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The Honolulu Advertiser
Posted on: Thursday, October 20, 2005

SHOW BIZ
Two Mels create music, laughter at Pagoda

By Wayne Harada
Advertiser Columnist

MELTDOWN: Two pals named Mel — Melveen Leed and Mel Cabang — have teamed up for what's been unofficially dubbed the M&M show, playing at 7:30 p.m. Nov. 12 at the C'est Si Bon club at the Pagoda Hotel & Restaurant. Sounds like lunacy, if you recall their last time together a couple of years ago, when the comic guested with the singer for a Local Divas event. The diva and the doyen had a blast taking publicity photos for this engagement, so you can expect much laughter with music.

Frank B. Shaner, now doing morning drive at KUMU-FM, will be part of the gig (won't take much to coax his share of falsetto), with Jody B, a Wahiawa phenom, also on stage. Tickets are $22 in advance (call 545-3642), $27 at the door. ...

TRADE WINDS: Actor Matt Dillon and Owen Wilson, in town to film "You, Me and Dupree," stopped by the Halekulani's Lewers Lounge, where Noly Paa entertains on Sundays and Mondays. His audience has included Rocky Brown, DeShannon Higa, Albert Maligmat, Sonya Mendez, Dan Del Negro and Sherry Shaoling. ...

Sonya Mendez as Bloody Mary is the powerhouse of Paliku Theatre's "South Pacific" revival, which has been extended another week (Nov. 6 will now be the last date). She has the voice, the characterization, the "Happy Talk" of the comic character down pat — and is earning hurrahs. A trimmer Steve Wagenseller (as Emile de Becque) and newcomer Maryn Good (as Nellie Forbush) are part of the prevailing vocal triumvirate. ...

Enola Mutch, the head nurse in "South Pacific," took "break a leg" to heart during a rehearsal, injuring her right leg while high-kicking across the stage. On crutches for a while, she has rejoined daughter Deanna in the cast. Mutch is the sister of singer Jessie Rivera. Among the notables enjoying the "Enchanted Evening" since opening night: Carole Kai and husband Eddie Onouye, Jimmy and Vicki Borges, Kalani Brady and pianist Ron Miyashiro. ...

RANDOM NOTES: Services for Ray Bumatai, the actor-comedian-musician who died Oct. 6, will be at 5 p.m. Nov. 5 at Diamond Head Theatre; in lieu of flowers, donations in his memory may be made to Manoa Valley Theatre. ...

Paul Ogata, 102.7 Da Bomb deejay who moonlights as a stand-up comic, is back from Hong Kong shows where he got a standing ovation. He's booked for four return visits. Notables in his audience included Jason Tobin ("Better Luck Tomorrow" and the upcoming "Fast and Furious 3") and Glen Chin ("Art of War," "50 First Dates). Plus a fellow Pearl City grad, Pam Tse, who's studying abroad. ...

BACKSTAGE BITS: Shari Lynn will play Rosie in Hawai'i Pacific Theatre's season opener, "Aloha Rosie's," premiering Nov. 4 at HPU's Windward campus. Jim Tharp will be Johnny, and the cast includes Glenn Cannon as Nathan the Devil, Kalani Brady as Billy Sinfree (with Tom Hollowach spelling Brady in a few shows), and Becky Maltby as Jenny. Norm Boroughs and Joyce Maltby, the husband-wife creative team, wrote the play, which Maltby is directing. Brad Powell is choreographer, Don Conover is musical director. ...

Judy Yoshioka, Emmett's wife who played Jeanette in "The Full Monty" at Diamond Head Theatre, was the lone cast member who experienced many of the things she sang in her show-stopping tune. Consider her family tree: "My dad traveled with Kate Smith from the West Coast to the East Coast, and both my mom and dad worked with Frank Sinatra in both radio and TV on the 'Hit Parade/Lucky Strike Show.' I heard many fun stories about 'those' days. It's truly been an adventure for me to be able to dust off those memories and then have 'Jeanette' tell the tale, so to speak." ...

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.