TALK ABOUT PEOPLE: Jason Tam, playing Paul San Marco in Broadway's "A Chorus Line" revival, will leave the cast early next year. He's coming home to film the second season of The N's "Beyond the Break" series. Could be in February-March. Once the young-adult surf show wraps, Tam, the son of Honolulans Jim and Linda Tam, will return to Broadway and continue through mid-July. So if you're bound for The Big Apple to catch Tam delivering that emotional monologue, plan accordingly. ...

Comedian Augie T. will perform at 7:30 p.m. tomorrow and Thursday at Esprit at the Sheraton Waikiki hotel, but he'll be on the road thereafter. "I'll be away from home again this Christmas — I think it's four years in a row," he said of his looming tour in the Midwest (brrrrrrr). "My wife isn't happy about this." His "Then & Now" DVD has been a blockbuster local fave, and Augie hopes to spread the cheer and joy of laughter with Mainlanders. ...

HERE 'N' THERE: That was Roseanne Barr at The Kahala Hotel & Resort earlier this month. You know her best from "Roseanne." ...

Deena Dray, Diamond Head Theatre executive director, and husband Peter Rosegg visited New York with a group of DHT patrons, taking in a round of Broadway shows.

They had a backstage visit after seeing "The Drowsy Chaperone," arranged by Melanie Tojio Lockyer, who co-directed DHT's "Thoroughly Modern Millie." At dinner at Orso one night, Dray encountered Martin Short, dining with Steve Martin.

"We were almost glad when they left, so we could stop surreptitiously gawking, and concentrate on our own meal, but then Ellen Barkin and Ralph Fiennes came in and sat down. We gave up." Only in New York. ...

BITS 'N' PIECES: Celeb chef Ming Tsai and master mixologist Dale DeGroff shared a table and dishes at Hiroshi Eurasion Tapas last Thursday. Tsai was here for two private Halekulani events (including First Hawaiian Bank's MasterCard sweepstakes drawings), DeGroff for his bar wizardry.

So what do "industry" giants favor at Hiroshi's? Try sizzling kampachi carpaccio, foie gras sushi, butterfish, shrimp cocktail, veal cheeks and 'opakapaka cooked "sous vide" ("under vacuum," a technique that's all the rage in Europe). ...

Krazy Karaoke on Young Street was the sponsor and site for the Great Aloha Run Volunteer Christmas party, with entertainer Sonya Mendez, GRA groups coordinator, taking charge of the sing-outs amid the 50 celebrants, which included, natch, Carole Kai. Rene Mansho showed up, too. ...

Augie Rey & the Little 360s Big Band, featuring Bobby King and Carlos Barboza, former members of The Aliis, will do a Christmas concert from 6 to 10 p.m. Saturday at the Waikiki Elks Club. Call 923-5722. ...

THE LOCAL ANGLE: Amy Hanaiali'i Gilliom was a big hit when she put on her "Generation — A Hawaiian Christmas" concert at the Castro Theatre in San Francisco.

Though it was a cold, damp evening, the show (co-produced by Gilliom and former resident Dean Shibuya), was warm in spirit and adoration, with a diverse mix of locals — ages 20 to 80 — from Hawai'i and San Francisco.

The CD sales table, manned by the singer's spouse, John Austin, and baby Madeline, was thronged with fans grabbing CDs. Dancers from ex-Islander Patrick Makuakane's Na Lei Hulu I Ka Wekiu halau performed along with Hanaiali'i Gilliom. Sounds like an annual expedition. ...

John Paul Lam, Punahou and Pepperdine University grad, has been a backup singer for Christian artist Michael W. Smith's Christmas tour. The show has wound its way around the country, including gigs with the National Philharmonic Orchestra at the Strathmore Music Center and the Dallas Symphony Orchestra at Myerson Symphony Hall. At Strathmore, Lam met fellow Punahou alum Steve Case, founder of AOL. ...

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.