"MERCHANT" OPENS BIG: "Merchant of Venice" cast members Mike Scott Robertson (Aragon), left, Jaeves Iha (Lorenzo), Katherine Aumer-Ryan (Jessica), Stephen Mead (Shylock), Danielle Vivarttas-Ahrnsbrak (Portia) and Jack Lawton (Bassanio) took time to change out of their Elizabethan-era costumes before coming out to meet the audience on opening night Friday. The Hawaii Shakespeare Festival's third and final show for 2008 debuted to a sold-out house at the ARTS at Marks Garage. "Merchant" continues Thursday through Sunday. For a review, see Page D3. Call 550-8457.

CAST PARTIES AT MERCURY: Patrick A. Karjala (Gratiano) and D. Tafa'i Silipa (Morocco/Tubal) struck a pose Friday while members of the "Merchant" cast celebrated the show's opening with a post-show party at Mercury. Karjala is an important player in several comic scenes. Silipa also gives a good comic performance as the Prince of Morocco.

"PRIVILEGE" OPENS AT LEVEL4: Front door manager Don Lee, left, operations director Alvin Yeh and VIP services director Michelle Kennedy joined celebrity guest D.J. P shortly before his headliner set at the opening of "Privilege," a new weekly event at LEVEL4, on Wednesday. The Vegas-based hip-hop/pop music artist entertained with imaginative "mash-up" mixes for more than an hour as aerialists performed above him.

Doraku Sushi executive chef Don Dae Kulper, left, newly arrived from Florida, was introduced to the Honolulu night-life scene on Wednesday by LEVEL4 staffers Hawaii Mika and Gina Shin, and his boss, Doraku Sushi owner Kevin Aoki, who had brought him upstairs from the restaurant to check it out. Table service in the showroom was excellent despite the crowd; Mika kept would-be scavengers outside the velvet rope.

"Privilege" partyers did not notice the crowd passing behind them as they stood close to the stage while D.J. P was performing. In the front row are Laurie Au, left, Nikki Thomas and Keri Tamanaha. Behind them are Gene Park, Kim Fassler, Brian Devera, Christina Failma and Philamer Calses. Behind Kim is Stan Lee. Based on the crowd and the service at the inaugural "Privilege" party, LEVEL4 looks like the place to be for upscale party people on Wednesdays. Word is that a Hawaii ID gets you "industry" status and free admission.