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Maldonado’s Sour Kangaroo
proves a sassy scene-stealer

I had a blast at Diamond Head Theatre's new production "Seussical" on Friday. The sets and costumes are eye-catching, and the music entertaining. Colin Miyamoto, Scott Moura and Stephanie Conching did great as the Cat in the Hat, Horton the Elephant and Gertrude McFuzz, respectively. But Alison L.B. Maldonado was a scene-stealer as the Sour Kangaroo, with sass and a great voice. Nine-year-old Tx Tario (pronounced "Tex") was an outstanding Jojo, playing the boy whose colorful imagination guides viewers through the story. (He shares the role with Ka'iana Kau.) Tx has been performing since he was 5 and loves it, says his mom, Karli. As for how he keeps up with rehearsal demands and school, she said she keeps close communication with Tx's teacher to make sure he doesn't fall behind. Theater isn't Tx's only extracurricular activity: His soccer team, the Honolulu Bull Soccer Club, won first place in a Mililani tournament a couple of weeks ago. ...

Spotted around town

Jim Manke, director of public affairs for UH-Manoa, and his wife were at Bedroq Bar & Grill Friday. The proud parents were there to watch their daughter, Angela, female vocalist for the reggae group Mystic Rising. The Mankes try to make all the group's gigs on the island. ... Mystic Rising also opened for Natural Vibrations at a private party Sunday. ... Henry Kapono took a break from his bar to visit the Shack in Hawaii Kai Saturday night. ... And eagle-eyed readers, including SB'er Joe Edwards, noticed that Ted of the Sally Forth comic strip wore a shirt yesterday that read "Radford Rams." Turns out the cartoon's illustrator, Craig MacIntosh, is a 1962 Radford graduate and periodically has his characters wearing Radford items. Robert Stevens, the principal at Radford, clips out those strips and hangs them in his office. ...

Congratulations!

Honolulu Symphony concertmaster Ignace "Iggy" Jang and Christine Suehisa, a pianist and music teacher who graduated from Juilliard, will marry Dec. 22 at the Halekulani. Jang's family will be arriving from France and Korea for the event -- the first time the clan will be together since the late '80s! ...