SHOW BIZ
'Les Miserables' director stops in Hawai'i

By Wayne Harada
Advertiser Entertainment Editor

SIGHT 'EMS: Richard Jay-Alexander, the Broadway producer-director ("Les Miserables," "Miss Saigon"), who now divides time between New York, Miami and Los Angeles, paused recently in Honolulu en route to the South Seas. He dined Friday night at Nick's Fishmarket and reminisced about directing Barbra Streisand's "finale" concert last year in L.A., the trauma of the World Trade Center tragedy (he lives two blocks away), and concerts with the likes of Bernadette Peters (who has recorded a CD of Rodgers & Hammerstein classics, due this year).

Jay-Alexander boarded the Queen Elizabeth 2 (docked here till midnight Saturday) to join up with British tenor Russell Watson; the singer will perform for QE2 guests but also give a mammoth outdoor concert in New Zealand, which Jay-Alexander will direct. Theater types will recall it was Jay-Alexander who cast Jason Tam as Gavroche and Tiffany Shinn as Young Cosette, and later Ryan Rumbaugh and Janell Parrish in those roles, when "Les Miz" played here in 1993 and 1996, respectively ...

Sarah MacLachlan, the singer-composer and Lilith Fair co-founder, enjoyed dinner under the Lahaina stars at I'o Restaurant twice last week. "She looked very beautiful ... and very pregnant," said head chef James McDonald ...

Perry Farrell, the celeb deejay, wasn't the only notable at Wave Waikiki recently. Michelle Rodriguez, star of "The Fast & the Furious," took in Farrell's performance and stayed till the lights came on at 4 a.m. "Normally, celebrities at the Wave are no big thing," said Flash Hansen, the club's promotions director. "But there was definitely a buzz about her" ...

NAMES 'N' PLACES: Loretta Ables Sayre is on her first New York visit, with husband David. She should be at her Veranda mike at the Kahala Mandarin Oriental Hawaii Saturday night ...

Stacy Loe of KGMB-9 tied the knot with Bill Paris, a "Hawaiian Moving Company" photographer, Dec. 30 at her parents' Colorado home. With anchor Kim Gennaula and weatherman Guy Hagi also among the marrieds at the CBS affiliate, is a trend in the works? ...

Make an effort to catch one of the remaining performances of Eve Ensler's "The Vagina Monologues" at the Hawai'i Theatre. Delicate topic, ingenious concept, wonderful performances, outrageous humor, poignancy when you least expect it. In other words, a theatrical marvel, if you give the show (playing through Sunday) a chance. Loretta Swit assumes Mackenzie Phillips' slot for week No. 2; but don't discount or diminish the radiance of Amy J. Carle and Michele Shay, a superb pair who quickly inhabit Ensler's work with incredible power ...

Singer Jimmy Borges wants to write a companion piece, "The Penis Profiles," which he would perform with Don Ho and Butch Williams (the "naked waiter" at the old Dunes show). Problem: "I have to write it first," said Borges ...

NOTABLE: The downtown Native Books & Beautiful Things will close tomorrow night in style, and Maile Meyer, store co-founder, can't believe the spectacle assembled by her cousin, singer I. Mihana, also known as Mihana Souza, whose "Rust on the Moon" solo CD is just out. "I thought we'd have a simple musical show, but Mihana has planned two sets from 6 p.m., one acoustic and one with a slightly rock flavor which sounds like a miniature Las Vega show," said Meyer. Check it out ...

And that's Show Biz ...

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