Garett T.K. Taketa, an actor from Kaneohe, is starring in his second off-Broadway musical in as many years, portraying a struggling South Korean artist living in Harlem while pursuing his American dream.
The play is titled “Green Card — A New Musical,” and it premieres Friday at the Theatre at St. Clement’s at 423 W. 46th St. in New York, in a limited three-week run through Aug. 28.
The play, written and directed by Dimo Hyun Jun Kim, tackles a familiar immigration issue involving faux marriages leading to the path of U.S. citizenship. Taketa’s character, Han, is an artist who is encouraged to marry a bartender named Ginger (Daniela Benitez), by paying her to participate in the fake wedding so he can remain in America. The cast also includes Yonji Ham as Kim, Han’s girlfriend, and Alex Notkin as the suspicious immigration officer, Augustus.
Taketa starred in playwright Kim’s “Comfort Women” production, staged off-Broadway last year.
“Green Card” songs were composed by Bryan Michaels and Tae Ho Park.
Details: greencardmusical.com. …
SEVEN OR EIGHT? Singer Jimmy Buffett, returning to “Hawaii Five-0” to revive his character, Frank Bama, in the procedural’s seventh season, apparently misspoke recently on NBC’s “Today” show, when he said that the CBS series is pau after the current season. Showrunner Peter M. Lenkov swiftly chimed in on Twitter, saying Mr. Margaritaville was wrong, and “Five-0” has legs for more seasons, recurring characters and tales to be told “for many, many more seasons.”
Reality or wishful thinking? Only the network knows for certain, though the producer is enlisting Steve McGarrett’s gal-pal and almost-bride, Catherine (Michelle Borth), and mom (Christine Lahti) this season and introducing (yikes!) new recurring characters, including another woman governor, played by Rosalind Chao, and an Egyptian businessman, played by Faraan Tahir. Then again, “Five-0” this year is well positioned, snuggled between the highly anticipated reboot of “MacGyver” and the beloved “Blue Bloods” on Friday nights, which gives the island show a boost in ratings. Now if the scripts could be bolstered. …
THE LOCAL ANGLE: When singer Colbie Caillat sang on the “Today” show recently, her island beau since 2009 (and lead guitarist), Justin Young, also performed. The couple, engaged since 2015, were promoting her CD, “The Malibu Sessions,” and a fall tour starting in October. …
The aforementioned Young was one of three local acts featured in a Summer Concert Series in New York sponsored by King’s Hawaiian (formerly, King’s Bakery, of sweetbread fame). The bakery tapped Young, Aidan James and Anuhea for filmed-in-Oahu videos that were posted on the King’s Hawaiian website. The Hawaii acts’ videos were also promoted during Central Park shows with headline acts. …
DATEBOOK: Singer Alx Kawakami’s “Rise and Shine,” his first album apart from his family ensemble, Manoa DNA, will be launched at a CD release party 6 p.m. Aug. 28 at Gordon Biersch at Aloha Tower Marketplace. Kawakami’s music pals, Blayne Asing, Jon Yamasato and Honoka & Azita also will take the stage. Reservations: 599-4877. …
LOCAL THEATER: The Pookela Awards (aka “Stars’ Nights Out”) sponsored by the Hawaii State Theatre Council, honoring achievement in the local stage community, will be held at 6 p.m. Monday at the Koolau Ballrooms in Kaneohe. The buzz likely will be about Diamond Head Theatre’s new season, starting in September and sprinkled with five Hawaii premieres: musicals “Billy Elliot,” “A Christmas Carol,” “All Shook Up” and “The Little Mermaid,” plus the comedy “The Fox on the Fairway.” DHT also will revive “Evita.” Manoa Valley Theatre will stage three premieres: musicals “It Shoulda Been You” and “Rock of Ages,” and the comedy “Stage Kiss.” …
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 staradvertiser.com.
