Shows &events
Art, Music and Food at Holualoa’s First Friday
Holualoa Village celebrates its monthly Art-After-Dark event from 5:30-8:30 this evening with the debut of new art in the galleries, free live music and street eats from a half dozen vendors.
Glyph Art Gallery will feature new work by Diane Tunnel, including her newest watercolor, “Love Intertwined.” The painting is just back from Honolulu where it won Best In Show at the Hawaii Watercolor Society’s Annual Member Show, Hawaii’s top honor for watercolor artists.
At Holualoa Gallery, Maestro Andrew Sweeney will be playing outside and artist William Wingert will be working on a new painting inside.
Dave “The Rippa” Lawrence will be keeping the crowd moving with classic rock ‘n’ roll and blues at the Koa Realty office and across the street in the Kona Hotel Pat Pearlman Designs will feature jewelry creations that include peridot, August’s birthstone.
The Holualoa Ukulele Gallery will be presenting the music of the Mauka High Notes on the front lanai along with refreshments and hand made ukulele by Waimea’s Larry Montero inside the recently expanded gallery.
Kahilu Exhibits presents works by Bernice Akamine
A solo exhibition by the nationally recognized artist, Bernice Akamine, opens this evening in Waimea.
Kahilu Exhibits hosts an opening reception and artist’s walk-through from 5-7 p.m. featuring a no-host bar and light pupu. Work on display includes a new series of sculptures entitled Hinaluaikoa and her traveling installation Kalo.
Akamine is a sculptor and installation artist based on Hawaii Island, who uses a variety of media to express her ideas. Recurring themes in her work include environmental and cultural issues, as well as sovereignty, and the overthrow of the Hawaiian government. As a Hawaiian and an artist, Akamine feels it is her kuleana to use her voice to open doors for dialogue.
Akamine earned a master’s degree of fine arts in the sculpture and glass program at the University of Hawaii and completed graduate work in natural resource management at Central Washington University. She is also a cultural practitioner with deep roots in Kapa and waihooluu, Hawaiian natural dyes. Her grandmother, Kaha Halelaau, was a kahuna laau lapaau, a traditional Hawaiian healer descended from generations of healers, and her mother, Audrey Elliott was a lauhala weaver.
Akamine has exhibited her work in numerous solo and group exhibitions, both nationally and internationally. Her work is in the permanent collection of such public institutions as the Peabody Essex Museum in Massachusetts; the Hawaii State Foundation on Culture and the Arts; Wright State University Art Galleries, Dayton, Ohio; the Portland Art Museum, Oregon; and American Museum of Natural History, New York City.
Over the years, she’s received a Native Hawaiian Artist Fellowship from the Native Arts and Cultures Foundation; a Community Scholar Award from the Smithsonian Institution, National Museum of Natural History, 2012; an Award of Excellence, Fiber Hawaii 2003; and was a Visiting Artist at the Smithsonian Institution, National Museum of the American Indian in New York City, 1999.
Kahilu Galleries are free and open to the public from 9 a.m.-1 p.m. Monday through Friday, as well as during all performances at Kahilu Theatre.
Info: www.kahilutheatre.org or 885-6868.
LT Smooth concert benefits veterans groups
A concert featuring LT Smooth will benefit various veterans’ groups Saturday in Kailua-Kona.
Smooth will take the stage from 1-10 p.m. at Huggo’s on the Rocks. It will be a split performance with LT playing first before being joined by his 10-piece band at 6 p.m. LT will donate profits and any donations from attendees to Vietnam Vets/Legacy Vets Motor Cycle Club to support their veteran’s and community programs.
Summer fun continues at Firehouse Gallery
In celebration of summertime, the Firehouse Gallery is presenting “Summer Fun” during the month of August, with a special emphasis on the Paniolo lifestyle in Waimea.
Ever since Captain George Vancouver presented King Kamehameha with five black longhorn cattle in 1778, there have been cattle in the Waimea and North Kohala areas. In 1816, John Palmer Parker married Kamehameha’s granddaughter Kipikane. He was awarded 2 acres and given permission to wrangle the cattle that had multiplied and thrived. This was the beginning of the Hawaiian paniolo, or cowboy, trained by Mexican vaqueros that Parker contracted to help out.
To this day, summer in Kohala has meant rodeos, especially on the Fourth of July, and parades with magnificent pa’u riders. Horses and cattle are a common sight on the many ranches throughout the area. The August exhibit at Waimea’s own Firehouse Gallery will include depictions of the Waimea paniolo and their animals.
Another favorite summer pastime is spending time at Big Island beaches. See representations of families enjoying beach activities, as well as paintings of the beaches themselves in back gallery in the exhibit, “Anything Blue.”
All exhibitors are local artists and many different mediums will be represented, including paintings, jewelry, sculpture and much more.
In addition, gallery visitors are encouraged to checkout the west side outside wall of the gallery, featuring a new mural by longtime member Terry Bensch celebrating the horse culture of the area.
The Firehouse Gallery, located at the intersection of Mamalahoa Highway and Lindsey Road in Waimea, is open 11 a.m.-3 p.m. Wednesday through Friday and Sunday, and from 10 a.m.-3 p.m. on Saturday.
Info: www.waimeaartscouncil.org.
APAC plans mystery theater fundraising event
Aloha Performing Arts Company is planning a special fundraiser, a mystery theater event on Aug. 13-14 at Gertrude’s Jazz Bar in Kailua-Kona.
“Conundrum on the Crackerjack Cruise,” a classic interactive whodunit by Nancy Bond, directed by Nicole Gour, will be presented at 7 p.m. both days; doors open at 6 p.m. It features APAC volunteer actors.
Attendees are encouraged to come dressed in their favorite “cruise ship” attire. Numbered Crackerjack boxes will be given out as part of admission, and some lucky patrons will receive mystery door prizes.
The main action of the show takes place aboard the luxury cruise liner Grand Jubilation. As guests set sail in their floating palace, they meet some unique and amusing characters. The audience gets actively involved, and are divided up into two teams at the beginning: Stingrays vs. Starfish. Then, after an evening of schmoozing, singing and laughter, one of the “passengers” resorts to crime. Who did it? How? Why? Patrons may chat with the actors between the scenes and when they think they have solved the mystery, turn in a ballot and sit back to watch the final act reveal the culprit. Special prizes will be awarded to super sleuths who solve the crime.
Tickets to “Conundrum on the Crackerjack Cruise” are $35 per person, and are available online at www.apachawaii.org or by calling APAC between 10 a.m. and 5 p.m. Tuesday through Friday.
Info: 322-9924 or www.apachawaii.org.
Film screenings
‘Food Evolution’ to be screened
Kahilu Theatre hosts a free screening of “Food Evolution,” narrated by Neil deGrasse Tyson, at 2 p.m. on Saturday in Waimea.
Amidst a brutally polarizing debate marked by passion, suspicion, and confusion, “Food Evolution,” explores the controversy surrounding GMOs and food.
Traveling from Hawaiian papaya groves to banana farms in Uganda to the cornfields of Iowa, the film wrestles with the emotions and the science driving one of the most heated arguments of our time. It was directed by Academy Award nominee, Scott Hamilton Kennedy.
Info: www.kahilutheatre.org.
Awards &accolades
AlohaCare announces art contest winners
AlohaCare recently announced the Hawaii Island winners of its 15th annual Children’s Art Contest.
Koali Ito, a fourth grader at Kamehameha Schools Hawaii, took first place in third and fourth grade category. In the kindergarten category, Kaydence Napeahi-Ulep of Keaukaha Elementary School in Hilo, took third place. In the first and second grade category, Melewai Ha‘i-Kelly, a second grader at Ke Kula O Ehunuikaimalino School in Kealakekua, took second place.
The art contest was open to elementary school students statewide in four grade categories: kindergarten, first and second grade, third and fourth grade, and fifth and sixth grade. The students submitted their art based on one of four health-related topics: preventive health, mental health, nutrition or physical activities.
The annual contest attracts an average of 2,500 entries statewide. AlohaCare gives the first, second and third place winners in each of the four grade categories $100, $75 and $50, respectively.
Announcements
KVA showcasing underwater-themed works during August
During the month of August, the Kailua Village Artists are featuring a collaborative display of works featuring the “Underwater Theme.” The member artists will highlight the theme in their two-dimensional art painted in acrylics, oils, watercolors and photography. The three-dimensional works highlighting the theme are created in ceramics, porcelain, stained glass, mosaic, gyotaku, fused glass and welded copper.
Each artist has their own vision inspired by the Big Island that is reflecting in their art.
The Kailua Village Artists Gallery is located in the Kona Marketplace. It is open from 9:30 a.m.-5:30 p.m. daily.
Info: 329-6653.
Blue Sea Artisans featuring glassblower during August
The Blue Sea Artisans featured member artist for the month of August is glassblower Stacey Siegel.
In the late 1970s, Siegel began weaving seed beads and working with stained glass. She was drawn to work with glass, to become the creator, the alchemist. She began her apprenticeship as a glassblower in Tesuque, New Mexico, in the mid ‘80s and trained there and grew professionally for 11 years.
In 1996, Siegel moved to the Big Island with her family and set up her own studio with furnaces and torch on their farm in South Kona and started her enterprise “Sieglass.” She specializes in hand-blown miniature perfume bottles and vases. Each bottle is hand-blown with a silver overlay applied during the molten stage of the blowing process. No two bottles are exactly alike and the magic translucence of glass creates a gem like quality.
She also began a line of torch-worked jewelry consisting of glass drops, handmade beads combined with her recycled hand-blown glass shards. Her unique signature is identifiable in every piece, a combination of hand-blown glass, new and recycled, with mixed media materials, to create whimsical wearable art.
The Blue Sea Artisans Gallery is located in the Keauhou Shopping Center. It is open 10 a.m.-6 p.m. Monday through Saturday and from 11 a.m.-3 p.m. on Sunday.
Info: 329-8000.
APAC seeks actors for upcoming production
Director Jerry Tracy will hold open auditions for volunteer actors for “Arsenic and Old Lace” at 6 p.m. on Aug. 21 and 22.
This perennial American mystery comedy by Joseph Kesselring is the next production of the Aloha Performing Arts Company. It will be presented at Aloha Theatre in Kainaliu the first three weekends of October.
“Arsenic and Old Lace” is set in Brooklyn in 1941. The plot revolves around sisters Abby and Martha Brewster, two sweet, eccentric old ladies. They have three nephews: Teddy, who lives with them, and thinks he is Teddy Roosevelt; Mortimer, a frazzled drama critic; and Jonathan, the mysterious black sheep of the family. The original Broadway production featured Boris Karloff as Jonathan, and the 1944 movie version starred Cary Grant as Mortimer.
All 14 roles are available. In addition to the five characters mentioned above, the cast also includes: The Reverend Doctor Harper, a neighbor; Elaine Harper, the Reverend’s daughter and Mortimer’s fiancee; Mr. Gibbs, a visitor; Dr. Einstein, Jonathan’s personal plastic surgeon; Mr. Witherspoon, superintendent of Happy Dale Sanitarium; Lieutenant Rooney, a police inspector; and Officers Brophy, Klein, and O’Hara.
Those auditioning are asked to prepare a one- to two-minute memorized comic monologue, and provide the director with a hard copy. Auditions will also include reading from the script, which is available at the APAC office for on-site perusal or checkout in exchange for a deposit.
Prospective cast members are welcome to attend both evening audition sessions, but this is not necessary in order to be considered for a role. A possible invitational callback audition may be held at 6 p.m. on Aug. 23, if necessary.
Rehearsals will begin August 27, and will generally be conducted on Sunday afternoons and Monday through Thursday evenings. Not every character is required at every rehearsal. Time commitment varies from role to role. No experience is necessary and newcomers are encouraged to audition.
Info: 322-9924.
Workshops &classes
APAC continues theater classes
Aloha Performing Arts Company artistic director Jerry Tracy will resume on Aug. 15 his “Tuesday Troupers” class for 8- to 12-year-old kids who are interested in improving their performance skills.
The class meets from 3:30-5:30 p.m. on eight consecutive Tuesdays at the Aloha Theatre in Kainaliu. It will culminate in a small show for friends and family on Oct. 3. Emphasis is on developing self-confidence and polishing up basic stage skills such as projection, articulation, and characterization.
Tracy is assisted by Kira Kane, who will choreograph the class in a short movement routine as part of the final show.
Tuition is $80 per student, with sibling discounts available upon request.
Engela Edwards strikes up Aloha Teen Theatre on Aug. 18 for an eight-week session that ends on Oct. 6.
ATT is a free program for ages 13 to 18, and meetings, which run from 4:30-6:30 p.m., will focus on building an ensemble, expanding imagination and self-confidence, and having fun. Concentration will be on theatre vocabulary, body work, active listening, trust, and being in the moment. On the final Friday, the class will share some of the work they have been doing in a free, casual, open session. The class meets at Damron Hall, APAC’s alternate rehearsal venue, adjacent to the Aloha Theatre parking lot.
Felicity Johnson’s Intergenerational Acting Class is already in session at the theater from 2-4 p.m. on Thursdays and ends on Aug. 24. New members of any age are accepted at any time. Tuition is $10 per class.
Info/register: 322-9924 or www.apachawaii.org.