Loretta Ables Sayre will portray Dolly Gallagher Levi when Diamond Head Theatre kicks off its 2018-19 season with “Hello, Dolly!” on Sept. 21.
With the Broadway revival (which starred Bette Midler but now features Bernadette Peters) still on the boards, DHT scored a coup in landing Ables Sayre, the Tony-nominated Bloody Mary from the 2008 Broadway revival of “South Pacific.”
“I have not signed the proverbial contract yet,” the singer-actress said last week, but the announcement was made two weeks ago at a DHT Sneak Peek Preview of the upcoming season.
“The great music, the beautiful costumes, the happy endings — the NOT having to paint my teeth brown and being able to leave the theater in pretty makeup — it’s going to be a blast,” said Ables Sayre. (The brown teeth were a Bloody Mary regimen). P.S.: She will be at Blue Note Hawaii on Easter Sunday, April 1, with Robert Cazimero as her guest star. …
DHT also boasts three Hawaii premieres: “Irving Berlin’s Holiday Inn,” the seasonal bonbon opening Nov. 30; “Something Rotten,” the hilarious Tony-winning parody of Broadway musicals with Shakespearean links, opening March 23; and “Roald Dahl’s Matilda the Musical,” an inspiring Tony-winning portrait of a school girl challenging an intimidating female teacher (customarily played by a male) while seeking a better life, premiering July 12.
The season will include “Noises Off,” the pandemonium-filled farce, bowing Jan. 25, and “Beehive: The 60s Musical,” with an all-female cast capturing the sounds, looks and memories of a beloved decade, opening May 17. If you’re not a season subscriber, this is a savvy year to make the leap. …
Meanwhile, at Manoa …
As it heads into its 50th season, Manoa Valley Theatre boasts a stellar 2018-19 agenda, anchored by the earlier-announced gem, “Allegiance,” the Hawaii premiere of the musical saga of a Japanese-American family’s wrongful imprisonment in a interment camp during World War II. The show, which resonates with Hawaii families because of the parallel wartime ordeal, will be staged at the Hawaii Theatre instead of at MVT, beginning March 28, 2019. Paul Mitri will direct, with Kip Wilborn as musical conductor.
The season kicks off with “Shipment Day,” a true-life Hawaii drama by Lorenzo DeStafano chronicling the traumatic experiences of Hansen’s disease activist Olivia Robello Breitha, debuting Nov. 8.
MVT looks to the past to revive four “greatest hits” plays: “Pageant,” the beauty pageant musical-comedy with an all-male cast as glamorpusses, giving it a new edge, opening Aug. 30; “Avenue Q,” with puppets sharing tales of working, living and dating in New York, debuting Jan. 10; “Tony n Tina’s Wedding,” the off-Broadway musical where audience members become part of a couple’s nuptials, complete with dinner service, returning May 16; and “The Rocky Horror Show,” the sci-fi melodrama and cult fave set to a rock score, bowing July 18. …
Whee, the people
Peter Moon, the prolific composer, musician and entrepreneur formerly with The Sunday Manoa and The Peter Moon Band, will forever be remembered in my book as a no-ego, steadfast show biz figure with a passion to promote new talent via his “Kanikapila” franchise.
His legacy includes “Hawaiian Lullaby,” the beaut of a ballad often mistakenly referred to by its opening lyrics, “Where I live, there are rainbows.” Moon wrote the song early in his career with lyricist Hector Venegas. Moon died Feb. 17 at age 73, after a couple of decades in a care facility. Private services were held. …
Augie Rey, joined by daughter Tahiti Rey, will make his Blue Note Hawaii debut March 26 with a “Tribute to Motown and Stevie Wonder.” It’ll be the first time, too, that the club will provide a dance floor, so put on your dancin’ shoes. Musicians will be Jeannette Trevias on keyboards, Mark Lindberg on drums, Ian Sheridan on bass and Jason Gay on sax. …
And that’s “Show Biz.” …
Wayne Harada is a veteran entertainment columnist. Reach him at 266-0926 or wayneharada@gmail.com.
