DESIGNER Geoffrey Beene, who makes Honolulu his home, stopped off in San Francisco on his way back here for the holidays after learning he'll receive the 1997 Lifetime Achievement Award from the Council of Fashion Designers of America in N.Y. on Feb. 8. While Beene was there, S.F. Chronicle fashion editor Trish Donnally (who simply must learn the proper way to spell her name) asked if he planned to decorate his island home for Christmas. Beene said he won't do much more to the house (featured in this month's House Beautiful) than display some large silver balls. He added, "You don't see many Santas in Honolulu. He looks overdressed." Been to a mall lately, Geoffrey? ... Haute prize
to islands’ Beene
DON'T ask me where 16-year-old Kathleen Stuart finds the time to cram two years of high school into one at Castle High in order to graduate next June, what with all the theater she's doing. But the idea is for her to fly off to England for further study in music and the theater arts, and there's nothing like getting an early start. She's currently playing the mother in "A Wonderful Life" at Diamond Head Theatre and she's quite wonderful even if the music added to the familiar story isn't. And now John Rampage has cast her as Our Lady of the Spa in "Nine," the musical version of Fellini's "8 1/2" that opens at Diamond Head Theatre in February with Larry Paxton in the starring role. And if you're one of the few who hasn't seen the original "It's a Wonderful Life" starring Jimmy Stewart, the director's black and white uncut version airs at 7 p.m. tomorrow on KHNL-TV ...
Wall Street Sweeping
THAT blur of energy you see sweeping through the streets of Waikiki taking in this show and that one this weekend is Las Vegas showman Breck Wall. He is the creator of "Bottoms Up" more years ago than he'd care to admit and dozens of shows since. Wall visited the "Magic of Polynesia" at the Dome this week and pronounced illusionist John Hirokawa "very good." Also on Wall's must-see list are the Society of Seven, with whom he worked when they were known as the Fabulous Echoes and, of course, Don Ho. When Ho was headlining at the Flamingo in Vegas many, many years ago, Wall and his "Bottoms Up" revue was in the lounge. He returns to Harrahs Tahoe Monday to prepare his latest show, "Dazzle Dance." ...SPEAKING of oldies but goodies, the Rolling Stones, whose "Bridges to Babylon" tour arrives here next month, bagged the top-grossing tour of the year award, taking in $90 million, according to Performance magazine. Other large grossers (so to speak) behind the Stones were U2 ($78 million) and Metallica ($37 million.) ... While residents of Guam dreaded the arrival of Super Typhoon Paka, the people at Sea Life Park welcomed Paka. That would be George "Paka" Nishimura, new curator of marine mammals. The 1976 Kamehameha grad returns to Hawaii after 20 years at mainland marine parks ...
Friendly Isle gesture
THE Molokai Ranch people gave a nice Christmas gift to the residents of Maunaloa, Molokai. Ranch president Jim Mozley saw to it that the entire town was decorated with 10,000 Christmas lights, and to kick off the lighting, he brought in Loyal Garner for a free community Christmas concert. Friendly Isle folks had a great time, and the fireworks display that capped the evening -- plus the Christmas lights themselves -- could reportedly be seen from Oahu. Loyal should have done a takeoff on the old Debbie Boone tune and sung, "You Light Up My Town." ...
Contact Dave by e-mail: donnelly@kestrok.com.