A few days ago I had the opportunity to chat with 2001 Punahou graduate Jason Tam, who lives in New York and stars in the documentary film “;Every Little Step,”; which opens at Kahala 8 tomorrow. The movie follows the actors/dancers/singers vying for roles in the revival of “;A Chorus Line”; (speaking of lines, wait until you see the length of the queue that formed on New York City streets for the open casting call).

Tam may not have a ton of screen time, but when he does appear, it's unforgettable (look for a longer story about Tam and a review of “;Every Little Step”; in tomorrow's HiLife section). His performance is so riveting that all of his competition seems to fade away — a stark contrast to the drama that developed during the casting of some of the female leads.

When not busy on Broadway, Tam stars in “;One Life to Live,”; and he indicated that acting on a soap has presented challenges. Compared to theater, where the execution is perfected over several months, the daily grind of a soap dictates very little, if any, rehearsal time. The benefit? “;I get to know my character better and better every time I shoot an episode,”; said Tam, who has played Markko Rivera on “;One Life to Live”; since 2007. “;I kind of enjoy the process,”; he said.

After a stint with “;Beyond the Break,”; which allowed him to move home and shoot outdoors in Makaha for a while, he returned to New York.

“;The pace of living is completely different (compared with Hawaii),”; he said.

“;Everything is so fast here. Nobody looks anyone in the eye or says, 'Hi,' but there's so much being created here all the time. It's a really cool energy to be around.”;

Learn more about Tam or send him a message via his Web site: http://www.jasontam.net ...

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FINE ART photographer Kim Taylor Reece is looking for models, and he's launched a new reality show to find them. “;Dancers in Paradise: Looking for the Next Kim Taylor Reece Model”; is geared toward a younger audience (that coveted 18 to 39 demographic) with a particular focus on “;the beauty of the islands,”; according to press materials.

The series began with 12 contestants who work to perfect the elements inherent in the iconic Kim Taylor Reece images, including grace, strength, creativity and an affinity for their surroundings. Kumu Hula Keola Dalire and choreographer Tunui Tully are the judges — and, obviously, eliminate — the contestants until the final female is left dancing. Apparently, the gallery receives numerous requests for the honor of becoming one of Reece's models, so they decided to make a show out of the selection process.

“;Dancers in Paradise”; airs at 6:30 p.m. Saturdays on KITV-ABC ...

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EMME Tomimbang has completed a new documentary film about the evolution of the storied Queen's Medical Center, which airs tonight at 9 on KHON-Fox. “;Queen's Medical Center: 150 Years of Moments”; begins when King Kamehameha IV and Queen Emma founded the institution, and traces its development through modern-day medical research and treatment. There's also a rebroadcast at 4 p.m. Saturday.

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Contact Katherine Nichols at .(JavaScript must be enabled to view this email address).