TIM RYAN / TRYAN@STARBULLETIN.COM
Chorus members surrounded "Lilo & Stitch" director Clark Spencer after greeting him with chants of "Sequel! Sequel! Sequel!" in the theater lobby.
HOLLYWOOD >> Kaimana Morris hops off the bus, festooned with a large Disney logo, onto the dark gray sidewalk with large gold stars. She slowly leans her head back until she can see all of the glittering El Capitan Theatre marquee where 4-foot letters spell out "Lilo & Stitch." Kamehameha chorus
has fun ‘Lilo’ debutBy Tim Ryan
tryan@starbulletin.com"Wow!" says the 12-year-old when she gets her first glimpse at the inflatable, one-story-tall, blue alien with six legs and 10 pointy teeth atop the marquee. "Hey, that's Stitch!"
Soon, a dozen more Kamehameha Schools Children's Chorus members follow her off the bus and peer at the odd creature created by Disney animators, while the other 20-plus members of the group check out Hollywood's Walk of Fame, recognizing names like Burt Reynolds, Cuba Gooding Jr., Garry Marshall, Ron Howard, all set in bronze stars.
The Kamehameha Schools Chorus is here to prepare for their 15 minutes of fame, appearing in last night's world premiere of "Lilo & Stitch" and ABC's "Aloha from Hollywood" special that will featuring the group, a mainland halau, Wynonna Judd and others.
The chorus, under the direction of Lynell Bright and husband Clarke, recorded two songs in December back in Honolulu for this animated film, which Disney executives hope will be the studio's next "Mulan." The keiki and eight chaperones arrived in Los Angeles last week to perform at yesterday's world premiere, which included the rare closing of Hollywood Boulevard for two days (one of them to build an elaborate beach set) and a day for the red-carpet premiere.
"This is a big deal," says Clarke Bright outside the theater.
The chorus of fifth- through seventh-graders rehearsed some eight hours to perform alongside Hula Halau O Kamuela Elua, under the direction of kumu Kunewa Mook, brother of late kumu Paleka Mattos.
The children, dressed in white "Lilo & Stitch Premiere 2002" polo shirts and blue pants or dresses, make their way down Hollywood Boulevard to the side stage door a few steps from famed Hollywood High School.
"We did the World Bank convention opening and performed in Japan last year, so this shouldn't be any tougher," says Belle Baxley, 11, and a chorus veteran of two years. "We know the songs and we made the recording already."
Jessica Kauhane looks a bit dazed as she steps over several thick power cables snaking from production trucks into the theater. She tentatively climbs the few steps to the back stage, her "Talent" credentials swinging to and fro around her neck.
TIM RYAN / TRYAN@STARBULLETIN.COM
Lynell Bright, Kamehameha Schools Children's Chorus director, encouraged the group with a shaka during rehearsal yesterday at the El Capitan Theater in Hollywood.
"I am nervous," she whispers. "I'm nervous about going onstage and falling on my face and millions of people seeing me. I'm really not that graceful."
The chorus recorded the chant that opens "Lilo & Stitch" and the catchy song for the movie's surfing sequence, "Hawaiian Roller Coaster Ride." They've been practicing for this performance for a few months and saw the movie twice before yesterday's premiere.
The group beams when they're led into the theater for a backstage tour and to their dressing rooms by Holly, the theater's no-nonsense stage manager. The rooms are filled with large, framed posters of Disney animated classics and more recent hits. Kamehameha Chaplain Kordell Kekoa, whose son is in the chorus, quickly poses for a picture in front of the "Dumbo" poster.
Before the rehearsal, Clarke Bright offers last-minute instructions. "We want you to continue to be professional as you have been up to now," he says. "Professional behind and in front of the camera."
But before the chorus takes center stage, Mook's halau of 22 dancers, six conch shell blowers and singer-chanter-songwriter Mark Hoomalu (who wrote the chant and "Hawaiian Roller Coaster Ride") will rehearse.
Mook, the Hawaiian cultural advisor on the film and voice of the movie's kumu hula character, recommended Hoomalu to Disney. The film company wanted a chant that would be accessible to the masses, said Mook.
Mook and Hoomalu huddled with composer Alan Sylvestri to come up with a chant that represents a simple "mahalo" to Queen Liliuokalani for standing up for the Hawaiian people, and presents keiki as the hope for Hawaii's future. The chant also is up-tempo, another departure from the traditional form.
"I made it a soul chant," says Hoomalu, an Aiea High School graduate who now lives in Hayward, Calif. "'Hawaiian Roller Coaster Ride' took me, like, 24 hours to write. I was up all day and all night to get something down on paper because they needed it like now! They wanted something upbeat and fun."
THE REHEARSAL is brief, though Mook instructs his dancers several times to "stretch it" and "keep those fingers straight."
"It's show time," says chorus member Gabriel Papa. "It'll be a nightmare if the camera gets really close to my face. Maybe I should brush my teeth again!"
The chorus lines up on the theater's two side aisles, then walks to the stage, chanting along with Hoomalu, gathering behind him for "Hawaiian Roller Coaster Ride." Over four hours, Lynell Bright leads her charges through rehearsal, trying to keep their energy up. She waves her arms high to get more volume from the singers, occasionally pointing to her own smiling face for them to copy, swaying back and forth to keep them in tempo.
"Rachel, look pleasant!" Bright yells. "Focus, focus! Remember, everyone will be watching you. Megan and Drew, you have to start swaying from the beginning."
Hoomalu becomes a sort of Pied Piper for the keiki chorus, keeping their spirits up. When he flashes the shaka sign, all the kids pick up on it and do the same.
"Yes, yes," the show's artistic director says. "Interaction! That's great, beautiful, exactly what we want! Have fun, have fun!"
As the chorus' voices echo through the theater, crew members decked in neon-bright aloha shirts smile. Even stage manager Holly momentarily drops her guard to attempt a bit of hula. A few Disney executives move their shoulders to the rhythm, including "Lilo & Stitch" producer Clark Spencer.
TIM RYAN / TRYAN@STARBULLETIN.COM
Signs backstage point the way for assistant Kamehameha Schools Children's Chorus director Clarke Bright.
"They're so incredible," he says, later. "What a contribution they made to this film. It screams Hawaii, doesn't it?"
AFTER THREE HOURS the kids get a break. Some sprawl on a carpeted stairwell; some lie on benches, leaning against one another for support. When Spencer joins them in the lobby, several kids yell, "Hi Clark!"
The kids and producer are buds. That's because Spencer and directors Chris Sanders and Dean DeBlois made good on their promises: to bring the completed film to Honolulu for a secret Mother's Day preview and to get every chorus member's name on the film's ending credits.
"Way to go," someone yells when told of the credits' listing.
The Brights present the filmmaking trio with Hawaiian gift baskets, and give Spencer poster-size photo prints, taken by Alan Takano, of the chorus singing the film's two songs at Sunset Beach and Waimea Falls Park for the video shown last night on ABC.
When someone yells for a group picture, the chorus rushes around the producer. On three, the kids yell "Sequel!" and Spencer laughs.
"Yes, a sequel is planned, and a television series," Spencer says to a round of applause.
The kids are done for the day but will return early tomorrow for a two-hour dress rehearsal. On their bus ride back to their hotel, they pass familiar fast-food restaurants. Both the chorus and chaperones joke about finding Hawaii delicacies there like lomilomi salmon, kalua pig and laulau.
"What I wouldn't give for a plate lunch," Clarke Bright jokes.
"Mr. Clarke," someone from the back of the bus yells. "Did you forget? We're in Hollywood!"
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