Cirque star has isle grandmom
JUST to show you what lengths a columnist will go to in order to find a local angle, here's the scoop on Cirque Eloize. One of the stars of the Montreal-based "circus without animals" is Shana Carroll, whose grandmother, Jane Crane, lives in Honolulu. Shana formerly performed with Cirque du Soleil both in America and in Europe, a fact I read about in columns by her doting dad, Jon Carroll, who does five essays a week for the San Francisco Chronicle. In fact, columnist Carroll is coming to Hawaii today to see Shana in this company and its current production, "Excentricus," at the Hawaii Theatre ... Meanwhile, Cirque Eloize honcho Jeannot Painchaud found his natural balance and athleticism came in handy when he tried his hand (and feet) at surfing. The Montreal Circus School graduate, who majored in bicycling, was riding the waves on his very first try. The circus is being performed through Sunday, and you can bet surfing won't be a one-time experience for Painchaud ...
Payback time
TWO performances of "Comfort Woman," the Kumu Kahua adaptation of the novel by Nora Okja Keller, have been designated as a benefit for Bamboo Ridge Press, one of the first places Keller's writings were published. Each seat on Jan. 29 and 30 will cost $25 with proceeds going to help Bamboo Ridge Press continue to keep alive the varied writings from people of the islands. At these benefit performances, there'll be a preshow reception and a postperformance discussion with the director, cast and author Keller ... After three years in Hong Kong and four in Tokyo before that, ex-isle newsman Dalton Tanonaka is basking in a new title. He was named "Best News Anchor" in Asia at the Asian Television Awards. He anchors NBC Asia Evening News in Honkers ...FIND a phrase and run with it: MidWeek editor Don Chapman wrote about the group Sunland last Feb. 19 and said, "Sunland appears to be the hottest musical act to come out of Hawaii since Don Ho 30 years ago." High praise indeed. Then on Jan. 7 of this year he wrote of the group Blessed, "They're on the verge of becoming the biggest stars from Hawaii since Don Ho went national 30 years ago." Next? ...
GOOD things come to those who wait. Insurance adjuster John Mullin, who's just shy of 78 years old, carded his first hole-in-one this week on the 16th hole at Waialae. The odds of that were off the actuary tables, but pals agree, "It couldn't have happened to a nicer guy." ... Bob Bowen moves up from account exec to general sales manager for KHNR-KGU as of Feb. 1 ... One of Mary Worrell's real estate agents listed a multimillion oceanfront property 13 years ago and after two years in escrow surprised her with a big check ... Publisher Hugh Hefner and his wife, 34, are divorcing. Anyone in the market for a 71-year-old prayboy - and that's no typo ...
Alana turner of heads
GUESTS at the Doubletree Alana Waikiki Hotel got a special treat over the weekend when the tireless young cast of "Lord of the Dance" stayed there. The playful Irish dancers would suddenly start clogging away in hallways, elevators and the porte-cochere, alternately startling and then delighting guests and onlookers ... After their final show Monday night, "Lord" John Carey and his dancers showed up at Murphy's Bar & Grill for a postrun party. Some 60 troupe members partied from 11 p.m. to 2 p.m. but there was no impromptu dancing - five shows in three days had taken its toll ...
Contact Dave by e-mail: donnelly@kestrok.com.