SHOW BIZ
Marines get time on Bruce Willis film set

By Wayne Harada
Advertiser Entertainment Editor

BOOT CAMP: Eight U.S. Marines from Kane'ohe, led by Capt. Chris Huff, recently spent a day on the set of the new Bruce Willis film, "Hostile Rescue." The group was invited by Willis to watch him on his turf — a reciprocal gesture of aloha since the Marines earlier allowed him a tour of their base and firing range before the movie launched production last month. In addition to a meal from the set caterer, the troops posed for photos with Willis and other actors and crew, including technical adviser Harry Humphries. Humphries is a former Navy SEAL who also worked with Willis on "Armageddon" ...

The kids in the Castle Performing Arts Company's "Fame" production got a real taste of the-show-must-go-on principle when the power went out 10 minutes before the final curtain at Sunday's matinee performance. After initial ad-libbing, Kalaheo student Michael Sotelo, one of the featured actors, and the rest of the cast finished their final two numbers by flashlight, with musical director Emmett Yoshioka hopping onstage to play the piano used in the show, since the pit orchestra had relied on two electric keyboards. Patricia Hamamoto, school superintendent, was among the audience. "I was proud of them," said director Karen L. Meyer. She was joined by Gary Anguay, father of Tori Anguay, one of the lead players, in handling "spotlight" duties with flashlights from the pit. It was a lesson not in the books ...

MEMORABLE MOMENTS: What a memorable weekend this was, musically speaking. At Keali'i Reichel's trio of Honolulu Symphony pops concerts Friday and Saturday at Blaisdell Concert Hall, Ho'okena was the surprise guest, providing chicken-skin harmony. Reichel took command of the show from top to bottom, with nary a throw-away moment, and Matt Catingub's arrangements of a number of Reichel's songs enhanced the joy and beauty of the mele. The performance of the Lahainaluna High School alma mater (Ho'okena learned it through prior collaboration with Reichel on Maui) while sitting on the lip of the stage was a blast. And wasn't 'Iliahi Paredes' hula wonderful? ...

And Amy Hanaiali'i Gilliom's "Hawaiian Musical Treasures" outing Friday at the Hawai'i Theatre was a walk down memory lane, with Genoa Keawe, Leina'ala Haili and Kealoha Kalama retracking signatures from their respective musical riches. The show-stopper, of course, was Keawe's hold-the-note-long-time "Alika." And that finale, with the four singing together, was the stuff of legends ...

HERE 'N' THERE: Shep Gordon, the Maui resident with Hollywood connections, checked out the new Sansei in Kihei with Oscar-winner Helen Hunt, and both gave their endorsements. His: "Wow." Hers: "Dynamite." The joint is jumping, serving 250 dinners a night, G.M. Tom Alejado says ...

Darrell Labrado, 17, the Moloka'i marvel, has been touring Japan and Guam with Three Plus. Next stop for Labrado: May 3-6 in Las Vegas and the "Pure Aloha Concert" ...

Former Miss America Angela Baraquio joined newscasters-turned-models-for-a-day Trini Kaopuiki, Malia Mattoch, Donalyn Dela Cruz, Sheryl Turbeville and Angela's sister, Bernadette Baraquio, a few mornings back on KHON Fox 2's Morning News show. They joined Leslie Wilcox to promote the Salvation Army's benefit fashion show this Saturday at the Sheraton Waikiki Hotel ...

And that's Show Biz ...

Wayne Harada's Show Biz runs Wednesdays and Fridays; reach him at wharada@honoluluadvertiser.com, 525-8067 or fax 525-8055.