From my perch, there were highs and lows aplenty on the Island entertainment scene.
The big winner: Jake Shimabukuro, who literally was all over the map in 2009.
The big loser: The Honolulu Symphony, which shut down its season in hopes to reorganize after Chapter 11 bankruptcy filing.
Further, three TV stations became one, at least in the news picture, sending some anchors from one to the unemployment line; the White House hosted two Island entertainment icons, reflecting local-born President Barack Obama’s support of hometowners; a Waikiki showroom welcomed an import show to mixed reviews, leading to its shutdown.
It was not a great season for the pocketbook, as tourism took a dip; there were months were visitor counts were high, but rooms were steeply discounted and visitors spent cautiously.
So here’s a backward glance at the just-pau year, the 10 people or events that made news; this is not to be confused with our annual Waynie Award winners, which will be listed in the Show Biz column in this Sunday’s Island Life section:

1 — Jake Shimabukuro, ‘ukulele virtuoso, was a one-man show with global appeal. He performed with the likes of Yo-Yo Ma, Jimmy Buffett; made his first trek to Paris; and was invited by Bette Midler to perform for Queen Elizabeth in England. “An unbelievable experience,” he said. “I couldn’t stop bowing (to the queen). Once a local boy, always a local boy.
2 — The Tihati Productions performing ‘ohana and culinary kingpin Alan Wong, provide entertainment and Island-style kau kau, at the Obama administration’s first-ever lu‘au endeavor on the White House lawn. You showed ’em, guys.
3 — The Honolulu Symphony Orchestra shuts down prematurely, with a $2 million deficit, unable to maintain a full season, filing bankruptcy proceedings to attempt a comeback. But the return might be on a lesser scale, with fewer musicians (many have left town, in search for chairs in other orchestras). It’s a sad note, since size matters; to downsize means the orchestra will become akin to a junior college operation, instead of a full-fledged college.
4 — Two back-to-back show failures — Roy Tokujo’s “Waikiki nei” the year before and Dr. Dennis Law’s ill-conceived “Heartbeat Hawaii” this past year — could not muster up business in a weak visitor environment; the first had a vision and script not totally successful, the latter was essential a martial arts escapade with mixed ethnic ingredients and a Hawaiian element that was, at worst, offensive.
5 — Makana, the singer and ki ho’alu artist, distinguishes himself twice during the year; first, as a showroom-potential, innovative performer, as the first of a series of Thursday-only cultural attractions at the Royal Hawaiian hotel’s Monarch Room, and as a singular sensation as a singer-strummer at a White House one-nighter. Insider info: He was suggested for the D.C. slot by Tihati Productions, whose Polynesian finesse earlier in the year provided an avenue of ongoing communication.
6 — “Mamma Mia!,” the ABBA musical, plays Blaisdell Concert Hall, coming at a time when the populace needed a feel-good show. Folks found the “Money, Money, Money” to lap up the inoffensive fun, and the box office saw green, too.
7 — Publicist Elisssa (we called her Lisa) Josephsohn loses her 2 ½ year battle of ovarian cancer, closing a three-decades-long career of theatrical, arts and culture, and restaurant public relations in the Islands. Her death last Aug. 20, at age 60, also meant the end of decades of her personal-style boosting and promotion of such legit successes as “Les Miserables,” “The Phantom of the Opera,” “Miss Saigon” and “Stomp.” The new normal now: the advocate’s chair is still vacant, looking for someone to lure potential show presenters here.
8 — “Lost” winds up filming its fifth season in the Islands — and the state loses its Hawaii Film Office muscle with the dismissal of Donne Dawson, who was a victim of a financial and political fray.
9 — “Winter Wonderland,” a holiday attraction at Diamond Head Theatre, is a theatrical bon bon of endless wonderment, a gift for the community shared by the actors, musicians and techies, shaped and mounted by the invaluable John Rampage. It was the Christmas spectacle this town needed, and assuredly, a hana hou is on tap — in perhaps a couple of seasons.
10 — “Hawaii News Now,” a product of the combined resources of KGMB9, KHNL8 and KFVE5 TV stations, debuts in October — a combo that raised brows and sent all but four from the KHNL-K5 newsrooms out to pasture. “Connected” became the mantra of the airwaves, though a disconnect is part of the murky union. Through all the hoopla, KHON2’s Joe Moore, counted as headed for oblivion, improved his viewership numbers, perhaps with a message: don’t mess with the news.

The Obamas are heading to Hawaii this December.
That’s one of the untold morsels — shared by Michelle Obama with Cha Thompson — during last Thursday's White House lu'au, staged by Thompson and her Tihati Productions ‘ohana on the South Lawn. About 2,500 congressional delegates and their families attended, with media coverage aplenty that should at least throw some sparks into Hawai'i's sinking visitor count.
The revelation of the first family’s holiday plans emerged in a one-on-one conversation between the first lady and Thompson.
“We’ll see you back home in December,” Mrs. Obama told Thompson, the Honolulu-based Polynesian show producer who also did a solo hula at the summer bash.
It was no surprise that award-winning chef Alan Wong was tapped to provide the lu’au menu; the Obamas dine at his Alan Wong’s flagship restaurant when they’re in the Islands.
So how did the president designate the Tihati organization to do the entertainment?
Oprah Winfrey recommended them.
“I asked a social secretary in Michelle’s office, ‘Just how did we get asked?’” said Thompson. Turns out it was the broadcast mogul, who, last August, similarly enlisted the Tihati talent to perform at an exclusive soiree at The Lodge at Koele on Lana'i, where 30 Tihati dancers, singers, conch shell blowers and fire knife dancers performed.
“I flipped out,” said Thompson. “They talked to Oprah!”
Thompson — still on an emotional high — had lots of other observations:
“The president is a good kisser; he kissed me on the cheeks. He has not lost that aloha kiss. And he’s also a hugger. We hugged, a couple of times.
“He talks so normal, you have to remind yourself he’s the leader of the free world. Looks exactly like he is on TV,” she said of the president. “The first lady is tall; that’s why she usually wears flats.”
When Obama first appeared on the South Lawn, he was swarmed by the party-hearty politicos, said Thompson. He said, “‘Guys, will you excuse me. I gotta go see my people from Hawai’i,’” and grabbed Thompson’s hand before exchanging hugs.
She addressed him as Mr. President. He correctly called her Cha (like in Charlene, her full name; some folks mistakenly address her as Cha, like in Charlie).
She was in a kiss-kiss mood. “I kissed the children. I kissed Bo (the first dog). The president and the first lady shook everyone’s hand. Everyone in the cast had a chance to take pictures.”
The first lady and the girls, Sasha and Malia, walked over to the Tihati performers to say aloha. “It was all just amazing,” said Thompson.
On a fashion note, the first family donned casual wear; the president avoids aloha shirts so chose a plain blue/purple short-sleeve number, accentuated by an orchid lei; Michelle chose a floral-print dress, “kind of like spring, so definitely aloha wear,” said Thompson. “The children had aloha wear.”
There was local-style, good-run rivalry, about crosstown high school loyalties.
“The president shouted, ‘Who’s from Punahou?’” said Thompson. “And Afatia (son Afatia Thompson), said, ‘Me. Class of ’96.’ The president said, ‘Oh, I’m ’79’ and those of us from Farrington and Kahuku blew them to the ground; it was fun kind teasing, not bad kind.”
There was one gotta-do thing. “I told Michelle, ‘You touched the queen of England; can I touch you?’” said Thompson, embracing her.
The Tihati group spent hours in the White House. Rehearsal space was provided; dressing room space, too, though a tent on the lawn was erected for quick-changes during three half-hour performances.
“We rehearsed just outside the Oval Office,” said Thompson. “The president must have been inside; the doors were closed. Then, lights came on at darkness; we could see the light shining in the cracks of the door.”
Security was tight. “It was like airport security; dogs sniffed our luggage; we had our IDs checked,” said Thompson.
Sen. Daniel K. Akaka’s office arranged a White House tour for the Tihati group. Tour docents are all FBI employees.
“In the White House tour, I stood in front of Hillary Clinton’s picture. ‘Oh, I love you, too,’ I said.
“The docents told us that every room is used — like a living museum. We were told about one of the presidents, in the 1800s, and I asked the docent if he was aware that the only palace in America is in Hawai’i? That it had flushing toilets, hot water, phones and electricity — before the White House? That was one of the lasting things I remembered about being an ‘Iolani Palace docent myself.”
Hawai’i’s congressional delegation attended the lu’au — Sen. Daniel K. Inouye and his new bride; Sen. Daniel K. Akaka and his wife, Congressman Neil Abercrombie. “It was a surprise to see Congressman Faleomavaega (Eni Hunkin), delegate from American Samoa, wearing a Tihati shirt,” said Thompson.
Everyone in the Tihati entourage was under the presidential spell. “The president had an arm on Alan Kutaka’s (Tihati comptroller) shoulder; someone shot a photo with Alan’s back and Obama’s hand, but there are no faces.” No matter. Kutaka-san has an I-was-there-treasure.
Thompson has one regret. “I didn’t get his autograph.”