PBS HAWAII will shoot what should be a blockbuster pledge program inside ‘Iolani Palace. Musical performances will be shot in the Blue Room, Throne Room and around the Grand Staircase. The program will be shown on Kamehameha Day, June 11. The music, performed by some of Hawaii’s best, will be from the Na Lani ‘Eha repertoire of songs by the four Hawaiian royal siblings — King Kalakaua, Queen Liliuokalani, Prince Leleiohoku and Princess Likelike. Performers include Robert Cazimero, Nina Kealiiwahamana, Marlene Sai, Haunani Apoliona, Aaron Mahi, Dennis and David Kamakahi, Jeff Peterson, the Hawaiian Music Hall of Fame Serenaders with Ipo Kumukahi, master chanter Ka‘upena Wong, and the Hawaii Youth Opera Chorus and Kawaiolaonapukanileo Choir, both under the direction of Nola Nahulu. Robert Pennybacker is executive producer. Co-producers are Stuart Yamane and Jay Junker. On the production team are Michael Harris, Mike Powell, Cheryl Sakai, Glenn Yamamoto and Gaylord Holomalia.
The filming is not open to the public. Restrictions and requirements have been placed upon all who set foot in the palace for filming. Shoes and equipment cannot touch the floors and all fabrics and flowers will be inspected. Palace curator Heather Diamond and facilities manager Noelani Ah Yuen have asked that everyone involved take a palace orientation tour …
THE HONOLULU Museum of Art’s ConTempo fundraiser, capped by a dinner party April 21 at Neiman Marcus, netted $500,000. Candice Naylor-Ching chaired the event. An art sale and reception April 4 at Neiman was an earlier fundraiser for the museum. Mihana Souza was at the party and was totally surprised to find that a painting of her by Chris Campbell was for sale. What’s more, she was wearing the same Hawaiian long dress at the party that she wore while posing for the painting …
PAT SENCKOWSKI, PurAir, Hawaii boss, who I hired a couple of years ago to get my apartment’s central air-conditioning unit working properly, always says, "Put my name in your column," whenever I bump into him. OK Pat, just make sure you keep the cold air coming, not hot air … Then there’s the public relations woman who emailed me, "I know you love a powerhouse in high heels," and went on to report that Philana Bouvier was recently named the new executive vice president and general manager of Young’s Market Co. of Hawaii. Cheers, Philana …
ALOHA, BURL: Burl Burlingame is saying farewell today after 33 years with the Star-Bulletin and Star-Advertiser to become curator of the Pacific Aviation Museum Pearl Harbor. "It was a privilege working with all the fine newspaper people at the Star-Bulletin and Advertiser," Burl said. "Because of their professionalism, Honolulu remained a two-newspaper town a decade longer than almost any other American city" …
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Ben Wood, who sold newspapers on Honolulu streets in World War II, writes of people, places and things. Email him at bwood@staradvertiser.com.
