Broadway's Bloody Mary — that's our Loretta Ables Sayre, now in her second year in the hit Broadway musical, "South Pacific" — is taking a week's breather from her Lincoln Center spotlight to head home for a "Bali Ha'i" of a different kind. On Friday night, she gives the commencement address at her Radford High School alma mater's graduation at Aloha Stadium. ...

MUTUAL ADMIRATION: About 75 "Mamma Mia!" actors and crew took in the Tihati Productions' new lu'au show last Monday at the Royal Hawaiian, the renovated "Pink Palace" — revving up energy and effort in the Island cast. The gang, led by company manager Shaun Moorman and lead actress Michelle Dawson (she plays the mom, Donna), joined the other guests in a rousing standing ovation — with payback likely this Friday, when a Tihati entourage sees the musical at Blaisdell Concert Hall before it closes this Saturday night. Both casts bonded after the show. ...

By the way, "Mamma" actress Dawson will be among the Broadway talent to appear in a "Mamma Mia!" segment in the June 7 Tony Awards telecast originating from Radio City Music Hall. ...

"Mamma Mia!" ensemble member Stephanie Lynge has Hawai'i roots; she was born at Tripler and lived at Fort Shafter as a child. Kailua's K'Lynn Eror and daughter Madi (cast member of Army Community Theatre's "Children of Eden" at Shafter), took Lynge to the "other" pink palace to track her past. ...

DATES TO LOG: Wonder why there's not a Makaha Sons "Take a Walk in the Country" concert this summer? The trio relinquished a scheduled Waikiki Shell date to accommodate graduations that were bumped when "Mamma Mia!" booked two, then three, weeks at Blasidell Concert Hall. So Louis "Moon" Kauakahi, Jerome Koko and John Koko will delay the outdoor tradition till October but embark on a Mainland "Take a Walk in the Country" tour beginning with a June 12 show at the Birch North Park Theater in San Diego, a biggie with the likes of Willie K, Daniel Ho, Tia Carrere, Augie T and hula stylist Kealo Koko. Tours continue in the summer and fall. ...

Thank Tim Bostock for the forthcoming return of "Slava's Snowshow," the Russian import conceived by Slava Polunin that brings wintery flakes to the theatrical stage. "Snowshow" means there will be faux snow — a chiller thriller -for the summer, when it plays Aug. 12-23. Opening night seats are $25 apiece — how cool is that! Performances will be Tuesdays through Sundays, with two shows Saturdays and Sundays. It's a winner for the family, though the wee ones may be a skosh wary of the dark comedy. ...

TALK ABOUT PEOPLE: The Kahala Hotel & Resort was the place to be for star-gazing recently, with Kanye West, Jay-Z, Common and Rihanna among the celebs sequestered there. ...

Distinguished alumni at Farrington High now have a permanent spot in the school library, where fine arts teacher Tess Pereira and her students, Teri Funakoshi and Mayleen Cuestas, are depicted in a mural. Four show-biz types are among the honorees — Cha Thompson, Karen Keawehawai'i, Emme Tomimbang and Augie T — plus athletes Jesse Sapolu and Wally Yonamine, former Gov. Ben Cayetano, late Police Chief Michael Nakamura and Farrington principal Catherine Payne. And leave it to Keawehawai'i to generate a group singing of the Farrington alma mater. "Gotta do that ... and I had a songleader next to me," she said of buddy Thompson. ...

Kupaoa, comprised of Kellen Paik and Lihau Hannahs, won the Kani Ka Pila Grille talent search at the Hawaii Book & Music Festival, meaning they'll get a three-month gig at the Outrigger Reef's new venue. Kupaoa — the name means infused with fragrance — is up for two Na Hoku Hanohano Awards, including most promising artist, on June 9. Could be the sweet smell of success. ...

And that's Show Biz. ...

Reach Wayne Harada at 266-0926 or wayneharada@gmail.com. Read his blog in TGIF on Fridays and online at showandtellhawaii.honadvblogs.com.