Sean Jones, the actor son of bassist Stephen Jones and wife Lee Ann, has earned his Actors Equity card by joining the prestigious Oregon Shakespeare Festival in Ashland, Ore. He has a 10-month contract for three productions and is rehearsing for "Guys and Dolls," for which he’s serving as dance captain and understudy for several roles.
Jones, who graduated in May with a bachelor’s degree in musical theater from the Boston Conservatory, signed with Clear Talent Agency. He auditioned for the Oregon gig for Sonja Tayeh of "So You Think You Can Dance," and will be working with her when she choreographs a new musical adaptation of "The Count of Monte Cristo"called "Head Over Heals." It features new music by the Go-Gos. If the new production heads to Broadway, Sean hopes to land a leading role in New York.
He was home for the holidays and sang with Jimmy Borges at his dad’s 60th birthday party. Dad, meanwhile, has been undergoing chemotherapy for cancer; he’s the personnel manager and bassist with the Hawaii Pops, performing with the likes of Amy Hanaiali‘i and Teresa Bright. …
MATTERS OF THE HEART: Comedian Frank De Lima will stage a Valentine’s Day dinner and show Feb. 14 at the Pagoda’s International Ballroom.He’ll mix laughter with love in his comedic lunacy. Doors open at 5:30 p.m., a buffet dinner begins at 5:45 p.m. (locals love the shoyu ahi) and the performance is at 7:30 p.m. Cost: $55 adults, $25 children ages 5 to 8. Call 948-8370. …
Danny Couch also salutes lovers with a Valentine’s dinner concert Feb. 14 at HASR Bistro in Chinatown. Dinner is at 6 p.m., show at 7 p.m. Cost: $75. Call 533-4277. …
And for Jim Brickman, Saturday’s concert at Blaisdell Concert Hall was an early Valentine’s gift to his fans. As he regularly does on tours, the genial composer-pianist-singer hires a local vocalist — Maila Gibson this time. She said it’s "kind of a dream come true" because she’s been a huge fan since his "Valentine" hit years ago. …
THE LOCAL ANGLE: Janel Parrish, part of the most recent season of ABC’s "Dancing With the Stars," is home for a few days with her parents. Hawaii fans remember her as Young Cossette in "Les Miserables," her entry into show biz. …
Taimane Gardner, one of Hawaii’s rising stars (she plays a mean uke), has launched a Kickstarter campaign to support her "We Are Made of Stars" album, a project in which she did just about everything — write, record and produce. …
VIEWPOINTS: Uncle Tadashi & Da Boyz, who earlier recorded the sweetly nostalgic "Da Yoisho Song," have been mastering and refining their second novelty, "Back in Da Day (Da Jan Ken Po Song)," retaining the makule (old-timer) feel of the early tune but with an activity-specific Little League baseball flashback. "Back" is a virtual mixed plate of Jawaiian, taiko, hip-hop, obon dance, ukulele and memory-lane ethos — think hanabata days, paper-scissors-stone playfulness and small-kid-time references (Jack and Jill, going hadashi or barefoot, Kikaida, munching at Chunky’s).Group member Michael Ige (one of the boys) has been tinkering with an audio-only radio version as well as a video release, with Wade Kaneshiro as Uncle Tadashi. Fun, fun, fun. For the latest YouTube video, go to goo.gl/5FS4I4.
"Becky’s New Car," the comedy winding up Sunday at Manoa Valley Theatre, is a modest work with maximum laughs. There’s no sight of a car, despite the title, because the vehicle is a metaphor for a new life for Becky (smartly played by MVT newcomer Amy K. Sullivan with equal doses of cheer and angst), whose career in car sales, marital relationship and romantic temptation collide in a volley of maladies, confrontations and pretensions. And as Becky’s love temptation Walter, Dwight Martin is spot-on delightful. "Car" moves on six cylinders, with good mileage on the sitcom meter. …
And that’s Show Biz …
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Wayne Harada is a veteran entertainment columnist; reach him at 266-0926 or wayneharada@gmail.com; read his Show and Tell Hawaii blog at www.staradvertiser.com.
