"Honu by the Sea" is in London. Johnson Enos‘ environmental fantasy-musical is not enjoying a run in the West End, instead the show’s musical score is being recorded by the London Symphony Orchestra at the famed Abbey Road Studios, popularized by the Beatles and still the hub of many musical projects.
"A wish come true for me, recording at Abbey Road with a London orchestra," says Enos, who composed all the music and continues to elevate the profile of his production. Enos hopes he can squeeze in time for a London show or two in the West End. …
The score is being arranged and conducted by Robbie Buchanan, whose credits include recordings with Disney’s "Beauty and the Beast," "Aladdin" and "Pocahontas."And a bit of Buchanan island trivia: He is a Canadian musician who played piano in Bette Midler‘s "The Rose," then toured with her to promote the film.
The "Honu" cast will be on the move this fall, with a Nov.3 appearance at the Blue Ocean Film Festival in St. Petersburg, Fla., and a Nov. 14 jaunt to Sydney for the World Parks Congress. …
TRAVEL LOG: With Alex (aka Alx) Kawakami, one-third of ManoaDNA, leaving Honolulu for Los Angeles at the end of the month to explore solo career options, there’s been buzz about the status of the Hawaii-based dad-and-two-sons-group. Quitting? Reorganizing? Neither. "We still plan to perform whenever Alex is home or we go up to the mainland," said dad Lloyd Kawakami. "We think of it as just another step in our evolution, both individually and as a group."
While ManoaDNA has concluded its regular Waikiki gigs (at the Hyatt’s SWIM, Lulu’s and Kani Ka Pila Grille, plus a performance at the summer Wildest Show in Town at Honolulu Zoo), an aloha performance — with Alex, Lloyd and Nick Kawakami in "one last blow-out set," as dad says — is scheduled for 6 p.m. Sept. 20 at Gordon Biersch at Aloha Tower Marketplace. …
Prior to the recent Napa County, Calif., earthquake, ManoaDNA performed at Kenzo Estates, a vineyard and winery in the mountains of Napa. The winery escaped damage. The private event attracted an elite group of politicos and business VIPs from Napa and San Francisco. The family ensemble was overwhelmed with the accommodations, food and wine — "talk about being spoiled rotten," says Lloyd Kawakami. …
AROUND TOWN: When the Royal Hawaiian Band gave a free concert recently at Windward Mall, the audience got a whiff of"Hairspray," the musical set to open Sept.19 at Paliku Theatre at Windward Community College.The band’s maestro, Clarke Bright, also is the pit conductor for the show, which his dad, Ronald Bright, is directing, so it was no accident that the younger Bright included a medley from "Hairspray" for the assembled crowd. Cast members were on hand to sing and dance, but when the band delved into the contagious "You Can’t Stop the Beat," the finale number, folks descending on the escalator got into the spirit of the show, gyrating to the beat. …
And a few days later, the Paliku cast interrupted rehearsals for an ice cream sundae party to mark director Bright’s 81st birthday. …
SEEN ‘N’ HEARD: Panamanian-born actress Jordana Brewster and her movie-producer spouse of seven years, Andrew Form, were R&R-ing in our surf and sun recently with their 11-month-old son, Julian. Brewster, who plays Elena Ramos on TNT’s "Dallas" series, also is concluding her role as Mia Toretto in 2015’s "Fast & Furious" franchise but will be seen in "American Heist" with Adrien Brody and Hayden Christensen, screening this weekend at the Toronto Film Festival. Form was a producer of the summer’s No. 2 hit, "Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles". …
And that’s "Show Biz." …
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.
