Beverly Gannon, the renowned Maui chef, will present cooking classes aboard Crystal Cruise’s Serenity liner this summer. This means if you sign up, you get to learn exclusive culinary and kitchen secrets from the owner of Hali‘imaile General Store in Upcountry, Joe’s Bar and Grill in Wailea and Gannon on the Wailea Gold Golf Course during Serenity’s 12-day "Tapas and Treasures" cruise launching Aug. 25 from Barcelona to Athens.
Along with the chef’s classes, there will be shore excursions doubtlessly focusing on food. Cost and other details are available through Seawind Tours; call Randy King at 949-4144 or Kika Matsumoto at 735-2088. …
WHEE, THE PEOPLE: When Philippine superstar Lani Misalucha took the stage the other night at the Magic of Polynesia showroom at the Holiday Inn Waikiki Beachcomber Hotel, she spotted her pal Martin Nievera, the ex-islander and a superluminary in his own right, in the audience. So she hailed him on stage for an impromptu dueton "The Prayer," earning — not surprisingly — a spontaneous standing ovation. …
So now questions loom: Was this simply a fellow entertainer’s homage to a peer, as manycommonly do? Was this an audition for the showroom, since Misalucha’s premiere engagement in Waikiki runs through March, creating a vacancy? Was this a trial balloon, to explore the dynamics and chemistry between the two? Just wondering. …
Loretta Ables Sayre, Bloody Mary in Broadway’s "South Pacific" and in the currently touring European company, is warming up during a brief hiatus at her own Bali Ha’i in Mililani Mauka. …
AWAKENING CALL: Nearly 100 showed up — a huge number by local theater standards — when Manoa Valley Theatre was casting its spring production, "Spring Awakening," now in rehearsals at ‘Iolani School. Director Paul Mitri selected 17 performers, mostly young singers-actors, who are prepping for the Tony-winning show’s Hawaii premiere March 8 at MVT. …
The three leads exemplify the wealth of talent here: Jonah Ho‘okano, a Kamehameha Schools senior, is portraying Melchior; he’s already got "Hawaii Five-0" creds, seen as one of two teens who discover a dead body earlier this season, and also appeared in MVT’s "Hair" and Saint Louis School’s "Aida" and"Rent" at Mamiya Theatre. …
Elise Levin, cast as Wendla, might be remembered from Diamond Head Theatre’s "Little Women" and Army Community Theatre’s "Bye, Bye Birdie" and "High School Musical." …
Garett Taketa, sure to build his acting profile as Moritz, was hailed in MVT’s "Avenue Q," DHT’s "Altar Boyz" and Kennedy Theatre’s "Oklahoma!" …
Speaking of MVT: Its "God of Carnage" just opened — an adult drama/comedy about parenting and morals, with revealing truths and outrageous humor. Go. See. Laugh. Cheer. …
And MVT’s 2011-12 season has just been announced, with these productions playing sequentially beginning this fall: "Young Frankenstein," "Speed the Plow," "Boeing, Boeing," "Next to Normal," "Bloody Murder" and "Buddy: The Buddy Holly Musical" — all Hawaii premieres. …
AROUND TOWN: It’s been nearly a month since Frank B. Shaner exited morning drive on KUMU, and about the only thing he’s been doing (besides emceeing chores and voice-overs) is art. You can see his paintings at Assaggio and Il Lupino Trattoria. …
Will Hawaii get an RM Seafood restaurant (like the one at The Mandalay in Las Vegas) someday? The RM’s celebrity chef-owner, Rick Moonen, an advocate of sustainable fishing, has been checking out Waikiki sites. …
CALENDAR CUES: Rolando Sanchez brings his salsa sounds to the Outrigger Waikiki’s main showroom on selected Sundays — today, Feb. 12 and March 11. Doors open at 7 p.m. …
Island singers-musicians must make submissions for the 2012 Na Hoku Hanohano Awards by Jan. 31. Physical CDs and digital albums qualify but must be properly nominated. So contact the Hawaii Academy of Recording Arts, pronto. …
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.
