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The Honolulu Advertiser
Posted on: Tuesday, August 23, 2005

SHOW BIZ
Familiar faces returning to Castle, with wives

By Wayne Harada
Advertiser Columnist

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ON STAGE: "Raise Your Voice," a revue of Broadway music, will feature six Asian-American performers, including two with bona-fide Hawai'i ties, at 8 p.m. Sept. 23, 2 and 8 p.m. Sept. 24 and 2 and 7 p.m. Sept. 25 at the Ronald E. Bright Theatre at Castle High School. Pocket Aces Productions is collaborating with the Castle Performing Arts Center to present Broadway alums Cliffton Hall, Deedee Magno-Hall, Michael K. Lee, Alexander Selma, Jenni Selma and Kim Varhola, whose collective credits include on-Broadway and touring productions of "Miss Saigon," "Les Miserables," "Rent," "Jesus Christ, Superstar," "Flower Drum Song," "Thoroughly Modern Millie" and "Pacific Overtures." ...

Cliffton Hall and Alexander Selma, if you remember, did shows at Castle before their Broadway success (Hall in "Saigon" and "Les Miz," Selma in "Superstar"), and both are bringing their wives to their early stomping grounds. Current Castle drama students will augment the cast, getting work-alongside-pros experience. Tickets are $30 and will be available at the box office. For information, call Lee, who's producing, at (818) 613-3404. ...

Another show of local interest: James Nakamoto will direct the East West Players' equity revival of Edward Sakamoto's "Stew Rice," Sept. 7 through Oct. 2 in Los Angeles, in case anyone's heading that way. Cast members include Michael Sun Lee, Shaun Shimoda, Keo Woolford, Millie Chow, Chanel Hirai and Kaliko Kauahi. There are locals, too, behind the scenes — EW Players' artistic director is Tim Dang, who helmed rehearsals last week while Nakamoto was back home for some personal business, and costume-props designer is Ken Takemoto. ...

At 'Ohi'a Productions' "The Adventures of Garry and Harry: A Tale of Two Turtles," Lisa Matsumoto has enlisted Hugh Hanson of New York to design costumes for the show premiering at 7:30 p.m. Sept. 2 at the Hawai'i Theatre. He earlier did "On Dragonfly Wings" and "The Princess and the Iso Peanut." ...

DANCE BEAT:Gil Duldulao, a former member of Marcelo Pacleb's 24/VII DanceForce, will guest star in Pacleb's "Deja Vu 2" dance concerts at 8 p.m. Friday and Saturday and 4 p.m. Sunday at the Ronald E. Bright Theatre at Castle. Peter Rockford Espiritu's Tau Dance Theatre also will make an appearance. ...

Duldulao, who has danced with or choreographed for some top show biz faves (Janet Jackson, Britney Spears, Beyoncé, Tina Turner, Christina Aguilera, Jennifer Lopez and Ricky Martin), has been home since July — and has delayed his departure. "He taught about six classes here," Pacleb said, and now has agreed to guest perform. "It's his way of giving back to the community. He's so seasoned, it pays off for the kids, too — they feed off him." Of course, Espiritu also has been an active member of the dancescape here, too. "He inspires me," Pacleb said of the dance veteran. Tickets are $12 ($10 in advance), available at 235-5141. ...

AROUND TOWN: That "Young Artists Helping Young Artists" event, the fund-raiser for Rehab Hospital organized last Wednesday by Natalie Parker at Compadres, raised $10,000 — with more coming in. About 200 attended, heard songs by Kainoa Goo (who just finished Diamond Head Theatre's "Beauty and the Beast"), Joey Caldarone (who was in Army Community Theatre's "Miss Saigon") and Leslie Goldman (who did an aria from "La Boheme"), and nibbled pupu donated by Rick Enos. A good deed for a good cause. ...

Sam Choy surprised The Makaha Sons at the Moonlight Mele on the Lawn at Bishop Museum last Thursday. Robi Kahakalau also sang. ...

William Paty, Duke's Waikiki and Danny Kaleikini will be honored with the 2005 Kahiau Awards in Waikiki Community Center's Na Mea Makamae O Waikiki evening, from 5:30 to 9:30 p.m. Friday at the Hilton Hawaiian Village Coral Ballroom. Entertainment will be by Melveen Leed, Pilioha and the keiki from Olana A'i's Halau Hula Olana. Former Gov. John Waihee and wife Lynne are honorary co-chairs. ...

CALENDAR CUES: Pianist Rich Crandall will resume his Tuesday night serenades at Studio 6, with Steve Jones and Darryl Pellegrini aboard tonight. Crandall's daughter Angela will be singing, too. ...

Hawaiian 105 KINE's next Aloha Friday luncheon, at noontime Friday at the Ala Moana hotel's Hibiscus Ballroom, assembles O'Brian Eselu, Ku'uipo Kumukahi and Natalie A'i and Halau Hula Olana. Cost is $19, including a buffet. Call 955-4811. ...

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.