Jason Scott Lee, no stranger to the stage or screen, will make his operatic debut as Pasha, a 17th-century Turkish harem lord who barters for pleasure slaves, in Hawaii Opera Theatre's production of Mozart's "Abduction from the Seraglio" at Blaisdell Concert Hall. Henry Akina will direct.

It will be staged Feb. 13, 15 and 17, the second of three HOT operas, and marks Lee's Honolulu theatrical debut. George Dyer and Audrey Luna are the principals, as Belmonte and Blonda, respectively.

Lee, a Big Island recluse who avoids the Hollywood scene, starred as the king in a 2000 production in London of Rodgers and Hammerstein's "The King and I," mostly in a talk-sing vein, so Mozart will be a new experience for his vocal pipes. His diverse films include "The Jungle Book," "Picture Bride," "Rapa Nui," "Lilo and Stitch" and "Dragon: The Bruce Lee Story."

The HOT season — with a "great escapes" theme — begins with Puccini's "Manon Lescaut" with Shu Ying Li in the tile role Jan. 30, Feb. 1 and 3 and ends with Bizet's "Carmen" with Leann Sandel Pantaleo in the lead Feb. 27, March 1 and 3.

Tickets are on sale at the HOT box office, 596-7858, or www.hawaiiopera.org. ...

ON BROADWAY: A Diamond Head Theatre-organized group of theater buffs is off to New York for another trek of Broadway shows. The highlight, of course, will be when the hometowners take in Rodgers and Hammerstein's "South Pacific" tonight at the Vivian Beaumont Theatre at Lincoln Center, where our much-adored local favorite Loretta Ables Sayre continues to strut her stuff in her Tony-nominated Bloody Mary role.

"The New York tour company always arranges a talk-back with an actor from a show we are seeing, and of course, we asked for Loretta," said Deena Dray, managing director of Diamond Head Theatre, where Ables Sayre starred in two separate runs of "You Somebody," the Lee Cataluna comedy with music by Keola Beamer.

"In addition, Loretta is arranging a cast talk-back after the show," Dray said. "She says the director, Bart Sher (who earned a Best Director Tony nod and who has Island ties) is in town and he is coming."

Last spring, Ables Sayre's co-star, Kelli O'Hara (Nellie Forbush), was the participating star when the first DHT tour ascended on the Great White Way. ...

Hula Howl: Bette Midler's annual Hulaween to-do, held on Halloween at the Waldorf Astoria in New York, raised nearly $3 million for New York's Restoration Project. The local girl, who annually stages this fundraiser for her pet eco-project (tickets were $630 in the balcony, or $63,000 per table), donned a mad chef costume (carrying a butcher knife, with blood a-splattered on her toque and apron) and attracted a star-studded roster of costumed guests including Jimmy Buffett, Gloria Estefan, Gloria Gaynor and Pink. ...

Earlier last month in Hollywood, Midler helped the University of Southern California's Shoah Foundation, founded by filmmaker Steven Spielberg, by performing a ditty called "Pretty Legs & Great Big Knockers" as only she can. The organization preserves testimonies od Holocaust survivors. ...

TROPICAL TOPICS: Comedian Paul Ogata, who's relocated to California, is coming home for a stand-up session at 8:30 p.m. Dec. 10, which he jokingly dubs "sort of my 3rd annual Final Hawai'i Show Ever." Ogata has had a far-flung career, working in Hong Kong, Macau, the Virgin Islands, St. Maarten, Las Vegas, Seattle and up and down California, and has had TV exposure on Comedy Central's "Live at Gotham" and the syndicated "Comics Unleashed." Tickets: $20, $40 VIP, at Ticketmaster locations. Call 877-750-4400. ...

Camile Velasco, a finalist in season three of "American Idol," has been focusing on finishing her long overdue CD debut, and the first nibble is "Guava Jelly," available on iTunes. It was produced by Stephen Marley, who joins Velasco on the tune. Check my space.com/camilevelasco for more on the Maui girl. ...

Watch for a compilation CD by Keali'i Reichel titled "Kamalei." He's on a Hawaiiana-hula tour, not performance related, of foreign ports right now. ...

CRUZ-ING: When Glenn Chu's Indigo Eurasian Cuisine, a Downtown fave, marks its 15th anniversary this Saturday, it'll be a time to Cruz. That is to say, John Cruz, the Na Hoku Hanohano Awards winner, will give two concerts, at 6 and 10 p.m., plus the dinner seating ($64 prix fixe, includes show and meal), will feature the cuisine of David Cruz, Indigo's chef and John's older brother.

The dinner show will be acoustic, to complement mealtime; the 10 p.m. performance ($15 at the door) will rock it up a notch for the late crowd. Information: 521-2900. ...

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.