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The Honolulu Advertiser
Posted on: Tuesday, May 2, 2006

SHOW BIZ
Tam prepping to launch 'Chorus' and 'Break'

By Wayne Harada
Advertiser Columnist

Jason Tam

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Keith Kashiwada

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Howard Dashefsky

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Jon Anderson

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SINGULAR SENSATION: Our own Jason Tam (remember when he was Gavroche in "Les Miserables"?) copped the role of Paul San Marco in "A Chorus Line," which will be revived on Broadway in October. For a preview of the show, go to www.broadway.com. You'll find video clips, hear quotes and feel the buzz on the iconic dance show. You may also recognize co-star Heather Parcells (Judy), who starred as Velma in a touring production of "Chicago," presented by Ronald Andrew at Blaisdell Concert Hall. ...

Tam — in all his grown-up glory — is also part of "Beyond the Break," the filmed-in-Hawai'i series, on which he plays Kurt "Shoe" Shoemaker. Check out www.the-n.com/ntv/shows/btb/meetthestars/ ...

WHEE, THE PEOPLE: You could have put on three or four plays, considering the playwrights, directors and actors in the house, when Keith Kashiwada, Kumu Kahua regular, and Alissa Alcosiba, Kumu managing director, tied the knot on his birthday (March 26) at the Hale Koa hotel. The bride wore an Anne Namba creation, the groom wore Tommy Bahama, and the celebrants included Darrell Lum, Gary Pak, Chance Gusukuma, Dennis Carroll, Daryl Tsutsui, Lisa Kanae, Daryl Bonilla, Karen Hironaga, Wil Kahele, Dawn Gohara, Janice Itamura, Janice Terukina, Mark Lutwak, Y York, Craig Howes, Marcus Oshiro, Rodney Kwock, Nyla Fujii Babb, Alex Oliver, Alisa Kimura, John Wat, Wayne Paakaula, Nan Asuncion, Bert Narimatsu and Gerry Kawaoka. Sista Sherry and Dann Seki emceed. ...

As a prelude to Kids Day tomorrow, when celebs and volunteers will sell a special edition of The Advertiser to benefit Parents and Children Together, Compadres in Ward Centre opened up earlier than usual last Tuesday to offer a bit of hospitality to the team. Restaurant g.m. Jim Wagner welcomed Howard Dashefsky and Diane Ako from KHNL-8, Walter Makaula and Stephanie Lum from KFVE, Jamie Hartnett and Sweetie Pacarro from KSSK and Jeff Coelho representing Mayor Mufi Hannemann. PACT board members such as Lowell Kalapa, Eileen Lota and Cappie Fasi were also on hand. Tiny Tadani, of OC16 and KHUI-FM, emceed, with "Cirque Hawai'i" providing visual magic. Chandler Cone, who appears on a TV spot produced by Nick Carter of KGMB-9, took off from Wai'alae School to attend. ...

CALENDAR CUE: Kalapana will make a rare club appearance at the Pipeline Cafe on June 11. The event will tap some classic Kalapana hits and also showcase Randy Lorenzo, one of the Grammy-winning ki ho'alu artists, and the duo of Jon Osorio and Stephen Brown. Tickets are $20 in advance (at Jelly's 'Aiea, Hungry Ear Kailua, Hawai'i's Natural High Waikiki and the Pipeline Cafe), $25 at the door. Call 926-3000 or go to www.presaleticketsonline.com. ...

Jon Anderson, lead singer of the rock band Yes, does a solo concert at 7:30 p.m. May 21 at the Hawai'i Theatre. Tickets: $29 to $49, on sale at the box office or at 528-0506 or www.hawaiitheatre.com. ...

SHORTS OF SORTS: Puamana Crabbe, the fashion designer, has put her creativity on hold while pursuing an MBA at the University of Phoenix, after completing Hawai'i Technology Institute studies earlier this year. This means she and daughter Ka'ili, now a Kamehameha senior, will both be in college at the same time. Daughter heads for Notre Dame DeNamur in Belmont, Calif., this fall; Crabbe continues her master's quest while teaching Hawaiian studies at Stevenson Middle School and Waimanalo Elementary. One other activity keeps her linked to hula and Waikiki: monthly hula with peers from the 1970s and '80s at Tavana's, Tihati's, Hula Hut and Le Boom Boom Club shows. They dance with kumu O'Brian Eselu, reminisce about the old days and have potluck meals. ...

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.