Busy mom on
Mother’s DayTHE whole idea of Mother's Day, I always thought, was to give mom a day off from her routine and perhaps take her to dinner. Then there are those who are busier than ever on Mother's Day. Take singer Nohelani Cypriano, who has a 16-year-old son, Kenneth Graue. She'll be appearing on a special Mother's Day show on "Hawaii's Kitchen" along with her mom, Leina'ala Simerson, and Brickwood Galuteria and his mother, Juliette. (I've always liked the observation that Brickwood's name made him sound like a yuppie restaurant, or as Moe Keale likes to call him, "Driftwood Cafeteria.") But back to Nohe. She's also doing a special luncheon cruise for Mother's Day from noon to 2, accompanied by hula dancer Celeste Akeo. And topping off her work-filled day will be a "Full Moon" jazz concert that evening at David Paul's Diamond Head Grill. She'll be joined on stage by Azure McCall, Gabe Baltazar and L.A.'s David Swanson, with a jazz trio made up of Betty Loo Taylor, Bruce Hamada and Jesse Gopen ...
I'M not saying that a lot of folks are looking forward to attending Mother's Day with Karen Keawehawai'i at the Ilikai, but tickets for the brunch and 90-minute concert were priced at $45, $40 and $35, and the only tickets still available are in the $35 range. Joining her on stage will be kumu hula O'Brian Eselu with Na Wai 'Eha O Puna, two of her favorite people Aunty Flo and Aunty Mapu, plus Miss Aloha Hula '94 Tracie Ka'onohilani Farias and the Farias Girls, the latter being Karen's daughters ...
Good clean fun
HONOLULU Community College cosmetology professor Kathy Kamakaiwi has found herself on the production staff of a play. She's volunteering her time to make sure that two actors in Manoa Valley Theatre's "Shear Madness," who have to shampoo and cut their hair at each performance, know what they're doing. The play, which opens May 13, means Gregory Scott Harris and Stefanie Anderson aren't likely to be visiting any real salons in the near future ... Incidentally, Jay Leno, who's doing his "Tonight Show" from Chicago this week, mentioned the play which has been running for 18 years there. Since the audience gets to help select "whodunit," he suggested they set aside some seats for the Boulder, Colorado, police department. He's been on their case for ineptitude since they failed to indict anyone in the murder of Jon Benet Ramsay ...THE couple credited with founding the Honolulu Boy Choir, Roy & Nyle Hallman, are retiring July 31 after serving Central Union Church for 29 years. There's a testimonial dinner for the Hallmans tomorrow at the Hilton Hawaiian Village Tapa Ballroom. For info call 941-0957 ...
The Dickens, you say
THE very first mention of illusionist David Copperfield in a Honolulu newspaper was in this column on July 12, 1976. It was announcing his opening at the C'est Si Bon showroom of the Pagoda, and I said of the 19-year-old, "The New Jersey native looks less like a Dickensian hero than a member of Dion and the Belmonts." His show was the hit it was predicted to be and Hawaii subsequently became a favorite vacation spot. Now, of course, he's a monster illusionist and his show "Dreams and Nightmares," a hit on Broadway, will play the Blaisdell Concert Hall May 19-24. Opening night is a benefit for the Juvenile Diabetes Foundation. Those who can't take in the show can still attend a post-show reception for $50 at the Honolulu Club and watch Copperfield appear. Two preview shows are on May 17 & 18. He's come a long way, baby ...
Dave Donnelly has been writing on happenings
in Hawaii for the Star-Bulletin since 1968.
His columns run Monday through Friday.Contact Dave by e-mail: donnelly@kestrok.com.