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Amy Hanaiali’i is back home after a tour celebrating the 50th anniversary of Honolulu’s "sister city" ties with Okinawa and Japan — a jaunt that included Mayor Mufi Hannemann and the singer’s band, comprised of bassist Steve Jones, guitarist Jeff Peterson, guitarist Chino Montero and hula dancers Kehau Marzo Nielson and Aureana Tseu. A slimmed-down Konishiki, now at about half of his former sumotori bulk, and his wife, Chie, performed "Sophisticated Hula," charming the Okinawan crowds. …
Next up for Hanaiali’i: a new album with guest stars yet to be revealed. Plus more travels: a House of Blues (Texas) show on Aug. 20, with Maui resident and Texas singer Deborah Vial as her opening act. For tickets, go to ticketmaster.com, houseofblues.com or livenation.com. …
PET PROJECT: Loretta Ables Sayre, winding up in Lincoln Center’s "South Pacific" on Aug. 22, was among a host of Broadway stars participating in the 12th Annual Broadway Barks pet adoption fundraiser in Shubert Alley last weekend. Also joining chairs Bernadette Peters and Mary Tyler Moore were Tony Shalhoub, Richard Thomas, Corbin Bleu, Sean Hayes, Chad Kimball, Karen Olivo, Tony Goldwyn and Hunter Ryan Herdlicka. …
By the way, Peter Lockyer, a Broadway vet who directed and starred in Diamond Head Theatre’s "Les Miserables" in 2008, is in the "South Pacific" ensemble, playing a radio operator in a scene where pauses allow him to multitask: "I’ve been counting the shows we have remaining — 47," he said last week during a backstage visit. Hey, DHT: he’s awaiting a callback to relaunch Jean Valjean. …
HIT SOUND: DHT has added two more matinees for its "Sound of Music" smash, at 3 p.m. Aug. 7 and 4 p.m. Aug. 8. The production literally is a family affair, with mom-daughter teams (Lisa Konove as Frau Schmidt and daughter Morgen Chang in the ensemble); Liz Stone, ensemble, and daughter Kira, as Marta; dad-daughter team, Fredric Biven, ensemble, and Marcela, as Ursula; and twins Timothy and Symon Rowlands, playing a variety of ensemble parts. …
At 8, Riley Newton plays Gretl, the youngest of the von Trapp children, and it’s her DHT debut, thanks to "Theatre ABCs," the theater’s Furlough Friday program offered this year to provide youths a chance to do something creative during down time from school. "A nice outcome from a difficult time," says Deena Dray, DHT executive director. …
DATEBOOK: Comedian Augie T launches another tour, "I Was Left Behind," Aug. 6 at the Four Seasons Manele Bay on Lanai, winding up Sept. 24 at the Hawaii Theatre. Backed by such sponsors as First Hawaiian Bank, Midas, Leonard’s Bakery, Xenon One and Bud Light, Augie will donate a portion of proceeds to arts and theater programs statewide to kokua students who had the kind of struggles he had while in school. …
Jazz singer Ginai will be joined by Pierre Grill as the closing entertainers for the Haleiwa Arts Festival at 3 p.m. today. Hope he made his return trek from Paris yesterday, as the duo will share tunes from "Come Together," their retrospective CD of Beatles hits. …
And that’s Show Biz. …
Wayne Harada’s "Show Biz," a fixture for more than four decades in the Honolulu Advertiser, joins the Honolulu Star-Advertiser family today; read his Show and Tell Hawaii blog at staradvertiser.com. Reach him at 266-0926 or wayneharada@gmail.com.
