SHOW BIZ
Diva diversifies into art, jewelry and small-kid time
By Wayne Harada
Advertiser Entertainment Editor
FOLLOW THE LEED-ER: Melveen Leed recently was given an honorary membership in the Rotary Club Honolulu Sunrise, and she immediately delved into the public-service spirit, participating in a Read to Me program at Royal Elementary School. She shared one of her original stories with kindergartners. Leed, of course, also is one of the Local Divas and a pillar of Windward Community College's inaugural Hawai'i Music Institute, now under way, and gives another performance/class session from 6 to 7 p.m. March 14 (information: 235-7433). Others in the WCC program are Brother Noland, Van Diamond, Ron Loo and Mike Kato ...
To her varied career (she designs and creates jewelry, as well as singing), Leed has added art. One of her pen-and-ink works, "Haleconia," will be given away at Martin & MacArthur's on Kahai Street. Stop by the store through Feb. 24 for details.
Look for Leed, too, in a Sea Breeze Sweetheart Concert from 6:30 to 8:30 p.m. tomorrow at the Hawai'i Kai Towne Center's Marina Courtyard Stage. It's a Valentine's weekend outing; there will be food from Cha Cha Cha Salsaria, The Chef's Table and Hawai'i Kai Bar-B-Que ...
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I. Mihana, aka Mihana Souza, will make an appearance at 8 tonight at Borders, Ward Centre. "Hula Rock Mama," on her new CD, has become a favorite of the country line dancers, so when word of her gig reached Cliff Angelias, he offered to corral a group of his line dancers to perform that new number in the aisles of the Borders record department. Mihana could have a big hit, if other country liners adopt and perform her new song. Angelias' dancers regularly perform at shopping centers such as Ward Warehouse ...
On his first Big Isle visit, tennis ace Michael Chang recently swam with dolphins, spending 45 minutes in the Dolphin Quest program at the Hilton Waikoloa Village, where he was ensconced ...
Kathy Horio Grebe, who was known as Tehani when she performed with Tavana's Polynesian revue years ago, has been in town to help the 50th anniversary of the Cherry Blossom Festival. She was the queen of the 18th one and has been trying to assemble as many former queens and ex-Japanese Junior Chamber of Commerce officials as possible, leading up to Sunday's coronation at the Hilton Hawaiian Village's Tapa Ballroom. Call Sharene at 627-8522 ...
Couture designers Takeo and Eric Chandler, who've been active in supporting the Miss Hawai'i USA, Miss Hawai'i Teen USA and Miss University pageants for years, are proud of the day proclaimed in their honor, Jan. 25, by Gov. Ben Cayetano. The pair have groomed many beauties in the past ...
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SHORTS OF SORTS: Sherry Wong, last seen in Army Community Theatre's musical "Sayonara," has been cast as Chah Li in Manoa Valley Theatre's revival of "Song of Singapore." The role originally was created off Broadway (and recreated earlier at MVT) by Cathy Foy, who will choreograph, with Karen Brilliande Bumatai directing. Wong had been hoping to land a spot in ACT's upcoming "Flower Drum Song," which Jim Hutchison is directing, but her plate is now full. Her dad, Woody Chock, will reprise his role of Master Wang (the father); earlier he also played Frankie Wing at ACT ...
Among those chortling over "The Vagina Monologues" when Loretta Swit performed recently at the Hawai'i Theatre: Robert Cazimero, as well as the upcoming "Mame" actors (at Diamond Head Theatre): Shari Lynn, Jo Pruden, Richard Pellett and Dean Turner ...
String Cheese Incident, the Colorado group performing Saturday and Sunday at the Lahaina Civic Center, also is service-minded. So about 48 volunteers from the band's Friends of Cheese Network will assemble to clean up the Pu'upiha Cemetery. As many as 1,400 fans are here from the Mainland to catch one of the group's concerts — musicians hang out with fans, who follow the group around the country ...
And that's Show Biz ...
Wayne Harada's Show Biz runs Wednesdays and Fridays. You can reach him at wharada@honoluluadvertiser.com, 525-8067, or fax 525-8055.
