John Hirokawa, the centerpiece of the “Magic of Polynesia” show at the Holiday Inn Waikiki Beachcomber Hotel, has inked a 6 1/2-year extension to his contract with Roberts Hawaii, the tour company that produces the show. The deal will ultimately propel his show into a 28-year Waikiki attraction, the longest-running magic show in local entertainment history.
“I thank Roberts Hawaii for the extended contract and for the faith in our show,” said Hirokawa, who started his career as a magician under Roberts’ tutelage nearly three decades ago at the Hilton Hawaiian Village Dome (now gone). “This new signing brings me full circle with Roberts” — and with behind-the-scenes mover-and-shaker Roy Tokujo, with whom Hirokawa started out. Tokujo reconnected with Roberts last year.
With Lani Misalucha now sharing the showroom space after Hirokawa’s 6:30 p.m. performances, “there’s synergy at play … new lights, sound, life in Waikiki,” the magician said.
Further, Hirokawa’s daughter Meghan, 17, who’s been training in Hawaiian, Tahitian and Polynesian dance, graduates from Hawaii Baptist Academy this year, and a chancellor’s award will keep her at the University of Hawaii. “My dream and hers is to have her join our workforce as a dancer in the show,” said dad.
A luau show, staged at the terrace of the Jimmy Buffett restaurant on the second level, will be a dinner-show option for both Hirokawa’s and Misalucha’s performances; traditional meals in the showroom are available for the magic show only.
“It’s an exciting time,” said Hirokawa, who expects to launch a new show and explore his first road-show venture. Stay tuned. …
COMEDY CORNER: Na Ali‘i of Comedy is due in two weeks as a video-on-demand documentary on OC16. “We filmed the concert and behind-the-scenes footage,” said Augie T, the host-organizer of the statewide comedy tour that assembled four “elders” of island laughs: Frank De Lima, Andy Bumatai, Mel Cabang and Ed Kaahea.
Blaisdell Concert Hall on March 31 was the finale, a zany evening of four styles of comedy — Bumatai’s cool and tidy display of the topical and timely, such as escalating gasoline prices and TSA airport searches; De Lima’s costumed tomfoolery, notably with an Imelda Marcos wig and a dress that lit up; Cabang’s honest, brash approach, complete with his long-standing use of a flashlight; and Kaahea’s Hawaiian concerns, along with cross-dressing in pink leotards.
The Oceanic fee will be $9.99, in line with Augie’s usual under-$10 tariff.
“We’ll bring the show to the mainland, playing smaller venues,” said Augie. So alert your mainland ohana: Na Ali‘i will visit Las Vegas and Arizona in August, and San Francisco and the Seattle-Portland and Los Angeles-San Diego areas during October weekends, culminating with a show at the Turtle Bay Resort. …
APRIL FOOLERY: Is Bruno Mars gay? There was quite an Internet buzz about the Hawaii popster’s sexual orientation after a Chicago radio station “quoted” Mars’ admission that he was homosexual. It was a fabricated joke — and a risky one — on April Fools’ Day. …
Same day, different strokes: A “super jam session” at Miguelz, a new tapas bar in Koko Marina Shopping Center, marked the debut of Steve Min & Friends. Min, formerly of George Street, was joined by fellow 1971 Kalani grads Charlie Saromines, Gerald Choi, Riley Suganuma and Robert Shinoda. Bill Grace, a Kamehameha alumnus, also sang, with folks like Jay Larrin and his manager, Alan Yamamoto, in the audience. Min reconvenes from 6 to 9 p.m. Saturday. …
HERE ’N’ THERE: Grace Park (Kono) and Scott Caan (Danno) of “Hawaii Five-0” are in a current Vanity Fair spread on TV luminaries. …
Their CBS colleague Daniel Dae Kim (Chin) was in Kalama Valley shooting scenes recently, near the driveway of Audy Kimura’s home, so the singer checked out the hubbub and learned the crew would return for catch-up filming with Alex O’Loughlin (McGarrett) after he returned from treatment for a problem with prescription pain medication. With the portable toilet by his driveway, “it was quite a circus here (with) crew members sitting in my front yard under the shade of my eucalyptus tree,” said Kimura, the Hy’s Steak House performer. …
And that’s “Show Biz.” …
