Hawaii
EVER notice how so many of the same local groups volunteer to show up at various charity fund-raisers? While it's admirable that there are those willing to show musical support to such good causes, Jeff Apaka of the Waikiki Community Center decided to take it a step further. For the past three years Apaka has lined up at least six top isle recording stars to appear in "Pili Mau," (pulling together) as a WCC fund-raiser. This year, Apaka called on longtime friend Wayne Newton to help out. Newton not only said he'd be happy to help, but committed his 21-piece orchestra and four backup singers to appear with him. The concert, a WCC fundraiser, is slated for Friday, Sept. 7, in the Hawaii Ballroom of the Sheraton Waikiki Hotel. Tickets available at the hotel's dining desk, or for more info call 922-4422 ... Wayne Newton to
help isle charity
raise funds
Slow growing
THERE are some nice performances in "The Effect of Gamma Rays on Man-in-the-Moon Marigolds" at the Actors' Group's Yellow Brick Studio, but director David Schaeffer, who was directing his third production of the bizarre play, chose to take the already snail's-pace plot twists and slow the play down to a sometimes painfully illustrated portrait of inaction. You wonder what frame of mind playwright Paul Zindel was in when he wrote the work, which might well be called "Degrees of Dimentia." But check it out -- you may disagree ...WHO better to appear in the new TV commercial promoting the Pizza Hut Literacy Card than 8th grader Katya Ekimoto, a student since kindergarten at St. Andrew's Priory School and the daughter of Susan Jaworowski, president of the Hawaii Women's Legal Foundation. Young Katya is an inveterate reader, and as often as not has two books on her table at the same time. And all that reading probably helped her in her studies, too -- did I mention Katya's a 3.98 student? ...
Abercrombie fits
FRIENDS call Janet Bender "the absent-minded professor," particularly nettlesome for her since she's the exec director of the Alzheimer's Association. She was puzzling the other day about a shorthand entry on her calendar she couldn't make out, so the forgetful Bender carpooled to her office in Ward Warehouse, where she immediately recalled the meeting was at the state Capitol with the 2001 Hawaii Governor's Conference on Volunteerism Sharing Aloha in the Global Village. She was to be a presenter. Checking her watch, she realized she had but seven minutes to get to the meeting and had no car. Suddenly she noticed State Rep. Neil Abercrombie and a colleague headed toward their car and asked if they were going to the Capitol. Abercrombie said he wasn't, but offered her a ride. Suddenly she recalled trying to flag down a taxi 21 years ago downtown, only to see it glide past her with no passenger. She told pals about it, vowing "never patronize that Abercrombie Cab again." Everyone laughed uproariously, and informed her who Abercrombie was. And now, more than two decades later, she finally got her ride and made her meeting, even though the congressman no longer drives that old Checker cab and wasn't headed there. All is forgiven and then some ...
Dave Donnelly has been writing on happenings
in Hawaii for the Star-Bulletin since 1968.Contact Dave by e-mail: ddonnelly@starbulletin.com