The Local Divas — Carole Kai, Melveen Leed and Nohelani Cypriano — will reunite for the first time in a decade to salute Loyal Garner, their beloved fourth member, in a New Year’s Eve reunion at the Hilton Hawaiian Village’s Coral Ballroom.
The evening will commemorate the 10th anniversary of the death of Garner, the celebrated "Lady of Love" who arranged all the group’s music. She was 55 when she died of colon cancer on Nov. 15, 2001.
"We wanted to do a section in the show where we pay tribute to her," Kai said of Garner, who won’t be replaced. "No one can fill Loyal’s place at this time; it wouldn’t be quite right for the three of us to do that for our first reunion."
Kai is working with the Hilton’s GM Jerry Gibson to stage this tribute. "I’m enjoying seeing our magic come together as we interact with each other. We’ve been laughing a lot and crying a little about Loyal, missing her.It’s going to be a funny and touching show," she said.
Rehearsals have been under way for a couple of weeks. Kai is taking voice lessons from Neva Rego to recondition her pipes. "I know Loyal is saying to me, ‘Good girl, you didn’t give up,’" she said.
A seven-piece band will be featured, augmented by taiko drummers, and Kai also is getting piano coaching from Ginny Tiu, with industry vet Ronnie Miyashiro advising on song selection. …
PERSONALITIES: Cha Thompson of Tihati Productions, an orchid-lei vendor for Disney’s Aulani resort, istending to a work-related neck problem encountered while stringing lei. Maybe it was a painful blessing: She canceled a trip to the Philippines at the same time when Typhoon Nanmadolhit. …
Jessica Sands, a member of Paradise Sisters with Paradise and Co., tied the knot with Craig Hoffman at Correa Ranch in Waimanalo, with the reception at the Shriners’ property across the street. Her dad? Tommy Sands, ex-teen idol (now 73) and one-time Outrigger Waikiki star. …
TALK ABOUT PEOPLE: Stuntman Egan Inoue will have a recurring role on CBS’ "Hawaii Five-0," beginning with the season’s opener Sept. 19. He’ll be the bodyguard of Wo Fat (Mark Dacascos). …
Pianist Kit Samson has resumed performances at the Officers Club brunch Sundays at Hickam and at the Waikiki Yacht Club every other Wednesday evening. Though he still has some health issues, he will return to the Honolulu Star-Advertiser’s Ilima Awards Oct. 10 (he bowed out last year, when he was ill) and will be joined by Augie Rey‘s band featuring daughter Tahiti Rey. Samson’s CDs are a hit at Tina and Jerry Wolsborn‘s Inn at Occidental in Sonoma County; the keyboarder just sent ex-local girl Tina 85 copies of his "Somewhere in Time" CD for sale in the gift shop. …
STAGE SHORTS: Playwright Willard Beckham, whose last off-Broadway musical was "Lucky Guy," has been visiting Joy Abbott. A Hawaiian-motif tune he wrote for the show was inspired by his annual stays at the Halekulani. Beckham dined with Jack Cione at Arcadia the other night. …
, a veteran of "The Phantom of the Opera," made another rehearsal visit to Paliku Theatre, where the local version bows this Friday. …
Cathy Foy Mahi, in New York rehearsing Bloody Mary for a touring production of "South Pacific," snapped a pic of Bruno Mars in a Times Square billboard prior to the shutdown of the area during Hurricane Irene’s visit. And Manoa Valley Theatre’s Dwight Martin, who was in the Big Apple for business and shows, hunkered down in Washington, D.C., to wait out the storm before saying good night, Irene. …
When Honolulu Theatre for Youth premiered "Anime Momotaro" at Tenney Theatre, actor Alvin Chan (Momotaro) did a mini preshow performance for Yoshihoko Kamo, consul general of Japan, who was in the audience. Postshow, Jan Nagano of Joy of Sake kept the Nippon spirits high with complimentary pours of fine sake, a prelude to the annual sake event Friday at the Sheraton Waikiki. …
And that’s "Show Biz." …
Wayne Harada is a veteran entertainment columnist; reach him at 266-0926 or wayneharada@gmail.com; read his Show and Tell Hawaii blog at www.staradvertiser.com.
