AFTER WE wrote about the new “DOM” Original Filipino Musical last week, we got follow-up queries and reactions from theater buffs, who were pleased as punch that the “male” side of the “sexy situation” (post-“The Vagina Monologues”) was finally being “represented” onstage.
In addition, some buffs wanted to know which ’80s hits would be included in the new “jukebox musical’s” soundtrack.
The word on that from musical director Myke Salomon and producer Isay Alvarez: The nostalgic anthems reprised in “DOM” are “Kay Ganda ng Ating Musika,” “Kastilyong Buhangin,” “Nais Ko,” “Tunay Kang Kaibigan,” “Paano,” “Kaibigang Tapat,” “Nakapagtataka,” “Hagibis Medley,” “Mag-Exercise Tayo,” “Saludo,” “Kastilyong Buhangin,” “Himig Natin”—and many more!
4TH IMPACT. Talent tilt standout.
4th Impact
The Filipino sister act, 4th Impact, may not have won The “X-Factor UK” talent tilt, but the popularity it gained from competing all the way up to its final rounds has sure had a big impact on the quartet’s international performing career.
The four Cercado sisters, Celina, Mylene, Irene and Almira, started out as a promising but obscure local act, but their initial performance on the UK tilt was such an audience favorite that it has been viewed on YouTube many million of times!
Even better, 4th Impact has been included in the tilt’s Live Tour series of performances in huge venues throughout England.
Now that they’ve become popular in their own right, 4th Impact has been tapped to promote the new season of “The X-Factor UK” by way of video clips on TV.
The tilt’s 2016 edition starts telecasting on the RTL-CBS Entertainment channel on Aug. 28.
ZIALCITA. Fondly remembered for his colorful and trendy way with words.
Ahead of his time
The re-release of Danny Zialcita’s edgy, gender-bending film, “T-Bird at Ako,” has made film buffs remember that the writer-director was one of our best and most “plugged-in” filmmakers.
Way back in the ’80s, he was already making innovative movies about the shifting gender and sexual landscape—which explains why his films are enjoyed even by today’s viewers.
Expectedly, Zialcita’s new batch of younger admirers don’t know much about him, hence their request for more information about him and his film output.
Since we knew Danny and kept urging him to come out of self-imposed retirement to make more of his “signature” idiosyncratic movies, we’re happy to share these retrospective notes:
Danny made 52 films, 22 of which he also wrote. His most celebrated films included “Langis at Tubig” with Vilma Santos and Dindo Fernando; “Dear Heart,” the first team-up of Sharon Cuneta and Gabby Concepcion; “Hindi sa Iyo ang Mundo, Baby Porcuna”; “Mahinhin vs Mahinhin” with Dindo Fernando and Ronaldo Valdez, “Palabra de Honor” and “Gaano Kadalas ang Minsan.”
Despite his demise, Zialcita is fondly remembered for his colorful and trendy way with words, his “quotable” dialogue adding greatly to his actors’ spunky portrayals, and making his movies “fun” viewing experiences, far from the dull, predictable norm.
Especially when he did his gender-bending films, Zialcita wasn’t just being outlandish and outrageous, his edgy characters and situations pushed back the boundaries of “accepted” public behavior and language, and thus made viewers more open-minded and “accepting” of points of view and lifestyles radically different from their own.
Zialcita’s fun and spunky film capers have made some people forget that he could also be deep and sensitive as a filmmaker.
—And he worked well with the very best actors, who loved being directed by him, because he pushed them to come up with fresh and edgy portrayals with a lot of “bite” to them, thus making their screen personas more dynamic than ever before!