Give my aloha
to BroadwayEVERY year, it seems, the New York papers announce, "Broadway is dead." And this year I think I know why. It's being exported to far reaches of the country, including Hawaii. In just one day we're informed that the extremely talented Rocky Brown is presenting "A Night on Broadway" on Sunday evenings at the Hanohano Room. The Filipina beauty knows something about the Great White Way, having appeared in the original cast of "Miss Saigon." Accompanied by Brian Robertshaw, she'll be doing favorites from various Broadway hits ... And Francis Ruivivar is doing an encore performance of "Broadway Show Stoppers!" May 8 at the Outrigger showroom. He, too, was in "Miss Saigon," among others ... And finally, Mathew Pederson will perform at the Shell with the Honolulu Symphony tomorrow in "From Broadway to Hollywood Blvd.," a collection of songs from both stage and film. And bring your own pancakes when he does such syrupy film tunes as "Wind Beneath My Wings" and "Can You Feel the Love Tonight?" ...
LOOK who's heading back to school Sunday. Among the Damien alums slated to entertain at the annual luau to benefit a scholarship fund are Frank DeLima '67, Kevin Mau '88, Jon Basebase '83 and Jay Costa '94 -- representatives from four decades ... The UH softball stadium, built so nobody in it has a clear view of the game, isn't the only structure with an edifice complex. The elegant new Neiman Marcus building has a sign on the Ala Moana side of the building that's virtually unreadable in its entirety thanks in part to some lovely trees ...
Universal tidbits
FASHION design student Nana Okumura, the Miss Japan representative in the Miss Universe Pageant, not only speaks perfect Japanese and English, but is also conversant in Norwegian, having lived in Oslo for a time as well as London ... Incidentally, today is the 21st birthday of Renee Henderson, Miss Australia, which means she'll be able to indulge in a legal fair dinkum drink now -- if her chaperons don't catch her. If they get her down, she can always look up Anna Malova, Miss Russia, who at 23 is already a medical doctor specializing in psychotherapy ... One final note, 25-year-old Mari Loorens, who is Miss Estonia, has one major wish while in Hawaii (apart from winning the contest) -- she's hoping to see a shark. I could suggest a few places to go ...WHAT better to use to shoot the tube than a North Shore Gun? That's what designer Mahlon Klein calls the all-wood big-wave surfboard he's donated to the Ballet Hawaii fund-raiser, "A Midsummer Night's Feast," Sunday at the Hawaii Prince Hotel. The surfboard, valued at $3,000, is on display in the hotel lobby. Channel 8's Dan Cooke will auction it off after guests enjoy an evening of culinary treats prepared not by Cooke, but by chefs -- 10 of Hawaii's finest, in fact. Call 988-7578 for more info ...
Four on the floor
KAILUA'S Billie Nelson had only to drive from Kailua to Manoa to see the acclaimed Brentano Quartet in their concert last night at Orvis Auditorium. A couple of years ago she flew to Geneva to join her daughter in hearing the Brentano at the nearby French Festival de Divonne. When she returned home she recommended the quartet to the Honolulu Chamber Music Series. And before you knew it, the Brentano had added a tour of the Hawaiian Islands to their '98 season, which also included Lincoln Center, Bath (England) Mozart Festival, London's Wigmore Hall and Wolf Trap, Va. ...
Dave Donnelly has been writing on happenings
in Hawaii for the Star-Bulletin since 1968.
His columns run Monday through Friday.Contact Dave by e-mail: donnelly@kestrok.com.