Francis Ruivivar gives the traffic weary
a reason to go to Waikiki.

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‘Show Stoppers’
lives up to its name

By John Berger
Special to the Star-Bulletin

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Broadway Show Stoppers, starring Francis Ruivivar, Outrigger Main Showroom. Shows 8 p.m. nightly except Sunday, $22.50- $29.95, includes one drink. Call 922-6408 for reservations.

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Francis and Tony Ruivivar do great work. Their latest creative endeavor -- "Broadway Show Stoppers!" -- is in its first week as the newest off-season attraction at the Outrigger Main Showroom. Francis is the star of the show; big brother Tony put it together. "Show Stoppers!" provides a perfect reason for island residents to go to Waikiki.

Francis was introduced to Waikiki audiences two months ago when he and Tony presented "Broadway on the Beach!" in a two-weekend trial engagement at the Polynesian Palace. "Show Stoppers!" is bigger and more ambitious, but with the same judicious sense of variety and pacing. This show, too, earns its self-applied exclamation point.

Among changes:

More songs -- 20 songs here, 14 last time. Several songs from the previous show have been cut to make room for a broader selection of "show stoppers."

More time for Francis' wife, Cathryn Croft. She joins him on "Some Enchanted Evening" and reprises the "One Hand One Heart" duet that was a highlight of the show at the Palace. "Someone to Watch Over Me," "Memory" and "Don't Rain on My Parade" give her three solo numbers.

Dancers -- Anea Carreira, Nanette Ladet and Yvonne Yanagihara add pizzazz backing Ruivivar on several numbers. It's a small chorus line but a strong one. Choreography often serves as filler in local productions; Carreira, Ladet and Yanagihara add to the overall impact of this one.

Francis Ruivivar again proves himself a versatile entertainer. The greater intimacy of this new venue aids in enjoying the subtleties in his work as singer, dancer, actor, musician and storyteller.

For example, Ruivivar's "Music of the Night" from "The Phantom of the Opera" is no exercise in bombast. He does it right, conveying both the menace and the romantic promise of the song without excessive acting. When he delivers the Phantom's seductive invitation without wearing the ubiquitous half-mask, it places the focus on his finesse as a song stylist.

Other musical highlights include "American Dream" from "Miss Saigon" (he played the Engineer on Broadway), "Jesus Christ Superstar" and "Light at the End of the Tunnel" from Starlight Express. An semi-unplugged rendition of "Bring Him Home" is a beautiful change of pace. A strong rendition of "The Impossible Dream" revitalizes a standard that's often reduced to the status of pop-music cliche.

"Putting it Together" is again the vehicle for an account of his early days in New York (he was supporting himself as a waiter when he got his first role -- playing a waiter). An explanation of the cattle-call audition process provides the premise for audience participation as two women are brought up join him for a three-way song-and-dance "audition" performance of "Broadway Baby."

Musical director Jeannette Trevias (keyboards), Noel Okimoto (drums) and John Kolivaz (bass) give Ruivivar and Croft solid musical backing. Reid Sato and Cliff Abe (sound design) share credit as tech crew for this outstanding show.

A small army of island kids has gone off to Broadway -- many with considerable fanfare. None has returned with greater style and presence than Francis Ruivivar. "Broadway Show Stoppers!" should not be missed.