Caz Christmas Show

Aloha Friends!
Saturday
Before Christmas
in
H O N O L U L U

Click on Christmas-y Pictures

A Ted Trimmer Photo

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Last week, the Cazimero Brothers had to cancel their Christmas show at the Hawaii Theatre. Everyone is OK, but it was a holiday disappointment nevertheless. So here is LAST year's post about a delightful outing....Hmmmm, it's not half bad! ENJOY

Warmly, Cloudia

click on photos to enlarge!

"Trumpet in a herd of elephants; crow in the company of cocks; bleat in a flock of goats."
- Malaysian Proverb

"Those that can't endure the bad, will not live to see the good."
Jewish Proverb

"Writing is the only profession where no one considers you ridiculous if you earn no money."
- Jules Renard

I have Spring Fever and Christmas spirit today! Last evening, clad in closed shoes AND socks, long black jeans, and my winter coat (a light wind-breaker jacket), I rode in a school bus with a jolly group from Hula’s Bar & Lei Stand, for the ten minute trek from Waikiki to down-town Honolulu. The ride was like being in some mutant adult summer camp. Flasks of good Irish Whisky were allegedly passed around (bad children!) And SOMEONE was filling the air with the sweet smell of burning Da Kine (“the kind!”) Yeah, you in da back! I’m looking at YOU! . . . We de-bussed in front of the venerable Hawaii Theatre as she glimmered in all her golden-age movie-palace splendor. The restored neon, and modern electronic marquee, splashed color all around little Bethel Street, gilding historic buildings, and our happy faces, in red, blue and razzle-dazzle. Many people wore a dear blend of aloha wear with holiday touches. Think of aloha shirts and mu`u mu`u accented with Santa hats and tinsel lei. An expectant crowd was gathering to enjoy a bona fide local institution: The Brothers Cazimero Christmas Show! The two living treasures, along with Robert’s kane (men) of Hula Halau Na Kamalei, the wahine of the Royal Dance Company, and special guests, would once again put on THE iconic Christmas Show of our town and WE lucky folk had actual tickets! As someone who dislikes the press of a crowd I was entirely comfortable among this glittering isle style assemblage. When the curtain rose on a set featuring a lovely Christmas tree, lighted palms, evergreen wreathes, and the usual proscenium for two, Christmas had finally come to our hearts for one more year. Even though they are seen shopping, going movies, or walking in a shop, it brings a strong pavlovian contentment to see the Brothers smiling and performing on stage. And there they were like favorite cousins visiting house: Robert on his trademark stand-up bass, and Roland with his guitar. Something wonderful in the world, something RIGHT, comes into blossom when they sing to us. For the curtain raiser, The Brothers played and sang while the entire company (filling the front of the stage before them) danced and sang along (Heck, WE ALL sang!) a rousing interpretation of the shopworn but beloved cliché: Mele Kalikimaka together. These guys play Carnegie Hall, and Robert just received a prestigious national artistic award & grant from the peer panel of the U.S. Artists organization, so this was like a family sing-along and a world-class cultural performance in one. The evening blended laughs, tears, young and older performers, in a soul satisfying early gift that I, for one, REALLY needed this year! Miss Keiki Hula 2008, Leah Santiago, danced an INCREDIBLE Hawaiian Lullaby! The night was full of excellent hula, but this little girl had such presence & grace that I KNOW we will be seeing her win Miss Aloha Hula in about ten years. (That’ll be about five years before Hawaii Governor Malia Obama proclaims me a Hawaii Treasure for my beloved writing ;-). Young Master Keiki Hula 2008, Lyons Wong of the Big Island filled the place with a rousing, energetic dance of his own. It was a night of wonderful moments pressed down, shaken, and running over. The night flew by, which is not always the case for lil ole short attention span gal – ME! I was so “knocked out” that I slept through the cannon AND booming fireworks that marked the start of today’s Honolulu Marathon. After last nights “wintry” visit downtown to the theatre (wearing shoes, SHOES I tell ya!) I woke to blue tropical skies and balmy breezes today. So Mele Kalikimaka to YOU, and please pass the sun block!

A L O H A! Cloudia