Oliver Oliveros - Page 21

The original London production of Claude-Michel Schonberg and Alain Boublil's musical adaptation of Victor Hugo's classic novel LES MISERABLES (LES MIS), which was Messrs Schonberg and Boublil's first collaboration with theater producer Cameron Mackintosh, opened to very mixed reviews from the critics in 1985. But 'LES MIS has always been big for criticism,' says Meghan Lewit for The Atlantic. 'Bombast? Bathos? That's the point. The original production [which remains intact and continues to play at the Queen's Theatre in London until today] has endured because it gave audiences exactly what they wanted.'

Sixteen Bars and Staple and Perk Bakery, together with Fringe Manila, present "It's De-Lovely: Broadway Open Mic" at Staple and Perk Bakery (Ecoplaza Building Ground Floor, 2306 Chino Roces Avenue Extension, Makati City) on Tuesday, February 16, from 8 p.m. to 12 midnight. Registration (P200 for a slot: a song or a monologue, dialogue, or scene) will start from 7 p.m. to 8 p.m. on the same day.

'I'm very excited that we're bringing the new production of LES MISERABLES (LES MIS) to Manila. I hope to see you there!' - Rachelle Ann Go, Fantine replacement, LES MIS Original London Production

After a 19-month run across Australia (Melbourne, Perth, Sydney, and Brisbane), amassing 588 performances, Cameron Mackintosh's acclaimed reimagined production of Claude-Michel Schonberg and Alain Boublil's 30-year-old megamusical LES MISERABLES closes today, January 17, at Queensland Performing Arts Centre's (QPAC) 2,000-seat Lyric Theatre. Fans of the musical can still catch the free supplementary exhibition titled 'Les Miserables: From Page to Stage' at QPAC's Tony Gould Gallery until this Friday, January 23.

There has been an increased interest for tickets to behemoth, long-running musical LES MISERABLES (LES MIS) since its major producer Cameron Mackintosh and Philippine partner Concertus Manila announced last September that the acclaimed Australian touring production of the the revamped 25th anniversary production of LES MIS, which must close this Sunday, January 17, at the Lyric Theatre, Queensland Performing Arts Centre in Brisbane will transfer to The Theatre at Solaire, Solaire Resort and Casino in Manila starting Friday, March 11. Due to the high demand for tickets, which can be purchased at TicketWorld.com.ph, Mr. Mackintosh and Concertus Manila have released a new set of tickets that will extend performances in Manila until Sunday, April 17, thus far.

Atlantis Theatrical Entertainment Group (ATEG) brings the first international production of the book-to-stage adaptation of Robert James Waller's THE BRIDGES OF MADISON COUNTY to Manila. Already buoyed by early rave reviews, the production premiered last Friday, November 20, and will run until Sunday, December 6, at Carlos P. Romulo Auditorium (4/F RCBC Plaza, Ayala Ave. cor. Gil Puyat Ave., Makati City).

18 months after it opened in Melbourne, the original Australian production of Cameron Mackintosh's reimagined edition of the 30-year-old megamusical LES MISERABLES officially opened at Queensland Performing Arts Centre's (QPAC) largest venue, the 2,000 seat Lyric Theatre, last November 13.

'If you don't have a camera zooming straight into the eyes or catching a close-up of a hand touching another hand, it doesn't work,' said Claude-Michel Schonberg, the French composer of now 30-year-old musical 'Les Miserables' (Les Mis), when asked about the possibility of adding the Oscar-nominated song 'Suddenly,' especially written for the 2012 movie adaptation, to 'Les Mis' onstage.

Australian actors Kerrie Anne Greenland (Eponine), Chris Durling (Enjolras), and Emily Langridge (Cosette) will join previously announced cast members Simon Gleeson (Jean Valjean), Earl Carpenter (Javert), and Rachelle Ann Go (Fantine) when the new Asian Tour of the newly reimagined LES MISERABLES (LES MIS) kicks off at The Theatre at Solaire (1 Aseana Ave. Entertainment City, Paranaque City) in March 2016. Visit TicketWorld.com.ph to buy tickets.

Best known for her role as Meredith Parker in the UK transfer of 'Bat Boy: The Musical,' Rebecca Vere, who also appeared in the London productions of 'South Pacific' and 'Hair,' joins Andy Reiss ('Les Miserables'), David Fawcett ('Les Miserables'), and Katie Leeming ('Les Miserables)' in BEYOND THE BARRICADE In Concert at The Theatre, Solaire Resorts and Casino tonight, October 7, at 8 p.m.

Best known for her role as Meredith Parker in the UK transfer of 'Bat Boy: The Musical,' Rebecca Vere, who also appeared in the London productions of 'South Pacific' and 'Hair,' joins Andy Reiss ('Les Miserables'), David Fawcett ('Les Miserables'), and Katie Leeming ('Les Miserables)' in BEYOND THE BARRICADE In Concert at The Theatre, Solaire Resorts and Casino on Wednesday, October 7, at 8 p.m.

Sir Cameron Mackintosh, the legendary producer of 'Les Miserables' ('Les Mis'), recently announced the Australian company of the completely reimagined edition of 'Les Mis'--similar to the production that's currently running on Broadway--will tour across Asia, starting with Manila, Philippines.

To think globally and act locally in the current age of globalization might seem a little bit of a cliche; 'but it's far less common for [global] companies to really get it right because it's not just about [having] a local language website,' says The Economist. 'It means being where your customer is, speaking to them in their own language and, crucially, having culturally relevant messages and content.' Where most of these companies fail repeatedly, grassroots theater company Philippine Stagers Foundation (PSF) successfully embraces the decades-old mantra, especially resounding and resplendent in its current touring production, '#popepular: Pa'no Kung Pinoy Si Kiko?,' a new Filipino musical in Tagalog (Filipino).

Performing arts education advocates Sixteen Bars brought back their highly successful series of open mics titled SHOW OFF: BROADWAY OPEN MIC, where any musical theater enthusiast could turn up and perform a song on stage, at DITO: Bahay ng Sining (J. Molina Street, Marikina City) last July 25.

Of her role in SINGIN' IN THE RAIN, Bethany Dickson says, 'Kathy Selden is ambitious, full of sunshine and positivity! To stay true to the character, that's my mission - that the character maintains that feisty, bubbly ambition that Debbie Reynolds portrayed in the movie.'

When compared to SUNSET BOULEVARD, which follows the same classic film-to-stage pedigree as SINGIN' IN THE RAIN and tackles the same dilemma of making the transition from silent films to talkies in the 1920s - albeit of psychological melodrama in genre compared to the latter's rollicking parody - SUNSET BOULEVARD had big stars of stage and screen who headlined West End and Broadway. SINGIN' IN THE RAIN did not delve into such stunt casting from the onset - unless you consider Tommy Steele, who originated the role of Don Lockwood in the West End, as big as Elvis Presley or Gene Kelly, the silver screen's original Lockwood.

Performing arts education advocates Sixteen Bars are bringing their highly successful series of Open mics titled SHOW OFF: BROADWAY OPEN MIC, where any musical theater enthusiast can turn up and perform a song on stage, to DITO: Bahay ng Sining (J. Molina St., Marikina City with tel. no. 63917-511-4556) tonight, July 25, from 7 to 11 p.m.

Performing arts education advocates Sixteen Bars are bringing their highly successful series of Open mics titled SHOW OFF: BROADWAY OPEN MIC, where any musical theater enthusiast can turn up and perform a song on stage, to DITO: Bahay ng Sining (J. Molina St., Marikina City with tel. no. 63917-511-4556) on Saturday, July 25, from 7 to 11 p.m.

(It's not summer anymore in the Philippines!) There are only two seasons in the Philippines: the dry season and the wet season, which starts in June and ends in August (third quarter); nevertheless, the local theater scene remains bustling with noteworthy theatrical productions during these 'bring your umbrella' months.

Community lifestyle magazine Fil-Am Who's Who, together with corporate sponsors Philippine Airlines, Kit Silver Jewellery, Robinsons Land, The Zen Institute, and GMA International, is presenting top Philippine fashion designer Renee Salud's new twists on the Philippine formal wear in a fashion show at Double Tree by Hilton Hotel Newark (128 Frontage Rd., Newark, New Jersey) on Saturday, June 27, at 7 p.m.