by Wayne Harada
Honolulu Advertiser
August 9, 2000

Reasons of love: "Rent" producer Kevin McCollum (along with wife Lynette) has donated $10,000 to Diamond Head Theatre, in memory of his late mom, Sue McCollum, with whom Kevin did shows in the ’70s when DHT was known as Honolulu Community Theatre. "Honolulu Community Theatre helped inspire my love of theater," said McCollum, who performed in "Music Man" with John Rampage, current artistic director. The producer met with DHT’s Shooting Stars, the youth ensemble. "It’s always wonderful to know that a career in theater is possible for performers from Hawai‘i," said Rampage ...

McCollum and "Rent" presenter Ronald Andrew provided stimulating conversation over dinner last week at Hoku’s at the Kahala Mandarin Oriental. McCollum hadn’t been on the property since small-kid-time, Andrew last stayed there when it was a Hilton. McCollum constantly searches for ideas for future projects; a film he’d like to see adapted to the stage is the Oscar-winning Spanish favorite, "Central Station" ... Andrew is angling for another musical here; among the mentionables are "Chicago" and "Cabaret" ...

Shaun Earl, Angel in "Rent" (at Blaisdell through Sunday), stopped by for dinner at Keo’s in Waikiki between his matinee and evening performances last Sunday, and posed for a Wall of Fame photo with owner Keo Sananikone. Promised he’d be back ...