Competitors gear up for new talent contest

By Wayne Harada
Advertiser Entertainment Editor

Forty-two island high schools conducted competitions from November to March to select finalists for "Star Quest," an alternative to the popular "Brown Bags to Stardom" contests of the past. 'Star Quest' A high-school talent contest 6 p.m. Saturday (doors open at 5 p.m.) Stan Sheriff Center, University of Hawai'i-Manoa $20 main floor, $15 mid-level, $10 upper level 526-4400 or through participating schools

Among the contestants: Hoku Aki, 17-year-old Kaua'i High School senior, who is performing with a group called Elima Miu. Aki lost his left leg after he was attacked by a shark in waters off the Garden Island in late March and music has been part of his therapy and recovery process.

" 'Brown Bags' is over," said contest coordinator Tai Okamura of the popular student talent show that ran for 21 years. " 'Star Quest' is the alternative."

The mission is the same: Provide an arena for budding talent to strut their stuff. In "Brown Bags," the prize was a stab at a recording contract.

"Star Quest" has a different spin. A $500 grand prize awaits the top talent, along with a large TV, pizza and Coca-Cola for a year, and exposure on Oceanic Cable 16.

Okamura, who has been allied with Oceanic's "My TV Jams," said he was involved indirectly with "Brown Bags," helping run the finals about three years ago.

"There were some problems in recent years," he said of the contest, which had produced a handful of "stars" such as Glenn Medeiros and Tia Carrere in its early years. KIKI-FM, also known as I-94, was the longtime sponsor.

Thus, the talent show was terminated, enabling him to launch "Star Quest" last fall.

Okamura also had worked with a middle-school competition, in conjunction with the Hawai'i Schools Credit Union, which ultimately evolved into "Star Quest" and a high-school participation base.

Between November and March, 42 schools conducted on-campus competitions to select this weekend's finalists (see list). Three had to drop out, Okamura said, because of academic considerations.

"We have increased the participation level on the Neighbor Islands and hope to expand the contest next year to 55 finalists," he said. Where "Brown Bags" restricted Neighbor Islands to one winner apiece representing each island, "Star Quest" will welcome a representative from all participating high schools.

"Starting May 11, we're launching nine half-hour specials on the contest, on Oceanic 16," Okamura said.

Down the line, he said considerations for growth and promotion would include a CD project that would coincide with and help boost next year's contest.