BITS 'N' PIECES: Jack Cione, a resident of the Arcadia, is prepping the First Annual Arcadia Follies, "Skool Daze," a musical comedy he wrote and will direct, featuring a very senior cast of 24 fellow Arcadians and employees who will portray 5- and 6-year-old Catholic school students. The show, in rehearsals this month and July, will be staged in six performances starting Aug. 4 at the Arcadia Chapel Theatre, and performances are free to Arcadia residents and their guests, by reservation only. Rae Alice Hall, as Sister Simone Duguy, will play a leading role; she's a recent arrival at the retirement facility, though she recently appeared in Mainland productions of "The Man Who Came to Dinner" and "Tonight at Eight." Allan Lee portrays the school principal, Father Michael. Sounds like a hoot. ...

THE LOCAL ANGLE: Joy Abbott, the sometimes Honolulu resident and widow of legendary Broadway producer and writer George Abbott, is just back from a Shanghai visit. She's carrying on the tradition of her husband, whose many musicals include the still-running "Pajama Game," starring Harry Connick Jr., on Broadway, and the just-concluded "Damn Yankees," an Army Community Theatre endeavor she attended on opening night. A Broadway insider, Abbott said "Pajama Game" will be closing shortly, but will be revived this fall — alas, without Connick, who has other commitments. But "Pajama Game" will be extended on Broadway for a week, an option that Connick is very enthusiastic about, because it will benefit the Roundabout Theatre as well as Hurricane Katrina victims. Connick is from N'awlins. ...

PERSONALITIES: While the Ala Moana hotel undergoes renovations, in preparation for the conversion to condo-hotel status, pianist Kit Samson has been gigging at the Waikiki Yacht Club. Last we checked, the lobby bar was set to open some time this month. ....

Samson's Sound Advice provided the music at the Hawai'i Theatre Center's fundraiser "Carnivale!" last month at the Kahala Resort, and the event — featuring entertainment by the likes of Joey Caldarone, Meijide Gentry, Shawna Masuda and Leslie Goldman, raised a record $447,000. Besides the normal trip, restaurant certificates and collectibles in the silent auction, there were unusual Backstage Boosters in the live bids, where folks (some in teams) donated $10,000 each to pay for the theater's monthly electric bills while others provided $5,000 to enable 1,000 kids to take in a show. ...

ITEMIZATIONS: When Connie Stevens was in town for the "Hawaiian Eye" plaque unveiling at the Hilton Hawaiian Village's Shell Bar, among the locals turning out were actor Don Stroud and longtime drummer Harold Chang. They traded memories, including one of singer Ann McCormack, Stroud's Las Vegas-based mom, calling Chang years ago asking that he give some drumming tips and lessons to Stroud, who was to do "The Buddy Holly Story," playing Holly's drummer. ...

Pete Carroll, University of Southern California football coach, loved the " 'Ulalena" show recently at the Maui Theatre in Lahaina. Chatted with ushers and signed autographs for football fans. ...

The Kamehameha Schools Marching and Concert Band is believed to be the first from the Islands to tour China; an entourage of 160 students and 145 parents and school officials have been on the road to Beijing, Shijiazhuang, Xi'an and Shanghai, with seven shows including one at the Great Wall of China's entrance plaza. John Riggle, band director, says that "the Chinese are very eager to experience culture and art from the West." ...

The Brigham Young University-Hawai'i choir also made a recent Mainland trek, performing at Carnegie Hall. ...

And that's Show Biz. ...

Show Biz is published Tuesdays and Thursdays. Reach Wayne Harada at 525-8067, wharada@honoluluadvertiser.com or fax 525-8055.