Freestyle: CBC arrives in Waikiki

BY ELIZABETH KIESZKOWSKI / ekieszkowski@staradvertiser.com

The burlesque troupe Cherry Blossom Cabaret is ever-evolving, with more creative ways to present its seductive charms than I can keep track of, from the interactive “Burlesque Match Game” to an “Academy of Tease.” Their latest, “BurLEZque,” brings more flirtatious fun to the stage.

Lola Love. (Courtesy Firebird Photography)

It’s a show for women who love women, with a bit of an historic twist.

Lola Love, producer and performer in the show, said, “We’re teaming up with Hula’s and it’s pretty exciting, because it’s the first all-female cast show that Hula’s has had in its 31 years of existence.”

Hula’s Bar and Lei Stand has a clientele that is largely (but certainly not exclusively) gay and male, Love noted — but the bar is famously open to patrons of all genders and persuasions. The Cherry Blossom Cabaret approached Hula’s, and the venue agreed to serve as host.

“We’re pretty thankful and excited,” she said. “This is definitely new territory for them; it’s something that they’ve never tried.”

“A lot of our friends had asked us over the years to do a show that was all-girls,” and tailored to a lesbian audience, Love said. “We had the first one in March, and it was pretty successful, so we decided to do it again.”

FOR THIS NIGHT, the Cherry Blossom’s host will be Hunter Down.

“She is really amazing; she is a woman who does drag,” Love explained.

The show will include the Cherry Blossom Cabaret’s trademark mix of song, dance, theatrical skits, and strip-tease. An added attraction: live pole dancing by the athletic Pamela Poles (who is also seen performing alongside Kings of Spade).

“It’s basically our show, and we’ve thrown in a few special surprises for the audience. … Some things that are a little more frisky than we might do at another event,” Love said. “We always keep it classy and within the realm of burlesque.

“When I say ‘frisky,’ I mean: group numbers, they’re more theatrical, and have an aesthetic that we know the audience will enjoy,” the performer said. “We’re catering to the lesbian crowd for these shows — and we put acts in that we know that they’ll appreciate.”

Hula’s hosts theatrical and drag shows with fair regularity, so I wonder whether the Hula’s clientele, already avid for extravagant performances, will turn out for this — whether gay, lesbian or not.

Love said she’s certainly open to that.

“Totally,” she said. “At our first event, we had women sending us emails, like, ‘Oh, I want to bring my gay husband,’ and ‘My best friend’s gay, can he come?’ We created this event for the lesbian community, but we love everybody.

“We don’t turn anyone away. … Since Hula’s has a specific crowd, we expect there will be males in the audience already, just because it’s at Hula’s.

“Our intention is to create an event in a place where women can be safe and comfortable, and if they’re single, meet other women. But we definitely open our arms to anyone who might be interested.”
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Elizabeth Kieszkowski is editor of TGIF, the Honolulu Star-Advertiser’s weekly arts and entertainment section. Reach her via email at ekieszkowski@staradvertiser.com or follow her on Twitter.

This Week in TGIF: Flores de Mayo

MAY 2013
FRI 03 / SAT 04 / SUN 05

Flores de Mayo celebration showcases Philippine culture

Philippine culture has long been a part of the ethnic salad bowl of Hawaii, getting its start in the early 1900s when migrant laborers came to the islands. More than a century later, that community is coming into its own, emerging as the state’s second-largest ethnic group in the 2010 census.

• Nas’ powerful influence extends beyond music
• ‘This Wave’ proves cathartic for Stef Mariani
• Quick Bites: A fundraiser foodfest puts 22 chefs and eateries in the spotlight
• The Pulse Top 5: Belaire Rose pool party, ‘Aloha Bash,’ Spam Jam and more
• At the Movies: ‘Iron Man 3,’ ‘A Deeper Shade of Blue’ and more
• Out ‘N’ About: Banana Man Chase, Noelani’s 50th, First Friday, Free Comic Book Day, more
• Do It! Fireknife Championship, Shen Yun troupe, Cinco de Mayo, Uejio
• To Do! Mice Parade, Hawaii Book & Music Festival and more

Review: ‘Murder’ is serious comedy

REVIEW BY JOHN BERGER / jberger@staradvertiser.com

Winston Churchill famously described the Soviet Union as “a riddle, wrapped in a mystery, inside an enigma.” Manoa Valley Theatre’s production of playwright Ed Sala’s contemporary comedy “Bloody Murder” has similar multi-layer qualities.

‘Bloody Murder’ Presented by Manoa Valley Theatre » Where: Manoa Valley Theatre, 2833 E. Manoa Valley Rd. » When: 7:30 p.m. Wednesdays and Thursdays, 8 p.m. Fridays and Saturdays and 4 p.m. Sundays through May 19 » Cost: $30 general admission; $25 for seniors and military; $15 everyone 25 and younger » Info: 988-6131 or www.manoavalleytheatre.com

Sala starts it off as a very formulaic and traditional drawing room murder mystery in which an assortment of stock characters are spending the weekend at the country home of a wealthy English woman sometime in the 1930s. From that starting point several other stories gradually unfold in ways that are anything but conventional.

It’s evident early that this is a comedy but — spoiler alert! spoiler alert! — Sala is also commenting on the conventions of Agatha Christie-style murder mysteries, American culture as viewed by members of the English upper classes, the reasons why some people write fiction, and the relationships that can exist between authors and the characters they create.

For instance, when someone writes fiction they have completely control over the fictional universe they’ve created and everything in it.

And, for instance, why is it — in old-time murder mysteries and modern slasher films alike — when a group of people know there’s a murderer close at hand who could strike again at any time, that they go off alone or in pairs instead of staying together in a group?

But I’m getting ahead of myself.

Sala’s characters are instantly familiar to fans of old-time murder mysteries and to anyone who remembers the board game “Clue.” There’s Major Quimby, retired in England after distinguished service in India (Jeffrey Terry Sousa), a once-famous actor destroyed by alcohol (Kevin Keaveney), an innocent young woman (Therese Olival), wealthy Lady Somerset (Stacy Ray), her “totally worthless” nephew (Garrett Hols) and Lady Somerset’s subversive maid (Lisa Barnes). Secondary characters include a countess of undetermined Eastern European origins, a Chinese detective, a police chief inspector and a Zorro-like character named El Gato.

It isn’t long before one of the guests dies with another character is trapped beneath him. With that murder — and puns, put-downs, sight gags and assorted one-liners flying in all directions — the action moves from mystery to comedy to farce. One step more and we’re in “Twilight Zone” territory as Lady Somerset tells the others that they’re not “real,” they’re all just the fictional creations of a “low brow” writer of second-rate murder mysteries who keeps recycling them through one cliche-ridden story after another.

What would happen if they refuse to commit the murders he has plotted out for them this weekend and just enjoy the estate?

Lady Somerset convinces the others to follow her lead, stop “playing the game,” and free themselves.

Mayhem follows. Unconventional mayhem.

MVT guest director Elitei Tatafu Jr., has proven himself a master of this type of show with several previous MVT productions. He gets excellent performances from his actors and his tech crew alike with this one. Sousa is a delightful discovery — a fresh face on the local theater scene and instantly likeable as Major Quimby. Hols radiates flamboyant enthusiasm as the shamelessly greedy and ineffectual nephew. Olival is charming as the young woman who may be the key to the success of the characters’ revolt.

Ray is the center of the action as no-nonsense aristocrat who leads the others in their rebellion.

Barnes distinguishes herself early in the scene where the maid must get herself out from under the dead body that has fallen on her.

From almost the first moments on through to the surprise ending of the story, “Bloody Murder” is clever and well-crafted comedy. Tatafu and his cast make the most of it.

The tech crew earns its pay as well. Christine Arroyo and Duncan Dalzell share credit for the beautifully detailed English drawing room set. Janine Myers (Lighting Design) and Jason Taglianetti (Sound Design) provide the numerous audio and visual cues, and Sara Ward (Props Design) supplies everything from murder weapons to stray auto parts.

Watch for a cameo appearance by Hello Kitty as well.
———
John Berger has been a mainstay in the local entertainment scene for more than 40 years. Contact him via email at jberger@staradvertiser.com.

PICS: ‘Ritmo Latino’ at Che Pasta

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PHOTOS BY KAT WADE / Special to the Star-Advertiser

El Control 808 hosted a pre-Cinco de Mayo siesta at Che Pasta during “Ritmo Latino” on Friday, May 3.

PICS: First Friday

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PHOTOS BY KAT WADE / Special to the Star-Advertiser

Scenes from Chinatown during the monthly First Friday Art Walk on Friday, May 3.

Review: Nas at The Repbulik

Hip-hop superstar Nas returned to Honolulu for a show at The Republik on Friday, May 3. (Photo by Joah Buley, Special to the Star-Advertiser)

REVIEW BY GENE PARK / Special to the Star-Advertiser

Somewhere in the middle of his roughly hour-long set on Friday, May 3, New York hip-hop legend Nas busted out “If I Ruled the World,” an iconic song not only for his 20-year career, but for the genre as well.

Nas. (Photo by Joah Buley, Special to the Star-Advertiser)

Sure, it elicited the most enthusiastic audience response at The Republik. But for Nas, it was just another footnote in a back catalogue that’s earned him the distinction as one of the most prolific in hip-hop’s history.

“20 years in the game, lookin’ 17,” he rapped during the opening jam “The Don,” off of his 2012 album “Life is Good.” Life certainly seems good for the 39-year-old rapper, who looked brawny, spry and certainly not 20 years older than his 19-year-old self when he debuted. “Life is Good” also debuted at No. 1 on the Billboard charts, his sixth in the U.S., a rare feat for anyone in the rap game for two decades.

Many of his older hits were done medley style, with “N.Y. State of Mind,” “It Ain’t Hard to Tell” and “Represent” from his debut album “Illmatic,” all the way to the Obama-inspired “Black President” from his untitled ninth album, co-produced by last night’s beat maestro, DJ Green Lantern, also from New York.

It’s an encouraging and inspiring sight to hear Nas still youthful, fiery and relevant as ever. “Accident Murderers” from his latest album is harsh commentary on senseless violence, saying “Violent adolescents, homicidal with weapons; not a lot of knowledge inside of they minds, that I’m guessing. Juxtapose that song with Brad Paisley’s ill-advised “Accidental Racist,” a recent collaboration with LL Cool J that comes off more of a car wreck than any accident.

Local hip-hop artist Prie opened the concert. (Photo by Joah Buley, Special to the Star-Advertiser)

The night wasn’t perfect. The show was billed to start at 8 p.m., but the audience was told at the door that he wouldn’t come on until 11. Kudos to the staff for giving everyone the heads up, and to Nas for starting just about on time. Big ups to local rapper Prie and DJ Compose for keeping the crowd warmed up as well.

Also, Nas’ mic levels made much of his vocals, even his audience banter, hard to hear. It was surprising, considering The Republik has one of Hawaii’s best sound systems, and disappointing, since Nas’ true appeal is as a lyricist. I hope tonight’s show would correct this.

All was forgiven, given Nas’ genuine display of warmth and gratitude for his fans, even as he pop quizzed everyone on which beats go with what song, punctuating each with “Here’s another classic.”

Nas salutes the crowd at The Republik on Friday, May 3. (Photo by Joah Buley, Special to the Star-Advertiser)

After the show, life was good for the entranced, well-behaved audience.

“He speaks the truth y’know,” one fan said. “Imagine if every mainstream rapper took what he does and runs with it.”

Like Nas muses in “If I Ruled the World,” imagine that.

Related Post:

PICS: Nas at The Republik

PICS: Nas at The Republik

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PHOTOS BY JOAH BULEY / Special to the Star-Advertiser

Hip-hop superstar Nas returned to Honolulu for the first of a pair of concerts at The Republik on Friday, May 3. The second performance, featuring local opening act Prie, is tonight.

Related Post:

Review: Nas at The Repbulik

Food La La: Changes at Yogurstory

BY LINDSEY MURAOKA / Special to the Star-Advertiser

When Yogurstory opened two years ago at 815 Keeaumoku St., it was known as a cute cafe to hang out at, chat with friends over some delicious waffles and use their free WiFi. They also had a self-serve yogurt station, which is how they got their name to begin with.

Just a few weeks ago, however, they revamped to become a more stylish bistro. The yogurt station was replaced with a bar, service has greatly improved and they now have a host who greets you and escorts you to your seat. The menu is also brand new — they kept their popular waffle deserts though — created by a new chef, Cef Maduli.

Curious about all the changes, I went twice last week to check out both their new dinner and brunch menu. I went to dinner with two of my friends and we decided to try out their Ahi Poke Tini ($11.95) and Drunken Clams ($8.95) appetizers.

The ahi in the poke tini are in big chunks and very fresh. I like the added touch of the wasabi caviar. The sauce is flavorful but not overwhelming so the freshness of the fish can still be the showcase. Actually, Chef Maduli worked previously at both Sam Choy’s and Roy’s so I think he especially excels in the seafood area.

The Drunken Clams were slightly rich and flavorful with a Chardonnay and tomato broth. I’m a huge fan of clams so I enjoyed this.

I wanted to eat something light for dinner so I ordered the Fire Roasted Salmon Ochazuke ($20.95) in a green tea soy broth. I was surprised at how big the portion was. I couldn’t finish it all so I took half of it home to eat the next day.

However, if you want to go all out and order something rich and delectable, I recommend getting this Nori Crusted Seared Ahi ($19.95). The combination of the buttery lobster sauce with creamy pesto was wonderful on the Ahi.

My friend ordered the Italian Sausage and Rigatoni Pasta ($19.95) with pomodoro sauce but I didn’t care for it too much. There wasn’t anything special about it that stood out. I think I would just stick to the seafood dishes.

A few days later, I went back again to try their brunch menu. My favorite breakfast food is Eggs Benedict, so I had to try out Yogurstory’s version, a Crab Cake Benedict ($15.95). The blue crab cakes are big and filled with lots of meaty pieces of crab. I didn’t taste much spiciness in the chili lime hollandaise sauce, so I wish it had a bit more chili. Other than that, I liked this dish and would order it again.

I also tried the Pork Adobo Fried Rice Omelet ($12.95). The omelet was nice and fluffy, but I think it would be better if the pork was cooked into the fried rice to give it even more flavor. Apparently people complained the vinegar from the adobo was too overpowering in the fried rice, so they changed it to a topping instead.

As an awesome bonus, the fried rice comes with two pieces of chocolate covered bacon! If you love sweet and savory flavors, you need to try this. The crispy texture and salty bacon flavor goes perfectly with chocolate. You can order this as a side dish, too.

Even though I was pretty stuffed, I had to try out their new waffle dessert. I always enjoyed their waffle desserts at Yogurstory so I’m glad that they kept them on their menu.

My favorite used to be their Dolce De Leche (with bananas and caramel) but now my new favorite is their Fresh Berries N Cream Waffle ($13.95). The highlight is the homemade whipped cream – it’s so thick and creamy that it’s almost like eating ice cream!

Overall, I enjoyed the new menu change at Yogurstory. I recommend checking it out, especially if you enjoy seafood and large portion sizes.
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Lindsey Muraoka blogs about food and drink for the Pulse. Contact her on Twitter or via email at foodlalablog@gmail.com.

PICS: ‘Eat the Street: Kapolei’

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PHOTOS BY JAMES GARRETT / Special to the Star-Advertiser

Popular food truck festival “Eat the Street” returned to Kapolei on Saturday, May 4.

PICS: ‘L’ulu’ at LCC

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PHOTOS BY JOAH BULEY / Special to the Star-Advertiser

Leeward Community College hosted “L’ulu,” a culinary arts gala featuring some of Hawaii’s top chefs, on Saturday, May. 4.

PICS: Toga Party at Kailua Town Pub

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PHOTOS BY KAT WADE / Special to the Star-Advertiser

Kailua Town Pub & Grill hosted a toga party on Saturday, May. 4.

PICS: Cinco de Mayo Street Fest

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PHOTOS BY KAT WADE / Special to the Star-Advertiser

Scenes from Chinatown during the 2013 Cinco de Mayo Hispanic Street Festival on Saturday, May. 4.

Try Wait: Rare groove, Hawaiian-style

BY GARY CHUN / gchun@staradvertiser.com

It’s about time the rare groove movement hit the islands — and you can thank Roger Bong for that.

Working under the name Aloha Got Soul (“aloha preserved daily”), Bong just released the latest of his Hawaii-themed mixes, “Hawaiian Salt,” featuring rare local studio recordings from the early 1970′s through early ’80s, ranging from funk to jazz and all points in between.

Roger Bong, aka Aloha Got Soul, at Hungry Ear Records in Kailua. (Courtesy Melanie Keppler)

The 27-track compilation is not only available via his blog, but as a promotional gift in the form of a physical CD, available with a specially designed, limited-edition T-shirt that is the result of a collaboration with Fitted Hawaii. The set was first made available on Record Store Day on April 20, celebrating independent brick-and-mortar music shops across the country.

Rare groove, initially made popular by crate-digging British and Japanese DJs, favors collecting obscure, regional albums of the above time period, and making mixes out of the grooveful music of any given particular time and area. Hip-hop heads have also used vinyl albums dubbed rare groove for sampling purposes.

“The guys at Fitted originally reached out to me two years ago,” Bong said. “What became ‘Hawaiian Salt’ was actually the first mix I ever did, but I held onto it until recently.”

Bong actually didn’t know about this music until he heard Japanese DJ Muro’s “Hawaiian Breaks” mix, originally released in 2009 and the project that launched interest in the islands’ music with other rare groove enthusiasts on an international scale. Because “Hawaiian Breaks” didn’t have a tracklist, Bong took it upon himself a little less than a year ago to start researching and identifying each of its 22 songs.

Bong’s interest in DJing and rare groove began in 2004 — focusing on island dance music in particular — while attending the University of Oregon.

“Ebay was my go-to source, also borrowing, trading with fellow collectors and finding stuff at record shops,” he said. “The search has certainly gotten easier since I’m back home in Honolulu.”

During his searches, Bong has also made the effort to meet the musicians behind his favorite Hawaiian albums, such as Kirk Thompson, formerly of Kalapana, and the man behind the Lemuria album project of 1978. That album brought together a large and talented group of island singers and musicians to make, including Creed Fernandez, Azure McCall, Star Williams, Gordon Uchima and Mike Morita. In Bong’s opinion, it’s “the best Hawaiian R&B album ever.”

“I consider Kirk a mentor, and I love hanging out with him.” It’s Lemuria’s breezy “Get That Happy Feeling” that kicks off the “Hawaiian Salt” mix that adeptly flows together such obscure jewels from artists like Gabe Baltazar, Lil Albert, Ohta San, Mel Cabang (?!), Loyal Garner, Music Magic, Aura, and Brother Noland & Solbrea.

Speaking of Kalapana, the one song that turned Bong on to the music created by the bands and musicians of the Honolulu club scene of that time was “A Million Stars” from Mackey Feary’s offshoot band. The song is from the Mackey Feary Band self-titled album of 1978, which included “You’re Young” that’s part of the “Hawaiian Salt” mix.

“Chucky Boy Chock & Oahu Brand is also a favorite of mine,” said Bong. “That band did a little bit of everything, Hawaiian, jazz.”

Two of their songs on the mix, “Country” and the spry “By the Sea,” should be familiar with local radio listeners of that bygone time.

Mike Lundy’s “Tropic Lightning” is also part of “Hawaiian Salt.” Bong said, “I gave Mike the CD and showed that I included one of his songs. He said, ‘oh man, thank you so much,’ and I replied ‘the attention is well-deserved.’ With guys like Kirk and Mike, you want to hear their stories, too, because they’re just as important as the music.” (Bong interviewed Lundy for his blog.)

Bong is even helping DJs in the U.K.

“This group Psychemagik — who included a song by Country Comfort, ‘To Be Lonely,’ on a mix they did of psychedelic folk — is doing a compilation on vinyl this month, and I helped them get Steve and Teresa’s ‘Catching a Wave,’ which is a classic acoustic jam. I contacted Steve through Facebook and now the song is being licensed for the compilation through him.”

On Saturday, May 18, Bong will host a free funk-and-soul dance party at Mercury Bar, 1154 Fort St. Mall, featuring guest DJ Meaty Ogre, co-owner and operator of Cherries Records, based out of Chicago.
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Gary Chun is a features reporter at the Honolulu Star-Advertiser. Email him at gchun@staradvertiser.com and follow him on Twitter.

PICS: Cinco de Mayo at Tiki’s

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PHOTOS BY KAT WADE / Special to the Star-Advertiser

Tiki’s Grill and Bar celebrated Cinco de Mayo in Waikiki on Sunday, May 5.

PICS: Cinco de Mayo at Wahoo’s

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PHOTOS BY JOAH BULEY / Special to the Star-Advertiser

The Pulse and Wahoo’s Fish Tacos partnered on a Cinco de Mayo celebration at Wahoo’s Kahala on Sunday, May 5.

Outtakes Online: Gilbert inspires ‘Five-0′ episode

BY MIKE GORDON / mgordon@staradvertiser.com

The memories are unavoidable for Tip Gilbert, even now, 27 years after the kidnap and murder of his daughter. Whenever he hears about a missing child, he thinks of Maile. She was only 6.

Maile Gilbert. (Courtesy photo)

But the experience will go a step further on tonight’s episode of “Hawaii Five-0,” in which he’ll play himself and discuss the case. Gilbert and his friends in the Pacific Knights motorcycle club will help Five-0 investigate a kidnapping and its connection to the discovery of the body of a girl who vanished a decade earlier.

“I’m playing me,” said Gilbert, a 58-year-old project manager for the commercial dive company Sea Engineering. “Everything I basically said I’ve said before in real life.”

“Five-0” has previously mentioned the state’s Maile Amber Alert program, which is named for Gilbert’s daughter and Amber Hagerman of Texas, who was also kidnapped and murdered. That led to a lunch meeting with Peter Lenkov, the show’s executive producer, and Gilbert told him his story.

Maile was abducted during a family party on Aug. 25, 1985. Her body was found the next day in a shallow grave near Kaena Point. Her killer is serving a life term in prison. Gilbert worked with law enforcement agencies, the Hawaii Attorney General’s Missing Child Center of Hawaii, state civil defense officials and the local broadcast community to create the alert program that began in 2002.

“Peter wrote a story inspired by Maile,” Tip Gilbert said. “I think she inspired his creativity on this episode.”

Lenkov wrote the story and the teleplay was written by Noah Nelson. The episode was directed by “Five-0″ regular Steve Boyum. It also features guest star Henry Rollins, punk rocker-turned-actor.

Gilbert spent three days on set last month. But even though he has been on camera before, explaining the story to journalists, it wasn’t any easier this time.

“When I was shooting ‘Five-0’ I actually in my mind, journeyed back to the day Maile was missing,” Gilbert said. “It was pretty intense for a while but the people at ‘Five-0’ were understanding and supportive. They treated me very well.”

State officials estimate that more than 3,000 children are reported missing in Hawaii every year but authorities are able to locate the majority of them. But time is always crucial. Nationwide, most children kidnapped by non-family members are killed within a few hours of an abduction. An alert system improves the chances of survival for abducted children.
———
Mike Gordon covers film and television in Hawaii for the Honolulu Star-Advertiser. Email him at mgordon@staradvertiser.com and follow him on Twitter. Read his weekly “Outtakes” column Sundays in the Star-Advertiser.

MCBH cancels BayFest

At BayFest 2011, Karina Medina cranked the elevation wheel of a 155mm Howitzer as Lance Cpl. Isaias Calderas looked on. (Star-Advertiser File)

HONOLULU PULSE STAFF / honolulupulse@staradvertiser.com

Due to sequestration and budget constraints, the Marine Corps Base Hawaii in Kaneohe is canceling BayFest this summer.

Open to the public for two-and-a-half days, the popular family festival has, since 1991, offered carnival rides, a nightly fireworks show, military displays, and entertainment from such popular mainland acts as Alan Jackson, Joan Jett and the Blackhearts, the Black Eyed Peas and, at the last BayFest held in 2011, Puddle of Mudd and Hoobastank.

According to a press statement released Monday afternoon, because BayFest is dependent on “numerous MCB Hawaii departments and (organizer) Marine Corps Community Services, all of which are impacted by potential furloughs and fiscal limitations,” the festival will not be held this year.

A base representative will have more information available to the press Tuesday morning at the Pacific War Memorial.

Cannon memorial scheduled

BY JOHN BERGER / jberger@staradvertiser.com

Glenn Cannon — award-winning actor and director, educator, and mentor to several generations of actors in Hawai‘i — will be remembered with a “celebration of life” at 3 p.m. Saturday, May 25, at UH-Manoa’s Kennedy Theatre.

Glenn Cannon, left, his wife, Samsil, and actor-director David Farmer at a celebration of Cannon’s career in 2011. (Star-Advertiser File)

Cannon was a member of the UH-Mānoa faculty from 1968 until his death last month. He was also an active participant for many years as an actor and director in the local theatre community. His television career in Hawaii included recurring character roles on the original “Hawaii Five-0” and “Magnum P.I.,” and roles on more recent shows such as “Lost.”

Doors will open at 2:30 p.m. All seating will be general admission; a standing-room-only crowd is expected.

The program — certain to feature the talents of many of Cannon’s fellow actors, entertainer colleagues and former UH-Mānoa students — will be seen by many as the sequel to the celebration/roast held in his honor at Manoa Valley Theatre in 2011.

Cannon’s family has asked that in lieu of flowers, donations be made in his memory to support the students of the UH Theatre and Dance Program. Checks may be made out to “UH Foundation” with the notation “For Glenn Cannon Fund,” and mailed to the University of Hawai‘i Foundation, P.O. Box 11270, Honolulu, HI 96828-0270.

For further information about the show, or making a donation in Cannon’s name, contact the Department of Theatre and Dance at (808) 956-7677.
———
John Berger has been a mainstay in the local entertainment scene for more than 40 years. Contact him via email at jberger@staradvertiser.com.

VIDEO: ‘Soul Sessions’ feat. Taimane

Taimane

www.taimane.com

From the artist’s biography:

Taimane picked up her first ukulele at the age of five and began her future in performing. Later, while playing on the streets of Waikiki with beach boys backing her up, Taimane was discovered by legendary Hawaiian crooner Don Ho, and she soon became a featured performer in his show. From there her popularity grew.
Taimane has performed in Las Vegas, California, Canada, Japan, New Zealand and Samoa. She has played privately for John Travolta, Steven Seagal, George Clooney, Toyota, Pepsi, IBM and at international film festivals, and she has opened for Chicago, Jimmy Buffett, Konishiki, Cecilio and Kapono, Na Leo and Chris Isaak.
Taimane’s playing style is unique. She has the ability to morph genres—from classical to classic rock to flamenco — always without missing a beat, literally. Taimane also writes her own songs that she inserts into her sets. Her performances are elegant and energetic, and her stage presence is simultaneously overwhelming and captivating, leaving her audiences wanting more.

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Video courtesy Soul Sessions USA. Visit www.honolulupulse.com every Tuesday for more performances by various Hawaii-based recording artists.

Related Post:

‘Soul Sessions’ partners with The Pulse

Five-0 Redux: Ripped from the headlines

Chin Ho Kelly (Daniel Dae Kim) helps in the search for a missing girl during this week’s episode. (Courtesy CBS)

BY WENDIE BURBRIDGE / Special to the Star-Advertiser

“Hawaii Five-0” has had an interesting third season; one week they are up, another week they are just so-so, and sometimes they are on fire.

This week I’d say they are on an upward slope, with a pretty solid episode melded with a thread of realism that would soften even the most strenuous Team Five-0 naysayer. Between the intense moments of a heart-wrenching case, and a deeper look into Danno’s Daddy psyche, we got to see the team really work a good procedural, as well as get some movement in the Kono-Adam storyline.

This week’s episode, “Hoʻopio” (“To Take Captive”), for the most part centered on the murder of Amanda Morris (Kanani Rogers), who had been kidnapped 10 years earlier and found dead in a shallow grave. Her murder leads the Five-0 team to uncover clues about a recent kidnapping of another little girl, Ella Bishop (Mykayla Sohn). Both Amanda and Ella seemed to have been kidnapped by the same person, and Danno and McGarrett use everything within their power to find little Ella — as well as Amanda’s murderer.

Tip Gilbert stars as himself in this week’s episode. (Courtesy CBS)

I think the best part of the episode, besides the really intense moments when Scott Caan really had a chance to shine as not only a sympathetic cop, but as an empathetic father, was the “ripped from the headlines” aspect of the case. The kidnapping of both Amber and Ella is a reminder of Maile Gilbert, who was kidnapped and murdered in Hawaiʻi in 1985.

Maile’s name was used to create Hawaiʻi’s MAILE AMBER Alert. MAILE stands for “Minor Abducted in Life-threatening Emergency” and has been referenced before on “Hawaii Five-0,” most notably in “Ua Lawe Wale” and when Danno’s own daughter Gracie (Teilor Grubbs) was kidnapped in “Mai ka wā kahiko.”

The moments when Danno recalls the inner panic he felt while they tried to find Gracie when she was kidnapped by his former partner, and when he shakes the hand of the Harley-riding, Good Samaritan father of Maile, Tip Gilbert, who plays himself in the episode, was Scott Caan at his best.

Danno (Scott Caan) is reminded of the pain he felt when his own daughter was kidnapped in this week’s episode. (Courtesy CBS)

I know some of you will take issue with the fact that he used his fists to get information out of sadistic scam artist Ray Beckett (played with creepy weirdness by former punk rocker and spoken word artist Henry Rollins), but as a mother, I understood his extreme action. I did appreciate how McGarrett instinctively knew that Danno needed to get that information, and that in order to protect his partner — he needed to take Danno’s badge and just walk away. Not because he was punishing Danno, but to protect him. They needed Beckett to tell them where Ella was hidden, and it looked like it couldn’t be Detective Williams who would get that information out of their suspect, but Danny Williams, father and concerned citizen, who would get him to talk, no matter what.

Often I wonder why “Hawaii Five-0” uses the “red herring” as much as they do — the one character who is a shoe-in for the suspect, but who is, of course, not the real killer/kidnapper/villain. But I guess it is so we can see a famous face for a few minutes, and this week was no exception.

Don Swayze (yes, brother to the late Patrick Swayze of “Dirty Dancing” and “Ghost” fame) played this week’s not-quite-our-guy, Lloyd Grimes. Grimes is a perfect suspect with a long rap sheet coupled with the team’s proof he was near the scene of the crime—but alas, he was just a thief not a kidnapper. He did look the part, and when McG plays chicken with Grimes’s van to catch him and then Danno breaks the hinges of the interrogation chair to make him talk, it was all good Five-0 action to keep us guessing.

Too bad Swayze didn’t have more lines and could have offered Danno some relaxing dance lessons to loosen up. That would have really been a way for Swayze to utilize his guest star moment to its fullest potential.

Henry Rollins guest stars in this week’s episode. (Courtesy CBS)

A good portion of the episode was used to further develop the side story of Kono and Adam. Kono and Catherine have a couple nice scenes where Kono asks Catherine to investigate Adam’s dealing with a man named Sato. It’s not really what we want to hear for our romantic couple. What happened to hot shower and bubble bath scenes? I guess when your boyfriend used to be in organized crime and you’re a cop, it can get tricky, but it doesn’t mean you should lie to your cousin and search your guy’s house. I know he’s not answering your calls, but that just means you have to stalk him through your BFF who can use her Navy intel connections to hook you up with good info.

At least now Kono knows where Adam is and who he’s been hanging out with — albeit it’s in Japan and he’s hanging with the Yakuza — but Chin did say to let Adam explain first before she decided if she could trust him. And it looks like Adam has a lot of explaining to do.

Besides the intense moments of the procedural and Kono trying to figure out what’s up with Adam, there were many sweet moments in this episode as well. The good-natured ribbing of McGarrett’s super short hair, which was a smart way to let actor Alex O’Loughlin ditch the horrible wig he had to wear in last week’s episode “ʻImi Loko Ka ʻUhane.” And Danno taking time to get a hug from daughter Gracie during her cheerleading practice, was a moment we needed after seeing two sets of demolished parents, as well as watching the difficult minute when Tip Gilbert offers his services to McG and Danno with a picture of his lost daughter Maile pinned to his leathers.

The ending voice over by Kanani Rogers reading Amanda Morris’s journals as her parents weep and Danno looks on was nicely done. Many times television shows go too far, and have characters use melodramatic screaming and sobbing to portray sadness and suffering. But I thought the tears and the pain was very realistic in this episode and evenly handled. Nice direction by “Hawaii Five-0” veteran Steve Boyum, based on a great story by Peter Lenkov and teleplay by Noah Nelson.

If the last two episodes are like this one, we could end season three with a bang.

Redux Side Note:

This week, several Hawaiʻi actors — as well as a Hawaiʻi Olympic athlete — were featured in the episode:

» Jodi Jarvis and Brent Scott Dupuis played Joyce and Don Bishop, the parents of the missing little girl, Ella Bishop.

Shawn Mokuahi Garrett. (Courtesy CBS)

» Kanani Rogers, who most recently was seen in Manoa Valley Theatre’s “Next to Normal,” played brave Amanda Morris, the girl who had been kidnapped and held captive for ten years.

» Former newscaster and current Star-Advertiser blogger Diane Ako was seen on Henry Rollins’s television reporting on the death of the alleged kidnapper Helen Cantera.

» U.S. Olympic wrestler Clarissa Chun, who is credited as “Petite Young Woman,” help separate Shawn Mokuahi Garnett, Kamekona’s cousin Flippa, from a shrimp dinner as well as his dignity.

» Dennis Chun shined yet again in a short scene with the team finding Amanda’s body and catching McG and Danno up on the chain of evidence.
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Wendie Burbridge is a published author, playwright and teacher who lives and works in Honolulu. Reach her via Facebook and follow her on Twitter.