There’s something about ‘Katy’

DELA CRUZ. Bodabil queen.

IN the early 1980s, I did a TV feature on bodabil queen, Katy dela Cruz—and promptly fell in love with her. She was so deliciously feisty, brassy, a gifted and giving entertainer, and full of life and stories about her colorful career, which had taken her from the pits to the pinnacle of the entertainment world, not just here but also in the States and elsewhere.

One of my most memorable moments as a film director was when I brought her and the similarly iconic Bayani Casimiro out of retirement to play pivotal roles in a Nora Aunor musical starrer.

So, when the newly formed Music Theater Philippines asked me for a concept for an original Filipino musical, I immediately suggested a show about Katy  dela Cruz’s prodigiously colorful and eventful life and times—and producers, Celeste Legaspi and Girlie Rodis, enthusiastically green-lit the project.

SRO run

Flashforward to the end of the “Katy” musical’s long, SRO run, and we were all most gratified to see that it had been hailed by two reviewers as the artistic event of the year. It was further credited with proving that a Filipino musical could emerge as a popular and artistic triumph—thanks to the glorious music of Ryan Cayabyab, the witty script and lyrics of Joey Reyes, and the show’s stellar performances, led by Mitch Valdes’ memorably luminous portrayal of the title character.

Local vaudeville shows are recalled by this production number from an old musical film.

These thoughts come to mind, because I’ve just come from a meeting with Spotlight Artists Center’s Robert Seña and Isay Alvarez, and they confirmed that Spotlight’s revival of “Katy” slated for September this year is a “go,” with auditions slated for this Sunday at the Spotlight studio.

All roles are open for casting, so we hope that the best and the brightest of our musical talents will audition to become a part of what we trust will be a triumphant revival of this iconic work. Tomorrow’s auditions are for principal and support roles only (call 899-8089 or 0922 898-6644 to preregister).

“Katy” is one of the toughest shows we’ve done, but we’re sure glad we directed it, because it turned out to be the glowing tribute that Katy dela Cruz richly deserved. In addition, it also paid tribute to the colorful and long tradition of bodabil and other popular stage presentations in the country.

Tears of joy

BAYANI Casimiro

I can still remember the tears of joy and pride with which the audience rewarded the members of the cast and artistic staff for their heartfelt evocation of the 60 long years that Mommy Katy’s entertainment career spanned. They were profuse in their gratitude for a show that vivified the best that Filipino talent could be, in a field “colonially” dominated by foreign “imports.”

The big P64,000 question now is, who will play the musical’s much-coveted title role in its 2012 restaging? Tomorrow’s auditions will help us answer that question, so we hope that our best talents will vie for the plum role—as well as for the other great parts in the show—Katy as a child, Katy as a young teen, her father; her husband, Peping; Olivia, the aging vaudeville star; Katy’s close friends, Mary Walter, Patsy Patchochay and Hanna-San; the young Dolphy, Bayani Casimiro

—etc.!