A mishmash of family fun and news

Great Dane

A local filmmaker and his puppet pal star in videos inspired by "sesame street"

Honolulu filmmaker and puppeteer Dane Neves is living out his "Sesame Street" fantasies with his new Web series, "Not Another Puppet Show," which premiered on YouTube this month.

The series features Hawaii celebrities interacting with Neves’ alter ego, a Muppet-style puppet named Dane Jr.

Local personalities featured include Miss Kahala USA Julianne Chu, ukulele sensation Aidan James with The Wreck drummer Ian Wacksman, "America’s Best Dance Crew" alumni Josh Ulep and A.J. Pak, beatboxer Jason Tom and Hono lulu Pulse spokes model Laura Grace D’Angeli.

There are 25 episodes in all, one to two minutes apiece. A new episode will be uploaded every week.

"It’s kind of designed like ‘Sesame Street’ where celebrity guest stars come in and interact with the puppets," said Neves. "Each episode starts off where you don’t see the puppet and the person is doing their own activity. The puppet comes up at the end and tells a corny, one-liner joke about the activity."

Neves, 27, is the director and producer of award-winning short films including "Poison Apple" and "The Green Tie Affair."

He’s been into puppetry since he was a kid, and has made it his signature in every independent film he’s produced.

The University of Hawaii graduate’s thesis film at the school’s Academy of Creative Media was titled "Monkey Boy Fever." It featured a monkey puppet who bites a boy on the arm before prom night, turning him into a primate.

"A lot of TV shows today rely too much on computer-generated imagery, and it looks a little fake," he said. "Puppets — it’s something when you see them on screen. You feel like you can reach out and touch them. It’s tangible."

Neves’ puppets are custom-made from Antron fleece, which shows no seams on camera.

The art of puppetry itself is no easy feat, according to Neves, who is self-taught.

"Working a puppet requires some athleticism," he said. "You’re holding this thing up above your head, you crouch down in all these awkward positions for minutes on end. You can’t be a weakling to operate a puppet in the long run. It takes quite a lot of skill and strength."

The Web episodes were shot on Oahu and lend humor to everyday life in Hawaii.

Find episodes of "Not Another Puppet Show" at www.youtube.com/spoilerpuppets.

Nina Wu, Star-Advertiser

Make ‘Mikado’ a family affair

"The Mikado" is one of the most popular operettas, full of silly tunes and slapstick humor. Even the names are funny: Nanki-Poo, Yum-Yum, Poo-Bah.

Hawaii Opera Theatre’s production of the Gilbert and Sullivan classic goes a step further, taking its original setting from traditional Japan into modern times. Top fashion designer Anne Namba came up with the concept, costuming the players to resemble anime characters, yakuza gangsters as depicted in film, or Hara juku girls, the stylish young women in Tokyo whose fashion sense can only be described as sensory overload. They’ll be accompanied by characters easily recognized by any local who’s ventured into Wai kiki or other tourist hangouts.

The story translates well into a modern setting. There is no longer an emperor-like Mikado bossing people around, but there are still parents who connive to get their kids married and rules that don’t make any sense — and people who try to bend them.

You can enjoy all this and more for a steep discount at HOT’s Family Day Special on June 21 at Blaisdell Concert Hall. Adult tickets are $40 and children just $10. HOT also will offer kid-friendly activities starting at noon, with the performance beginning at 2 p.m.

Tickets for this show are available through the HOT box office at 596-7858. Check hawaiiopera.org for other show times and prices.

Steven Mark, Star-Advertiser

Learn first aid, CPR in child care course

The Hawaii Red Cross is offering an advanced child care training course for individuals ages 16 and older from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. June 21.

The course, designed for training nannies, baby sitters or grandparents caring for young children, includes common child care routines, and pediatric first aid, and CPR and AED certification.

"Parents often have a tough time finding good child care, and the Red Cross makes it easier to spot the best sitters," said Hawaii Red Cross CEO Cora lie Chun Mata yo shi. "The new Red Cross advanced child care training course helps people become the best sitter they can by teaching exactly what to do in emergencies and typical child-care situations."

Participants will receive hands-on skills training in the classroom along with online simulation learning.

Classes will be held at Red Cross headquarters, 4155 Diamond Head Road. Cost is $129 per person, with a two-year certification in both advanced child care training and pediatric first aid/CPR/AED upon completion. To register, visit redcross.org/childcare.

Nina Wu, Star-Advertiser