Fresh opportunity to energize stellar careers

Aicelle Santos

The start of a new show biz season is a fresh opportunity for stars and starlets to energize their careers—and to make up for lost time and momentum.

It’s a “tensifying” time because the biz is notorious for promises of big breaks made, but not kept. So, talents worry that the gambits they and their handlers carefully set up for the incoming year may not pan out, or have their intended impact.

On the other hand, a few stellar performers have already been making bigger waves this season.

They are paced by musical-theater and TV find Aicelle Santos, who has been tapped by the musical “Wicked’s” producers to record the duet, “As Long As You’re Mine” with the show’s male lead, Bradley Jaden, to promote the production’s limited local run (until March 5 at The Theatre of Solaire Manila).

It’s a bright feather in Aicelle’s chapeaux that she was chosen over the many prodigiously gifted songstresses we have, and augurs well for her surging multimedia career this year.

Aicelle has smartly parlayed her stage triumphs in “Katy!” and “Rak of Aegis” into a busy stellar career that now includes recording, as well as acting and hosting. We hope that her “best of the best” selection for “Wicked’s” promo will result in international attention, as well.

But, Aicelle’s most valuable contribution to the cultural and entertainment scene should still be in the field of Filipino musical theater, which she could help popularize with her talent, versatility and drawing power.

 Vice’s V-Day show

Also off to a bright and bracing start is Vice Ganda, who is consolidating the recent record-setting success of his film starrer, “The Super Parental Guardians” with his next career move, a big Valentine’s Day show tonight at the Araneta Coliseum.

Vice Ganda

If the glittering musical-comedy extravaganza turns out to be another hit, Vice will end up ruling the show biz roost on multiple “platforms”—a rare achievement that will bolster his bid for tongue-in-cheek “world domination.”

Guesting in Vice’s Valentine bash are Maja Salvador, Daniel Padilla and Awra Briguela, plus singers Daryl Ong, Kris Lawrence and Michael Pangilinan.

For his part, Cesar Montano is putting his stellar career on the back burner for the nonce, so he can focus on his responsibilities as the new head of the Tourism Promotions Board.

Recently, Cesar graced the opening rites of the Intramuros Tourism Fiesta (until Feb. 27), a fair that celebrates and showcases Philippine arts and crafts.

He has other plans to more creatively and productively use the arts to attract tourists to our shores—including the perfect fit for him, a film festival.

Cesar also cares deeply about our regional riches, so a more truly national thrust in promotions and projection is in the offing under his stewardship.

While we wish Cesar well in his new endeavor, we hope that his “working vacation” from acting won’t be a permanent “fade to black.”

He can take his cue from Vilma Santos, who has successfully served her Batangas constituents, while still managing to make a film every other year or so. Cesar is too good an actor-filmmaker to focus on public service for keeps, so Vilma’s compromise move could suit his purposes, as well.