BOOK 'EM: With the release today of his first novel, "The Big One-Oh," local boy Dean Pitchford is in town for a whirlwind of activities — book-signing, play-going, teaching and more. You know him as the composer of tunes/shows such as "Fame" and "Footloose." He's a Saint Louis graduate who's still very much connected to his hometown, and his first novel, about a boy turning 10 with a house-of-horrors birthday party, certainly has Island influences. Many memories of growing up here inspired scenes in the book — his Star of the Sea grade-school, the now-gone Kaimuki Theatre, Kahala Beach Park and more.

He'll be all over the bookstore map for autographs: at 7 p.m. tomorrow at Barnes & Noble Kahala ("two blocks from the house I grew up in," he says), noon Saturday at Borders Pearlridge, 4 p.m. Saturday at Borders Waikele, 2 p.m. Sunday at Borders Ward Centre, and 12:30 p.m. Tuesday at Bestsellers Downtown.

Saturday night, Pitchford takes in Saint Louis' "Beauty and the Beast" musical at Mamiya Theatre; "can't wait to tell my friend (and early collaborator) Alan Menken that I saw his show in Hawai'i," he says.

He'll also teach a couple of classes at his alma mater, at the invitation of Walter Kirimitsu, school president, and conducts a master class Monday at the UH Academy for Creative Media for old pal Chris Lee. On Tuesday, he addresses a youth group at Kuhio Park Terrace.

WHEE, THE PEOPLE: Singer Amy Hanaiali'i Gilliom will be in a recording studio in Hawai'i Kai this Saturday with the Matt Catingub Orchestra of Hawaii to lay down tracks of the English version of her Hawaiian tunes from her Grammy-nominated "Generation Hawai'i" CD. The new CD is expected this fall. ...

Entertainers Mahi Beamer and Nina Keali'iwahamana and longtime club member Watters O. Martin Jr. will be honored at the Hawaiian Civic Club of Honolulu's annual Holoku Ball, from 5 p.m. Saturday at The Royal Hawaiian's Monarch Room. Manu Boyd is chair of this scholarship fundraiser; not surprisingly, his group, Ho'okena, plus the Kealoha Kalama Trio and Halau o ke 'A'ali'i Ku Makani will also perform. Mamo Howell will host the Holoku parade, with Neil Hannahs as emcee. It's a near sell-out. ...

When Kaimuki High School's "The Wiz" opened recently, Na Leo's Angela Morales was there to check on "Munchkins" Marlo and Douglas Nettle. Reason: Morales is musically directing the kids in "Seussical," a May production by the Kapolei Performing Arts Center. The cast will include Channing Weir, who's becoming quite a theatrical vet. ...

Army Community Theatre's "Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat" is a rainbow of fun and delight, with charm and cheer to spare. Leads Ethan Okura (Joseph) and Shawna Masuda (the Narrator) are vocally proficient and Keoki Kerr (Pharaoh) is an audience fave. But the vocal ensembles, adult and children, are exceptional, undertaking the multitude of song styles from the Andrew Lloyd Webber-Tim Rice score. The performance we attended last Saturday night was a near sell-out. If you haven't seen it yet, go-go-go see "Joseph" — and exit singing the songs. ...

Publicist Lisa Josephsohn has been on an East Coast trek, encountering a blizzard in Washington, D.C. She opines that she may have to change her license plate from PRRRRR to BRRRRR. ...

NAMES 'N' PLACES: Augie Rey and the Little Big Band bid aloha to the Tower Grill from 6:30 to 9:30 p.m. tomorrow. Rey's daughter, Tahiti, will miss closing night as she's off to Nashville for a recording deal. ...

Local entertainer Matt Yee is performing on Rosie O'Donnell's cruise in the Caribbean this week, sharing the stage with "The View" co-host, Gloria Estefan and others. "What an amazing experience," he notes. ...

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.