OPERATICS: "Lend Me A Tenor," bowing Friday at Diamond Head Theatre, appears to be a musical but is, in fact, a madcap comedy, in the vein of "Noises Off." We saw it in its last off-Broadway run several years ago, with Nathan Lane portraying Max, the imposter opera star (played here by Derek Calibre), and if all elements jell, the play's a laff riot. Calibre, who is an internationally known psychic, will soon be teaching a continuing-ed class at Kapi'olani Community College instructing prospects on how to develop intuition. Wonder if he "sees" a hit. ...

With opera as a foundation (there's a focus on Maria Callas) and critical belting required, "Tenor" has enlisted an opera coach to train the two lead players, Calibre and Larry Bialock (as Tito Merelli). Louise Smith, who regularly finds her way to the Hawaii Opera Theatre stage, has been the mentor, training the duo in a goodly amount of operatics — considering neither has sung opera before. ...

TRADE WINDS: Comedian Frank DeLima, who still visits Island schools by day as an advocate of education, has an evening stop tomorrow night at Royal School, when he does a Read Aloud session as part of the school's Reading Night 2007. ...

Rod Ohira, my colleague at The Advertiser, recently took in "Jersey Boys" with girlfriend Joyce Kawamura, and they met Chris Jones, the local boy who's portraying Frankie Valli in the national touring company of the Tony Award-winning musical playing at the Geary Theatre in San Francisco. Turns out that Joyce's son Toby and his wife, Maile (Sedlner), graduated with Jones from Hawai'i Baptist Academy in 1996. During intermission, Ohira saw and heard some audience members harmonizing, street corner fashion, to Four Seasons hits. ...

Mary Elizabeth Keller, 14, placed first in the Junior String Competition of the Music Teachers National Association. Mary, a Punahou freshman who studies violin with James Stanford, competed with state winners from Arizona, California, Nevada, New Mexico and Utah. As the victor, she moves on to the 2007 national finals in Toronto in March. ...

SHORTS OF SORTS: Naveen Andrews (Sayid on "Lost") had an intimate meal at Bombay Indian Restaurant at Discovery Bay a few nights back. ...

And sprightly Bill Tapia, the 99-year-old uke player, dined at town. ...

Al Waterson, who co-hosted this year's Narcissus Festival pageant with Jodi Leong, is receiving post-show praise and wonderment. VIPs in the Chinese community wondered if he was a star flown in from Las Vegas, since he sang to hearty response. Waterson is honored but has been chuckling: He's a long-time Island entertainer who regularly hosts "Al Waterson and You," the weekly karaoke singing contest Sundays at Don Ho's Island Grill, and he's never been to Las Vegas. Ever. ...

Melveen Leed just did a sold-out two-nighter at Patrick's Hawaiian Cafe in Vancouver, Wash. ...

Konrad Ng, curator of films at the Doris Duke Theatre, is joining the faculty at the Academy for Creative Media at the University of Hawai'i-Manoa. Tomorrow is his last day at the Honolulu Academy of Arts. ...

WHERE THEY ARE NOW: Jan Luna, former member of the Society of Seven Las Vegas, is owner-instructor of the Uke School. He's now doing a weekly segment on OC 16's "Eh! You Da Kine, Ah?" hosted by Tony Solis....

Augie Rey and The Little Band are recent arrivals at the Tower Grill at Aloha Tower Marketplace. Rey, joined by Bobby King and Carlos Barboza (former members of The Ali'is), also features his singing daughter, Tahiti Rey, in performances from 6:30 to 9:30 p.m. Fridays. Rey is buzzing about his 16th grandchild: Son Joe Fernandez (an Army Black Hawk pilot now stationed in Fort Rucker, Ala., after a stint in Afghanistan) and wife Korey Molyneaux welcomed Kainoa Anthony Fernandez on Jan. 9 — a big kid at 9 lbs., 14 oz. and 22 inches long. ...

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.