Islander joins 'Mamma Mia!' cast | The Honolulu Advertiser

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Islander joins 'Mamma Mia!' cast | The Honolulu Advertiser | Hawaii's Newspaper

Posted on: Thursday, July 8, 2004

SHOW BIZ
Islander joins 'Mamma Mia!' cast

By Wayne Harada
Advertiser Entertainment Writer

Show breezes: Just back from a Broadway visit — good to learn that local boy Isaac Calpito, who was home to celebrate his tutu's 65th birthday last month, now is revving up to enter the cast of "Mamma Mia!" on the Great White Way. He had a week or so of rehearsals and was to make his debut in the ensemble this week. With sisters Tatiana and Nataysha Echevarria, who are theatrical buffs themselves, summering with Calpito in New York, he won't be too lonely and he'll have his siblings drooling with envy. Who can't get hypnotized by that ABBA music? ...

Ex-Islander Kevin McCollum, the co-producer of the Tony Award-winning musical "Avenue Q," talked to Newsweekabout plans for the irreverent puppet show. It won't be on customary national tour. Instead, "Avenue Q" will find an address in Las Vegas shortly. Bet on a hit. ...

Film clip: Audy Kimura, Na Hoku Hanohano Award-winning singer-composer, has gone cinematic, creating original music and a composition credit for Vilsoni Hereniko's "The Land Has Eyes," which debuts with the new music at this fall's Hawai'i International Film Festival. "Land" earned hurrahs at the Sundance Film Festival this year and since has played numerous other festivals — Rotterdam, Moscow, Brisbane, New York, Washington, D.C., San Diego, Santa Cruz and Los Angeles. When it debuts at HIFF, it will feature a new score — Kimura's first — including music for the final scene, for which he played guitar, 'ukulele, percussion, keyboards and supervised the use of native Rotuman music. He tapped Imua Garza (uke), Herb Ohta Jr. (uke), brother Paul Kimura (bass guitar) and Herb Mahelona (keyboards) for additional music. ...

Whee, the people: Gaylord Holomalia, a member of Kalapana and a recording-industry whiz, recently returned from a Disneyland visit. His family wound up participating in the opening of the park (they were early in line), including a countdown to the opening of the theme-park gates. He was wearing the iconic Kalapana T-shirt and after he returned home, he realized that many folks there saw him and responded by visiting kalapanamusic.com. "It was very cool for me, and my kids," said Holomalia. ...

At Avex Honolulu Studios, which Holomalia runs when he's not making music, he will offer one- and two-week courses starting this month, to develop a pool of trained techies who will learn the ropes of recording and production. Sessions will be at the Hawai'i Kai marina studios. Call 393-2021. ...

Way to go: Dayna Furusawa and Thomas Lee, members of the Hawai'i Youth Symphony Orchestra, are attending the Kennedy Center/National Symphony Orchestra Summer Music Institute on scholarship through July 26 in Washington, D.C. Dayna was principal cellist this past season; she begins her senior year at the Education Laboratory School this fall. Her parents are Minoru and Lynn Furusawa. Thomas was a principal violist and will be a Punahou School senior this fall. His parents are Andrew and Wendy Lee.

And that's Show Biz. ...

Show Biz is published Tuesdays and Thursdays.

Reach Wayne Harada at wharada@honoluluadvertiser.com, 525-8067 or fax 525-8055.

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