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Hawaii Dave Donnelly |
Hawaii’s queens truly
come in a variety of sexesHAWAII is well-known for beauty queens. Angela Perez Bara-quio even followed in the footsteps of Caroline Sapp and was named Miss America. I'd wager that the reason this year's runner-up, Kanoelani Gibson, didn't win the prize is because the judges didn't want two winners from Hawaii so close together. Those judges, however, had nothing to do with the people who picked Marina Del Rey from being crowned "La Femme Magnifique 2003" in Portland, Ore., over nine other regional winners from across the country. Marina cried just like Miss America does when she got crowned. You can see the beauty queen Saturday night at Venus Nite Club in "The Taste of Honey" show. I should make one thing clear at about this juncture -- "Marina" is the professional name of Mark I, who is a trained Aveda advisor at the Aveda Lifestyle Salon & Spa at Ala Moana Center. His specialty -- surprise! -- is make-overs for women ...
A pair of queens
A BEAUTY queen more to my taste, Erika Kauffman, who was Miss Hawaii in 1997 at the tender age of 17, was a guest star with the fabulous Rocky Brown and pianist Brian Robertshaw at the Hanohano Room Saturday night. It was the first time I heard Rocky sing since she and lucky hubby Deshannon Higa moved to N.Y. They're back now, and because of her Saturday venue, Rocky can't sing a lot of jazz or Alanis Morissette tunes which I remember her for, but she did a great version of Andy Cummings' "Waikiki," and there being so many young Japanese married couples in the house, she also sang "The Hawaiian Wedding Song." Rocky and Erika did some tunes separately and some together with Robertshaw, who did some singing himself. Erika normally sings Wednesdays at the Hanohano Room, but perhaps a gig could be arranged on Saturdays as well ... Oh yes, after 20 years, the Saturday morning radio show of Perry & Price is pau at the Hanohano Room ...FOLLOWING its huge hit with "Gypsy," Army Community Theatre is putting another chestnut on view. Cast in "Man of La Mancha" in the dual role of Aldonza/Dulcinea is actress/singer Mary Chestnut. Somehow she's managing to find time to rehearse, even though she's playing a major role in "Ragtime" at Diamond Head Theatre...
THE folks at Hawaiian Airlines are flying high. Not only was HAL rated fourth best airline in the country by Travel + Leisure, but it won kudos from recent first-class passenger Simon Cowell, here for "American Idol" auditions. He also enjoyed the music of the kids of Halau Hula Ohana ...
A Star is Born
AN awesome array of talent appeared at the Hawaii Alliance for Arts Education's concert: Amy Hanaiali'i Gilliom, Jake Shimabukuro and the Makaha Sons. But the surprise of the evening came from Bob Midkiff, who sang two hapa-haole songs with Amy after being awarded the Alfred Preis Award. Midkiff is continuing to "sweat and bleed" to finish the restoration of the Hawaii Theatre. More than $30 million has been raised, but eightysomething Midkiff stressed another $300,000 is still needed ...
See the Columnists section for some past articles.
Dave Donnelly has been writing on happenings in Hawaii for the Star-Bulletin since 1968. The Week That Was runs Sundays and recalls items from Dave's 30 years of columns. Contact Dave by e-mail: ddonnelly@starbulletin.com
