Though $15,000 was raised to finance a Kumu Kahua trip to perform Alani Apio's "Kamau" play last week in the Pacific Arts Festival in Samoa last week, somebody dropped the ball: the drama was not scheduled in the fest, according to director Harry Wong III, who attended with the cast.

What to do? Improvise. Despite the faux pas, the Island company wound up earning three standing ovations, but not the conventional way.

"We got here and the festival scheduled zero performances of our show," Wong said. So, the cast and crew, with support of kumu hula Mapuana de Silva, got creative ... and performed thrice anyway.

First, on a lawn, amid chainsaws and Tongan dancers, on festival grounds. Then at a high school gym, where the football team helped move three bleachers to reconfigure seating. The actors passed out 400 fliers, attracting a crowd of 75 to see the play.

On the last night, a catwalk — remnants of a fashion show — jutted out from the festival stage. So, the crew staged the show from the back of the stage to an audience of 200, with techies switching lighting angles and Wong borrowing platforms. The effort earned a standing ovation.

As the Bard would say, "All the world's a stage." ...

RANDOM NOTES: Akebono, aka Chad Rowan, was one of two celebrity judges for keiki night at "Al Waterson and You" last Sunday at Don Ho's Island Grill. The night turned out to be a family reunion of sorts, since Rowan and show host Waterson are cousins. Chad's bro Randy was there, too, talking old times with Waterson and other cousins. Monica Shigenaga, who does promotions for Akebono, also attended. Natch, the audience had many photo ops. ...

There will be guest performers at the Perry and Price 25th anniversary show Saturday at the Hilton Hawaiian Village's Coral Ballroom. Ticket holders will get to see and hear Amy Hanaiali'i (we're told she's no longer using the Gilliom in billing), The Brothers Cazimero, Raiatea Helm and Cecilio & Kapono, ...

Hanaiali'i is also awaiting the release of her new album, " 'Aumakua," which blends old and new with participation by guest artists. It should be a chartbuster, which would likely elevate her status among the diva population here. ...

NAMES 'N' PLACES: Jasmine Trias, who winds up her stint with the Society of Seven Las Vegas on Sunday, has been the reason the Outrigger Waikiki's Main Showroom has been filled to the rafters. "It's been like old times," said Frannie Kirk, Outrigger entertainment director, of the gallery of vigorous fans who've flocked to see the "American Idol" finalist in her first Waikiki engagement. "We've had lines waiting for autographs and photo-taking after each show in the lobby ... and a visitor complained. We should be celebrating!" No small wonder, then, that a fall return engagement for Trias is in the huddling stages. ...

Jake Gardner (Fredrik Egerman) and his off-stage wife, Jill Gardner, (Countess Charlotte Malcolm) spent their Saturday off nights, between Friday's opening and Sunday's performance of Hawaii Opera Theatre's "A Little Night Music" at Blaisdell Concert Hall, dining and relaxing at Chef Mavro's on South King Street. They raved about the food and wine pairings on a six-course menu — leaving choices up to Chef Mavro — and they especially loved the confit hamachi glazed with yuzu, olive oil leek emulsion, and served with pickled summer vegetables. When the couple tasted the restaurant's signature pre-dessert Champagne gelatin with Moloka'i watermelon and mint accents, Jill exclaimed, "We would both like great big bowls of that every night before bed!" ...

Chanters and dancers from Kaha'i Topolinski's Ka Pa Hula Hawai'i will perform at 5 p.m. tomorrow at the grand re-opening of the renovated cardiac section on the third floor of Pauahi Tower at The Queen's Medical Center. The halau also performs at 2 p.m. Sunday in Na Hula Festival at Kapi'olani Park Bandstand. ...

HAPPY TALK: That tidbit here recently about organist Wes Jones retiring and logging 18,270 wedding ceremonies over 35 years here (he's relocating to Colorado), prompted a couple of calls that Loretta Ables Sayre surely must have done half of those stints - before she trekked to Broadway to star as Bloody Mary in "South Pacific," where her tunes are "Bali Ha'i" and "Happy Talk." Yep, that was one of her many regular gigs here. ...

So where did the aforementioned Ables Sayre and hubby David Sayre celebrate their recent eighth wedding anniversary while she's doing "South Pacific" in New York? A quickie weekend getaway to Westport, Conn. "It was lovely, lovely, lovely," said Ables Sayre. "We plan to go back again in the fall when the leaves start changing (colors)." ...

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.