Show Biz
Some local ties made during New York visit
By Wayne Harada
Advertiser Entertainment Editor
THE BIG APPLE: We're just back from a whirlwind New York visit, where, in seven days, we took in a total of 11 plays, starting off with the megahit musical, "The Producers," which likely will sweep the Tony Awards Sunday. We'll do a show-by-show round-up in a future Travel section report, but suffice it to say that The Great White Way is bubbling with excitement with a handful of new arrivals, including "42nd Street," "Follies," "Bells Are Ringing" and "The Full Monty." Clearly, revivals are in, though "Monty," and "The Producers," are stage versions of hit films. The former goes one better than the movie (all the clothes come off for a quickie moment at the final curtain); the latter adds tunes and choreography that are outrageously funny ...
With the closing last New Year's Eve of "Miss Saigon," locals aren't very visible on Broadway. But Anthony Ruivivar, the "Third Watch" co-star and son of Tony Ruivivar and nephew of the late Francis Ruivivar, has the lead role in an off-Broadway piece, "Watcher," playing through June 17 at the Cap 21 Theatre at 15 W. 28th St., between Fifth Avenue and Broadway. It's an Imua Theatre production, comprised largely of Asian Americans and written by a fellow Filipino American, Han Ong, about a lad lured into the destructive but contagious glamour of Times Square, but alas, we ran out of time to catch it ...
And Madonna's Drowned World Tour, which plays July 25 through 31 at Madison Square Garden, has a Hawai'i presence — singer-dancer-choreographer Nito Larioza, linked to such groups here as Brownskin and New Generation, is a featured dancer in the act. "It's an international and national tour; we leave for Barcelona this week, and finish up in L.A. in September," said an excited Nito. "I have some dance solos with Madonna, who's super cool, and I'm so excited because I also had a chance to choreograph some stuff."
When the tour treks to Detroit, Madonna's home town, an HBO special will be televised Aug. 26; that's when you can see Nito in his glory. We asked if Madonna intends to pause in Hawai'i, but there are no plans now ... could happen if a Japan gig materializes for the Material Girl, who is very much a Maternal Mom these days ...
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SIGHT 'EMS: We spotted Hae-Young Wong, wife of Honolulu Symphony maestro Samuel Wong, on NY1 TV one night, in a commercial for the New York Philharmonic Orchestra, with whom she plays the violin ...
Bumped into Steve Knox, Ballet Hawai'i guru, at the Renaissance Hotel; he'd heard we were staying there and ventured over after seeing "The Lion King." He was in New York for ballet business, but hoped to extend his stay to return yesterday instead of Memorial Day ...
On Nickelodeon a couple of nights, on reruns of "The Jeffersons in Hawai'i," it was fun to see vintage bits by such local actors as Andy Bumatai, Fred Ball, Doug Mossman and Wally Amos ...
Though "Saigon" has closed at the Broadway Theatre (where "Blast" has taken residency, kind of a rah-rah halftime show in the vein of "Stomp" and "Tap Dogs"), some alums are still touring. One ex-Islander, Cliffton Hall, was hired as an ensemble member and a "Chris" substitute in the Asian tour, but he got a lucky break when producer Cameron Mackintosh personally tapped him to take over the "Chris" role, because of crackling chemistry with "Kim," who happens to be DeeDee Magno and the off-stage main squeeze of Hall ...
And that's Show Biz ...
Wayne Harada's Show Biz appears Wednesdays and Fridays; phone him at 525-8067, e-mail at wharada@honoluluadvertiser.com or fax at 525-8055.
