Hawaii
MAINLANDERS always ask, "Don't you suffer from Rock Fever?" I have no idea what that means, I tell them, since the airport is only moments away if ever I want to get away for a change. But now "Rock Fever" is taking on new meaning. It refers to the Rock, the Hawaiian-reared wrestler who is emerging from the top of his profession -- rassling -- to Hollywood. "The Scorpion King" was a huge success for the Rock, and his stunt double Norm Compton told Scruples owner Fred Piluso, he said their next movie would be filmed in Hawaii in September and that he'd bring The Rock into the club. The Rock may make it before that, since he has an upcoming "rassling" card coming up in Honolulu. Piluso is celebrating the club's 19th anniversary tonight ... Scruples may be the place
to get a piece of The RockPILUSO is just back from a whirlwind trip to the mainland where he took girlfriend Kamakoa Page to audition at several ballet companies from L.A. to Pittsburgh. No word on which offer, if any, she accepts ... Susan Schull is excited about the Sunday benefit for Ballet Hawaii which George & Wini Vandeman are hosting at their new Hilton Hawaiian Village restaurant, Sergio's. Not only will funds raised go to the Ballet, whose president she happens to be, but her beautiful daughter Amanda, who starred in the film "Center Stage" and who is now with the San Francisco Ballet, will be home for the event ... A brochure for "Titanic," which opens Friday at Diamond Head Theatre, states, "Forget the movie -- this 'Titanic' is not THAT story -- it's a better one." It's directed by Jennifer Waldman who appeared in the musical on Broadway ...
High flyin' cycles
SURE to be a top attraction at the 50th State Fair, which gets underway Friday and runs four weekends, is the FreeRide Moto-X Spectacular. To begin with, it's free. But it also sounds like an opportunity to see crazy daredevils in action as they ride their bikes up a 35-foot ramp and then flip around and descend while flying through the air. One of those appearing will be X-Games gold medalist and freestyle superstar Brian Deegan along with another cycle superstar, Drake McElroy ...CONGRATS to Stuart Yamane for being awarded an Emmy from the Northern California Area (which includes Hawaii) for his TV documentary "Journey of Honor." If you missed seeing the film, about a group of AJA's revisiting the battlefields of Italy, it'll be rebroadcast Sunday at 9:30 p.m. on KHET-TV ...
Marvelous in Manoa
TWO separate theatrical offerings have graced the Manoa Valley Theatre stage this week. "Wit," about a woman going through the last stages of treatment for terminal cancer, played Sunday and repeats through next Sunday. It's marvelous, full of "Wit" and pathos at once. The American Cancer Society raised $4,000 at a preview of the show ... Then on Monday and Tuesday, a surprise hit (to me) was Gardner McKay's "Sea Marks," set in Ireland and featuring top notch performances by both Peter Clark and Annie MacLachlan. Director Joyce Maltby would love to reprise the play somewhere, but right now Clark is off to England to further pursue an acting career in London ...
Dave Donnelly has been writing on happenings
in Hawaii for the Star-Bulletin since 1968.
The Week That Was recalls items from Dave's 30 years of columns.Contact Dave by e-mail: ddonnelly@starbulletin.com