We weren’t surprised when it was reported last December that, with more than 12 million viewers and a billion dollars in revenue, Broadway’s 2011-2012 season had turned out to be its best year ever. Even Hollywood’s superstars and A-listers are making a beeline for New York’s stage productions, hoping that its “unconventional” challenges would boost their thespic stock.
The musical version of “The Full Monty” is being staged here, and a lot is being made of its male leads’ decision to “go daring” by taking it all off for the play’s signature “full-monty” scene.
First, it was Aicelle Santos’ charmingly unaffected portrayal in Spotlight’s “Katy” revival that blew us away. In Rep’s restaging of Marc Camoletti’s farcical “Boeing Boeing,” the performance that impressed us the most was turned in by Carla Dunareanu. In Peta’s “D’ Wonder Twins of Boac,” the standouts were Cris Villonco and Gail Billones.
Two of the lead players in Spotlight Artist Centre’s hit restaging of “Katy” who got exultant ovations from theater lovers were TV-film stars, Tirso Cruz III and Epy Quizon.
The cast and production staff of the current revival staging of “Katy!” at the CCP Little Theater worked really hard to get the musical in shape for its Press Night last Jan. 16— so, they were relieved when the show was given a standing ovation by the SRO audience!
About 150 local movies were shown last year, but many of them were screened “only” in film festivals. Cinemalaya, still the country’s premier indie showcase, has become more accessible, because of its satellite screenings at Greenbelt and TriNoma.
It’s fascinating to watch Tirso Cruz III at the rehearsals of “Katy,” which began its two-week, 12-show run at the CCP on Jan. 17 (call 891-9999). As pleasantly surprised as we are about how he has maintained his youthful good looks, his co-actors tell us that the seasoned former screen partner of Nora Aunor is likewise devoid of bad attitude—and is a joy to work with.
From Jan. 17 to 27 at the CCP Little Theater, we are directing Spotlight Artists Center’s revival staging of the acclaimed Filipino stage musical, “Katy!,” with Isay Alvarez in the title role and Tirso Cruz III, Dulce, Aicelle Santos, Gian Magdangal, Epy Quizon, Tricia Jimenez, and other standout players also starring.
Theater lovers cheer the fact that the country’s performing scene is enjoying a bumper crop of productions this year. Trouble is, around 80 percent of them involved visiting foreign acts, or are local stagings of “Broadway” or “West End” musicals created by foreign artists.
LAYETA Bucoy is a cum laude graduate with a BA degree in Communication Arts from UPLB. She is now a prolific playwright and scriptwriter who won awards for her writing. Her latest play, “Walang Kukurap,” produced by Tanghalang Pilipino at CCP and directed by Tuxqs Rutaquio, examines the country’s political landscape.
THE current film, “Ruby Sparks,” is both entertaining and disturbing to watch. At first, it comes across as a fantasy romance about a nerd and the girl of his dreams, who soon comes to life and transforms his sad and lonely existence into a daily miracle of discovery and joy.
A fun time was had by all at the recent screening of the Apo movie musical, “I Do Bidoo Bidoo,” written and directed by Chris Martinez. The nostalgic homage to “the soundtrack of a generation” was both a visual and aural treat that vivified the filmmakers’ love for the Apo’s songs and the antic and heartfelt sensibility they reflected.
