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Bruno Mars, riding high with his “24K Magic” CD, wants to perform in Hawaii again, according to his father, Pete Hernandez. But not anytime soon.
Hernandez said a Honolulu show can’t happen for at least two years due to the Hawaii-raised superstar’s expansive touring. (Many locals have been asking.)
“He’s kicking off another European tour this week,” he said in a phone conversation. “He would have to end his tours in Europe and in Asia, and then can do Hawaii.”
That’s the game plan. “Hawaii would be the very last stop,” said Hernandez, who accompanied Bruno on European dates last winter. The chill and cold were bristling, he said.
“Bruno still has road trips starting with South America and eventually winding up in Asia,” with in-between commitments to perform at the Park Theater at the Monte Carlo in Las Vegas, the new mecca for Mars shows and fans.
The purpose of the call from Hernandez was to quell online buzz that Mars and his girlfriend, Jessica Caban, are expecting. “Just rumors,” said pere Hernandez of the baby chatter. “But a wedding would not be surprising,” he hinted. No date. Yet.
ANNIVERSARIES
>> Ho biz revisited: To mark the 10th anniversary (April 14) of the death of entertainer Don Ho, Hawaii News Now will again televise “Don Ho Remembered,” a 90-minute special, at 7 p.m. April 22 on KHNL. Waikiki and the world will still remember — and miss — him.
>> Two decades (and counting): Honolulu Theatre for Youth actor Junior Tesoro logs his 20th consecutive season as he ventures into his 100th role when HTY produces “Thumbelina,” a Y York adaptation of the Hans Christian Andersen classic, playing Friday through May 13 at Tenney Theatre.
In this one he’ll sport psychedelic specs and an orange mohawk ’do, adding to his incredible panorama of roles that have included a talking musubi, the demigod Maui, a “tantaran” evil stepsister, an invisible reindeer and a lovable cockroach. This, as the HTY public relations-marketing baton is passed from Aubrey Hawk to Kathleen Young.
WHEE, THE PEOPLE
Joy Abbott, widow of prolific Broadway director-producer George Abbott, took in “Sunset Boulevard” starring Glenn Close and visited the Tony winner backstage. Abbott, who’ll return here for her annual summer residency, was in the Big Apple for the “Mr. Abbott Award” gala that saluted stage and TV director Kenny Leon for his lifetime achievement in theater (a Tony Award for “A Raisin in the Sun,” plus directing NBC’s “The Wiz Live!” and Fox’s “Hairspray Live”). She hosted three tables that included Ted Chapin from the Rodgers and Hammerstein organization, Fred Gershon of Music Theatre International and Willy Falk, a ’76 Punahou grad who originated the role of Chris in “Miss Saigon” and won a Tony for it. Falk was in town earlier to advise and assist Punahou’s upcoming “Les Miserables” revival.
Bree Kale‘a Peters is exiting Manoa Valley Theatre later this month, so a search is on for a production manager/technical assistant. Details on the tweaked position are available at manoavalleytheatre.com, with applications due today.
And that’s “Show Biz.”
Wayne Harada is a veteran Honolulu entertainment columnist. Reach him at 266-0926 or email wayneharada@gmail.com.
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