Junior the third.

Remember him in “Taste Test?” with the beer can hat and shopping bag? Word is that Rap Reiplinger named many of his characters after classmates at Punahou… Class of ‘68, by the way. Same time as Nainoa Thompson but before Barack Obama in case you were wondering.

Anybody have any evidence to back that up? Know a Fate Yanagi? Nephi Jensen Mataho? Aunty Agnes Kealoha and her gourds?

So where’s Aunty Marialani you folks going ask as well you may? While she’s not included in the school and public library shows, she will be there with her apron, rubber chicken and not too sweet not too rancid wine at the public shows March 7,8,14,15 at Tenney Theater. Though she is everybody’s favorite aunty, maybe not so good if she’s cooking and drinking at the school shows for the kids, how you figgah? For the Tenney Theater performances, the cast adds an entire second act of Rap’s “PG” material. Though his work was not pilau, especially by today’s standards, we tried to be careful in choosing which pieces to present to schools.

Kimo’s Virtual Tour

They say a picture is worth a thousand words… I don’t want to think of all of those words for some of these pics. (especially that one above)

We’re on Moloka’i! And we’re excited!

Funny story. So anyone following weather for the past few weeks have noticed certain parts of the island have been getting hit with storms… hilo, hana, moloka’i. I believe this storm is following the Raps Hawaii tour, it’s hit almost every one of our stops right after we leave. Next stop KAUAI! (but this is a beautiful moment of non-storm)

3 of our 8 luggages were missing when we landed in Moloka’i, so Charlie stayed at the airport to wait for their arrival… meanwhile Peggy, Kimo, and Pomai went in search of our hotel. Was it the Molokai Shores? Or the Molokai Shores Condos? Or the Marc Molokai Shores? (about an hour later, we figured it out don’t ask me which one it was, I still don’t think I could tell you)

My first time. Was UNREAL.

Charlie’s favorite: Cream Cheese & Blueberry
Mine: Butter and Strawberry Jam

(Moloka’i sweet bread for those not in the know
What’s your favorite?

CheeeeHoooo! Fighting Farmers!

all bus on Moloka’i. Thank Charlie for that one.

We got lost trying to find the supermarket.

A very beautiful… and cozy Moloka’i Library

Lana’i’s AWESOME gym!

Don’t know what Charley is doing… but Lana’i High was a really great place to perform!

And when we got home:

A beautiful rainbow. And then Traffic. Lucky we live Hawaii.

I just want to say what a great opportunity this has been. A chance to visit the outer islands, doing what I LOVE to do, and seeing such an abundance of positive reactions from Raps’ material.

Much mahalos to all of the warm and loving welcomes we’ve gotten on our tour, Moloka’i High, Moloka’i Library, Lana’i High, the outstanding members of the community (especially those who feed us ^.^), and everyone else who has helped guide this tour along. Thank you nui loa, and Mahalo very much.

On a side note: I have a fascination with the sky. Weird. I know… but if you check out my camera you’ll see some great pics from around the state as much as i’m sure everyone would love to see my 32 pic featurette about Hawaiian skyscapes, I’ll spare you with just favorite:

Honolulu 2008:02:07 18:30:53

Aaaaaaand (you thought we were done! Didn’t you!)
Be sure to check us out!
Feb. 21, 2:30 p.m. at Lihue Public Library (241-3222)
Feb. 23, 3 p.m. at Aiea Public Library (483-7333)

Mar. 2, 2:30 p.m. at Pearl City Public Library (453-6566)

See our friends at Hawaiimoms.com they’ve got a conversation goin on about rap too!

and our website htyweb.org for more details about Raps Hawaii performances and the rest of the Honolulu Theatre for Youth’s season.

Shoots!
We go eat.

Type out your favorite Rap line.
It got kinda started in the first post but thought would be fun to have a post dedicated just for this!

Ho da Trills ah!

“…buggas perps…BURP!”

“Like hot Lava in youa BeeBaDees…”

“Hea baby take a hit, gonna get hot in dea…”

“And what we going do…Eat!”

“Looking for car? Perhaps an automobile?”

Well, not exactly, but close!

The show was in Wailuku on Monday, Hana on Tuesday, Molokai on Thursday and will be playing on Lanai on Friday (2/8)! Last week, it was Waianae, Kapolei, Hilo and then Kona. The performance at the Hilo public library coincided with the start of the stormy weather. The cast performed just off an open-air courtyard of the library. It was so rainy and windy the set had to be duct taped to the floor, but the show went on!

Kimo reports:
“We’ve been getting some amazing responses, from kids seeing it for the first time, and the old timers who thank us for bringing Raps spirit back through his humor. I wish you could’ve seen us at Kealakehe, the kids went crazy! Almost all of them knew the words to Fate Yanagi, and as we were leaving, they literally mobbed our van. CRAZINESS!”

This Saturday 2/9 you can catch “Rap’s Hawaii” FREE at the Hawaii State Library at noon. Go check em, go!

BTW, on the album “Poi Dog”, the Mahalo Airlines stewardess says “Wailuku, Hana and Denver” but on the DVD from the television special “Rap’s Hawaii”, the character says, “Wailuku, Hana and Budapest.” When given a choice between the two versions, this production goes “back to da roots” of the original Poi Dog album.