Reflections on last Sunday’s Super Bowl:
Marcus Mariota, homegrown football fave, finally made it to the Super Bowl. Well, sorta. The Philadelphia Eagles’ underutilized secondary QB was heard but not seen on the Super Bowl telecast.
Mariota (pictured) narrated that splendid Lahaina Wildfire commercial, that reflected the Maui Strong message, depicting the horrors of that August day, when more than 100 perished and the historic harbor front town was reduced to a charcoal-gray ghost town. The commercial was a preview to the coin toss to begin the battle between the favored San Francisco 49ers and the underdog Kansas City Chiefs. A Lahainaluna football contingent were honored, including four Luna team members, including players Morgan “Bula” Montgomery, Teva Loft, Kaulana Tihada and Kuola Watson who were joined by their coaches Dean Rickard and Garret Tihada and former head coach Bobby Watson…
Then there was actor Jason Momoa (pictured), the Hawaii native, in a T-Mobile clip, even singing and doing a backflip, in the commercial featuring Zach Braff and Donald Faison, who shelved their usual “Oh, What a Beautiful Morning” vocalizing. In a comedic set-up, Braff and Faison knock on a door with a plate of wings, and Momoa informs them that the party had been cancelled due to the cable being out. Then, Braff and Faison broke out in song and dance moves, convincing Momoa to switch to T-Mobile 5g home internet while chirping ”What a Feeling” from the 1983 film “Flashdance.” “Aquaman” joins in only to get doused with water…in a splashdance of sorts…
With CBS airing the Super Bowl, it was no surprise to see quick images of “NCIS: Hawaii” co-stars Vanessa Lachey and LL Cool J together…
Of course, Dwayne Johnson, an island native, got camera time, too, but why not? He’s The Rock…
But there was no sign of local boy Bruno Mars, who has a residency at the MGM Resort, but then again, he was busy during the weekend, hosting and opening The Pinky Ring, his new ritzy lounge/bar at the Bellagio resort on the Las Vegas Strip, where the likes of Lady Gaga and Blake Shelton popped in during Super Bowl weekend…
Nyle Hallman dies at 95
Sorry to report the death, on Feb. 14, of Nyle Hallman, widow of Roy Hallman who were co- founders of the Honolulu Boy Choir. She was 95. She also was the longtime accompanist for the choir and the veteran organist of the Central Union Church.
Daughter Kathy Hallman confirmed the death at the family home.
Blake M. Nuibe, who has served as executive director of the world-famous Honolulu Boy Choir, said he and boy choir ohana members Kay Hirasuna, Glenn Seo and Philip Fujimoto, recently gifted Nyle with a Hawaiian floral arrangement to celebrate the new year and to wish her well.
“I conversed with Nyle on Jan. 18 and again on Feb.9,” said Nuibe. “Both times, her mind was sharp, and her spirits were high, but knew her health was flailing. Kathy is heartbroken but very grateful for Nyle’s long. amazing life.”
Nyle and Roy (who died April 20, 2007, at age 82) had a successful and prolific life with the Boy Choir, which they co-founded in 1974, inspired by the Vienna Boy Choir. They enlisted boys 7 to 14 — with or without experience, many with higher-pitched voices due to their young ages – to sing, focus, and to be attentive while standing on risers, unified in voice, and mentored by the Hallmans. The choir toured globally, were fixtures on not only on the concert stage, but in recordings and TV, and for many years did Christmas season concerts, notably featuring their version of “Numbah One Day of Christmas,” at the Monarch Room of the fabled Royal Hawaiian Hotel.
Nyle was a masterful musician, who played harp as well as organ, and has been the organist at Central Union and principal harpist with the Honolulu Symphony Orchestra.
Funeral services are pending…
Streetlighters have weekend shows
Streetlight Cadence will do shows on Maui and the Big Island this weekend.
The agenda, part of the group’s ongoing Brighter Than Ever Tour, includes these shows:
–Friday (Feb. 16), at 7:30 p.m., at the Maui Arts and Cultural Center’s McCoy Studio Theatre. (tickets).
–Saturday (Feb. 17), at 7 p.m., at Kahilu Theatre in Waimea, on the Big Island. Tickets: $40, $70. (tickets)
–Sunday, at 2 p.m., at Hungry Ear Records in Kakaako. Free, with a meet-and-greet after the show. please RSVP here
Broadway grosses, for week ending Feb. 11
“Hamilton” again is the No. 1 draw on Broadway, a skosh ahead of “The King.”
Here’s the top 10:
1—”Hamilton,”$1,565 million.
2—”The Lion King,” $1,504 million.
3—”Merrily We Roll Along,” $1,494 million.
4—” Wicked,” $1,303 million.
5—”Sweeney Todd: The Demon Barber of Fleet Street,” $1,260 million.
6—”Moulin Rouge! The Musical,” $1,205 million,
7–“MJ The Musical,” $1,163 million.
8—” Harry Potter and the Cursed Child,” $949,121,
9–“ Aladdin,” $923,150,
10—”& Juliet,” $897,506.
The complete list, courtesy The Broadway Guild:
And that’s Show Biz. …
