TAKING FLIGHT: Remember those origami cranes — 36,000, as it turns out — that school youngsters and the general public made expressly for the Honolulu Theatre for Youth's "A Thousand Cranes" earlier this year? They're destined for the Hiroshima Peace Memorial, a tribute to the Japanese girl who was 2 when the A-bomb was dropped on Hiroshima; at 12, she took on the mission, based on a prevailing legend, that a sick person folding 1,000 original paper cranes would get her wellness wish granted. Well, she died of leukemia, and her classmates finished the cranes — the subject of the HTY play and the reason the mass mountain of origami graced the Tenney Theatre stage.

Eric Johnson, HTY artistic director, says that the cranes will take flight to Hiroshima, as promised, on a date still to be determined. An official goodbye session was to be held last night at the Izumo Taishakyo Mission. Wayne Miyao, of the Sister State Partnership Association, and Wendy Abe, from the Japanese Chamber of Commerce, have been instrumental in setting up the crane shipment to Hiroshima. In November, a Hawai'i delegation will journey to Japan to celebrate the 10th anniversary of the sister-city-relationship with Hiroshima. ...

WHEE, THE PEOPLE: The aforementioned Johnson was joined by HTY managing director Louise King Lanzilotti for reading duty at Barnes & Noble in Ala Moana Center to launch HTY's 2007-2008 theater season recently. They both read from "The Story of Ferdinand," which will be produced as "Ferdinand the Bull" next spring. And "Rap's Hawai'i," based on the comedy of the late Rap Reiplinger, will be a March 2008 presentation, with Lee Cataluna adapting his family-friendly works for the stage. Old-timers will recall Reiplinger as a star of HTY's 1974 production of "Maui the Trickster." ...

An Eddie Kamae birthday party, marking his 80th, unfolds from 5 to 7 p.m. today at the Elks Club. A stew-and-rice dinner will be served; the birthday toast will be at 6:30 p.m. Kamae expects to sing, too, especially since his chums Mike Ka'awa and Analu Aina will perform. ...

Chef George Mavrothalassitis must be delighted; the new Gayot guide gave Cassis by Chef Mavro a 15 out of 20 rating, considered high for a casual restaurant. Chef Mavro's original restaurant is the lone 18/20-rated Hawai'i restaurant; by comparison, Alan Wong's has a 17/20. ...

Raiatea Helm, in full vocal bloom with her "Hawaiian Blossom" CD, was dining at Uncle's Fishmarket the other day. ...

Heidi Chang produced a National Public Radio piece on Lyle Ritz, jazz uke legend. ...

Japan-based Kamasami Kong scored interviews with Amy Hanaiali'i Gilliom and Kenji Sano (Kalapana) for his Tokyo MedPod podcast. Go to pod http://cast.metropolis.co.jp/podcast/ ... Gilliom was in Japan for a Blue Note gig; she told the crowd, which included sumotori Konishiki and wife, Tapau, that she'll give a concert in New York in September. ...

ITEMIZATIONS: Magician John Hirokawa (of "Magic of Polynesia" at the Ohana Waikiki Beachcomber hotel) and his family took a Pride of Aloha vacation cruise last month. 'Tis a good time to see Hirokawa's show; children 8 and younger are free, when accompanied by a parent; an early curtain (dinner seating at 5 p.m., show at 6:10 p.m.) is in place through the end of August (there's also an 8 p.m. performance), so there are virtually no bedtime issues. Call 971-4321. ...

KGMB alumni Phil Arnone, John Wray, Larry Fleece and Frank Kelly checked out Henry Kapono at Duke's Waikiki, then Ledward Ka'apana at the Kona Brewing Company in Hawai'i Kai. Producer-director Arnone has been very active with local specials like the current "Hokule'a: Passing the Torch." Wray is with KITV. Fleece formerly was with "Entertainment Tonight" but now is with "Extra!" Kelly heads Paramount Domestic Television in Los Angeles. ...

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.