‘Honu’ sure to dazzle

A surfer named Kainoa does a favor for a starfish and is granted a wish in return. His wish — to be able to breathe underwater — is a granted for a day. Kainoa meets a honu (sea turtle) named Malia whose mother is tangled in a derelict fishing net in the Northwestern Hawaiian Islands. He volunteers to help his new friend rescue her mother, and several other undersea creatures join them.

Welcome to “Honu by the Sea,” a new musical for children at the Royal Hawaiian Hotel.

Zare Anguay (Kainoa) and Madison Eror (Malia) are the central characters in writer-composer Johnson Enos’ colorful sugarcoated lesson about the ecological damage done by man when his trash finds its way to the ocean. Kids will enjoy the choreographed antics of cast members whose animated performances transcend language.

Bryce Irvine (‘O), Barry Quilloy (Pi) and KoDee Martin (Hi) are instant favorites as a trio of hardworking opihi. Carlos Chang (Shaka) is an eye-catching acrobatic black crab whose help is needed to cut through the netting. Miguel Cadoy III (Hula Hoop) stole the show at the media-preview performance last month with his scene as a showroom octopus. Cadoy’s costume puts four of his eight octopus legs on his backside, and they shake vigorously at key moments in his showcase musical number — the young children in the preview audience were mesmerized.

The show is more about the many song-and-dance numbers than the rescue mission itself, but kids will absorb an important message about ocean debris while they’re enjoying Kainoa’s underwater adventures.

“Honu by the Sea” is available in show-only and dinner-show packages.

Dinner is presented buffet style on the oceanfront lawn outside the Monarch Room. Seating is not reserved. — John Berger

Celebrate summer during Natsu Matsuri

Natsu Matsuri, the Pacific Beach Hotel’s summer festival, brings food booths, bon dances and taiko drummers to the hotel from 5:30 to 9 p.m. today, Friday and Aug. 11.

Traditional Japanese and local dishes will be available, including okonomiyaki, yakisoba, takoyaki (battered octopus), udon, grilled corn, cotton candy and shave ice. There will also be music and children’s games.

Admission is free.

Pacific Beach Hotel is at 2490 Kalakaua Ave. in Waikiki.

Call 922-1233 for more information.

Children’s book offers tasty take on learning

Saimin, a favorite of local children, is the focal point of the new board book, “1-2-3 Saimin in Hawai‘i” (BeachHouse Publishing, $8.95).

The counting book starts with one egg, two pieces of kamaboko (fish cake) and three onions. Then, Spam, bok choy, char siu pork and more get thrown into the bowl.

As you progress through the numbers, which are written in Hawaiian and English, rhymes and colorful illustrations by Jamie Meckel will likely hold a youngster’s attention. A word of warning: The tasty subject matter may build your child’s appetite in addition to his or her vocabulary.

Steamroller will star in enormous print job

Ever wondered how big you could go with an artistic statement?

Honolulu Printmakers will host a first-of-its-kind steamroller printing event from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. today at the Honolulu Museum of Art School driveway.

Images have been cut in basrelief into the surface of 12 4-by-8-foot wood plates. At 8 a.m. today artists will begin inking the plates; from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m., a steamroller will drive over them to print the images. Prints will feature the concepts of taro, land, farms, fishing, fruits, vegetables, healthy diets and the human condition in the islands.

The resulting prints will be on exhibit at the school’s Mezzanine Gallery from Aug. 8 to 25 as part of the “PrintBig Exhibition.”

Honolulu Museum of Art School is at 1111 Victoria St. Contact Laura Smith at Honolulu Printmakers, 536-5507, or email project chairman Sergio Garzon, urnicer@gmail.com, for more information.