Review of Dulaang UP's ANG NAWALANG KAPATID: Energetic Epic Mythology

February 15, 2014

Apart from the Ramayana, the other major Sanskrit epic is the Mahabharata.  Traditionally, the authorship of the Mahabharata is attributed to Vyasa. Scholars estimate that this epic probably originated in the 8th and 9th centuries BC. The title means "the great tale of the Bhārata dynasty". It is the longest-known epic poem, with about 1.8 million words in total, an incredible ten times the two Homeric epics and four times the Ramayana. 

Based on the Mahabharata, ANG NAWALANG KAPATID was first written in 2010 by Floy Quintos for the Ateneo Children's Theater, with an original score by Ceejay Javier.  Now in this reincarnated version produced by the Dulaang UP, this former children's musical gets a decidedly darker and more mature treatment. The book now includes stories which were abridged because they were not appropriate for kids.  The music became heavier, more dramatic and now played by a live band.

The complex story is about a royal family headed by two brothers.  The original king was Pandu, but he was cursed by a deer he was hunting that he could not bear offspring with his wife Kunti.  Pandu passes the kingship to his blind brother Dritarastra.  

Kunti asks the gods to give her three boys, and they acceded, giving her Yudisthira, Bhima and Arjuna. Dritarastra's queen Ghandari was also blessed by the gods with one boy, Duryodhana. Unbeknownst to everyone, Kunti had another child by the sun god before she got married to Pandu. Raised by the the monkey king Hanuman, this abandoned boy grew up as Karna.  

From there, the play revolves around the relationship of these five boys as they faced insecurity, pride, jealousy, avarice, violence and death.

The Filipino text and lyrics were very well-written and clear in its narration of the complicated tale.  There were just some lines I could not make out clearly when the actors were singing them in a low key, but you could always get the story back in context.  There were a number of beautifully dramatic songs interspersed among the prose, like the touching "Lukso ng Dugo", which dripped with raw emotions.

The best feature of this musical play is not exactly the singing, as you can hear a number of bum or dropped notes here and there.  It is actually the very energetic choreography used to drive the story forward.  In songs like "Dharma" and "Shakalakalak", the choreography was festive and boisterous.  When it came down to the climactic "Dakilang Giyera" at the end, the drama was so thick as the actors danced, stomped, and somersaulted all over the stage leading up to its bloody, writhing and moaning conclusion.  As the music died down after that exhilarating number, the whole audience was so moved to erupt into spontaneous applause.

The young cast all did their roles very well.  The boys who played the rivals approximated each others talents and looks and physical agility.  They were initially difficult to tell from each other especially with their difficult names, and generally similar make-up and hairstyle, but eventually you will get who is who. Jon Abella (as Yudisthira) and Vincent Kevin Pajara (as Duryodhana) play the principal rivals for the throne with ferocity.  Ross Pesigan plays the bastard son Karna who was supposed to have been the eldest of the boys, but he actually looked younger than the others, which adds to the confusion. John Paul Basco also deserves mention for his outstanding performance as bluish-hued god Krishna. 

It was actually the ladies who provide the more effective dramatic performances.  Ronah Adiel Rostata plays the proud Reyna Kunti.  Being the mother of the three Pandava brothers and Karna, she figures in a lot of heavy-duty dramatic singing.  Liana Ilka Chase Salazar plays the self-sacrificing Reyna Ghandari.  Her best moment comes at the very end when she sings "Doon sa Paroroonan" with Rostata.  Dianne Formoso was a forceful performer as she played the fearful goddess of death Kali. Her raspy solo "Kali" comes near the beginning, and you will not forget it. 

For me, the best performer overall is Teetin Villanueva, who played the role of Draupadi, the wife of Yudisthira, whom Duryodhana covets.  Her strong clear voice is really a level higher than everybody else's.  She has a powerfully distinctive voice you can clearly hear and identify even when she is singing along with the chorus.  Her character also figures in a most beautifully-staged segment depicting how Krishna intervenes when Duryodhana attempts to humiliate Draupadi for shaming him.  She really possessed the stage at that moment, despite everything else going on stage.

Like "Collection" last year, director and choreographer Dexter M. Santos again successfully interprets another Floy Quintos script into yet another audacious Dulaang UP production.  It was amazing how he staged how the queens gave birth to their divine children, as well as those other memorable scenes I already mentioned. The daring way how he interpreted the afterlife drew audible gasps from the audience.  Santos was able to make the most of Gino Gonzales' color-coded costumes, Ohm David's expansive set and John Batalla's frenetic lighting effects, uniting these technical elements into his one effective vision.

Congratulations to Dulaang UP and its entire cast and crew for another grand must-see production to close its 38th Season. The previous shows this past season were "The Duchess of Malfi" (MY REVIEW) and "Teatro Porvenir" (MY REVIEW).  While these shows had their merits, this last one is the best of the season for me.

Here is a teaser which showcases the excitement and grandiosity of "Ang Nawalang Kapatid": This video should more than convince you to go and watch.




Do not miss it!  Tickets are selling out fast! There are only few available shows left:

February 19 7 PM
February 20 7 PM
February 21 1 PM

For tickets and inquiries, call Samanta Hannah Clarin or Camille Guevara 9261349 / 4337840 or email dulaangupmarketing@gmail.com.

Like the Dulaang Unibersidad ng Pilipinas Facebook page (LINK) and follow @Official_DUP on Twitter for more details.

Review of MARCO POLO: Promise in Development

February 8, 2014

Last night at the Meralco Theater was the press preview of what is reportedly the first musical composed by a Filipino intended for West End in London and Broadway in New York, entitled "Marco Polo: An Untold Love Story the Musical".   It was written and composed by Rogelio Saldo Chua, who is also the artistic director. With such an audacious claim, we came to expect a lot from this production.  

The musical tells the fictional love story created for Marco Polo, the brave adventurer from Venice and Princess Kogajin, the daughter of the great Emperor Kublai Khan. The three-hour show in two acts (with intermission) spans the story from Marco's teenage years in Venice to his days in Cathay, striving to prove himself, a mere son of a Venetian merchant, worthy of the love of the Mongol princess, amidst political intrigue in the royal court.

Theater actor David Bianco (whom I last saw as a philandering pilot in the Rep comedy "Boeing Boeing") takes on the role of Marco Polo. I was pleasantly surprised that he could sing very well with a strong baritone.  He was convincing as a teenager, but those giggling chase scenes with the princess looked awkward and too childish. I feel some more production work is needed to highlight his solo singing spots better, as those scenes still come off as rough around the edges, lacking drama.  

Playing opposite Bianco is Fil-Am singer-actress Stephanie Reese playing Princess Kogajin.  She had played Tuptim in the revival of King & I on the West End and Kim in the German version of Miss Saigon, and these international experiences showed in her performance, in acting and especially the singing with her sweet soprano. Her smile and voice were a little too sweet to be convincing that she was supposed to be accomplished Mongol warrior though.  Her modern-looking high-heeled shoes can also be a bit distracting, and amusing to see.  She also needs to work more on her wushu skills.

Easily the best performance of the night was from Pinky Marquez, who played Kogajin's sympathetic mother, the Empress Wu.  Ms. Marquez dominates all the scenes she was in, with her magnetic stage presence and soaring soprano voice.  She is regal and motherly at the same time, with a confident voice that resonates with these two qualities of her character.

One of the big reasons I wanted to see this show was the presence of the name of George Yang on the poster.  As predicted, the founder of McDonald's Philippines plays the venerable emperor, Kublai Khan.  I had long heard about his opera singing, and had always been curious to hear it, and thankfully, I heard him sing last night.  I am amazed at the way he tackled his difficult songs and delivered his long lines, considering that he was pushing 75 already.  It is never too late to launch a new career at any age. 

Veteran actor Chinggoy Alonso appears as the narrator Rustigielo as well as a handful of other small roles, most notably the Pope who blessed Marco Polo before his long journey. Mr. Alonso's long stage career contrasts over the other less-experienced younger cast members with his more bombastic attack. 

Three supporting actors also had fine performances, vocally and acting-wise.  They are: Miguel Faustmann as Marco's goofy Uncle Maffeo,  Nicky Triviño as Khan's dignified eldest daughter Toragana, and Enrhil Serguino as the supportive Mongol Lord Koghatal.

Two actors were notably nervous last night. Brent Metken, a senior Australian actor who played Marco's father Niccolo, was delivering lines so languidly like it was still a rehearsal. To his credit, he did not flub a line but he he has to up the energy of his future performances. On the other extreme, there was John Alaras, this young guy playing one of the antagonistic Mongol barons.  He was way over-the-top in his delivery with annoyingly fake laughing. While he did liven things up onstage when he is there, it was not necessarily in a good way.

The musical featured about 23 songs and three colorful Chinese-inspired dance numbers. The songs were pleasant to hear, though not particularly memorable or hummable upon just one listening.  The costumes designed and executed by Odit Sarte for the most part looked very good and vibrant.  I am not really sure though how accurate they are culturally or historically for that part of the world at that time in the past.

Last night, the play still felt like it was in development in several parts.  There were many scenes that still looked a bit roughshod needing further polishing, particularly those sword fights. The big comedy song numbers, though funny, still looked a bit awkward with the rather amateurish choreography.  

With this press preview over, the cast and crew now know how to adjust themselves accordingly in time for the Gala World Premiere tonight.  This musical definitely has promise, especially with more judicious streamlining of the script, songs and improvements on the stage design and the blocking on the big stage. 

"Marco Polo: An Untold Love Story the Musical" will have a limited two show run at the Meralco Theater tonight Feb. 8, at 8 pm and tomorrow Feb. 9, at 3 pm.

Review of PETA's RAK OF AEGIS: Singing in the Flood

February 1, 2014

First there was "Mamma Mia" which gathered the discography of one musical act ABBA and used their songs and lyrics to tell a coherent story.  Last year, "Sa Wakas" did the same to the hits of the local band Sugarfree to excellent results.  This time, the music of the ultimate local female rock duo Aegis gets the same treatment from writer Liza Magtoto, and out came "Rak of Aegis."

This musical play is set in Barangay Venizia, a poor community wallowing in flood waters for several months now.  Aileen Dimaraan loves to sing, and wishes her singing will bring her fortune when she gets noticed by Ellen Degeneres.  When her Youtube music video goes viral though, her dreams for fame and fortune are caught between familial, personal and even societal conflicts.  

Barangay Venizia scene

Aicelle Santos, who stole the scene as young Katy de la Cruz in the revival of the original Filipino musical "Katy!" last year, beautifully essays the charming but flawed role of Aileen. Her singing is undeniably strong, as we have heard before. Those punishing wailing high notes of the Aegis girls were actually given more class and pathos when Aicelle sings their songs.  (Joan Bugcat alternates in this role.)

For me, the finest senior performer in the cast was Juliene Mendoza, who played the supposedly antagonistic role of Fernan, the sleazy developer of the neighboring subdivision. I say "supposedly" because the way Juliene played him, we end up thinking he was pretty cool and likable. His singing was so unexpectedly good. After seeing him outshine the leads in "Bona" and "Lorenzo," he is one of my favorite theater actors now. (Nor Domingo alternates in this role.)

Also doing better among the adults was Kakai Bautista as Mercy, Aileen's mother.  The way her role was written was so well, such that even she was stricken with leptospirosis, she never descends to abject negativity.  Her singing was not perfect musically, but nevertheless, it was perfect for the role she plays.  (Neomi Gonzales alternates in this role.)

Fernan and Mary Jane confer

Isay Alvarez  plays barangay captain Mary Jane in a pretty straightforward, no frills way.   Her singing voice was very good as expected, but somehow there was something lacking. I think it is not her, but maybe it was the way her role was written, because it did not really have a big highlight for her to shine. (Kalila Aguilos alternates in this role.)

Ms. Isay's husband Robert Sena is unfortunately caught in a very morose and joyless role as Kiel, the constantly angry father of Aileen. Even the singing he had to do felt almost maudlin in its heaviness.  He does his best, but the role is too negative for a play like this. (Juliene Mendoza alternates in this role. I'm curious how differently he'd handle this Kiel character, especially since he is already so good in the Fernan role.)

After debuting in the challenging lead role of "Lorenzo" last year, Poppert Bernadas now takes on the role of Kenny, the unproductive son of Mary Jane and suitor of Aileen. The way his role was written, it was hard for him to get the audience to side with him.  His singing voice was definitely strong and faultless. (Myke Salomon alternates in this role, and it should be interesting to see how he attacks this difficult role.)  

Tolits and Aileen swoon

Kenny's rival for Aileen's affections was Tolits, the guy who runs the boating operations in the flooded streets of Venezia.  Jerald Napoles (no relation to Janet) plays him so coyly.  He gets to deliver the funniest and the cheesiest pick-up lines.  The girls in the audience love him. His singing voice is full and soaring as well. (Pepe Herrera alternates in this role.)

Gay neighborhood sari-sari store owner and Aileen's BFF Jewel is played with utmost bombast by Phi Palmos.  He wears the most outlandish costumes and gets to deliver a lot of funny lines as well.  He also gets to singing in two voices a la Marcelino Pomoy, which was a delight to watch and listen to.  (Ron Alfonso alternates in this role.)

The Ensemble plays the various other neighborhood characters in the play.  Gimbey dela Cruz stood out exceptionally because she was so wacky and outrageous.  I also recognized Carlon Matobato and John Emmanuel Moran, who were familiar to me from other PETA plays they had before.

Aileen's Viral Video

 I am not really aware of all the Aegis songs, but the familiar ones were here, like "Halik", "Sinta", "Luha", "Mahal na Mahal Kita", "Bakit (Ako Ngayo'y Hate Mo)", "Christmas Bonus", "I Love You Na Lang Sa Tago", and of course the ubiquitous "Basang Basa sa Ulan." They would either sing entire songs or only sing certain segments to fit the situation. At times, they just use the familiar melody of a hit, and sing totally new lyrics into it. Kudos to Musical and Vocal Director Myke Salomon for the excellent musical and vocal arrangements of the Aegis hits.  

Above all, congratulations to Director Maribel Legarda and Playwright Liza Magtoto who told the story in a way that felt somewhat predictable in the First Act, but the Second Act turns out to be something else than what would seem expected.  The concept of setting a musical in a flooded urban poor community is brave and unprecedented. The use of video projections to move the story forward was also very effective.

The very innovative actualization of "flooded" Barangay Venizia was by Set Designer Mio Infante.  He occupied the stage and a big part of the orchestra section with his multi-tiered set that had a river of "polluted" flood water running through it. 

Among the credits, there was a special mention of Shoe Designer Maco Custodio, but you will have to watch the show to see why he was credited prominently.

Snazzy Curtain Call

The title has nothing to do with the story, so you are in for a surprise treat as to how it unfolds.  There are a lot of laughs here (even a jab at a currently famous condo invitation), but like all PETA productions, there is always a very important social message as well.  This show was thought-provoking as it was fun and entertaining.

"Rak of Aegis" runs from January 31 to March 9, 2014 at The PETA Theater Center located at No.5 Eymard Drive, New Manila, Quezon City. Tickets are now available via www.ticketworld.com.ph, 891-9999. For more information, call PETA at 725-6244 or 0917-5765400, petatheater@gmail.com or visit www.petatheater.com.



******  UPDATE: August 22, 2016

The review above was written two years ago when I watched the very first show of Rak of Aegis. Since then it had been a theater phenomenon, running well over 250 shows in five separate runs. This current run, called "Rak of Aegis 5.0", is said to be its final run ever. All the shows were sold out weeks before, even weekday shows. I did not think I would ever get to watch it but unexpected circumstances led to my ticket to tonight's 8 pm show on its final week. This run ends on August 28, 2016.

The cast had already expanded to have three to five alternates for all the major roles of Aileen, Mary Jane, Kiel, Tolits, Kenny, Jewel and Fernan. When I saw the cast list outside the theater, I did not know any of these actors on board last night, so at first I was disappointed that I will not see more familiar actors. However as the show went on, they all turned out to be so good that I eventually warmed up to them. Like before, all of them really sang these notoriously lung-busting Aegis songs exceptionally well.

Tonight, Aileen was played by petite powerhouse "The Voice 2" runner-up Alisah Bonaobra. Bonaobra was a better singer than she was an actress for now, but she will definitely improve in that aspect as she gets more shows under her belt. (Kim Molina, Tanya Manalang and Aicelle Santos alternate as Aileen. Too bad I never got to see Molina's Gawad Buhay winning lead performance.) 

Mary Jane was played by Tricia Jimenez, who was so unexpectedly good as the Kapitana. As I wrote above, I was a bit underwhelmed by Isay Alvarez's performance of this lackluster role. However, I think with time, I guess the writing of this role and its singing demands have really improved, especially in the second half, which was full of inspired duets I did not recall from before. (Sweet Plantado-Tiongson, Shiela Valderrama-Martinez, Carla Guevara-Laforteza and Isay Alvarez alternate as Mary Jane.)

The Kiel tonight was portrayed by veteran pop singer Renz Verano, who was really one of those who stood out for me. This role was also expanded with more difficult rock singing numbers. Verano was one of those performers who earned spontaneous applause right after his very powerful and gritty belting songs. (OJ Mariano, Lorenz Martinez and Robert Sena alternate as Kiel.)

The character with the most audience impact is still Aileen's cheesy loverboy Tolits. Joshua Bulot, the Tolits last night, really connected with the girls and matrons in the audience with his boy-band good looks, soaring vocals, pick-up lines and six-pack abs. (Pepe Herrera, Benj Manalo and Jerald Napoles alternate as Tolits. I have been hearing raves about Manalo's performance, so too bad I did get to see him on. I also missed Hererra's Gawad Buhay winning interpretation.)

Vince Lim played Kenny last night, and his vocal range was really impressive, complete with a rocker's wailing. There were some funny references about his being Chinoy. Like Mary Jane, this character's development seemed better this time compared to the first run. (Myke Salomon and Poppert Bernadas alternate as Kenny.) 

The rest of the cast I saw last night were Joann Co (as Mercy), Ron Alfonso (as Jewel), and Gie Onida (as Fernan), who all shined in their featured song numbers. I did not get to see the other alternates Neomi Gonzales, Jimmy Marquez and Jon Santos in these roles. The ensemble last night was composed of Gio Gahol, Paeng Sudayan, Gold Villar, Abigail Sulit, Jet Barrun Concepcion and Roi Calilong. Other members of the ensemble in other shows are: Carlon Matobato, John Moran, Gimbey dela Cruz, Gab Pangilinan, Via Antonio, Raflesia Bravo and Teetin Villanueva.


"Para Kay Aileen," the Aegis song where the lead character name Aileen came from, was now included as the upbeat first song that opened the second half of the show after the intermission. There is also the inclusion of the hit song "Sayang na Sayang" as a duet between Kiel and Mary Jane. These two characters whom I thought were very dry in the original show turned out to be my favorites in this new incarnation, thanks to the rich portrayals by Verano and Jimenez.


******  UPDATE: July 14, 2018

Another two years had passed, another season of "Rak of Aegis" reincarnates, its 6th to date. Prior to this run, a talent search dubbed "Hu Got Talent: The Search for the Next Rakstar" was held by PETA last March, out of which nine triple threat newcomers earned roles in this present season of "Rak," which began its run last June 20, 2018. Luckily, I was able to get a last minute ticket to catch the matinee show this afternoon. 

The Aileen in this show was one of the new discoveries from the talent search, Shaira Opsimar.  I thought she would play Aileen with her cool pageboy hairdo, but no, she was wearing a long-haired wig. She certainly possessed the powerful belting vocals required for this central role. Lovely that scene when she was singing "Basang-basa sa Ulan" for her soon-to-be viral video, tears were actually falling from her face. She seemed like quite relaxed on stage already, despite this I think is her first theater outing. She will continue to improve. (Her alternates are Kim Molina -- a veteran Aileen and Gawad Buhay awardee for Best Actress in this role -- and fellow talent-search newcomer Princess Vire.)

Mary Jane was today was played by Carla Guevara-Laforteza, who had been juggling this role together with her demanding lead role as Lily in "Binondo" during the first two weekends of July. I think this is the first time I had heard her sing rock and of course, her classically trained voice nailed those killer notes. (Her alternates are original cast member Isay Alvarez, Sweet Plantado-Tiongson and Carla's "Binondo" alternate as Lily, Sheila Valderrama-Martinez.)

The actor playing her son Kenny in this show was another newcomer Remus Villanueva, also a product of the search. His guy can sing a mean rockers' wail, but the role of Kenny is still rather thankless in terms of audience appeal. Because Remus was a rather big hefty guy, there was a visual disconnect since Carla looked too young to be his mother. (His alternate are Vince Lim, and originals Myke Salomon and Poppert Bernadas.) 

The role of Aileen's parents Kiel and Mercy were played by Lorenz Martinez and Neomi Gonzales. Martinez can hit those high notes, but the strain of the rock vocals on his voice were audible in certain songs. (His alternates are original Robert Sena, OJ Mariano and Renz Verano.) One of the original Mercys, Neomi gave a strong performance of her one solo song "Ikaw" with delightful comic timing to boot. (Her alternates are fellow original Kakai Bautista and Joann Co.)

Crowd favorite Tolits was played by newcomer Kent Pontivedra. He has got the high vocals and the requisite biceps and abs for the role. However, he still seemed to lack projection in some parts, which I trust he will develop the more times he would play this role. (Actually his shyness could be a refreshing contrast to the bolder style of his alternates, originals Jerald Napoles and Pepe Herrera, or Joshua Bulot.)

I caught two actors reprising their roles which I also saw them play in the first season. These were Phi Palmos as Jewel and Julienne Mendoza as Fernan. Both were still felt so right for their respective roles as ever. Jewel will also be played by Ron Alfonso, Jimmy Marquez and new discovery Adrian Lindayag. Fernan will also be played by Gie Onida and acclaimed scriptwriter Rody Vera, joining the crew for the first time. 

The energetic ensemble in the show I watched were originals Gimbey dela Cruz, John Moran and Carlon Matobato, Teetin Villanueva (with her eye-catching abs!), and new discoveries Matel Patayon and Gil Chamyto Aguedan. On other shows, the other actors in the ensemble would be Roi Calilong, Gio Gahol, Gab Pangilinan, Paeng Sudayan, Abi Sulit, Gold Villar and newcomers Crystal Paras and Marielle Mamaclay.

The basic story is still the same of course, but there were some little changes made here and there that felt different from what I could recall. One thing I did notice was that the song "Sayang na Sayang," which I previously heard as a duet between exes MJ and Kiel, was now a mother-son duet between MJ and Kenny. The MJ-Kiel duet this time is the song "Mary Jane". There seemed to be more bits of "Sinta," "Luha" and "Halik" in many more scenes this time. 

I'm sure new viewers will still enjoy this entertaining show very much, as much as I did the first time I watched it four years ago. Repeat viewers will enjoy the nostalgia and sentimentality of the Aegis music as they try to spot the differences from the previous shows they'd seen before. 

"Rak of Aegis Season 6" runs from June 20 to September 2, 2018 at the PETA Theater Center located at No.5 Eymard Drive, New Manila, Quezon City. Shows scheduled from Wednesdays to Sundays at 8pm, with 3pm matinees on Saturday and Sundays. Tickets prices: VIP PHP1,900.00, ORCHESTRA CENTER PHP1,600.00, ORCHESTRA SIDE PHP1,300.00, BALCONY CENTER PHP1,900.00, BALCONY SIDE, PHP900.00, available via www.ticketworld.com.ph, 891-9999. 

Recap of DO YOU HEAR THE PEOPLE SING? Manila: Timeless Boubil and Schonberg Songbook

January 31, 2014

"Do You Hear the People Sing?" is a touring musical production featuring various international  musical theater luminaries singing classic songs written by the acclaimed pair of Alain Boublil and Claude Michel Schonberg.  This show made its debut staging in Indianapolis in 2011, and has been touring ever since.  Manila had its turn to host this show January 29 and 30, 2014 at the Newport Performing Arts Theater at Resorts World Manila.  

This was expensive affair with cheapest balcony tickets costing almost P5000 each, going all the way up to P25,000 each for Patron seats.  However, the underlying heart of this show is that it was a benefit show aiming to raise P24M to build 200 houses for the victims of Typhoon Yolanda in Tacloban care of Habitat for Humanity.  All the artists who sing and perform on stage will donate their time and talent for this noble endeavor, as the appreciative audience donate their price of their ticket.

Ms. Lea Salonga

The show started when the curtain rose on Gerard Salonga conducting the ABS-CBN Philharmonic Orchestra onstage, playing an overture with familiar tunes from Ms. Saigon. Behind them were two rows of choir singers.  The first song number is already a showstopper in itself, Jon Joven singing the rousing "Bui Doi". Jon hit the ball right out of the park right away with his powerful rendition of the song which opened Act 2 of Ms. Saigon.  

After he sang, Jon was joined onstage by guest foreign artist, Australian David Harris.  They told us the story behind the birth of Ms. Saigon.  This was followed by a performance of "The Heat is On in Saigon" by a collection of theater artists called Ms. Saigon Ensemble. I recognized Robbie Guevara and Jake Macapagal among them.  Macapagal nervously stumbled as he introduced the next performer, none other than Ms. Lea Salonga herself.

Ms. Lea came onstage in a red gown and started to sing a series of songs from Ms. Saigon, starting with "I'd Give My Life for You" which was flawless.  After talking about her experiences as a naive 17 year-old struggling with the requisite bed scenes, Lea sang "Last Night of the World," with the dapper David Harris singing the role of Chris.  Harris' voice was so high and soaring. This duet ended in a passionate kiss which surprised the audience.  
Next up was "I Still Believe".  We get to hear the new lyrics to be debuted in the upcoming 2014 revival, though personally I preferred the old words.  Playing the role of Ellen was Carla Guevara-Laforteza, who was breathtaking.  

The final song in the Ms. Saigon set is "The American Dream" sung by no less than Mr. Leo Tavarro Valdez, who had actually played the Engineer on London.  After he floored us with his flexible vocals and physical comedy skills in this hilariously sleazy performance, he was joined by Lea and they introduced the next set and singer. 

Ms. Marie Zamora

The other foreign guest artist was French soprano Marie Zamora. Her first song for the night was actually in French, "Au Petit Martin" from Boublil and Schonberg's first production La Revolution Francaise.  

This unfamiliar song would be followed by more unfamiliar songs from another less known show called "Martin Guerre."  The performances of these serious songs though were memorably first-rate.  Jed Madela unexpectedly gave an impassioned and intense performance of the title song.  David and Marie joined up to sing the love song "Live with Somebody You Love" which also ended with a passionate kiss."  Then Lea joined them onstage to sing "The Land of the Fathers."  

The next set of songs have been songs which had been deleted or retooled from various shows.  Marie sang Colette's song "I Saw Him Once" from Les Miserables, which was dropped because the play was already too long, though I seem to have heard this song already before.  Then Lea sang "Too Much for One Heart" which was dropped from Ms. Saigon and rewritten as "Please."  I have heard Lea sing this song before in one of her concerts.  Lea introduced Rachelle Ann Go who stirringly sang a new song for the character of Ellen, "Maybe."  

Lea then joined Rachelle onstage and they belted out a pop version of "I Dreamed a Dream" which sounded amazing.  After this duet, the rest of the company joined the two on stage and they all sang "This is the Hour" which closed the first act.

Mr. David Harris

After the 20 minute intermission, the orchestra began to play an unfamiliar Irish-sounding sprightly tune. That turned out to be from the latest Boublil and Schonberg show Pirate Queen.  Carla Guevara again came out playing the title role of Grace O'Malley singing "Woman".  She blew us away with her strong voice and portrayal.  David came out again and sang "If I Said I Loved You" with Carla, which again ended with a passionate kiss, which had the audience tittering with the recurrent inside joke.

The audience clapped with anticipation as the French tricolor appeared on the video backdrop and the Orchestra played the Les Miserables Overture.  The first song would be the first song written for the show, "On My Own."  Marie sang the original French version "Mon Histoire" and Lea joined her with the English version.  The Ensemble followed with "At the End of the Day."  Leo "Understatement" Valdez and Menchu Lauchengco-Yulo played the Thernadiers performing the very funny and irreverent "Master of the House."  I have to say I was disappointed that this was Ms. Menchu's only solo spot in the whole show.

What followed were all my favorite songs from Les Miz.  For the beautifully haunting medley of "In My Life" and "A Heart Full of Love," the love triangle was played by the night's three main soloists: David, Marie and Lea. There were a couple of obvious mic glitches at this part but negligible. The Javert ballad "Stars" was sung by Michael Williams.  "Empty Chairs at Empty Tables" was heartbreakingly sung by David Harris. 

David then segued into "Bring Him Home."  Surprisingly he was joined onstage by Michael Williams.  Then with the next verse, Cocoy Laurel (who played Jean Valjean in the Manila production of Les Miz) came out and sang.  Cocoy looked awkwardly dwarfed singing beside the tall David, but he still held his own.  Jon Joven sang the punishing final verses before all four sang together to end the song.  Amazing number.

Everybody else came out onstage. The powerful drama of seeing and hearing "One Day More" sung live never gets old, and it was the same here tonight.  This final song ended in a spray of golden confetti and the audience rose for a much-deserved standing ovation.  

Mssrs. Alain Boublil and Claude Michel Schonberg

The audience was in for a surprise because the main men Claude Michel Schonberg and Alain Boublil themselves took to the stage and addressed the audience with their special messages of thanks.  These were very touching words indeed.  Everybody onstage then closed the show with the concert title song "Do You Hear the People Sing?"  And with that, this night of thrill- and goosebumps-inducing music and singing for a good cause came to an end.  The exhilaration we felt after the show was unbelievable!  

Review of WICKED in Manila: The Artichoke is Steaming!

January 27, 2014

Wicked is adapted from the 1995 “revisionist” Gregory Maguire novel Wicked: The Life and Times of the Wicked Witch of the West" by Stephen Schwartz (music and lyrics) and Winnie Holzman (book).  Since its Broadway debut back in 2003, it always enjoyed full houses everywhere it was staged.

This is already the second time I am watching Wicked.  The first time I watched this very popular musical was in Sydney a few years back.  This was what I wrote about the show back then.

"October 22, 2009

I had always heard of how fantastic "Wicked the Musical" is, but I had only known but two songs from it:  "Defying Gravity" and "For Good."  So when I found out that "Wicked" was showing in the Capitol Theater right beside our hotel in Sydney the weekend we will be there, I plunked down AU$103 over the internet to Ticketmaster even before we left the country!

The Capitol Theater was a full house that night.  The interior of the theater was very plush and classy.  The ceiling was painted like the night sky, very nice effect.  Before the show, I looked around the souvenir shop, but the things there were so expensive!  A souvenir programme cost AU$20 (I did not buy.)  I was curious about this green icy drink they had there, but I did not feel like queuing.   So, I just went in to look for my seat.  Turns out my seat was at the very top of the auditorium already, row YY!  The people around me, who bought last minute tickets like me, all had a good chuckle when they saw how high up their seats were.

The stage was framed by elaborate decor and lighting.  There was a huge metal dragon poised at the very top and center, which was very imposing.  With these set pieces alone, I realized why this musical would be very difficult to stage in Manila (like "Phantom of the Opera").  Later in the play, we would see other complex sets and lighting effects.  The talking "Wizard" robot alone was a very impressive set piece.  The technical precision required for this show must really be something else.  Really amazing and enchanting.

As the musical unfolded, I immediately saw why people loved it.  The songs were all very good, delightful and catchy, and easy to like, even the dramatic ones.  The script was very funny.  There were so many witty one-liners scattered all over the play.  I enjoyed the way this story of two witches Elphaba and G(a)linda interweaves so neatly with the well-known classic tale of "The Wizard of Oz", and you do not even really see Dorothy!  It was very funny how they speculate the origins of the flying monkeys, the Cowardly Lion, Tin Man and the Scarecrow. 

And of course, the singer/actresses who played Elphie and Glinda were so good. Amanda Harrison was certainly a showstopper the way she sang green witchElphaba's desperate paeans and dreams.  Her voice was so clear, strong and resoundingly dramatic.  On the other hand, Lucy Durack plays good witch Glinda ala "Legally Blonde" which made it hilarious.  Her soprano was also strong and soaring, yet lilting and crisp.  The third angle of the love triangle Prince Fiyero was played by Australian Idol 2003 finalist Rob Mills.  There were several respected Australian actors also who played the more senior characters like the Wizard and the School Mistress, and they elicited applause when they first appeared on stage."

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The cast in this touring production is supposedly the same cast many Filipinos caught in Singapore a couple of years back.  There was a different cast from the show I saw in Sydney.  Glinda is now played by Suzie Mathers, and Elphaba by Jemma Rix.  The rest of the cast include: Maggie Kirkpatrick (Madame Morrible), Glen Hogstrom (Dr. Dillamond), Emily Cascarino (Nessarose), Edward Grey (Boq), and Steve Danielsen (Fiyero).  In an innovative bit of casting, they have a Polynesian actor Jay Laga’aia playing the Wizard. 

They have obviously done this so many times, and mastered the show completely.  Everything was flawless. However, the passion and the joy of performing were still all there. Suzie Mathers was so cute as the gleeful Glinda, with her hair tossing and snickering. Her soprano can really soar!  Jenna was likewise excellent as the forlorn green girl who discovered her powers and her calling in life.  Her "Defying Gravity" brought the house down!

If you read my past review above, at that time I was doubting how any local stage can support this production.  Well, since that review was written, we know how the CCP had already been the venue for big musicals with huge sets like "Cats" and just a year or so back "Phantom of the Opera."  When they did "Phantom" here and pulled it off so well, I knew "Wicked" would not be impossible.  And here it is!  The stage and the complex sets were as magical as I remember it.

I felt like I was watching the show for the first time since I vaguely recall the full details of the story, and I felt that joyous excitement all over again as the story unfolded this time.  The first act was really so much more fun to watch than the second act when the heavy drama comes in.  All the famous songs were in Act 1, namely "No One Mourns for the Wicked", "The Wizard and I", "Popular" (recently sampled in a radio hit song by Mika ftrg. Ariana Grande), and of course the big show-stopper "Defying Gravity."  There was only one famous song in Act 2, and that was the beautiful ballad "For Good."  For this watching, I have discovered better the poetry in "I'm Not that Girl" sung in Act 1 by Elphaba, and reprised in Act 2 by Glinda, very touching indeed.

This is a must-see show for all musical theater fans and their families.  I am sure they have already bought all their tickets well in advance as I have maybe six months ago.  All the weekends are sold-out already, but weekday performances are still available as of now via Ticketworld.  Do not miss this show!  

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Epilogue:

Going to the CCP tonight was not really pleasant experience.  I had been informed that there would be a Sto. Nino Parade which would cause traffic on January 26.  We left the house early and was at the Harrison Plaza area by 6pm.  However it turned out the whole CCP Complex had been blocked off.  So I parked at the Traders Hotel across the boulevard and everyone walked to the CCP.  We made it to our seats in time, though barely. Should remember to steer clear of this last Sunday of January date for future CCP show bookings.

Recap of I HAVE A DREAM: St. Jude Catholic School 50th Anniversary Cultural Show!

January 25, 2014

Just like that, my Alma Mater, St. Jude Catholic School, which we alumni would like to believe is the best Chinese school in the Philippines, has now turned 50 years old.  Our dear school, nestled securely beside Malacanang Palace along the Pasig River, was a dream come true in 1963 for three intrepid SVD missionaries: Msgr. Peter Tsao, Fr. Peter Yang and Fr. Charles Tchou.  Throughout the years of its existence, it has produced graduates who take pride with their tradition of academic excellence in English and Chinese, neat penmanship and an ingrained sense of strict discipline.

One of the highlighted events to celebrate this momentous golden milestone is a cultural extravaganza entitled "I Have a Dream," held in no less than the posh and luxurious Newport Performing Arts Theater at the Resorts World Manila.  The school produced this show in cooperation with SJCS Bath 1978, the SJCS Alumni Association and the SJCS Parents Auxiliary Group.  This special twin-bill musical program will be run for two nights, January 25 and 26, 2014.

Outside the venue before the show, there were souvenirs on sale in the lobby of the theater. Notably, there is a SJCS Golden Anniversary Commemorative coffee table book that costs P3000 each.  There were also t-shirts and various smaller knick-knacks with the insignia of the school and the title of the event.  There was also a desk where alumni could register and get photographed for their SJCS Alumni  ID cards, which has some benefits in select shops around the city.

The show started with an invocation song "I Will Carry You" sung by a priest.  This was followed by the National Anthem and the SJCS Hymn played the Drum and Bugle Corps.  I wished the SJCS Hymn would have been sung with the words.  We have not heard it sung since we sang it during our high school graduation!  School Director and Principal Fr. Vicente R. Rayco then delivered the welcome remarks.

The first half of the program was a performance of excerpts from Cam Floria's "Joseph the Dreamer", following the life of the Joseph, the favored son of Jacob, who was thrown into a well by his jealous brothers. He was then sold to an Egyptian lord Potiphar and seduced by his wife.  Because of that, Joseph was thrown in prison. He later interpreted the Pharaoh's dream and eventually became Egypt's second-in-command.

The kids played their parts with gusto the best they can for such an elaborate story on a huge stage. There were so many sound glitches but they did not fall out of character and just continued to perform. Of course, the performances were not really perfect, but we do not really expect perfection for an all-student presentation such as this.  These kids are not professionals and I heard they only had the chance to practice on this stage a day before this performance, yet they still delivered. 

The lead role of Joseph was played by HS 4th year student Troy Espiritu, who was visibly nervous, but understandably so for he was playing such a formidable part. High school students from all levels played the other supporting roles. It is remarkable that the role of Mae East (a.k.a. Potiphar's wife) was played by a Grade 6 student who recently played professionally for Trumpets' successful "The Bluebird of Happiness", Chimmi Kohchet-Chua.

While I blame the sound system for the garbled words which were not too easy to understand, but the backdrops, set pieces and costumes were grandiose and glittery!  We are entertained by the efforts of the students, and were amazed at the number of singing talents in this segment of the show. (VIDEO)

Nothing like this had ever been produced when I was in SJCS, and I am glad to see that the school is taking big strides in promoting the theater arts among the students.  During our time, we only had the Passion Play, which of course had no singing and dancing in it.

There was a 10 minute intermission.  After the short break, there was a raffle draw for people who had bought a P500 raffle ticket at the lobby.  Prizes ranged from P60,000 to a whopping P100,000! Following that, there was an awarding of an outstanding alumni, Sherwin Christopher Tiu, for his valuable contribution in the promotion of sports in the school  Three awards were also given for donors for scholarship grants, namely: Batch 1978, Mr. Alfred Lao and our Batch 1983!

The second half of the program was divided into four parts:  Dreaming, Praying, Striving, and Winning.  Each segment was portrayed by very big song and dance numbers featuring kids from kindergarten all the way up to alumni.  I have to say the small kids were all so cute on stage in all their various numbers.  There was this little girl even sang solo to kick off an inspiring "Imagine" (by John Lennon) group number while beautiful photographs of the kids flashed in the background. (VIDEO) There was also a very energetic number by elementary kids where they danced to a medley of modern dance pop songs like "Superbass", "Titanium," and others while doing complicated formations and electric choreography. (VIDEO)

There were a group of ladies from the parents, faculty and school administration who danced to a series of hit disco songs like "Proud Mary", "Tragedy", "Staying Alive" and "I Need a Hero" dressed in brightly color-coordinated 70s-inspired psychedelic costumes. The 60-strong Alumni Choir had solid performance of Celine Dion's "Power of a Dream."  (VIDEO) This was followed by a quartet of young alumni guys singing a great arrangement of "Long and Winding Road."  (VIDEO)

The Chinese segment of the performances was so vibrant with their gold and red motifs representing dragons and phoenixes.  The part where little kids were synchronously banging on drums while many others were dancing was done so well! The solo of alumnus and professional tenor Sherwin Sozon of a Chinese ballad was very solid and strong. (VIDEO)

This second half of the program is mainly what I was expecting to see when I went to see this show. All the numbers were grand and at the same time, very inspirational.  Obviously so much effort had been expended to rehearse the precision of the choreography. So much money had been poured into all the beautiful sets and costumes, and I would say it was worth it.  All those kids running up and down the stage, apparently not getting confused with their complicated blocking.  All the bright and vibrant colors working so well with each other. Whoever conceptualized all of these numbers, bravo!  You have great vision, and they have come to life so well.  We the audience were so moved and entertained.

Even seeing the second half alone makes the whole price of admission already worth it. Practically all the numbers in this second half were so good visually and aurally, even with still some obvious sound glitches with the microphones. This is not to take anything away from the performers of the "Joseph the Dreamer" though, as they really had a formidable task to pull off, and they delivered the best they could given their age and experience.

Congratulations to Overall Director Belly Ng, costume designer Ranito Santos and all the backstage staff and crew for efficiently running the show.  I am glad to see that the students also put in efforts backstage with overall student production head Pauline Ang.  I hope they can still improve on the coordination with with sound system before the show tomorrow. 

Most specially, congratulations the students (and their parents) who really took a lot of time and dedication to rehearse all of these very elaborate song and dance numbers.  It must definitely have been so difficult to juggle their studies and their rehearsals throughout the past few months, and to perform at this level for TWO nights in a row!  Kudos also to all the alumni who have dedicated time and effort to sponsor and organize this special event.

I am pretty sure the message of Fr. Rayco during his inspirational speech in Act 2 about GRIT (or the passion and perseverance to achieve goals) got through to everyone.  We will imbibe the persistence of the dragon and the resilience of the phoenix as we go through life as proud alumni of St. Jude Catholic School.  Here's to 50 more years of academic success!