Photos: BOURNE LEGACY's John Arcilla Serenades Crowd with Broadway Songs

New York, August 23, 2013--Mainstream cinemagoers may be familiar with John Arcilla's brief film part in the action flick "The Bourne Legacy," starring Jeremy Renner and Rachel Weisz. But little is known about Arcilla's strong stage roots, which began in his home country, the Philippines.

Arcilla headlined a benefit concert, featuring mainly Broadway songs, accompanied by pianist Bobby Ramiro, Tuesday, August 20, at the Kalayaan Hall on Fifth Avenue to raise funds for the various charity programs of the Yonkers Millennium Lions Club.

We felt Arcilla started a bit jittery opening the concert with uninspired and predictable song choices: "Tonight" from "West Side Story" and "Some Enchanted Evening" from "South Pacific." However, he reclaimed the night when he revisited his previous stage role as Valentin, a political prisoner, in a Philippine production of John Kander and Fred Ebb's musical adaptation of "Kiss of the Spiderwoman."

In the concert's more dynamic, mobile second act compared to the first act, Arcilla sang Valentin's signature song, "Day After That"--sans a backup chorus required in a full production--with strong, almost operatic baritone singing. He owned the stage from that point on.

Photos by Oliver Oliveros