Oliver Oliveros - Page 54

Young thespians at Ateneo Blue Repertory pay tribute to Benj Pasek and Justin Paul, the youngest recipients of the prestigious Jonathan Larson Award and the team behind musical revue 'Edges', by presenting their own production of the writing duo's most popular work to date. Ateneo Blue Repertory's 'Edges: A Song Cycle' runs at the Gonzaga Fine Arts Theatre, Ateneo de Manila University until Saturday, July 31, 2010.

The Philippine Opera Company held a press preview of its acclaimed production of Terrence McNally's 'Master Class' Wednesday night, July 28, 2010, one day prior to the reopening of the show, which ran for a limited engagement a few years ago. This group of opera and classical music advocates has been so thrilled to bring back Philippine cinema icon Ms. Cherie Gil in her much-talked about indelible portrayal of opera diva Maria Callas in the Tony award-winning play.

On its tenth anniversary, the Philippine Opera Company ('La Boheme', 'Harana') brings back its critically acclaimed production of Terrence McNally's 1996 Tony award-winning play 'Master Class', starring Philippine cinema icon Ms. Gil in the role of the opera world's grand dame Maria Callas (1923-1977). Presented in a master class format, the straight play explores what could have transpired inside the opera's classroom with Callas at the Juilliard 1971-72, at the time when the dramatic soprano had already lost her voice.

Repertory Philippines, a premier professional theatre company that recently staged Stephen Sondheim's 'Sweeney Todd' and Mark Saltzman's 'Romeo & Bernadette', ends its current season on a high by restaging its old '70s hit play in Peter Shaffer's riveting psychological drama 'Equus'. Seasoned theatre actor but first-time straight play director Audie Gemora ('Sweeney Todd', 'Man of La Mancha') assembles a powerhouse cast in this incarnation of Shaffer's masterpiece headlined by two young and promising thespians Red Concepcion ('Altar Boyz', 'Romeo & Bernadette') and Marco Mañalac ('Nickelodeon', 'Myx VJ Search') alternating as the deeply disturbed seventeen-year-old Alan Strang.

CITIGROUP INC. has announced in the Philippine Daily Inquirer (11/3/09) that CATS, the second longest-running musical in Broadway history, will have a limited run at the Cultural Center of the Philippines (CCP) beginning July 24, 2010. This production will feature Tony winner Lea Salonga as Grizabella, and an international cast that will primarily come from Australia.

Tony award-winning actress Lea Salonga has tripped and sprained her ankle as she was heading to her first stage entrance during the technical and dress rehearsal for the Philippine premiere of the musical 'Cats: Now and Forever' Thursday at the Nicanor Abelardo Theatre of the Cultural Center of the Philippines (CCP) . Ms. Salonga, who dons Grizabella's scruffy costume, and the Australian touring cast and crew of the T.S. Eliot/Andrew Lloyd Webber musical officially open 'Cats' Manila run Saturday, July 24, 2010.

Leslie Lewis Sword and Edward Vilga's critically acclaimed inspirational one-woman play 'Miracle in Rwanda', which made its first round of performances at the TheaterZone, Naples, Florida and at the Ohio Theatre in New York City in 2007, premieres in Manila at the Insular Life Theatre in Makati City from July 14 to 22, 2010 with afternoon and evening performances. The show will tour Vancouver, British Columbia after the Philippines.

Apart from getting new teachers for Broadway-style singing and television acting, 18-year-old international pop singer from the Philippines Charice has reportedly succumbed to availing a non-evasive, 30-minute Thermage skin tightening procedure and botox injections from controversial Filipino cosmetologist Dr. Vicki Belo, as the teenager prepares filming for 'Glee's' second season at the end of the month. New York Magazine has noted that this incident already forced the television show's creator Ryan Murphy 'to rewrite Charice's episode(s) to contain the message: It's important to love and embrace one's naturally round face as it is.'

Young thespians at Ateneo Blue Repertory pay tribute to Benj Pasek and Justin Paul, the youngest recipients of the prestigious Jonathan Larson Award and the team behind musical revue 'Edges', by presenting their own production of the writing duo's most popular work to date. Ateneo Blue Repertory's 'Edges: A Song Cycle' runs at the Gonzaga Fine Arts Theatre, Ateneo de Manila University until Saturday, July 31, 2010.

Leslie Lewis Sword and Edward Vilga's critically acclaimed inspirational one-woman play 'Miracle in Rwanda', which made its first round of performances at the TheaterZone, Naples, Florida and at the Ohio Theatre in New York City in 2007, premieres in Manila at the Insular Life Theatre in Makati City from July 14 to 22, 2010 with afternoon and evening performances. The show will tour Vancouver, British Columbia after the Philippines.

BroadwayWorld Philippines joined first-time straight play director Audie Gemora ('High School Musical On Stage') open Repertory Philippines' 73rd season ender 'Equus' Friday evening, July 9, 2010 at the OnStage Theatre in Greenbelt One, Ayala Malls, Makati City. With seasoned Repertory Philippines actors Miguel Faustmann, who plays middle-aged psychiatrist-narrator Martin Dysart, and Red Concepcion, who portrays seventeen-year-old dangerously atypical Alan Strang, up the marquee, Mr. Gemora has showed his own firm grip of Peter Shaffer's material before his curious audience.

Leslie Lewis Sword and Edward Vilga's critically acclaimed inspirational one-woman play 'Miracle in Rwanda', which made its first round of performances at the TheaterZone, Naples, Florida and at the Ohio Theatre in New York City in 2007, premieres in Manila at the Insular Life Theatre in Makati City from July 14 to 22, 2010 with afternoon and evening performances. The show will tour Vancouver, British Columbia after the Philippines.

Repertory Philippines, a premier professional theatre company that recently staged Stephen Sondheim's 'Sweeney Todd' and Mark Saltzman's 'Romeo & Bernadette', ends its current season on a high by restaging its old '70s hit play in Peter Shaffer's riveting psychological drama 'Equus'. Seasoned theatre actor but first-time straight play director Audie Gemora ('Sweeney Todd', 'Man of La Mancha') assembles a powerhouse cast in this incarnation of Shaffer's masterpiece headlined by two young and promising thespians Red Concepcion ('Altar Boyz', 'Romeo & Bernadette') and Marco Mañalac ('Nickelodeon', 'Myx VJ Search') alternating as the deeply disturbed seventeen-year-old Alan Strang.

Ballet Manila, one of the Philippines' major ballet companies, had recently staged the two-act classic ballet 'Giselle' at Manila Broadcasting Company's Aliw Theatre, Cultural Center of the Philippines Complex, Pasay City, Manila. The ballet stars 45-year-old prima ballerina Lisa Macuja-Elizalde in the title role.

Filipino musical theatre star Sheila Francisco ('South Pacific'- UK , 'High School Musical On Stage' - Manila) does another star turn by portraying the cynical role of Jeanette Burmeister in Pangdemonium's inaugural production of Broadway hit 'The Full Monty' at the Drama Center Theatre in Singapore, with performances from June 18 to July 4, 2010.

The Tony-winning star of MISS SAIGON, Lea Salonga, will play the role of the Glamour Cat Grizabella in the international touring production of Andrew Lloyd Webber's popular musical CATS NOW AND FOREVER running on a limited engagement at the Tanghalang Nicanor Abelardo, Cultural Center of the Philippines (CCP)from July 24 to August 15, 2010.

Paris Broadway Saigon showcases the talents of Filipino singers and former 'Miss Saigon' actors Leila Florentino and Dennis Astorga in 'Simply Broadway,' an evening of classic and contemporary show tunes, at the Theatre de Nesle, 8 rue de Nesle, 75006 Paris on Saturday, June 26, 2010 at 5 p.m., Friday, July 2 at 9 p.m., and Saturday, July 3 at 5 p.m. Patrick Laviosa is musical director. Stephane Ly-Cuong is artistic director.

Tanghalang Pilipino (TP), the theatre company that recently staged Anton Chekhov's 'Three Sisters' and Tennessee Williams' 'A Streetcar Named Desire', will hold auditions for scholarship on June 30, 2010, 1:00 to 6:00 p.m. at the CCP Amado Hernandez, Upper Basement, Tanghalang Pambansa, CCP Complex, Roxas Boulevard, Manila.

Although the piece had been staged in other Asian countries like Korea, Japan and Hong Kong already, 'The Full Monty' that opened at the Drama Center Theatre on June 18, 2010 was the first one in Singapore.

'Our Awesome Planet' (OAP) at www.ourawesomeplanet.com, presents the opening matinee performance of Atlantis Productions Inc.'s staging of Broadway and West End hit musical 'Legally Blonde' on Saturday, June 26, 2010 at the Meralco Theatre. And in gratitude to OAP's around 6,000 regular readers and 14,000 Facebook followers, the top lifestyle blog will be giving away a few Orchestra Side seats, and some discount tickets to 'Legally Blonde'.