SHOW BIZ
Health troubles put two entertainers on hold
By Wayne Harada
Advetiser Entertainment Editor
ON THE MEND: Dick Jensen, who has been on the Big Island for ministry work, suffered a heart attack Sunday night. While in bed, he complained to wife Toni that he had severe chest pains, so he was rushed to Hilo Medical Center, where the sometimes-entertainer now is in the ICU. ...
Pico Payne, a member of the Ink Spots, is partially paralyzed after a stroke in June. A fund-raiser is being organized for his July 28 birthday, from 6 to 9 p.m. at the Miramar Hotel's Banana Patch Lounge, where he had been performing. Admission is $20 at the door. ...
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THE LOCAL ANGLE: When David Henry Hwang's new "Flower Drum Song" opens Oct. 18 at the Virginia Theatre on Broadway (previews begin Sept. 23), at least two island performers will co-star in supporting roles. Alvin Ing will play the part of Chin, an older Chinese opera star and the mentor of Wang Chi Young, who owns a Chinese opera company in San Francisco, where the musical is based. The Wang Chi Young role will be enacted by Randall Duk Kim, who was featured in another Rodgers & Hammerstein evergreen a few seasons back, "The King and I." Of course, the star in the new version, directed by Robert Longbottom, is Lea Salonga, in the role of Mei-Li. Salonga won a Tony Award playing Kim in "Miss Saigon." ...
Keali'i Reichel, still on a high after appearing last month in a Hollywood Bowl gig that attracted 10,000, apparently has changed his tune about Mainland travels. He also had a great time at Humphrey's in San Diego, kind of a tiki motel with a lawn stage suitable for other island acts, and now is contemplating an offer to work with a symphony (not ours) in a multi-city tour in the future. Next order of the day: Finishing up a new CD, and, time willing, doing that first-ever Christmas CD, too. ...
Josiah Mataele II holds a CD-release party from 6 to 8:30 p.m. today at Hanks Cafe, 1038 Nu'uanu Ave. The new release is called "Do You Want a Mango, or Do You Want a Lemon?" With the CD event, Mataele will become the Thursday regular at Hank Taufaasau's restaurant-club. The Tuesday act, BBC (two British blokes plus one Chicano), has developed quite a following. ...
Movements: The Society of Seven, led by founding members Tony Ruivivar and Bert Sagum, will return to the Outrigger Waikiki's Main Showroom on Aug. 6, performing through Aug. 25. Which means the Society of Seven Las Vegas spinoff combo closes Aug. 4 but will reopen Aug. 27. The SOS Classic had been headlining at the Golden Nugget in Las Vegas, but the breather also is linked to upcoming appearances in Reno. ...
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ABOUT PEOPLE: Marisa Wahl, an Iolani graduate now attending the University of Southern California Cinema & Television School, is performing in a hot new rock band, Puddles of Mud, whose music video airs next month on MTV and VH1. ...
Quinn Kelsey, the local-boy baritone who is part of the San Francisco Opera's Merola program, earned hurrahs when he sang the Marcelo part in Puccini's "La Bohéme" recently. The San Francisco Chronicle reviewer said Kelsey was "a powerhouse baritone ... who commanded the stage ... from the opening measure." ...
We took in the Moana's Sunday brunch at The Veranda last weekend and enjoyed the strolling Hawaiian sounds of Pa'ahana, featuring Doug Tolentino and Pakala Fernandez. Tolentino alternates this group with his other, the Banyan Serenaders, which features him with Nahoa Lucas. A lovely way to spend a leisurely and ono Sunday — great sounds, great view, great food. ...
And that's Show Biz. ...
Wayne Harada's Show Biz column is published Tuesdays and Thursdays.
