Posted on: Thursday, October 28, 2004

SHOW BIZ
Diva Dion busy in Vegas, elsewhere

By Wayne Harada
Advertiser Entertainment Writer

STAR-GAZING: Celine Dion and husband Rene Angelil had a weekend dinner at Sarento's on the Beach on Maui, enjoying the Italian cuisine and the oceanside setting, according to Jaison Marconyak, the restaurant's general manager. ...

Dion's three-year contract at Caesars Palace in Las Vegas has been extended for a fourth year. The busy diva has a new CD, "Miracle," an unprecedented collaboration with photographer Anne Geddes, who created images of mother (Dion) and child (a diverse array of babies); a making-of "Miracle" DVD; and a companion Geddes book. Visit celinedion.com or annegeddes.com for details. ...

Members of Journey took the elevator to Aaron's Atop the Ala Moana Hotel Saturday night, after performing at Blaisdell Arena. Even signed autographs for diners. Earlier that day, Journey's Neal Schon (guitarist) and Jonathan Cain (keyboarder) talked story with Michael W. Perry and Larry Price at the John Dominis brunch show. The group's Costa Rica gig was something of a curiosity: Only a handful of people showed up for their bull-ring performance. ...

LOCAL FOLKS: Out Las Vegas way, the Society of Seven — which had been doing 3 p.m. matinee shows in the Jubilee Theatre at Bally's — will launch a night performance, at 8 tomorrow, repeating every Friday thereafter. The schedule switch, according to leader Tony Ruivivar, means an adjustment in shows per week, with matinees continuing Wednesdays through Saturdays and days off on Mondays and Tuesdays. The down time has been greeted with glee: The group can now play golf early in the week, something impossible with the afternoon schedule. ...

The aforementioned SOS was among the audience at Don Tiki's performances at Jimmy Buffett's Margaritaville last week in Vegas. Kit Ebersbach's and Lloyd Kandell's "The Forbidden World of Don Tiki" show also lured Judy Jensen, who brought daughter Summer along, and Henry Kapono and wife Lezlee also were there. ...

WHEE, THE PEOPLE: Singers Genoa Keawe and Robert Cazimero and Hawai'i Theatre manager Burton White showed up at Honolulu Hale Monday for early absentee voting. The gents then lunched at Marbella, where White introduced Cazimero to Ash Matar, CEO of Marbella. So happens that Kim Matar, a Hawai'i Theatre board member, is the wife of the restaurant honcho. ...

"Pretty Dead Girl," a Louis Vuitton Hawaii International Film Festival short by Shawn Ku showing at 4 p.m. Saturday at Dole Cannery, has little in common with Diamond Head Theatre's upcoming musical, "Seussical," premiering Dec. 3. But choreographer Tim Albrecht, who worked on the film and is prepping the local actor-dancers, is a common denominator. A group of Diamond Head cast members has seen the first of the two "Pretty" screenings, in support of their choreographer. ...

WORTH MENTIONING: "AGA-BOOM," the clown concoction at Mamiya Theatre, truly is remarkable. Because Phillip Briggs has a round of one-man shows on the Mainland, a new Russian clown — Valery Slemzin — joins the company this week. Dimitri Bogatirev and wife Iryna Ivanytska, "AGA-BOOM" founders, still anchor the show, with son Anton also aboard. Performances continue through Sunday (Halloween also is costume contest time for keiki attending). Sadly, the houses haven't been full — so put this on your must-see list. You'll laugh till you're limp, and then rebound with the post-show paper fight and balloon bounce. ...

There were tense moments before the opening of Windward Community College's "Big River," at Paliku Theatre through Nov. 7, when stage manager Marlina Daligcon was rushed to Castle Memorial Hospital the night before the opening. She had a serious breathing condition that kept her in bed for about four nights, so Jessica Cash filled her shoes. So naturally, when Daligcon returned to the backstage crew, she was cheered. Happiest, of course, was her boyfriend, tech director Jack Hufstetler, who proposed to her and presented her with a diamond ring. No date, however, on when they'll exchange "I do's." ...

Termites got the best of the Paliku phone lines last week, making it impossible to reserve "River" tickets by telephone. The system's up and running now. ...

And that's Show Biz. ...

Show Biz is published Tuesdays and Thursdays. Reach Wayne Harada at 525-8067, wharada@honoluluadvertiser.com, or fax 525-8055.