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The Honolulu Advertiser
Posted on: Thursday, October 1, 2009

Mitzi Gaynor to appear on Kauai


By Diana Leone

If you don't have an invite to the St. Regis Princeville Resort's party for Mitzi Gaynor on Saturday — no worries.

Tickets are still available for "An Afternoon with Mitzi Gaynor" at 3 p.m. Sunday in the Kaua'i Marriott Resort & Beach Club's Kaua'i Ballroom.

Kaua'i writer David Penhallow will host a "talk story" session with the legendary entertainer that will include questions from the audience.

Gaynor, who still does live performances and is working on a memoir, won't sing or dance. But there will be video clips from her performances in film, on stage and on television.

Penhallow has known Gaynor since she was on Kaua'i to make the movie "South Pacific," in which the Garden Island played a South Pacific island in wartime and Gaynor played the effervescent Ensign Nellie Forbush.

The Kaua'i Visitors Bureau helped bring Gaynor back to Kaua'i to celebrate both the 50th anniversary of "South Pacific" and the opening of the St. Regis Princeville Resort, which is built where Emile de Becque (portrayed by actor Rossano Brazzi) sang "Some Enchanted Evening" to Gaynor in the movie.

Although Gaynor loved Kaua'i, she's never been back — until now.

In a recent phone interview with The Advertiser, Gaynor fondly recalled staying at the Coco Palms Hotel in Wailua and long drives "through the country" to get to north shore filming locations.

"People used to cut up pineapple and offer it to us in our car from the side of the road," Gaynor said.

Advance tickets are available for $20 from the Kaua'i Visitors Bureau through Friday at 808-245-3971 or www.kauaidiscovery.com.

Tickets at the door will be cash only. Children 5 and under are admitted free.