Posted on: Tuesday, January 18, 2005

SHOW BIZ
Fancy feet walking all over our Islands

By Wayne Harada
Advertiser Entertainment Writer

SIGHT 'EMS: So who's shopping at the Sandal Tree? Out Wailea way, it was Sir Anthony Hopkins, the Academy Award-winning actor, and his wife, for starters; over on Kaua'i, it was golfer Vijay Singh spending his winnings. At Ala Moana Center, it was Sharie Shima, the meteorologist at KHNL News8 — though, admittedly, you can't see her feet when she's talking up weather. For the record, Shima walked home with a pair of Pancaldi shoes. ...

And the sexy, hunk-of-a-carpenter with the blond, spiked-up hair at the Hilton Waikoloa Village a few weeks back was none other than Ty Pennington, the host-star of ABC-TV's "Extreme Makeover," having an extreme vacation of pampering and fun. Pennington and girlfriend Andrea Bock participated in the hotel's Dolphin Encounter and indulged in full body massages at the Kohala Sports Club & Spa. ...

ON THE ROAD: So what do you perform for a presidential inaugural dinner gala? That's the dilemma facing Island pianist Kit Samson, who's already in Washington, D.C. He has been tapped to perform cocktail hour and dinner music at one of three or four galas for President Bush's inaugural hoopla this week; his slot is Thursday night. To prep for presidential duty, Samson practiced his medley of "Phantom of the Opera" tunes, but hoped to sneak in popular local tunes like "I'll Remember You." He got the prestigious invite from former Kahala Hilton employee Gerry Frank, who had a hand in mounting some of the inaugural celebrations. Following his gig, Samson pauses in San Francisco before returning home Sunday. Bet he'll have stories to tell. ...

When premier Hawai'i nose flute recording artist Anthony Natividad recently performed at the Borders store in Sacramento, Calif., one member of the audience was renowned for her flute playing as well. Grammy winner Mary Youngblood (2002 Best Native American Album) was so impressed with Natividad that she joined him on stage for several duets and purchased several of his Hawaiian nose flutes following the performance. Natividad performed music from his CD "Ahupua'a" to an audience of more than 250 people. ...

Last Saturday night, two locals performed on separate stages at the Broward Center for the Performing Arts in Fort Lauderdale, Fla. In the 2,800-seat Au-Rene Theater: a touring company of the Broadway favorite, "Hairspray," with Keale Settle, originally from La'ie, in the lead role. In the 600-seat Amaturo Theater, Keola Beamer, sharing Hawaiiana (vocals and guitar), with wife Moana doing the hula. So reports Teri Freitas Gorman, now a vice president with Broward. Freitas Gorman, a former Maui resident, was director of marketing at the Maui Arts & Cultural Center. ...

Burton White, Hawai'i Theatre manager, had dinner in New York with Baayork Lee, who has numerous Island friends, including Grammy nominee Robert Cazimero and the late theater trouper Tommy Aguilar. As an original cast member of "A Chorus Line," she has worked closely with show creator Michael Bennett. And Lee will be involved in the planned revival of "Chorus" in September 2006, assisting in restaging Bennett's choreography.

Dinner talk with White revolved around Alicia Albright, daughter of Isle transplants Michael and Cheryl Albright (he was an electrical engineer for the Hawai'i Theatre exterior renovation). It turns out Alicia, a stage trouper herself, was Lee's designated driver.

Alicia just filmed a promotional video for a national tour of "Seven Brides for Seven Brothers," in which she has also landed the lead role. Mom and Dad are thrilled. ...

RANDOM NOTES: The oldies band Flashback broke custom and provided karaoke backing for those willing to pay $10 to sing a tune at Kay's After Five Karaoke Lounge in Kaimuki. It was all for a relief fund for victims of the Indian Ocean tsunami, and $1,112.50 was raised. "This was really fun," said club owner Kay Kiyoda. "We have great customers." ...

There's growing anticipation for the upcoming ARTafterDARK event Feb. 25 at the Honolulu Academy of Arts, where Berlin DJ Dr. Motte will headline. Mark the date; celebrate. ...

Don't miss innovative, athletic dance troupe Pilobolus, the six-member Connecticut company, performing Thursday night at the Maui Arts & Cultural Center in Kahului, and Friday and Saturday at the Hawai'i Theatre. ...

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.