"Dog the Bounty Hunter," A&E’s top reality show filmed here and on the mainland, wants to share island sounds in its upcoming season eight, premiering Dec. 14.
So Duane and Beth Chapman, the resident hunters, are on a quest for CDs.
"We’ve used music from local artists like Na Leo, Ilona Irvine and Sudden Rush in the past, but we really pushed our production company in New York to include a lot more local music in our show," said Dog and Beth. "If a cut from your CD is used, you’ll get a ‘Tonight’s show featured music by …’-type credit at the end of the show, in addition to a small fee."
To earn a possible slot, Hawaii performers and record labels should submit CDs for consideration to Mona Wood-Sword, the Chapmans’ publicist, by the end of October, so the listening and selection process can begin. Vocals and instrumentals, in all realms of island styles (indie, Hawaiian, Jawaiian, jazz, hip-hop) are welcome. Send discs to Ikaika Communications, P.O. Box 61448, Honolulu, HI 96839. …
STAGE BITS: Paul Mitri replaces Brett Harwood as director of Manoa Valley Theatre’s spring production of the Tony-winning musical drama "Spring Awakening."
Harwood is relocating to the mainland because Army Community Theatre, where he was a producer-director, has shut down operations.
With the shuffle, Mitri, artistic director of All the World’s a Stage and chairman of the University of Hawaii’s theater and dance department, will oversee rescheduled auditions for "Spring Awakening" Nov. 28 and 29 at MVT. Production dates remain the same, March 8 to April 8, with rehearsals starting in January. "Spring Awakening," a rock musical adaptation by Duncan Sheik and Steve Sater of a controversial 1891 German play about teen sexuality and all its challenges, was the saucy, hip 2008 Tony Award winner for best musical. …
When Cathy Foy-Mahi opened as Bloody Mary in a national touring production of Rodgers and Hammerstein’s "South Pacific" at the Boston Opera House recently, "Hawaii was in the house," she said. Local pals Carolyn Berry, Dr. Philip Olsen and Gail Hudson were among the applaudience. …
AROUND TOWN: Minireview: I say hail Mary, re: "Sunset Boulevard." Mary Gutzi, guest-starring as Norma Desmond in Diamond Head Theatre’s sultry, simmering musical, is a sparkly, genuine heirloom as the aging silent-film star whose career is halted by the arrival of talkies. A cougar before her time, Desmond finds hope and romance in Joe Gillis, the struggling writer of a stud muffin, portrayed by handsome Matthew Pennaz with equal measure of victim and opportunist. Result: an Andrew Lloyd Webber musical with an appealing melodic cadence and visual opulence. Closes today with a 4 p.m. matinee. Call 733-0274. …
Pianist Kit Samson was saddened by the death Oct. 8 of Roger Williams, particularly since he lost a longtime friend.They met years ago when Samson was performing at then-Kahala Hilton’s Maile Lounge and Williams was a hotel guest. "About six or seven years ago, Roger came over to my house and (autographed) my piano," said Samson about the keyboarder who made the piano an instrumental communicator via hits like "Born Free" and "Autumn Leaves." "It will be worth more when I’m gone," Williams told Samson, knowing his clock was ticking. "I’m not selling it now," says Samson of his piano. …
ITEMIZATIONS: Aha Aina performed at Saint Louis School’s Gallery of Distinguished Achievers event Thursday at the Royal Hawaiian’s Monarch Room. The event, chaired by former Lt. Gov. Duke Aiona,honored alumni Patrick K.S.L. Yim, Christopher G. Pablo (posthumously) and Anthony Ruivivar (who couldn’t attend), with Jimmy Borges, himself a Saint Louis grad and an earlier Distinguished Achievers honoree, among the show biz types attending. For the third consecutive year, Cha Thompson produced the show, with a nostalgic "Kalaepohaku" theme. …
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.
