sitcom and a journey for modern times. Lahela has to deal with surgeries, as a certified medic, but she struggles to get her driver’s license and boyfriend decisions, too. Like, should he go pro as a paid surfer and leave his lovey-dovey at home? Domestic matters compete with hospital commitments, too, because mom Dr. Clara Hannon (played by Kathleen Rose Perkins) rules at home yet doubles as her hospital administrator. It’s a unique balancing act of tough, often hilarious, situations.
Peyton Elizabeth Lee portrays the titular character, and she’s perky, cute, charming and respectful, a lofty inspiration for aspirational kids. While she might look like the kid down the street, she is New York-born but her hapa looks fit the template of the show.
Lahela’s world quickly becomes our world, a tropical paradise with sunny skies, verdant seas, and laced with teen issues and complications that intersect both her medical career and her peers.
Her family is our family – and this is the show’s strength and attraction: most of the actors playing real-life roles look like us. Asian, Hawaiian, haole, hapa. It’s a rainbow collection of normalcy for us folks in the islands.
The show, adapted by Hawaii-born Kourtney Kang, is based on the original series by collaborators Steven Bocho and David E. Kelley which aired on ABC for four seasons and made Harris a star from the get-go.
Its localness surely was a draw for Jason Scott Lee, an actor somewhat semi-retired and residing on the Big Island, to return to active acting playing Benny Kamealoha, Lahela’s appealing and often off-center dad, who operates a shave ice-and-flowers wagon and proves to be the most natural and adorable pidgin-spouting cast member with a most congenial smile and laughter. Lee, who likely really didn’t need the work, must’ve sensed an opportunity to jump-start his on-and-off Hollywood credits. He played Bruce Lee in a biopic early in his career, portrayed the King of Siam in a London musical mounting of “The King and I,” and last was seen on the big screen as the antagonist Bori Kahn in Disney’s live-action “Mulan.”
The Kamealoha clan includes Matt Sato as the elder son, Kai Kamealoha; he is wickedly funny, with a head of wavy hair that attracts attention, and teen girls adore him. His roots are in Mililani, the westside Oahu community, and his occasional sibling friction with sister Lahela could be stuff your kids argue about.
Wes Tian as Brian Patrick Kamealoha, the youngest son/brother, is from Chicago but convincingly fits into the ohana. He brings a wry comedic spin to the plate.
Several secondary players – Alex Aiono, as Lahela’s boyfriend Walter Camara, from Phoenix; Emma Meisel, as Lahela’s BFF Steph Denisco, from Los Angeles; Mapuana Makia as nurse Noelani Hakayama , from Maui; and Ronny Chieng, as Dr. Lee, from Malaysia; and Jeffrey Boyer-Chapman, as nurse Charles, from Canada – complete the mixed plate inner circle of the show.
For the out-of-town crews, both on and off camera, onetime Hollywood producer Chris Lee, has served as a consulting producer, to provide kokua and guidance from his decades-long savvy in film production. So a shout-out to Lee, who helps make wrongs right in his oversight.
The John A. Burns School of Medicine, an actual University of Hawaii working “campus” for future doctors in training at Kewalo Basin, has a key role weekly on “Doogie Kamealoha.” The show’s hospital wing utilizes available space at JABSOM, which occasionally shows off the glories of the Pacific Ocean and Diamond Head in overhead or distance shots.
The show’s concluding chapter, episode 10, was as good as it gets – capped by the last of three guest-role appearances of the late Al Harrington, who played Uncle John. He died several weeks ago, after completing his guest spots, and a closing acknowledgement of his passing was a noble send-off. And the oooh-oooh voicing of Israel Kamakawiwo’ole singing his iconic version of “Over th Rainbow,” was a defining moment that demonstrated the show’s prowess and power of a lingering episodic comedy.
A final observation: Lahela’s monologue at the concluding moments of each show — where she composes and spouts observations of life and love, speaking from the heart for her online blog – serves as a flashpoint of humanity and honesty, akin to the family dinners of “Blue Bloods,” where the day’s or week’s concerns are discussed and resolved with truth and inspiration.
Hope Lahela continues this tradition…in the not-yet-announced second season. …
And that’s Show Biz …