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Wood Craft
Ben Wood
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Ables Sayre on Broadway is a smash in ‘South Pacific’
Hooray for Hawaii's
Loretta Ables Sayre, who received rave reviews for her Broadway debut Thursday in Lincoln Center Theater's revival of "South Pacific." The show is a big hit, and Loretta as "Bloody Mary" certainly did her part to make it a success. The New York Times said, "When the entrepreneurial islander Bloody Mary, the Hawaiian actress Loretta Ables Sayre in a terrific New York debut, sings the familiar 'Bali Ha'i' and 'Happy Talk,' they feel new because they're rendered as systematic acts of seduction." How about that for our girl! Associated Press had this to say: "Ables Sayre makes a marvelous Bloody Mary. She has a rich gutsy voice that brings an earthy warmth to 'Bali Ha'i,'
(Richard) Rodgers' most haunting melody and a song that is usually delivered in a staid operatic style" ...
Publicist Lisa Josephsohn really wanted to hit the Big Apple to see Loretta's Broadway debut because she recommended her for the Bloody Mary role in ABC-TV's 2001 production starring Glenn Close in the lead as Nellie Forbush. Loretta was a finalist but didn't get the part. Lisa couldn't make the trip because she's promoting "Menopause the Musical," which opens Tuesday at the Hawaii Theatre and runs through April 20. To make matters worse, Lisa was at the coffee spot outside Nordstrom's last week with Ballet Hawaii President Susie Schull and Sydney visitor Vicki Jones when Robert Cazimero came by and said he and Hawaii Theatre GM Burton White, both Lisa's pals, would be at the opening supporting Loretta. On the bright side, Lisa said her "health is outstanding" after battling cancer for 10 months. And she is happy opening night of "Menopause" benefits the Women's Cancer Center at Kapiolani Hospital ...
The Kapaa Middle School Choir and Ukulele Band, 75 strong, brought home the gold after performing in the Heritage Music Festival and Disney Magic Music Days March 26-30 in Anaheim, Calif. Winning first place in the Middle School Division was no small achievement for the Kauai students, as there were 2,500 participants in the nationwide festival. "The students were absolutely amazing," said Mary Lardizabal. "I am truly blessed to be the director of such talented young students. The students represented our school and state of Hawaii with so much love and aloha" ...
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Ben Wood, who sold the Star-Bulletin in the streets of downtown Honolulu during World War II, writes of people, places and things in our Hawaii. E-mail him at
bwood@starbulletin.com