Celebs’ choice of carols vivifies glorious ‘reasons for the season’

(First of two parts)

There’s nothing more potent than the country’s top artists expressing emotions in a song.

For Christmas this year, we have a special treat for you, dear readers: To spread some Yuletide cheer and bring the spirit of the season closer to home than it already is, we asked some titans of the entertainment biz—a number of them our dearest and closest friends—to take part in this special celebrity forum: If you could sing a carol to anyone on Christmas Day, who would you sing it to and why?Their answers, we must admit, tugged at our heartstrings, proving once again how the explosive combo of music and intention insightfully strung together transcends mere words.

Nora Aunor’s carols of hope and compassion

The country’s one and only Superstar said she would sing any Christmas song to all the people “disenfranchised” by the ills, injustices and calamities of our chaotic world—but most especially to children needing parental care.

Ate Guy, who topbills the Metro Manila Film Festival entry “Isa Pang Bahaghari” and the GMA 7 teleserye “Bilangin ang Bituin sa Langit,” explained this in her own words: “Gusto kong awitan ang mga street children, ang mga batang maagang nawalan ng pamilya, ang mga batang nangarap at naghahanap ng pagkalinga at pagmamahal ng magulang, kapatid at kamag-anak.

“Gusto kong maipadama sa kanila, lalo na sa mga batang mahihirap ang kahalagahan, kaligayahan, pag-asa at pagmamahal na matagal nang dapat nilang nadama, lalo na ngayong Pasko.“Gusto ko ring alayan ng awit ang pamilya ng mga kababayan nating mahihirap, pamilyang namatayan dahil sa pandemya, mga front-liners, doctor at nurses, at sa mga taong nawalan ng trabaho. Pinagdarasal ko pa rin sa Diyos na sana maging masaya at maayos pa rin sa kanila at sa ating lahat ang darating na Pasko.

“Hindi tayo dapat mawalan ng pag-asa dahil naniniwala ako sa kasabihang, ‘Kung may hirap, may ginhawa.’ Mahal tayong lahat ng Diyos at kailanman hindi Niya tayo pababayaan. Maligayang Pasko po sa lahat!”

Celeste Legaspi’s Christmas with her mama

I missed my mom, who’s in Davao, even more after I spoke to another industry icon, the lovely and irrepressible Celeste Legaspi, whose next movie-production venture is “Song of the Fireflies,” Culturtain Musicat’s followup to the groundbreaking screen musical “Ang Larawan.”

Celeste’s recollections of experiencing what she described as a distinctly Pinoy Christmas made us think of my own: “To my mama, I’d sing ‘Simbang Gabi’ by Lucio San Pedro,” Celeste told us. “Although I never really made going to Simbang Gabi a practice, this traditional Christmas activity and song always made me think of my mama. Maybe because of the lyrics, ‘Lalakad kaming langkay-langkay,’ and I would see those days when I was a child, and it would be nippy, and I’d cuddle my mama.

“Or ‘Hindi namin malimot-limutan ang masarap na puto’t suman’… because my mama would always make sure our Christmas table was laden with yummy Filipino foods. And maybe because those days with her were my innocent days, filled with love and warmth, so far away from these days of COVID-19 and red-tagging and when even singing in public can be dangerous.”

Sheila Francisco’s ‘note to self’

The ruminative reason behind theater luminary Sheila Francisco’s choice of song also resonated with me because it reminded me of the beauty of self-expression, introspection and growth. We learn more as we get older, indeed.

Sheila, who just turned a year younger last Tuesday, is one of Philippine theater’s finest theater practitioners, having portrayed the coveted role of Bloody Mary in the National Theater production of “South Pacific” in 2001 and 2002 in London, followed by a yearlong UK tour of the musical in 2007.

Her last show before the series of lockdowns in Metro Manila was the acclaimed musical “Himala.” She was set to do “Oliver” for Atlantis and was already rehearsing Repertory Philippines’ “Carousel” revival when the pandemic shut down the entire theater industry.

“I choose ‘O Holy Night,’ and I would sing and explain it to my young self,” Sheila said.

“You see, the only obsession I had about Christmas was Santa and the anticipation of getting the gifts I asked for. And because my birthday falls on the 22nd, I would even save opening my birthday gifts till Christmas morn, making it appear I received more than my siblings.

“I had no concept of Jesus Christ born as Savior. Yes, we were taught by the nuns at school, but as a child, I had no revelation of what that meant. Christ being born is truly the reason for the season. He gave himself to us so we can be saved. “If I knew that earlier, I think I would have been less concerned about material stuff. Less disappointed when I didn’t get what I wanted. Less obsessed about receiving, and more joyous with giving. By His grace, I eventually learned the true meaning of Christmas.”

Tommy Abuel’s ‘White Christmas’ confession

“I’ve been your fan since I was a kid—and you’re just what I aspire to be when I grow up,” we’d often rib acting legend Tommy Abuel during lulls at rehearsals or over extended catchups on the phone. But while they’re delivered in jest, which often made Tommy chuckle, they were nonetheless more than half-meant.

In fact, we can’t wait to see Tommy on our screens again— in movies and teleseryes that would benefit from his cachet- boosting presence—especially after his “forced” hiatus from acting due to the pandemic. After all, there’s nobody as seasoned and as viewable as Tommy when he’s made to strut his thespic stuff.

We admired Tommy even more after learning how he continued to stay optimistic despite going through what he described as “na-Ondoy, Part 2” when Typhoon “Ulysses” wreaked havoc last month on his home in Marikina, where he resides. As his answer to our question would demonstrate, it’s this wisdom-filled, “glasshalf- full” attitude that truly sets the actor apart from other celebrities.

“Here’s my answer to your question: I’d sing ‘White Christmas,’” he said. “The first few words of the song goes, ‘I’m dreaming of a white Christmas,’ etc. But I have a confession to make: Ever since I was subjected to ‘colonial brainwashing’ by those glossy, feel-good commercial Hollywood movies with holiday- season themes and be mesmerized by the gleaming white winter landscapes and snow, it’s been a dream since I was a kid to experience a white Christmas.

“So, I would sing ‘White Christmas’ to myself—to remind myself to keep on dreaming, to hope for a white, bright holiday season, and also, as a way for me to hold on to something in these dark, uncertain pandemic days. I just have one little problem, I CAN’T SING (laughs)! Merry Christmas to all!”

When I reminded Tommy that I cast him (as the Mysterious Man), along with the exceptional likes of Menchu Lauchengco-Yulo, Michael Williams, Cathy Azanza-Dy, Crisel Consunji, Joaquin Valdes, Juno Henares, Red Concepcion and many other theater luminaries, in Sondheim’s “Into the Woods,” the musical that I directed for Monique Wilson’s New Voice Company in 2007, the self-deprecating Tommy replied with tongue firmly in cheek, “Well, dinaan na lang ’yun sa acting and, for the most part, just ignored the singing (laughs)!”

Of course we told the award-winning actor that regardless of platform or genre, it’ll always be an honor for any production to have him around.

Ricky Davao’s ‘plea for better days’

I was also thrilled to talk to Ricky Davao for this forum. I last worked with the versatile actor-director in “Loving the NUT,” the 2018 CCP tribute show for legendary writer-editor- director Nestor U. Torre that I wrote and directed.

“The Seed of Love,” the series that Ricky began directing for GMA 7 in early March had to fold following the COVID-19 shutdown, but the actor hasn’t really run out of things to do: Ricky just won a much-deserved Famas early this week for his show-stopping portrayal of a closeted and sexually needy mayor in “*F*ccboys.” Recently, he directed “Pagbabalik Tanaw sa Unang Hari ng Balagtasan” for CCP, and is currently an actor and director in the TV5 series “Paano Ang Pasko?”

“It’s easier to sing than to actually pick a song for this deceptively ‘easy’ question,” Ricky told me the first time I broached the idea for the forum. “My choice would be ‘Have Yourself a Merry Little Christmas,’ and I choose it for its great melody as much as for lyrics that is very relevant in these troubled times: ‘Here we are as in olden days, happy golden days of yore/ Faithful friends who are dear to us/ Gather near to us once more.’

“More than anything, it’s a prayer for hope and plea for better days ahead, ‘From now on our troubles will be out of sight….’”

Spot on, Ricky! INQ

(To be concluded tomorrow)