ABOUT PEOPLE: Celebs frolicking in the surf here during the holidays included Matthew McConaughey, who paddle-boarded off Kaua'i; Hollywood couple Sarah Michelle Gellar and Freddie Prinze Jr., who also surfed off the Garden Island; and Owen Wilson and Woody Harrelson, buddies who opted for the waters off Maui. Check them out in the photo gallery in the Jan. 21 People magazine. ...

Actress Sigourney Weaver and her ex-Honolulan husband, New York director-playwright Jim Simpson, were in Honolulu a few days back for the funeral at Central Union Church of his father, John "Jack" Simpson, who died Jan. 6. Simpson's widow, Ann, lives at the Arcadia. ...

DATELINE NEW YORK: Burton White, Hawai'i Theatre artistic director and manager, is attending the Association for Performing Arts Presenters Conference in New York (brrrrrr!) but there's been Hawaiian sunshine galore. Robert Cazimero, heading for South America, paused in The Big Apple and they saw "The Color Purple" at the Broadway Theatre together. Cazimero joined White, Kawika Trask and David and Loretta Ables Sayre for dinner at Trattoria Dell'Arte on Seventh Avenue, where Lucie Arnaz, who chirped in Matt Catingub's "Romance in Hawai'i" concert at Hawai'i Theatre last year, stopped by before dashing back to her new Connecticut home. Arnaz offered "Roberta," as White and Cazimero call Ables Sayre, congrats and good wishes on her Bloody Mary debut in "South Pacific" at Lincoln Center. ...

While White was at "Spring Awakening" at the Eugene O'Neill Theatre, with Hester Kamin, Hawai'i Theatre education director, a voice rang out, "Hey, Burton, aloha." Turned out to be Christopher O'Riley, National Public Radio host of "From the Top," the radio show that has been ensconced at the theater. White also ran into mime Dan Kamin, father of Hester, who created sequences for films such as "Chaplain" and "Benny & Joon." ...

White had lunch with Baayork Lee, an original cast member of "A Chorus Line" who has been the long-standing link with creator Michael Bennett and other touring productions and revivals since; and he welcomed Mary Gutzi, a frequent Island visitor, who knocked on his door at the Edison Hotel to exchange aloha — she's engaged in Broadway auditions, but contemplating a move from Los Angeles to NYC. And when he was en route to see "Curtains" at the Al Hirschfeld Theatre, Ryan Lympus, company manager of "Altar Boyz," which played the Hawai'i Theatre, spotted White. Lympus previously was White's assistant in Honolulu before resettling in The Big Apple. ...

At the theater presentations conference, Michael Mills of Mills Entertainment recognized White's Island ties and asked if he knew Andrew Meader, who was hired by Mills before he moved to New York with his wife, Arlette. Of course; Meader had a Hawai'i Theatre affiliation before founding www.honoluluboxoffice.com and Meader Arts, and he still operates the Web site from afar. ...

ITEMIZATIONS: On the heels of their successful "Peace on Earth" Christmas concert last year at Kapi'olani Park Bandstand, Keith and Carmen Haugen already have set up dates for 2008 — Dec. 17-18 — and they hope to woo Willie K to the roster. "If Willie can't make the December dates, we'll move them to July or August, or whenever Hawai'i's superstar can be there. He can pretty well pick the date." Hmmmm, not a bad prospect, having a summery holiday show. ...

SPEAKING OF HAUGEN: Half of his 1958 graduating class from Lake Bronson High School (Minnesota) are here for their 50th reunion, hosted by the Haugens. "Meeting here is better for all concerned, considering the cold and snow in Minnesota," he said, adding: "Half means six of the 12 classmates." ...

Honolulu-born Cindy Balfour, script supervisor for "Law & Order," lunched at Compadres with her husband, John Coughlin, cameraman on the hit series, with old friend Eddie Sherman, who's back to column-writing for Generations Hawaii magazine, and new friend Brian Snyder, a third-year law student at Columbia University. ...

"Doubt," which opened last night at Manoa Valley Theatre, is the Honolulu premiere of the drama. A production in Hilo last April and May, by the East Hawai'i Cultural Center, was the Hawai'i premiere. Jeri Gertz played Sister Aloysius, Roger Loesch was Father Flynn, and Jim Thompson directed. Gertz says a revival is contemplated in April. "It's getting to be a habit with me," Gertz said of the black-and-white nun's robes. ...

Composer Jim Brickman, performing Saturday and Sunday at Blaisdell Concert Hall, may do another PBS special later this year. His concert tour ends in March. ...

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.