Into The Woods combines the well-known fairy tales of Cinderella, Rapunzel, Jack and the Beanstalk, and Little Red Riding Hood with the story of the Baker and his Wife who desperately want a child. Unfortunately, the Baker and his Wife have been cursed with childlessness by a witch and must perform various missions involving the characters in the other fairy tales to break the spell. The Baker and his Wife must bring the witch a cow as white as milk, a cape as red as blood, hair as yellow as corn, and a slipper as pure as gold. Once the characters have accomplished their goals, however, they learn about the pitfalls of greed and gluttony. Finally, they learn about the need for community and unity and the power of wishes and dreams.

PERFORMANCE DATES: November 9 - December 8, 2007 (Fridays and Saturdays): 8pm
VENUE: Music Museum
DIRECTION: RITO ASILO

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I enjoyed watching this play so much that it has taken me this long to write about it (I watched on 25 November 2007). It is soooo good and the actors are phenomenal! Ordinarily when I watch plays I like to be within spitting distance. For this one (for financial reasons) we sat at the balcony (aka nosebleed section, which wasn't bad, actually since the Music Museum is an intimate theater) and we had an excellent view of most of the set. I think the only part we really didn't see was Cinderella's mom (ghost).

The Story:
I haven't read The Uses of Enchantment from which the script was based but after watching the play, I am intrigued about it now. I found it interesting how several Grimm fairy tales were interwoven into one story. I also thought it was interesting to see what happens after "happily ever after". For me, the conclusion actually made sense.

The Actors: Performances that stood out for me
Julia Abueva as Little Red Riding Hood. For an 11 year old, her singing voice is very mature. She sounds better than many seasoned singers I have heard. She is also a fantastic actor. I'm surprised that I haven't heard as much about her as her talent warrants. I await the day she gets to perform in Broadway and at the West End. I'll keep her in my radar from now on and will do my best to watch her future performances.

Cathy Azanza as Cinderella. When she sings it seems to effortless you almost don't notice the impossibly high notes that she hits as she does her trills and runs, especially at the scenes where she is talking to the birds. I didn't like her ball gown. I think the costumer should have come up with something better. She actually looked better in the cinder-covered clothes.

Menchu Lauchengo-Yulo as the baker's wife is not only an excellent singer but is also an excellent actor. My favorite scene with her in it is the one where she encounters Prince Charming in the woods in the second act. She is a good wife and tries to resist his charms and yet ... who hasn't dreamed of catching the eye of a prince? She portrayed her role so well that I actually forgot who she was and so only the character.

Missy Maramara as The Narrator. Interesting portrayal. Very authoritative and matter of fact. Her timing was also excellent! Of course, with such a wonderful script and score, who can help but give a great performance, right? Even to the end when she is sacificed to the Giantess, she still tried to stand on her dignity, without much success! hehehe. But then, that was still in character.

John Mulhall as Rapunzel's prince. I will admit it. I have a little bit of a crush on him, hehehe. You can't deny, he's a hottie. And it helps that he is chockful of talent. I thought it was funny how he married Rapunzel and later ended up being Snow White's prince. I was able to see him perform in the past for Trumpets. I believe it was in The Little Mermaid.

Lynn Sherman as The Witch. What can I say? I love you, Lynn! Not only are you a friend, you are also a fantastic singer and actor. I can't judge you as a dancer since I haven't seen that yet, hehehe. I wanted to ask though, how come you were cast as a witch, again? Just curious. You definitely did the role justice. Bernadette Peters is a tough act to follow. I love Bernadette Peters, too, hehehe.

Joaqui Valdez as Jack surprised me. Despite the bulging muscles, he came across as shy and unsure, totally embracing his character as Jack (of Jack and the Beanstalk). His relationship with his cow, Milky, was sweet and the scene where he says goodbye to her was poignant. I was told beforehand by my daughter that he was a good singer so I knew to expect a good singing performance from him. I was heartened to learn he wasn't all song but had the acting ability, too.

Michael Williams as the baker. My favorite scene ... when he was trying to take the red cape from Little Red Riding Hood. I thought it was priceless! I keep getting this feeling that I've seen him acting many times before. It is highly possible I have. He is, after all, a seasoned stage actor. I took a peek at his credits and one play jumped out at me. They're Playing Our Song, which, I believe, was performed with Lea Salonga at the Aguinaldo Theater. I remember I watched it 2 or 3 times, hehehe.

Jamie Wilson as Prince Charming/the wolf. I'll be honest with you. I wasn't all that excited to learn he was Prince Charming --- but only because he doesn't fit the mold of MY Prince Charming. Does that make sense? But that is irrelevant because he was great as both the wolf and as Prince Charming. In the scene where he seduces the baker's wife in the woods I was tempted to hide behind my hands and squeal. I was thinking, "Oh, no, he will NOT!" And of course, he did. After a few too many kisses, they got it on ... in the woods!

The Music:
Kudos to Stephen Sondheim for his genius in the composition and scoring of this fantastic musical! Click HERE if you want to hear the music for yourself. That list is the original broadway recording of Into The Woods.

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If you are into musicals and you haven't watched it yet, I suggest you find the time to do so. I promise, it is worth every peso. Click HERE for the teaser video.

Into the Woods is an award-winning musical with music and lyrics by Stephen Sondheim and book by James Lapine. It debuted in San Diego at the Old Globe Theatre in 1986, and premiered on Broadway in 1987. Bernadette Peters' performance as the Witch, and Joanna Gleason's portrayal of the Baker's Wife, brought acclaim to the production during its original Broadway run. Into the Woods won several Tony Awards, including Best Score, Best Book, and Best Actress in a Musical (Joanna Gleason), in a year dominated by The Phantom of the Opera. The musical has been produced many times, with a 1988 national tour, a 1990 West End production, a 1991 television production, a 1997 tenth anniversary concert, a 2002 Los Angeles production and a 2002 Broadway revival.

Inspired by Bruno Bettelheim's 1976 book, The Uses of Enchantment, the musical intertwines the plots of several Brothers Grimm fairy tales and follows them further to explore the consequences of the characters' wishes and quests. The main characters are taken from the stories of Little Red Riding Hood, Jack and the Beanstalk, Rapunzel, and Cinderella, tied together by an original story involving a Baker and his wife and their quest to begin a family, and including references to several other well-known tales.

SYNOPSIS:
Into The Woods blends various familiar fairy tales with an original story of a childless Baker and his Wife, who catalyze the action of the story by attempting to reverse a curse on their family in order to have a child.

In the first act, the characters set out to achieve their goal of living "Happily Ever After" through familiar routes - Cinderella goes to the Ball and captures the heart of Prince Charming, Jack climbs the Beanstalk and finds a land of Giants and Gold, Little Red Riding Hood survives her clash with the wolf at Grandma's house, and Rapunzel manages to escape her tower with the aid of a handsome prince who climbs her long hair. The Baker and his Wife move through their stories while pursuing their own goal - the Witch who keeps Rapunzel has put the curse on his house, and agrees to lift it if the Baker and his Wife can find the ingredients to help her reverse a spell which her mother has laid on her, keeping her old and ugly.

Those ingredients are:

• A Slipper As Pure As Gold, which the Baker's Wife gets from Cinderella
• A Cow As White As Milk, which the Baker buys from Jack in exchange for magic beans
• A Cape As Red As Blood, which the Baker gets from Little Red Riding Hood in exchange for freeing her and Granny from the Wolf
• Hair As Yellow As Corn, which they get from Rapunzel.

The ingredients are gathered, and the spell works, stripping the Witch of her power, but restoring her beauty. At the end of Act I, all the characters seem poised to live "Happily Ever After".

Act Two, however, deals with the consequences that traditional fairy tales conveniently ignore. What does one do with a dead Giant in the back yard? Does marrying a Prince really lead to a happy and fulfilling life? Is carving up the wolf the solution? Is the Giant always wrong? In Act two, all the characters must deal with what happens AFTER "Happily Ever After". As they face a genuine threat to their community, they realize that all actions have consequences, and their lives are inescapably interdependent, but also that that interdependence is their greatest strength.

CHARACTERS:

Narrator Baker Baker's wife Witch Rapunzel Rapunzel's Prince

Little Red Riding Hood Granny The Wolf Jack Jack's mom The Giantess

Cinderella Cinderella's father Cinderella's mother (ghost) Stepmother Florinda (stepsister) Lucinda (stepsister) Prince Charming The Prince's Steward

Here is the list of songs in chronological order:

1. Into The Woods (Prologue)
2. Cinderella At The Grave
3. Hello Little Girl
4. I Guess This Is Goodbye/Maybe They're Magic
5. I Know Things Now
6. A Very Nice Prince/First Midnight/Giants In The Sky
7. Agony
8. It Takes Two
9. Stay With Me
10. On The Steps of the Palace
11. Ever After
12. So Happy (Act 2 Prologue)
13. Agony (Reprise)
14. Lament
15. Any Moment/Moments In The Woods
16. Your Fault/Last Midnight
17. No More
18. No One Is Alone
19. Children Will Listen (Finale)

For some reasons there are some songs that don't want to upload. Weird.

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This popular musical was recently performed by the New Voice Company at the Music Museum (from November 9 to December 8, 2007). I had the opportunity to watch it with my daughter last November 25. I loved it so much I had to find the soundtrack online. Watch out for my review within the next few days.

Background (taken from Wikipedia):
The Chocolate War is a young adult novel written by American author Robert Cormier and first published in 1974. It was adapted into a film in 1988. Although it received mixed reviews at the time of its publication, it has since been identified as one of the best young adult novels of all time. Set at the fictional Trinity High School, the story follows protagonist Jerry Renault as he challenges the school's cruel, brutal, and ugly mob rule. Because of the novel's language, the concept of a high school's secret society using intimidation to enforce the cultural norms of the school, and the protagonist's sexual ponderings, it has been the frequent target of censors and appears at number four on the American Library Association's list of the "100 Most Frequently Challenged Books of 1990-2000".

Plot:
High school freshman Jerry's mother has recently died. The novel opens with his try out for the football team, a scene in which he is continually battered but keeps getting up and trying again. His prep school, Trinity, is effectively run by "the Vigils," a secret school society who keep the other students under control by giving cruel "assignments." The novel alternates among several points of view, including Jerry; Archie, the Vigil "assigner"; Obie, Archie's sidekick; and other Trinity students. The novel explores Jerry's loneliness and sexual frustration, and Jerry frequently ponders the quotation posted inside his locker: "Do I dare disturb the universe?" from T. S. Eliot's "The Love Song of J. Alfred Prufrock".

Brother Leon, the assistant headmaster of the school, is striving to be headmaster. He believes that if he gets the students to sell twice as many boxes of chocolates at twice the price during their annual chocolate sale, the funds raised will aid him in getting the headmaster position. To motivate the students, he asks Archie and the Vigils for their help. The Vigils promise to support the chocolate sale, but give Jerry an assignment to refuse to sell chocolates during the first ten days of the sale and then take the chocolates afterwards. Even after the ten days are past, Jerry still refuses, angering Brother Leon and the Vigils. His continued refusal results in his becoming the victim of harassment and violence. In the end, the Vigils con Jerry into participating in a 'boxing match' in which he is completely beaten.

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It has been many years since I've watched an amateur stage performance that did not include my daughter and after watching Chocolate War by StageFX (Xavier School's Theater Production) I suddenly remembered why.

The teenage audience is not aware of proper theater behaviour. They are noisy and rowdy, they talk loud before, during, and after the performance, and their ushers are a joke. The ushers have no control over the audience and, when giving out programs, they seem to look everywhere but at the people who need the programs. Imagine this --- he stands at the side and raises his voice and waves a program in his hand and says, "free programs!" and then proceeds to give it out to his classmates and other students. Meanwhile, the other guests (who are obviously NOT from Xavier because we are the wrong gender, and in my case, much older) are ignored and if I hadn't shouted, "Hey! Can we have a program here!" I don't think we would have been given any at all. This, by the way was after he'd passed up and down our row 5 times and I had tried to call his attention each time. I was pissed at the usher and also quite pissed at the Xavier students beside me who obviously heard that I needed a program. Would it have hurt to call the attention of the usher? Is proper behaviour and decorum no longer taught in boys' schools?

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Direction:
Call me puritanical but there were so many sexual references that it was appalling! This is not something you will see in a school production in of an all girls' school, that's for sure. Possibly because, at the same age, girls are not as preoccupied with sex as boys are. I know I wasn't. Also, homophobia was so obvious! Was that really in the story or is it the interpretation of Joseph Robinette? Or is it an added flavor by the cast and or crew of StageFX?

I understand from internet searches that this book also supposedly talks of Jerry's sexual frustrations. From the portrayal, though, it seems to focus, not so much on Jerry's sexual state but rather on the fact that everyone onstage (except the teachers) has sex on their minds.

Lights and sounds:
There were a few mess ups like the mic of the V.O. being WAY TOO LOUD, or some parts were the lighting was too dark we couldn't see what was happening onstage but overall, it was okay. Having a live band playing the background music and sound effects was a good decision. It added more depth to the execution of the play.

Set design and props:
The set was stark and simple, and in general worked for the play. But there were portions where I felt a different backdrop would have been good. Good use of the materials on hand, though. One question, though ... what was the purpose of turning the platforms around when so doing changed nothing about the set design?

Cast performance:

• Ms. Arcadio portrays the role of Ellen Barrett. I have three words --- GET ANOTHER ACTOR. She may be pretty but she just can't act. She also needs to learn to project her voice to the audience so that people besides the ones she is in the scene with can actually hear her lines. I didn't hear any of it. I'm just glad the role wasn't that critical.
• Bro. Coloma (obviously not a student of Xavier but rather a teacher) played Jerry's father (but alternates as Brother Leon on other performance nights) in the show I watched and he was EXCELLENT in the role! Kudos! Two thumbs up! I'm speechless!
• CJ Francisco as David Caroni. Sweetie, you've got talent. I was pleased to see you deliver a great performance. I was surprised to hear your voice carry across the room and how well you emote your lines. You definitely have a future in showbiz. I just have to ask ... why do you sit in your chair that way? It was notable in its difference? Was it part of the direction or is it just the way you sit? Everyone else had their feet on the ground, you would raise your feet up and rest them on the horizontal bar under your chair. It's not bad, it's just different, and therefore, noticeable.
• John Huang is Obie, seemingly the record keeper of the vigils. Okay, here I will admit to some confusion. When he first came onstage I thought he was portaying an older person. Possibly a teacher, or school employee or a father. Imagine my surprise when I discovered much, much later in the play that he is supposed to be a student ... and a teenager at that! Honey, it is possible to act serious without seeming old. You just have to find the correct balance. Remember, you are supposed to be acting your age but with a tad more maturity, but only because that is role in the play.
• Jerick Kho (What an interesting name, hehehe.) plays the role of Emile Janza, the school tough guy. I won't deny it, I liked this guy. He did good.
• Lamberto Lauengco is Carter. To be truthful, I don't remember who Carter is in the play, was he the one with the hammer/gavel? The one who was president of The Vigils? If he was then I have one word for him --- SERIOUSLY! I mean, overzealous much with the pounding, ain't ya?The first time you did it was okay. But repetitively, with the same (or increasing) intensity as the play progresses ... SERIOUSLY! Thumbs down, my friend.
• Mr. Legaspi is Bro. Leon --- assistant headmaster, teacher, and local dictator at Trinity. His performance was one dimensional, but then, so was the role. I would love to see him in a different kind of role just to see his versatility. Mr. Legaspi definitely has a good oratorical voice. The eyebrow thing, though ... I wonder if that is acting or if it is his normal expression. Either way, it suits him.
• Varrick Lee is Gregory Bailey. You might find your self asking, "who?" and I will have to agree with you. I don't think Gregory Bailey played that big a role in the story. But, if I am not mistaken, Varrick also played one of the "narrators/conscience/voices in their heads". In that role, sadly his performance, for me, fell flat. In moments that required forceful speech or punctuation, he would come in soft and sleepy.
• Luis Marcelo is Brian Cochran, the brown-noser student who kept tabs of how many boxes of chocolates the other students sold. While his performance wasn't stellar, it wasn't bad either. He did the role justice.
• Edric Orense is Archie Costello, an upperclassman of Trinity and one of the movers and shakers of "The Vigils". In general he gave a good performance, yet there were times when I thought he walked around too much or didn't do enough with his body or his hands. Amateur stage actors need to remember that on stage, actions have to be exaggerated so that the emotion of the scene can be seen and felt by even the people at the nosebleed section.
• Timothy Quidilla as Hippie. Who? 'Nuff said.
• Sebastian Tangcuenco as Frankie Rollo. Which one was he? I can't tell.
• Christopher Yu as Darcy hands down has got to be my favorite. He was the best actor onstage for this play, and that includes the teachers. He was fantastic.
• Jaime Yu portays the role of Jerry Rinault, the freshman who rebelled against the system and stood up for his beliefs. While Jaime was able to bring the essence of who Jerry is to the audience, I found his performance a tad lackluster and at times inconsistent. His energy would ebb and flow. To his credit, though, his performance improved as the play progressed so possibly it was just a case of nerves.
• Ralph Yu (any relation to Jaime Yu?) plays Roland "Goober" Goubert, best friend of Jerry. Is there some gender confusion here? Is Goober attracted to his best friend, Jerry? Comic relief seems to come naturally to Ralph. He definitely carries off the geeky teenager persona he was portraying. He had his off moments, but they can easily be blamed on inexperience. Good effort, though.

Overall performance:
I am no novice at watching or performing in or involvement in theater productions and this is my honest opinion ...
I've done some spot research online on just what the Chocolate War is and I keep reading the words "banned book" and "best young adult novel". Based on this performance, though, I will have to say, I am not interested in reading the book at all. I'm not saying the cast was bad. (Note the names with in them.) In my personal opinion, StageFX could have chosen a different play, something a little more interesting to a wider audience. CJ, honey, your talents were not maximized in this play but with 2 more years of High School coming up, you will surely get the roles you want that will showcase your and your friends in StagFX talents properly.

P.S. Regarding the song in the end, if you guys can't do it well, don't do it at all. Play a recording instead, or make it a sing-along with the audience. From where I was sitting the song sounded unrehearsed and haphazard.

Dare I disturb the universe? I do. Else, I would not state my honest opinion.

Here are the songs I am/was required to sing during my voice lessons with Teacher Alvin and Teacher Ella.

We tried different kinds of songs. In the end we discovered that my voice is more suited to show tunes, so, as to be expected, here is my repertoire of voice lesson pieces from various Broadway musicals:

1. Cabaret
• Maybe This Time (performed by Liza Minelli)
2. Cats
• The Way We Were(popularized by Barbra Streisand)
3. Fame
• Out Here On My Own (performed by Irene Cara)
4. Jekyll And Hyde
• Someone Like You
5. Oliver
• As Long As He Needs Me (performed by Sarah Brightman)
6. Phantom of the Opera
• Wishing You Were Somehow Here Again (performed by Sarah Brightman)
7. Sunset Boulevard
• With One Look (performed by Sarah Brightman)
• As If We Never Said Goodbye (performed by Sarah Brightman)
8. Wicked
• For Good (performed by Kristin Chenoweth and Idina Menzel)

Miss Saigon by Alain Boublil and Claude-Michel Schonberg is probably the one musical that I regret I never got to watch. When it was first brought here to the Philippines the ticket prices were too pricey for me. I hope that if this musical is ever restaged I will finally get my chance.

I like most of the songs but I would say my favorites are Sun and Moon and Dju Vui Vai. Thank you, Kasuy, for lending me your soundtrack and allowing me to rip it.

For your pleasure, here is a clip taken from Miss Saigon.

This highly popular play about the wicked witch in "The Wizard of Oz" has wonderful music and wonderful actors/voice talents. Idina Menzel plays Elphaba, the "wicked witch". You may recognize her as Maureen from the movie Rent.

Like my daughter, I really like the song Defying Gravity, but I would add to that the song For Good. These two duets tell a story on their own. I loved them so much that I downloaded the sheet music. Here is a video clip of Idina and Kristin singing Defying Gravity at the Tony Awards.



I hope one of the local theater production groups will get around to doing this play soon. If someone has and I didn't notice ... oops! Hehehe. In any case, I will watch it when it comes out.

Hope you enjoy this.

Start:	Oct 12, '07
End:	Oct 14, '07
Location:	Huseng Batute Theater

RAVES
“What makes Sheenly Vee Gener such a fitting Insiang is her freshness. What’s so startling about Gener’s Insiang is that she seems to retain her innocence even AFTER the rape – she looks unchanged except that her eyes have acquired a numbed, unblinking quality. O’Hara, after a period of over twenty five years, has finally stepped up and taken “Insiang” his most famous and possibly finest collaboration work with the late Lino Brocka – and claimed it as his own.”
“The first thing that grabs you about the stage adaptation of Insiang is the stage itself. I thought I had strayed into a piece of slum inferno. It’s a modern day un-fairy tale.”
“Insiang, the play is an event. Chris Millado’s visceral direction and precise, fluid control of the actors make everything come alive.” WINNER!
2003 ALIW AWARDS BEST PLAY
BEST ACTOR RICKY DAVAO
BEST ACTRESS MALU DE GUZMAN
BEST DIRECTOR CHRIS MILLADO
BEST ACTRESS NOMINATION SHEENLY VEE GENER
BEST SUPPORTING ACTRESS NOMINATION MAE PANER

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FACTSHEET
Tanghalang Pilipino, in cooperation with Bright Eyed Boys Events & Ideas, Inc., brings back the stage production that bagged 4 major Aliw awards in 2003 - Best Stage Actor Ricky Davao, Best Stage Actress Malu de Guzman, Best Director Chris Millado and Best Non-Musical Production.  INSIANG also earned nominations for Best Actress Sheenly Vee Gener and Best Supporting Actress Mae Paner.  

INSIANG is the story of a young innocent girl who transforms into a malevolent and scheming character who shocks the community with her revenge. Lino Brocka's film version of the same title garnered major awards at the Cannes Film Festival.  Mario O'Hara's adaptation of his own screenplay, under the direction of Chris Millado, was dubbed as the "theater event of the season”.

When:

October 6, 7, 13, 14, 2007	3:00 P.M.
October 5 (invitational), 6, 7, 12, 13, 14, 2007	8:00 P.M.

Where: Tanghalang Huseng Batute (CCP Studio Theater)

CAST	DADO	Ricky Davao (BEST ACTOR)
	PACING	Mailes Kanapi
	INSIANG	Sheenly Vee Gener  (BEST ACTRESS NOMINEE)
	TOYANG	Mae Paner (BEST SUPPORTING ACTRESS NOMINEE)
		Peewee O’Hara
	DANNY	Paolo O’Hara
	ATONG	McDonnel Bolaños
	BONG	Roeder Camañag
	ATOY	Paolo Rodriguez
	LUDY	Vanni Liwanag
	TAUMBAYAN	Jun Bueta
		Acey Aguilar
CREATIVES	DIRECTOR	Chris Millado (BEST DIRECTOR)
	PLAYWRIGHT	Mario O’Hara
	PRODUCTION DESIGNER	Hesus “Bobot” Lota
	LIGHTING DESIGNER	Joey Nombres
	SOUND DESIGNER	Jethro Joaquin
	FIGHT INSTRUCTOR	Jack Yabut
	TECHNICAL DIRECTOR	Barbara Tan-Tiongco
	PRODUCTION MANAGER	Minette Palcon
	STAGE MANAGER	Mae Bueta-Chavez
	ASSISTANTS	Jun Bueta
		Acey Aguilar

AUDIENCE:     PARENTAL DISCRETION ADVISED.
May be inappropriate for 13 and under.  Insiang is recommended for mature audiences – for strong language, brief nudity, and adult themes.  Children under the age of 4 are not permitted in the theatre.

ARENA SEATING:
On each performance, a limited number of seats are available which offer an exciting and unique way to experience the performance with the action of the show taking place all around the viewer.  Audiences who wish to be seated in the arena are advised to come forty-five (45) minutes prior to the performance time and indicate their preference to the ushers.

SPECIAL EVENT FOR CLASS, COMMUNITY AND CORPORATIONS:
A Q&A session with select members of the cast and creatives can be arranged specially for class, community or company groups regarding themes in INSIANG i.e. gender, women, poverty, “soap opera” and advertising, design, stage fight, and corruption.  Please contact Bright Eyed Boys Events&Ideas, Inc. for more information on this unique experience for student, community and corporate staff.  

TICKET PRICE:

PREMIUM RINGSIDE SEATS	PhP700
ORCHESTRA/BALCONY FREE SEATING	PhP500

I was able to watch Insiang last night (October 4) during the press night with a couple of blogger friends, Anne and Zee.  Unlike them I had never seen the movie version (directed by Lino Brocka in 1976), nor have I heard the radio play, nor seen the first run of Insiang a few years ago.  I had no idea of what the story was about and therefore, had no expectations.  In other words, I was an "Insiang-virgin".

Insiang was written by award winning writer, Mario O'Hara and is a story about a young girl (Insiang) and her life growing up in the slums of Manila.  Directed by Direk Chris Millado, if I had to describe this story in one word, I would have to say it is GRITTY.  It is as close to real life as I have ever seen on stage.  It is a story filled with sex and violence, drama and touches of comedy.  It is real people with real issues without the sugar-coating.

Toyang (played by Mae Paner) acts as the narrator of this play and supplies the comedic elements with her witty comments and quirky view of life.  To her neighbors, she is perceived as a crazy woman because she is always found to be talking to herself.  In the play, of course, she is talking to us, the audience.  Her life is anything but perfect but her sense of humor and appreciation of the absurd allows her to laugh through her tears.

Pacing (played by Mailes Kanapi) is the mother of Insiang.  She has a very amorous nature and often brought men home to spend the night.  She feels that life has dealt her a "bad hand " and takes out her frustrations on Insiang.  She is also very jealous of Insiang's youth and beauty and suspects Insiang of desiring the men she brings home.

The latest man in their life is Dado (played by Ricky Davao), a corrupt public servant and hired gun who got his kicks out of molesting women and beating up defenseless men.  In other words, he was a bully with a gun. From the beginning his attraction for Insiang was apparent.  His posturing is almost laughable and yet has to be scary for a young girl.

Insiang (played by Sheenly Vee Gener) starts off as a sweet, innocent young woman with dreams of love and marriage and "happy ever after" and evolves into a bitter, vengeful, cold woman.  She was 18 years old and in love with Danny, her boyfriend.  Then bad things just seemed to snowball on her which put her in a state akin to catatonia.  Attacked by her "stepfather", attacked by her mother out of jealousy, abandoned by her boyfriend after he got what he wanted ... there seemed no end to the bad things that were happening to her.

This is the ugly side of life.
This is the truth that some of us are lucky enough not to have to face.
The depravations that humans are capable of when their life is filled with misery, frustration, suspicion, jealousy, and envy.

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There are many things about this play that are unique.  The stage design alone is something of a marvel. This three-dimensional set spanned the back and left side of the room with a runway running down the center of the room and a ramp ending at the entrance.  Walking area was approximately 1 meter wide everywhere, and in the case of the runway, that included the portion that was occupied by props (water cans, pails, and wash basins).  The shanties are two and three levels high and Insiang's home, in particular, had action going on at both floors.

Fluids of all kinds
Sitting close to the stage as I am wont to do, it is not uncommon to get splashed on by sweat or spit.  But this is the first time I've encountered soapy (or clean) wash water on stage.  We were told that the faucet was supposed to work.  Unfortunately there must have been a water shortage that night 'cause no water flowed from the tap.  Nevertheless, they did throw "dirty" wash water on the stage and were able to refill the wash basins from the water cans and pails.

Danny peed on stage.  Thankfully he was facing away from the audience in an eskinita so we were spared the view and the splash.

Blood spattered from characters who were injured in altercations.

Sex
Sex is a topic that is often sensored in public entertainment. The sex scenes in this play were very well executed and artistically done. Be prepared for lots of grunts, groans, and partial nudity.  Not even masturbation is taboo.  Two characters openly masturbated as they walked and chatted with their neighbors.

Violence
Fights with fists, knives, guns, and home appliances, not to mention sexual assault, battery, and domestic violence.  And let us not forget the most prevalent violence of all --- VERBAL ABUSE.  The amount of cussing in this play is just ... ridiculous!  It made me flinch everytime but I realize that this is a depiction of real life and in real life at the slums, cussing each other out every other word is common place.

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If you are still deciding whether or not you should watch Insiang, I highly recommend that you do, while you can.  It is definitely a play worth watching.  Insiang is performed live at the Huseng Batute Theater on the following times and dates:

• October 6 at 3:00pm
• October 6 at 8:00pm
• October 7 at 3:00pm
• October 7 at 8:00pm
• October 12 at 8:00pm
• October 13 at 3:00pm
• October 13 at 8:00pm
• October 14 at 3:00pm
• October 14 at 8:00pm

Ticket Price:

• Premium ringside seats - P700
• Orchestra/balcony (free seating) - P500

For tickets please contact Regz at +639228082235 or +639175277361.

Start:	Oct 6, '07
End:	Oct 7, '07
Location:	Huseng Batute Theater

RAVES
“What makes Sheenly Vee Gener such a fitting Insiang is her freshness. What’s so startling about Gener’s Insiang is that she seems to retain her innocence even AFTER the rape – she looks unchanged except that her eyes have acquired a numbed, unblinking quality. O’Hara, after a period of over twenty five years, has finally stepped up and taken “Insiang” his most famous and possibly finest collaboration work with the late Lino Brocka – and claimed it as his own.”
“The first thing that grabs you about the stage adaptation of Insiang is the stage itself. I thought I had strayed into a piece of slum inferno. It’s a modern day un-fairy tale.”
“Insiang, the play is an event. Chris Millado’s visceral direction and precise, fluid control of the actors make everything come alive.” WINNER!
2003 ALIW AWARDS BEST PLAY
BEST ACTOR RICKY DAVAO
BEST ACTRESS MALU DE GUZMAN
BEST DIRECTOR CHRIS MILLADO
BEST ACTRESS NOMINATION SHEENLY VEE GENER
BEST SUPPORTING ACTRESS NOMINATION MAE PANER

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FACTSHEET
Tanghalang Pilipino, in cooperation with Bright Eyed Boys Events & Ideas, Inc., brings back the stage production that bagged 4 major Aliw awards in 2003 - Best Stage Actor Ricky Davao, Best Stage Actress Malu de Guzman, Best Director Chris Millado and Best Non-Musical Production.  INSIANG also earned nominations for Best Actress Sheenly Vee Gener and Best Supporting Actress Mae Paner.  

INSIANG is the story of a young innocent girl who transforms into a malevolent and scheming character who shocks the community with her revenge. Lino Brocka's film version of the same title garnered major awards at the Cannes Film Festival.  Mario O'Hara's adaptation of his own screenplay, under the direction of Chris Millado, was dubbed as the "theater event of the season”.

When:

October 6, 7, 13, 14, 2007	3:00 P.M.
October 5 (invitational), 6, 7, 12, 13, 14, 2007	8:00 P.M.

Where: Tanghalang Huseng Batute (CCP Studio Theater)

CAST	DADO	Ricky Davao (BEST ACTOR)
	PACING	Mailes Kanapi
	INSIANG	Sheenly Vee Gener  (BEST ACTRESS NOMINEE)
	TOYANG	Mae Paner (BEST SUPPORTING ACTRESS NOMINEE)
		Peewee O’Hara
	DANNY	Paolo O’Hara
	ATONG	McDonnel Bolaños
	BONG	Roeder Camañag
	ATOY	Paolo Rodriguez
	LUDY	Vanni Liwanag
	TAUMBAYAN	Jun Bueta
		Acey Aguilar
CREATIVES	DIRECTOR	Chris Millado (BEST DIRECTOR)
	PLAYWRIGHT	Mario O’Hara
	PRODUCTION DESIGNER	Hesus “Bobot” Lota
	LIGHTING DESIGNER	Joey Nombres
	SOUND DESIGNER	Jethro Joaquin
	FIGHT INSTRUCTOR	Jack Yabut
	TECHNICAL DIRECTOR	Barbara Tan-Tiongco
	PRODUCTION MANAGER	Minette Palcon
	STAGE MANAGER	Mae Bueta-Chavez
	ASSISTANTS	Jun Bueta
		Acey Aguilar

AUDIENCE:     PARENTAL DISCRETION ADVISED.
May be inappropriate for 13 and under.  Insiang is recommended for mature audiences – for strong language, brief nudity, and adult themes.  Children under the age of 4 are not permitted in the theatre.

ARENA SEATING:
On each performance, a limited number of seats are available which offer an exciting and unique way to experience the performance with the action of the show taking place all around the viewer.  Audiences who wish to be seated in the arena are advised to come forty-five (45) minutes prior to the performance time and indicate their preference to the ushers.

SPECIAL EVENT FOR CLASS, COMMUNITY AND CORPORATIONS:
A Q&A session with select members of the cast and creatives can be arranged specially for class, community or company groups regarding themes in INSIANG i.e. gender, women, poverty, “soap opera” and advertising, design, stage fight, and corruption.  Please contact Bright Eyed Boys Events&Ideas, Inc. for more information on this unique experience for student, community and corporate staff.  

TICKET PRICE:

PREMIUM RINGSIDE SEATS	PhP700
ORCHESTRA/BALCONY FREE SEATING	PhP500

Start:	Sep 18, '07 3:00p
End:	Sep 18, '07 5:00p
Location:	CCP Little Theater Lobby

Tanghalang Pilipino and Bright Eyed Boys are organizing a quad media presscon for the Mario O'Hara's play, Insiang. Attendees will include representatives of radio, tv, and print and ... finally ... bloggers!

What is in store for us?

• an open forum with the cast and crew of Insiang. If we are lucky, maybe Mario O'Hara will grace us with his presence.
• one on one sessions with members of the cast and crew
• free wifi access for instant blogging and uploading of photos and videos.
• short lessons in stage fighting
• invitations to watch the technical rehearsal and preview of Insiang
• a press kit containing official photos and video clips of the play
• free Airborne access cards
• good food
• and ... a good time!

This event is sponsored by:

• Airborne Access
• Congo Grill
• and (hopefully) Mac (Not the make up, but the laptop and desktop brand.)

If there are any bloggers out there who are interested in having fun with us this coming Tuesday afternoon, give me a holler! The more the merrier!



Official Press Release

BEST PLAY “INSIANG” RETURNS TO THE CCP FOR A LIMITED ENGAGEMENT


Tanghalang Pilipino, in cooperation with Bright Eyed Boys Events & Ideas, Inc., brings back the ALIW Awards Best Play for 2003 “Insiang”. The stage production also bagged the Best Stage Actor, Best Stage Actress, Best Director and nominations for the Best Supporting Actor. From October 5 to 7 and 12 to 14, INSIANG will have a limited run at the Tanghalang Huseng Batute (CCP Studio Theater) with matinees at 3:00 P.M. (Saturdays / Sundays) and evening shows at 8:00 P.M. (Fridays / Saturdays / Sundays).

Award-winning writer, director and actor, Mario O’Hara’s masterpiece was originally written for radio then developed as a teleplay for the TV series “Hilda” directed by Lino Brocka. It was adapted by O’Hara into a screenplay for the 1976 Manila Film Festival, starring Hilda Koronel in the title role, with Mona Lisa, Ruel Vernal and Rez Cortez playing key roles. The movie version became the first Filipino film to be shown at the Cannes Film Festival and went on to win plum awards for its director and leading actress Hilda Koronel.

Nearly thirty years after, Tanghalang Pilipino mounted the stage version in 2002 as part of its 16th Theater season. Directed by Chris Milado, the “live” theater version attracted full houses and became the box office hit of the season.

Sheenly Vee Gener (Insiang), Ricky Davao (Dado), and Mae Paner (Toyang) and the Tanghalang Pilipino Actors Company reprise their award winning performances. Mailes Kanapi joins the production as Pacing, the mother of Insiang.


Director Chris Millado leads the creative team in recreating the riveting 2002 production from the ensemble acting down to the highly detailed “hyper-real” staging. Hesus Bobot Lota designs the wrap-around set, with Joey Nombres and Jethro Joaquin doing lighting design and soundscape respectively. The production also includes fight scenes skillfully choreographed by Jack Yabut.

INSIANG is a stirring drama about the transformation of a teenage girl from innocence to malevolence as she finds herself trapped by a life of poverty in the slums. Abused by the very people she trusts, Insiang rises from destitution and takes revenge against her abusers.

Due to strong language, adult themes and brief nudity, parental discretion is advised.

On each performance a limited number of seats are available which offer an exciting and unique way to experience the performance with the action of the show taking place all around the viewer. A Q&A session with select members of the cast and creatives can be arranged specially for class, community or company groups regarding themes in INSIANG i.e. gender, women, poverty, “soap opera” and advertising, design, stage fight, and corruption.

For tickets, reservations, group bookings and special discounts, please call the Bright Eyed Boys at 521-0412 or 0922-8712007. Tickets are also available at all Ticketworld outlets.

Tanghalang Pilipino presents: Insiang by Mario O'Hara.

No, that isn't my boyfriend. He is, however, a friend, and a cast member of that uber-fun and uber-exciting musical production called Zsazsa Zaturnnah Ze Muzikal. In this installment of the show the main cast was composed of:

K Brosas as Zsazsa Zaturnnah
Kalila Aguilos as Queen Femina Suarestellar Baroux
Tuxqs Rutaquio as Ada
Arnold Reyes as Dodong
Nar Cabico as Didi

My Personal Assessment of the actors
If you've never seen Eula perform the role, you will be content with K Brosas. She gives a different flavor to the role (definitely!) and has an interesting delivery certain scenes. Maybe because this is her first time to play the role, but often I felt that she would lose momentum or power on some of her lines or would anticipate the next thing that will happen so she ends up looking in that direction before it happens.

K is taller than Tuxqs and has a more masculine voice, so, in effect, although she has the female body in the persona, she actually became more masculine, hehehe. I really enjoyed the portion where ZZZ does this sexy dance --- in Eula's version she does a pole dancer routine. In K's version she becomes a macho dancer --- which actually made more sense! I mean, between a gay bar and a regular strip joint, which one would Ada most likely have seen dancing --- a man or a woman, right?

K still falters but I think that with repetition she will finally get the role down pat. Not to worry, she still has 10 more shows to do, so she is getting all the practice she needs.

Kalila, Kalila, Kalila ... stellar as always! You have a voice that belies your size, hehehe. Love the accents you adopted for this run. And your french was fluid.

Tuxqs was lovely as always! He has this role down to a tee I bet he does it in his sleep! The new blockings and scenes were hilarious! I loved the scene where he threw clothes at Didi and told him to get out. It was so ... afternoon soap opera-ish! hehehe. More challenging dance sequences, too!

Arnold, m'boy, you've been working out more! Those cuts, those bulging muscles ... someone's been paying attention to what the girls and gays like! hehehe. I hear that nowadays you are more ripped than Lauren. I didn't think that was possible but I guess Lauren must have been told not to pump too much 'cause, King Kong that he is, he is already big enough even without the Bodyshot Noodles. Great acting and your singing is much improved. Hurrah! As for the kiss ... more, more, more!

Nar was a breath of fresh air. I've seen him before in the cast and he seems to be a quiet and shy guy --- and now I see him as Didi. *shocker!* He had big shoes to fill! First Ricci Chan's, then Joey Paras', and guess what? The shoes fit! Maybe because Nar is younger he transformed Didi into a more acrobatic and super "kitikiti" character than he was originally portrayed. He also got the comicbook poses right.

Singing ... he doesn't have the range of Ricci, or the licks of Joey, but he definitely owned the role. He brought in some Ricci flavor, and some Joey flavor, plus bucketsful of Nar flavor. He was able to inject quite a few interesting curls and licks of his own.

All in all, it was fun and definitely a show worth repeating, and repeating, and repeating.

Warning! There is one cast member I actually did NOT like. I don't know his name but every time he comes out on stage I make a special effort to look somewhere else because he rubs me the wrong way. You'll spot him easily enough. He's chubby, wears glasses, has tinted hair, and acts like he's on speed. We all know that acting on stage and on film is different. On stage you have to overact so that the audience in the nosebleed section could still see the emotion you are trying to portray. This guy, though, seems to have taken it to heart, and OVERACTS even more than the most overacting cast member ... and THAT, folks, says a LOT!

It's crunch time, folks!  This is not a drill!  The super-heroine Zsazsa Zaturnnah is hitting the stage once again for your viewing pleasure.  There are still many tickets available!  Here is an overview of the available seats as of today.  Unshaded sections are available seats.

For June 16, 3pm show:

For the June 24 - 8pm show:

For the July 1 - 3pm show:


Hurry!  Tickets are running out!
For all things Zsazsa Zaturnnah go to http://zsazsazaturnnah.multiply.com or go to my homepage and check out the entries tagged "zsazsa zaturnnah".

Ooh! Eye candy! What's your flavor, mate? Do you like your Dodong:

• Fair skinned, confident, seasoned, and ripped?
• Tall, dark, and handsome probinsiyanong boy-next-door, and ripped?
• Tall, slit-eyed, shy, young, and ripped?

Arnold and Lauren alternated in the role from the 1st to the 3rd run. And Janvier took Lauren's spot in the 4th run. On this fifth and (supposed) final run, Zsazsa Zaturnnah will have 15 shows ... enough to give each Dodong an equal number of appearances.

Either of the th