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The Honolulu Advertiser
Posted on: Sunday, May 3, 2009

SHOW BIZ
DHT artistic director recovering in souped-up style

By Wayne Harada
Advertiser Columnist

Hawaii news photo - The Honolulu Advertiser

John Rampage

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John Rampage, artistic director at Diamond Head Theatre, has been hobbling around with a walker, following recent knee surgery. The walker, a remnant from DHT's madcap musical, "The Producers," was upgraded by set director Willie Sabel — Rampage now can store incidentals like sunglasses and pens in a mini-basket secured to its frame. Talk about a custom job. ...

PERSONALITIES: Robbie Acoba, new g.m. at the IHOP at the Aqua Palms Hotel, 850 Ala Moana, features value-added brunch entertainment during the week: Strolling magicians Alan Arita and Glen Bailey and caricature artist John Isara augment the pancakes, breakfast and lunch menu items. ...

Do-gooder comedian Augie T did a lot of good last Sunday, with a fundraiser for the Waipahu High School athletic department attracting a throng of 1,000. He's busy with Mother's Day shows in Kona on Saturday and at the Ala Moana Hotel on Sunday, but has Mainland gigs June 5 at the California Hotel in Las Vegas and June 13 in San Diego, joining the Makaha Sons, Willie K, Daniel Ho and Tia Carrere. ...

At the "You May Not Kiss the Bride" cast wrap party at Oceans recently, Willie K jammed and sang with Tia Carrere and Rob Schneider. All appear in the filmed-in-the-Islands flick, of course. Emme Tomimbang taped Willie and Carrere singing "He Aloha Mele" at a location shoot, saving it for her May 28 "Emme's Island Moments." ...

HITHER 'N' YON: When Pat Sakai was vacationing in the Big Apple recently, she dined at Campagnola Italian restaurant on the Upper East Side. While waiting for a cab, the maitre d' came out with a tall lanky guy in tow and introduced him as Mick, who lives on Maui. Sidewalk photos were taken, and only when she got home and shared the photos with husband Mel did she realize that the Mick was Mick Fleetwood, who was in New York for a Fleetwood Mac concert at Madison Square Garden. ...

Actor Richard Pellett is back from a 3 1/2-week cruise to China, Taiwan, Singapore, Hong Kong, Vietnam and Thailand, with temps ranging from 12 degrees F in Beijing to 98 in Bangkok. Now he's rehearsing for "An Afternoon With Walt Whitman," which Army Community Theatre presents as its May Readers Theatre event. ...

K-pop singer Rain's Hawaiian Cloud fan club will stage "Celebration Bi 27," from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. June 28 at the Pipeline Café, to mark the Korean star's 27th birthday. The event will include a buffet luncheon, giveaways from Rain's Six to Five designer line, and a singing-dancing-to-Rain's-music contest. Tickets: $25. Specifics: rainshawaiianclub@yahoo.com ...

As part of the Honolulu Rainbow Film Festival set for May 21 through 24, Oscar-winning screenwriter-producer Dustin Lance Black will make an appearance at the "Gayla Celebration" finale, at 5 p.m. May 24 in the Henry Luce Pavilion at the Honolulu Academy of Arts. Black wrote and exec-produced "Milk," the Oscar-winning film. ...

TRADE WINDS: Keith and Carmen Haugen will appear June 27 and 28 at the Volcano Art Center on the Big Island for a workshop Saturday and a sing-along Sunday, sharing songwriting philosophies and tunes from the Haugen songbook. They hoped to be joined by pakini master Frank Uehara, who plays a mean washtub bass, and is the F when he joins Keith and Carmen as KFC. Call 967-8222 to register for the workshop. ...

The Hawai'i Academy of Recording Arts is accepting applications for the annual Bill Murata Memorial Scholarship, open to college sophomores with a keen interest and commitment to Hawaiian music and/or poetry. May 15 is the application deadline; two scholarships will be awarded, each for $3,000. For applications, visit www.nahokuhanohano.org or call 593-9424. ...

And that's Show Biz. ...

Read his blog at http://showandtellhawaii.honadvblogs.com.

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