Hawaii native Nicole Scherzinger will make her Broadway debut when she stars in a Broadway revival of “Sunset Boulevard,” portraying Norma Desmond, in the Andrew Lloyd-Webber hit. The show has been a hot ticket in London, where it just closed on Jan. 6.
The stripped-back production, directed by Jamie Lloyd, had huge buzz during its West End run at the Savoy Theatre.
Scherzinger making Broadway debut in “Sunset Boulevard.”
The modern take shucks much of the glamor of the original and targets a modern vision, embracing hand-held live photography, showing actors in often massive closeups, and also tracks backstage exits and entrances seemingly like an earlier, innovative element attemped by a failed “West Side Story” revival on Broadway.
Scherzinger’s co-stars from London – Tom Francis as Joe Gillis, the struggling screenwriter; Grace Hodgett-Young as Betty Schaefer as Gillis’ girlfriend; and David Thaxton as Max Von Mayerling, Norma’s butler– will also be making their Broadway debut.
Scherzinger previously starred as Grizabella in a London run of “Cats.”
She is widely known for her work and popularity as leader of the Pussycat Dolls, so she brings a vigorous, powerful voice to the stage.
The production removes much of the glamor of the original, in the tale of a fading silent movie star incapable of transitioning to talkies.
As Norma, Scherzinger is costumed only in a black slip throughout the show, and she roams. bare feet like an alley cat, shadowed by her mute younger shadow (Hannah Yun Chamberlain).
The mood is dark and shadowy, befitting Norma’s looming madness.
“Sunset Boulevard” revival is dark, moody and modern.
Gone is the trademark grand staircase of the past, where the likes of Patti LuPone, Glenn Close, Betty Buckley and Elaine Paige have descended — to deliver the character’s memorable line, “I’m ready for my closeup, Mr. DeMille,” alluding to iconic director Cecil B. DeMille.
Her pipes surely will make “With One Look” and “:”As If We Never Said Goodbye” show-stoppers…
Tam in off-Broadeway ‘White Chip‘
Jason Tam, a Honolulan who’s become a regular Broadway trouper, will be in the cast of “The White Chip,” an autobiographical recovery comedy by Sean Daniels, set for a run from Feb.1 through March 9 at the Susan & Ronald Frankel Theater aI The Robert W. Wilson MCC Theatre Space. Previews of the off-Broadway show begin Jan. 22.
Sheryl Kaller, a Tony nominee, will direct.
Tam, pictured left, is best known for his role as Paul San Marco, in the last revival of :”A Chorus Line,” and launched his Broadway career playing Gavroche in “Les Miserables.”
The cast for “Chip” also\features Crystal Dickinson and Joe Tapper…
This originally was posted yesterday (Jan. 5) on my Facebook page; repeating here… but doing a follow-up here today (Jan. 6).
Dear friends, family, and followers:
I will be incommunicado for much of tomorrow (Friday, Jan.5) because of surgery at Queen’s Medical Center at 7:30 a.m.
Reason: I will be removing my gall bladder, which was a problematic organ in early August, when I was hospitalized. My doctors then found abscess in the bladder, which also infected my liver. I had fever, not able to eat, and only wanted to sleep.
At that time, my doctors t wanted to do a laparoscopic procedure to remove the gall bladder, but when they checked my Queen’s history, they discovered I had to stents inserted in an artery near my heart. The concern was that the bladder removal might affect my heart, so upon release, I had to check with my cardiologist if it was sensible to proceed, albeit belatedly, with the bladder surgery.
My cardiologist cleared the surgery, acknowledging that if I were to do this, now was a good time. My high blood pressure was under control, an EKG test was AOK, and after the summer hospitalization, I had lost 16 lbs. (Confession: A few pounds returned).
In my situation, timing is crucial. If I wait a year or two, the bladder issue could return and likely be challenging to my health again.
Lower back pain aside, I’ve been feeling great. I just completed a six-week, two sessions per week, rehabilitation session at Ortho-Sport in Niu Valley, working with my trainer to strengthen my legs, particularly my sciatic right leg.
As mentioned earlier, the two-week hospitalization resulted in occasionally wobbly legs, so I’ve been utilizing a walker since, enabling me to walk without falling. I have a cane for back-up, too, but I hope someday soon, I will be able to comfortably walk without the walker.
Handicaps don’t heal quickly. Every day, there are challenges, with ups and downs, like mountains and valleys.
Exercise is key, so I’ve been doing what l’ve learned at home.
I’m still a work in process, but the past few months have been a satisfying learning experience.
My wife has been an angel of a caregiver, and a true partner in the recovery process.
My surgeon is upbeat about the bladder removal; he wanted to get the bladder out two weeks ago, but I wanted to enjoy the holidays before tending to recovery process.
Today was hectic and filled with must-do. Got a haircut. Did my last Ortho session. And met with an Abbott fella who put my back pain-related battery device on “surgery” mode to proceed with the surgery.
I am ready for lift-off.
And I hope to be back to my usual tasks at the computer, for columns, chats and more.
So, wish me luck, and perhaps, like Dionne Warwick sings, share a prayer for me.
GLADDER THAT THE BLADDER’!’S GONE
Dear friends, family, and followers:
I am back. Home, after a 12-hour trek to Queen’s Medical Center, for surgery to remove my problematic, infected gall bladder. Grateful to all of you, who’ve expressed concern and best wishes, along with prayers. Such support is helpful when your life and well-being are in jeopardy. Left home at 4:45 a.m. yesterday (Jan. 5) to be at Queen’s by 5:30 a.m. check-in and pre-surgery rituals. Arrived home around 4:20 p.m., weary and happy all went well.
Well, not everything, but no complaints this morning (Jan 6.) My appointment was at 7:30 a.m., and I was in the OR about 3 minutes later. My hopes were in the hands of Dr. Steven Nishida, who did the robotic procedure and anesthesiologist Dr. Edward Leone, who put me out pretty quickly. I was in the recovery room at 11:30 a.m. (I was up and a tad groggy but glanced at the clock).
My wife Vi drove me to the hospital, and was in the waiting area, grabbed a quick lunch, and a nurse called her to enable to join me in the post-surgery cubicle. She has been a real angel in my journey toward wellness. Thanks, honey. I was a bit hungry, not having food since 7:30 p.m. the night before, so a nurse brought graham crackers, saltines, and two tiny cups of juice – my brunch, so to speak – and I nibbled and sipped for the first 15 minutes or so. I am a believer that life has its best and its worst. I experienced both, in minor degrees, and Queen’s is like a hotel for broken souls, as I mentioned when hospitalized in August for 10 days. I am on the mend, happily, and will continue by recuperation in the weeks and months ahead.
With tongue in cheek, I made note of the good and bad, of my experience, perhaps to inform future surgery patients what to expect.
Worst things first: Those open-back hospital gowns are still in place, and no one looks good in one, so it is what it is. The nurses make you pee before you are whisked to the OR on the gurney, but at least in my corner, you’re asked to make shi-shi in those plastic urinals and hang ‘em on the bed’s rail. Because you enter the hospital with your bladder, but leave without it, the most frustrating ritual is to urinate into the aforementioned jug. In the first hour, I could only trickle, halfway up to the first plateau of 100 mg. I asked if it was enough, and the answer was no, I needed to deposit 200 mg. The nurse on duty, Keli, said my body was resistant since the bladder was removed, and it’s tightening up – like a turtle putting its head into its shell, or one of those plants that shrivel and close up when you touch it. The wisdom was spot-on; there was tough resistance, and she retrieved more juice and cups of water, until the final hour, so the flow finally happened. A gentleman waiting across me earlier, who was in for knee surgery, had Dr. Nishida do his gall bladder removal five months ago. He said he couldn’t shi-shi till 7 p.m., so I was relieved – pun intended – that I was able to leave hours earlier than him.
Good things last: While Queen’s is a maze – hallways and corridors are like Grand Central Station, doctors and nurses and aides, scurrying to tend to patients – and this is amazement, for sure. Oh, and you never know who you’ll meet: My friend, Ligaya Stice (she is a doctor, who was on duty at Queen’s), but she also is executive director of the I’m a Bright Kid foundation, where I am a board, and she’s also a former Miss Hawaii. Thanks, Gaya, for stopping by and sharing your aloha.
Tip: Ask for socks because your feet are cold, my pre-op nurse quicky delivered a pair of socks in neon yellow, a new color. She opined, the yellow matched my wrist band which flagged me as a fall risk since I now need to use a walker. Not certain what else she said – that socks of red, green, and blue are also stocked. Because I left home so early, my morning paper had not yet been delivered, but at the hospital, a volunteer (believe her name was Millie), said she had an extra copy and offered me to read it, later passing the paper to another patient.
If you’re surgery-bound or had a procedure done recently, you should share impressions to perhaps enable others to check in with confidence and – no matter the hospital – return repaired and on a journey of wellness. Doctors and nurses are first-responders who help heal the wounded or the ill.
Henry Kapono is widening his presence on the local show front.
His Henry Kapono Foundation is launching “On the Rise,” a new concert series, at 7:30 p.m. Jan. 17, at the Manoa Valley Theatre.
He will be among the performers in this new (to him) venue, reaching out to a theatrical clientele. The on-the-rise acts to be featured are a pair of singers-musicians, Ryan Perez, and Drew Henmi.
Alx Kawakami, a member of the board of the Henry Kapono Foundation and a musician in the Kapono band, will be show host. He is a Manoa resident also known as a member of his family group, ManoaDNA.
Kapono, pictured,, who also stages concerts featuring his band and local artists at Blue Note Hawaii at the Outrigger Waikiki resort, is widely known as a recording act of Cecilio and Kapono fame and a soloist performing his numerous compositions. He also is the popular attraction at the Sunday beach jams front Duke’s restaurant on the beach at Waikiki.
Tickets: ci.ovationtix.com …
Comedy trio
Hawaii’s favorite stand-up comedies are sharing the stage and limelight at the new pop-up No Vacancies comedy club. Augie Tulba, Andy Bumatai and Frank DeLima alternate their gigs, and the playdates In the immediate future include:
The New Year’s weekend proved to be box office gold on Broadway, with two long-time-running shows, logging record-breaking gross figures topping more than $4 million.
‘Twas the first time that two shows topped the elite $4 million tally.
Further, six other shows grossed more than $2 million, also a first.
The Top 10:
1 – “The Lion King,” $4,316 million.
2 – “Wicked,”$4,003 million.
3 – “Aladdin,” $2,979 million.
4 – “Harry Potter and the Cursed Child,” $2,718 million.
5 – “MJ The Musical,” $2,613 million.
6 – “Hamilton,” $2,404 million.
7 – “Sweeney Todd: The Demon Barber of Fleet Street,” $2,261 million.,
8 – “Back To The Future: The Musical,” $2,109 million.
9 – “Merrily We Roll Along,” $1,995 million.
And 10 – “Moulin Rouge! The Musical,” $1,780 million.
Welcome to The Waynies, this column’s New Year’s Day flashbacks/future-gazing tradition to applaud achievers in the just-pau year and likely newsmakers in 2024.
The format has been tweaked over time – we no longer categorize the best in a variety of fields – so we now acknowledge newsmakers who gained attention in 2023 and likely will continue the traction of celebrity in the months ahead.
Thus, these are 10 who made, or are making, a difference.
1 — Ezekiel Kekuna, Young Simba in Disney’s “The Lion King” on Broadway, is Hawaii’s youngest star of the moment, in the midst of a six-month run at the Minskoff Theatre. The Kaneohe lad, who can sing, dance and act, clearly was a great choice for Disney’s Tony-winning hit on the Great White Way. “King” grossed more than $3 million over the Christmas weekend, and likely will be a three-peat New Year’s weekend, as it did Thanksgiving weekend. Holidays are great for this No. 1 family attract. His mom, Sarahlea Gamiao Kekuna, is with him (minors require a parent or guardian in attendance). And not surprisingly, Hawaii fans, friends and strangers who want to applaud this kid’s success have been taking in the show. For that reason, we’re listing Zeke’s January performance dates (he’s alternating the limelight with Albert Rhodes Jr.) so you can secure performance when he’s in action…
2 — Iam Tongi, first “American Idol” winner from Hawaii, staged a Blaisdell Arena concert Dec. 9 and two dates at the Maui Arts and Cultural Center, but to take advantage of his “Idol” triumph, he needs several elements: a Mainland tour, an album to support the gigs, and a No. 1 hit record. Also vital: Kokua in establishing an act to hone in on Tongi’s craft and heritage. No denying, he has that sweet voice, the ability to charm and win fans. He has embarked on a tour, but the impact is still uncertain. Will the weeks and months ahead provide clues of his destiny?…
3–Jason Momoa, filmdom’s “Aquaman and the Lost Kingdom,” had the No. 1 film this past Christmas. He was home prior to the holidays, to promote his water brand, Mananalu, the resealable and recyclable aluminum bottle that fans likely will keep for personal use, since its design includes an Aquaman-approved trident image. Momoa also boasts a wine, Dirtbag, via Nocking Point, a spicy Bourdeaux-style red. Momoa’s “Chief of Hawaii” film, about the indigenous people of Hawaii, is his first film he wrote for television (he also stars in it) and it will be among the Apple+ screenings this year. It might be a controversial film, with the Hawaiian community ready to determine if it’s a yea or a nay…
4 –Henry Kapono, male singer, show producer, jack-of-all-trades here. He writes music, produces recordings, performs at Blue Note Hawaii in Waikiki, and embarks on short-term tours on the mainland, while anchoring his godsend gig, Sundays at Duke’s on the beach at Waikiki.
He’s become a brand that’s hard to beat. And Hawaii remains his anchor, happily. “Home in the Islands” is his mantra, after all…
5 –Amy Hanaiali‘i, female singer, has been sharing her music across the island chain but also beyond the reef, including treks to Europe, last year. She also has her own brand of wine. And is president of the Hawaii Academy of Recording Arts, which produces the annual Na Hoku Hanohano Awards. A well-rounded profile, for sure.
6 –Trevor Tamashiro, executive director of Diamond Head Theatre, is skippering Hawaii’s oldest theater group on its next important journey – greatness and proficiency, now that there’s a new facility on the slopes of Diamond Head. Fundraising continues since the theater wants to expand its facilities where the former theater stood…
7 — Kevin Iwamoto, who did what Taylor Swift has done, buying, and securing rights to his recorded music, but on a less than grander scale like Swift. He, like she, re-recorded some of his catalogue (she did it all). His ’70s music has evolved as a modest but remarkable staple for new global listeners, thereby charting his tunes with a brand-new life last year and continues to flourish this year…
8 — Roy Yamaguchi, whose signature Roy’s Restaurant in Hawaii Kai marked its 35th anniversary in 2023, clearly is a success story continuing to break new ground. Roy’s has enjoyed one of the longest runs in the islands (he has franchises on the mainland and a few abroad). The new year will herald a new role for Yamaguchi – he will head the culinary program at the Kapiolani Community College at Diamond Head, where students already have succeeded in opening and operating a restaurant that helps shape future kitchen magic…
9 – Cha Thompson, retired Tihati Productions co-founder, last year embarked on a new venture, helping Farrington High School students open “Cha’s Closet,” a venture that enables students to buy gently used (and some brand new donations), at thrift store prices: $1 for tee shirts, blouses, trousers, and formal wear from $5. Cha, the self-proclaimed Queen of Kalihi, is a graduate of Farrington, and always eager to kokua that community. Donations are welcome to keep the shelves full…
10 — Stephen Tsai, veteran sportswriter (formerly at the Honolulu Advertiser, currently at the Honolulu Star-Advertiser), is a career devotee of sports reporting. His blanket coverage of University of Hawaii football is unbeatable, but he can cover ‘em all. OK, Tsai is not part of the entertainment realm, but if you envision football as entertainment, he fits the bill here. Tsai was a colleague at the paper, before I retired, and I’m saluting him now, as one of the luminaries of print journalism, because he’s planning to retire in 2024 to begin collecting Social Security. Like his buddy, Ferd Lewis, who exited and retired to escape the frustrations of the diminishing newsroom, Tsai’s retirement will leave a huge gap. He’s served us readers well, and he deserves to enjoy the green pastures of senior hood. Alas, it will be the end of an era…
