Posts Tagged ‘Comedy’

Get a much needed dose of laughter at the Laughtrack Theater, 1123 Bethel Street, with Muslin Hamster, Friday Augusts 20^th 2010, at 8 and 10PM and again on Friday August 27^th and Saturday August 28^th 2010.

Expect an evening of improv comedy with this talented group of mirth makers: Shannon Winpenny, Scott Hanada, Jennifer Waihe’e, Larissa Nielsen, and Stephanie Kuroda. Plus it’s in a great location with JJ Dolan’s Pizza right around the corner. They serve up some of the best pies in Hawaii.

A modest $10 opens the door to laughter, or $8 for students & military with valid ID, tickets available via 384-3362 or go to www.laughtracktheater.com.

Comedian D L Hughley brings his King of the Castle Comedy Tour to the aptly named Castle Theater at the Maui Arts & Cultural Center Saturday August 14^th 2010 starting at 7:30PM.  D L Hughley’s hugely successful career has embraced television and movies but his diehard fans prefer his stand up routine refusing to let him retire from the stage.

D L Hughley’s point of view is always fresh & funny, his observations range from the domestic – parenthood, raising children, his own childhood, impotence,  – — to the World of politics, AIDS, gluttony, drugs, most any topic is treated to a scrutiny honed by more than two decades of delivering laughter.  Hugley helped to put the ‘Def Comedy Jam’ and ‘The Original Kings of Comedy’ Tours on everyone’s radar, his own self titled show “The Hughleys’ had a successful run on television.

Tickets are $39, $49 and $79 VIP seating with meet-and-greet.  Preshow dinner by Consuelo’s Catering.

The weekend of the 13^th, 14^th and 15^th of August is quite Eventful at The Maui Arts & Cultural Center, with D L Hughley bracketed by the fund-raising event Celebrating 15 Years In The Glamour of Old Hawai’i at the MACC and on Sunday The Temptations & The Four Tops.  Perhaps pitching a tent and spending the weekend at The MACC would be wise but you ought to clear it with management.  Whatever you do give yourself and friends the gift of laughter with the King of the Castle Theater D L Hughley Saturday August 14^th 2010.

Comedian Suzanne Westenhoefer puts her comedic talents to work raising funds for PGLAG Big Island Saturday July 24^th 2010 7PM with an event so big its is billed as an extravaganza.  Suzanne Westenhoefer is one of those rare comics who can live up to such a billing; her big bawdy brash comedy has been making audiences laugh for two decades numerous HBO appearances have cemented Westenhoefer’s bold approach and her largely unscripted comedy concerts are unpredictable aside from the laugh element and her originality.  Bursting out of the closet way early in her career Suzanne delights audiences no matter what their private personal preferences though naturally she has a loyal LGBTG following.

Those that wish to whet their appetite for Suzanne’s comedy should check out any of these titles: “HBO Comedy with Suzanne Westenhoefer” (1994); Nominated for a Cable Ace Award; “Nothing in my Closet but my Clothes” (1999): Gay and Lesbian American Music Award (GLAMA) winner for best comedy CD; “I’m Not Cindy Brady” (2000): GLAMA winner for best comedy CD; “Guaranteed Fresh” (2003) : GLAMA winner for best comedy CD; “Laughing Matters” (2004); “Live from the Village” (2006); “A Bottom on Top” (2007); “We Have To Stop Now” (2010).  (http://suzannew.com/)

To quote the sponsors of this event: “PFLAG Big Island promotes the health and well-being of lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender persons, their families and friends through support, education, and advocacy, to end discrimination and to secure equal civil rights. Parents, Families and Friends of Lesbians and Gays provides opportunity for dialogue about sexual orientation and gender identity, and acts to create a society that is healthy and respectful of human diversity.”

General seating is $30 and Orchestra seating is $50.  Tickets can be purchased at the following locations: CD Wizard-Hilo; Open Arms MCC-Ainaloa Long House Pahoa; The Palace Theatre-Haili Street-Hilo; Sun and Sea Hawaii-Bayfront Hilo; Pizzeria Zacchini-above Costco-Kona; PFLAG Offices-call 238-2880.

Give yourself and several of your best friends the gift of laughter and help a worthy organization achieve their fundraising goals with a true extravaganza Saturday July 24^th 2010.

Comedian Frank De Lima feels the best way to honor one’s parents is with laughter hence his dedication to Mom and now Dad’s special day every Father’s Day is De Lima Day at the venerable Dots In Wahiawa, an annual show that has delighted families for nearly a decade.

Sunday June 20^th 2010 Dots delivers a delightful buffet dinner at 6PM and then at 7PM De Lima serves up a mix of new songs, mining the current political frenzy for laughs, as well as fun favorites from an arsenal of merriment.

A comedy veteran who has released more than a dozen comedy CDs and DVDs, dedicated to education as well as laughter, Frank De Lima is on a roll these days, riding a reinvigorated wave of laughter on a shared bill with comedian Augie T, the two of them billed as ‘The Portuguese Kings of Comedy Tour,’ which made its debut at the Palace Theater in Hilo before stints on Maui, Kauai, O’ahu and then back to the Big Island.

In between Frank De Lima gave Moms a triple treat with a show at The Palace and two at The Pagoda Hotel, now it is time to give Dad a dose of the giggles.  Dinner & Show is a modest $31.95 for Adults, Children $18.95.  For more info, or to book Frank De Lima for a show e-mail frankdelima@hotmail.com or phone at 808-521-4529.  To contact Dots in Wahiawa (808) 622-4115

Open Daily 6:30am-9pm.

Give Dad something he could truly use this Father’s Day, laughter.

Shenanigans are afoot on Maui and you as an audience member are an important ingredient.  Welcome to The Comedy Hui, the Island’s newest Improv Comedy troupe.

They will be starting a series of monthly shows inside the intimate McCoy Studio Theater at the Maui Arts & Cultural Center, beginning Friday June 4^th 2010 at 7:00PM.

Think ‘Who Line is It Anyway,’ only cleaner, family friendly, no sets or props, just the wild imaginations of the members of The Comedy Hui inspired by the audience’s suggestions.  Expect fast paced games and improve musicals from a cast with over a hundred years of collective experience.   Check out their interactive website and meet the cast and band.  The June 4^th event will help to support Big Brothers, Big Sisters Maui.

Tickets are available for $20, $12 (Kids 12 and under) (plus applicable fees).  Set the weekend in motion with laughter.

Comedy legend Paul Rodriguez returns to these Islands Sunday March 21 2010 at 9PM headlining a show at the fantabulous Maui Theatre in historic Lahaina, Maui.

Executive Producer and Star of “The Original Latin Kings of Comedy,” Rodriguez has had a storied career appearing in numerous television specials, helping to pioneer the HBO comedy specials, moving on to a career in movies, he is one of the most beloved comics on Earth and always a delight as a stand up comedian, a master storyteller.

It will be a night of comedy and song with singer Brian Evans on the marquee, a new standard singer who has opened by acts as varied as Jay Leno, Better than Ezra, Social Distortion, Joan Rivers, Evans is set to release his first album/CD complete with nine original big band songs and a duet with Kelly Osborne

Tickets for this event range from a modest $22 to $55 plus fees and can be obtained via the Maui Theatre box office .  Start Spring with a laughter & song with Brian Evans and Paul Rodriguez at the Maui Theatre in Lahaina.

Laughter is a great way to close out February 2010 and MAD-TV alumni Bobby Lee is set to deliver at Pipeline Cafe Friday February 26^th and February 27^th, performing at 7PM.  A native of San Diego Bobby Lee mines his Korean heritage and ‘goofy’ looks for humor delivering lots of laughs with insightful observations as well as delightful impersonations.

On the screen Bobby Lee has channeled Connie Chung and Kim Jong Il, as well as creating original characters such as ‘Blind Kung Fu Master’ the World’s worst interpreter “Bae Sung”Johnny Gan.’  and without argument his funniest character the comically inept movie critic ‘Bobby Lee has popped up in many films, notably “Hardbreakers,” “Kickin’ It Old Skool,” “Killer Pad” and “Harold & Kumar Go to White Castle,” and one can only hope that he gets a starring role and soon.

Pipeline Cafe, at 808 Pohukaina St (get directions, continues its tradition of bringing top name comedians to Honolulu. For tickets call 1-877-71-GROOV (47668).  Do not pass up this opportunity to laugh at the antics of Bobby Lee.

In the mood for comedy?  Then run away to Kauai where the new theatre company, Oceanside Productions, presents “The Complete History of America (abridged).”

The show is a ninety minute romp from pre-settlement America to the unsettled politics of modern America.  It was penned by Adam Long, Reed Martin and Austin Tichenor whose “The Complete Works of William Shakespeare (abridged)” delighted residents & visitors alike on Kaua`i resulting in two sold out shows.

“The Complete History of America (abridged)” was a smash London production with a lengthy run, winning rave reviews wherever it has played.  It will be played on Kaua’i by a pair of local favorites, actors Ross Martineau and Jeff Demma, along with veteran actor Nellie Foster.  “The Complete History of America (abridged)” is set to begin Thursday February 18 2010 at the Aston Kauai Beach at Maka’iwa and is set for February 19, 25 and 26 and March 4, 5, 11, 12, 18, 19, 25 and 26.

Tickets are $35 and available via www.oceansideproductions.com.

Escape the midweek blues with laughter when comedian Loni Love appears at The Pipeline Café (805 Pohukaina St, Honolulu, HI) Wednesday January 20 2010 at 7:30PM.  A versatile actress with a growing list of credits on stage, television and on the big screen, Loni Love has been named by Variety Magazine and Comedy Central as one of the top ten comics to watch while the magazine Campus Activity honored Love as its’ ‘Top Comic for 2009.’

Born in Houston, Texas in 1971, a Detroit Michigan native, Loni Love has earned a loyal following of all ages for a recurring role on Nickelodeon’s ‘Ned’s Declassified School Survival Guide,’ correspondent work for CNN’s ‘D.L Hughley Breaks The News’ covering President Barrack Obama’s Inauguration, and the ‘Dr Oz Show.’ Loni Love is a regular on the E! Network’s ‘Chelsea Lately,’ has made appearances on ‘The Late Show with Jay Leno’ and ‘The Late Late Show with Craig Kilborn,’ and many more shows.

Loni Love is also quite smart, working as an engineer for IBM before breaking into comedy, her resume lists an amusing assortment of talents in addition to stand-up: basketball, golf, tae bo, cooking, and playing the French Horn and Flute.

Loni Love is taking a break from her usual venue, colleges & universities, to appear at The Pipeline Café, a whirlwind schedule that has her at Truman State University on January 15^th and Nichols State University in Louisiana January 29^th. Tickets for Love’s show are $20 & $40 plus the usual fees.  One is also encouraged to scope out Love’s colorful website.

January 2010 is shaping up as a Month of Legends here in Honolulu.  Elton John and Al Green will be providing music & song and Bill Cosby will be generating laughter at the Neil Blaisdell Center Friday January 15 2009 for two shows; 6:30 and 9:30 PM.

Philadelphian Bill Cosby born on July 12 1937 began his comedy career in nightclubs throughout the US of A and Canada during the early 1960s establishing a friendly laid back persona that was a jarring contrast to an increasingly turbulent era. Cosby snagged six Grammy Awards for best comedy album from 1965 to 1970. Cosby broke racial barriers appearing as an espionage agent on I SPY on American television from 1965 to 1968.  No one had ever seen a ‘black’ actor portray a genuine hero especially with such nonchalance & suave bravado, a performance earning Cosby three Emmys.

Cosby concentrated on his career as a nightclub comedian and movie actor for a number of years, with only an occasional foray into television land with specials and short lived variety shows, before returning to television in the mid 1980s.

Disgruntled by the lack of positive role models for minorities, Bill Cosby once again broke barriers with The Cosby Show from 1984 to 1992, breaking a long standing television tradition of ‘broken black families’ usually poor & struggling, instead Bill Cosby played a doctor whose wife was an attorney, raising five children, comfortably upper middle class, the Huxtables remain a beloved American family, all barriers stripped away, a staple of syndicated television.

Bill Cosby left high school before earning a diploma, enlisting in the US Navy in 1956, though he did snag a high school equivalency degree and an athletic scholarship to Temple University, dropping out during his sophomore year to pursue his career as a comedian.  Comedy has obviously earned Bill Cosby an education; he was awarded a Doctorate in Education from the University of Massachusetts in 1977 and in many circles he is as famous for teaching valuable life lessons as he is for delivering laughter, often laughter is the vehicle for those important lessons.

An odd bit of trivia, Bill Cosby has a fascination with the letter E, often attributed as a nod to Excellence, a list of his children will attest: Erika (b. 8 April 1965), Erinn (b. 23 July 1966), Ennis (15 April 1969 – 16 January 1997), Ensa (b. 8 April 1973) and Evin (b. 27 August 1976).  Sadly son Ennis was murdered in 1977, to honor his son, Bill and his wife Camille established “Hello Friend/Ennis William Cosby Foundation in their son’s memory to fund teachers of students with learning disabilities.”

Bill Cosby’s comedy show should prove a tonic for the post Christmas blues, those seeking tickets are directed to Ticketmaster via 1-800-745-3000 or via Ticket Master.  For additional info about Bill Crosby scope out Bill Cosby’s Biography, or his IMDB article and everyone interested in learning how to be a better father should seek out his wonderful book Fatherhood released in 1986.