Cornell "Tuffy" Nicholas, who staged acrobatic Cirque-style shows at the old IMAX theater in Waikiki and at the Hyatt Regency on Maui, is launching a new show, "Aloha Live," Friday in Waikiki’s newest theatrical space, The Deck Waikiki at the Queen Kapiolani Hotel.
Initially, the presentation — Cirque meets Polynesia in Waikiki — will be staged three nights a week, expanding with demand in the open-air pool area of the hotel.
"I haven’t been this excited about doing a show — we’ve got the greatest view of Diamond Head," Nicholas said.
A cast of 12, most involved in Nicholas’ earlier shows, has been rehearsing aerial feats with fabric and hoops amid rigging in place on The Deck. The event will also feature Hawaiian and Polynesian artistry, including a Samoan fire dance finale. A buffet dinner service with tableside magic and hula precede the show. Reservations: 931-3328. For details, see my blog. …
ALL IS BRIGHT: When director Ron Bright is honored today, following the 3 p.m. matinee performance of "How to Succeed in Business Without Really Trying" at the Castle High School theater bearing his name, a host of alumni will be hand to cheer the educator-director on his 50th year of theatrical triumphs.
Jodi Leong, Jade Stice and Kimee Balmilero will offer curtain-call comments, and the "Business" cast will sing a tribute to the legendary stage mentor and magician, whose shows at the Benjamin Parker Elementary School cafeteria evolved into a Windward Oahu tradition at Castle.
Matthew Mazzella, Rachel Wong and Gabriel Wright, in the musical, were KidStart youngsters when Bright was teaching; this year, they are graduating from Castle. "The legacy continues," says Karen Meyer, the current Castle drama honcho who is staging the salute to raise money for the Ron Bright Scholarship Fund for aspiring theater students. Tickets: $15 adults, $10 seniors and students, at www.ShowTix4U.com. …
WHEE, THE PEOPLE: You never know when Ann Harada (no relation), the local actress of Christmas Eve fame from the Tony-winning "Avenue Q," will pop up in a scene. She has a small role, as Mrs. Lafont, in the Tina Fey–Paul Rudd comedy, "Admission." And she’s one of the stepsisters in the new "Cinderella" Broadway musical, which I hope to catch later this month. …
Hapai: Stephanie Lum, 5 p.m. news anchor at Hawaii News Now. …
Aureana Tseu is executive director of the Miss Hawaii Earth pageant, a new competition. The isle winner vies to be Miss United States Earth, who then proceeds to the Miss Earth finals. Details: misshawaiiearth.com. …
Glad that local dude Duncan Osorio made the cut on NBC’s "The Voice." You go, guy! …
Loretta Ables Sayre left the comforts of her Mililani Mauka residence the other night to reunite with her jazz musicians Jim Howard (keyboards) and Steve Jones (bass) in a one-nighter Thursday at Mezz 127 at the Topa Financial Center’s Fort Street tower. The Tony nominee spent the past six years immersed in "South Pacific" on Broadway and in London/Europe, so she was happy to revisit her jazz roots. …
DATEBOOK: The Universal Show Queen pageant, a parade of guys as dolls, is set for June 22 at the Hawai‘i Convention Center. …
Renovations are under way at the Arcadia retirement residence theater to increase seating, expand stage space and provided ample backstage dressing rooms — in time for the summer launch of Jack Cione’s "Follies," 2013 edition. …
"Linsanity," the film on the NBA’s Jeremy Lin, narrated by Daniel Dae Kim, screens at 6:30 p.m. Thursday at the Regal Dole Cannery Theatres as part of the Hawaii International Film Festival’s Spring Showcase. …
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.
