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…
Hawaii actor Marc delaCruz was performing as Alexander Hamilton in the Broadway hit, “Hamilton,” nearly two weeks ago. But he only did Act 1 – with reason.
It’s the leading role, originated by the author, Lin-Manuel Miranda, and delaCruz had been understudying the part and even played the role a few times since he joined the company more than four years ago at the Richard Rodgers Theatre on Broadway.
On Dec. 19, however, after completing Act 1 as Hamilton, delaCruz became an unsung hero. Cast member Kyle Scatliffe, normally enacting the Marquis de Lafayette and Thomas Jefferson, became ill midway in the show and had to exit the production by Act 2.
Enter, delaCruz. Because he had also understudied Lafayette and Jefferson, plus King George, he was the go-to-guy that evening, winding up playing three different lead roles, saving the day since he was the only one able to take over the dual roles assigned to Scatliffe.
Standbys don’t often have such short notice to live up to the show biz adage, “the show must go on.” Turns out that another ensemble performer, Alexander Ferguson, was the only available actor ready to step into the shoes of Hamilton, normally portrayed by Miguel Cervantes, who was off that evening. And Adam Ali Perez had to cover Ferguson’s ensemble slots.
Such is the dynamics of standbys and swings, who learn different roles just in case of these unexpected switcheroos. It’s not common for such abrupt changes, between acts, but it happens. I experienced similar change of actors this past summer, when the leading actress in “Some Like It Hot,” apparently took ill by intermission, and her standby answered the call. An announcement was made prior to the start of Act 2 that a sub was filling in for the leading lady to complete the show.
DelaCruz earlier made history when he was the first Pinoy from the Big Island to play the “Hamilton” lead as a standby in the original Broadway company.
Another island actor, Joseph Morales, has been the only other Hawaii actor doing the titular role, first as an understudy in the Chicago company, then as a touring Hamilton crisscrossing the nation.
BroadwayWorld spoke with delaCruz about the nature and impromptu inner-workings of being a standby on Broadway.
DelaCruz usually receives adequate notice if he’d have to take on a role other than the ones he portrays. So, he checks his email and phone but, in the past, commonly with a half-hour notice to prep for a fill-in.
“The most challenging part is not always knowing when you’ll be on, but still needing to be ready,” said delaCruz. “Sometimes we know in advance if the onstage actor has a personal day or vacation scheduled, but most of the time we don’t know we’re on until the day of the show. I’ve gone on with less than half hour notice and jumped in mid show a few times.” He monitors his cell phone and wakes up daily, wondering “Will I be going on this intense emotional journey today?”
A standby has to stay active, exercise and vocally warm up and sing every day. “I review music on a regular basis and stay up to date with notes given from the show, ” he said, and he must report to work daily, whether he’ll be on or not. “Swings can watch the show and keep up with what’s going on onstage, or I’ll watch parts of the show from the house.”
He has admiration for his fellow cast members and appreciates the opportunities he’s had to learn the intricacies and complexities of the show.
“This job has stretched me further as a performer than I ever thought I could go,” he said.
“Hamilton” has multiple swings and standbys who are ready to roll when needed, so “any one of these covers would have done what happened (on Dec. 19) beautifully. “I just happened to be the one in the hot seat that night,” said delaCruz…
All about Eve
In years or decades past, Waikiki would have had scores of New Year’s Eve attractions, large or small.
This year, the countdown shows are few.
Kimie Miner (pictured) headlines a show 7:30 p.m. tomorrow night (Dec. 31), at the Hilton Hawaiian Village lawn. Mana Music Strings provide the accompaniment.
The Green headlines two performances at 8 and 11 p.m. tomorrow night (Dec. 31)at Blue Note Hawaii, at the Outrigger Waikiki resort. The group also performed last night (Dec. 29) and will be onstage again at 6:30 and 9 p.m. today (Dec. 30). The gig is mostly sold out, so check with Blue Note for availability of loge and bar area seating. …
