Theatre – Page 5 – Tara Tries To Write

[ Press Release ] Vincent De Jesus’ Changing Partners: A Lovechild of Heartbreak and Music

September 26, 2016 No Comments

The PETA Theater Center houses Vincent De Jesus’ newest production, CHANGING PARTNERS, a torch musical that explores the alchemy of relationships and questions the nature of fidelity and the complex issues partners face regardless of gender.

Opening at the PETA Theater Center in October, CHANGING PARTNERS is an intimate peek inside Cris and Alex’s challenging May-December relationship. Though most people would glance skeptically at May-December romances, they also accept them, depending on the couple’s gender and who gets to be ‘December’ and who gets to be ‘May’.

Theatre

5 Reasons You Shouldn’t Miss Rak of Aegis 5.0

June 9, 2016 No Comments

If you haven’t been living under the rock these past two years, you’ve probably heard of this original Filipino jukebox musical, Rak of Aegis. Developed from an idea of having a distinctly Pinoy counterpart to Broadway musical Rock of Ages, the Philippine Educational Theater Association (PETA) produced Rak, which became somewhat of a sensation after its first run in the first quarter of 2014.

Two years later, Rak is back with several new faces and 82 more shows which will run from June 17 to August 28. But whether you’re a Rak n00b or veteran, I believe Rak of Aegis 5.0 is something you shouldn’t miss–and here are five reasons why:

Theatre

I’ve got chills; they’re multiplying.

December 3, 2015 No Comments

Yep, you guessed it. This post clearly has no other intent but to display the fine, glorious image of Aaron Tveit as Danny Zuko. He’s set to play the part in the remake to be aired on FOX in January 2016, and I guess it goes without saying that I’m gonna be looking forward to the leather jackets and the hip thrusting that’s about to go down.

Merely thinking about it makes me dizzy. I don’t know how I’ll fare in a month. #SendHelp

Anyway, here’s a first look at GREASE: Live!

And then, there’s this:

What’s your favorite Thanksgiving dish? @AaronTveit shares his. #GreaseLive https://t.co/zWPwsaJhox
— Grease (@GoGrease) November 26, 2015

GDI Aaron–let a girl live, won’t you?

Personal, Theatre

Finding my way back home

August 6, 2015 No Comments

I think I was in pre-school when I first fell in love with the performing arts. My mother was a Whitney Houston fan who would always play her cassette tapes at home, and I learned to sing most of her songs by listening to them over and over. I was in kindergarten when I joined my first singing contest–The Greatest Love of All, anyone?–and since then I’ve kind of found my way back on stage every so often, even when I’d transferred schools at thirteen. There were stage plays, dance competitions, instrumental performances, and everything else in between that made it so natural for me to be affiliated with anything connected to performing arts.

Being able to stand in front of an appreciative audience is, in itself, its own high. I remember being up there dancing, representing my school as a member of the St. Scholastica’s College High School Dance Club and feeling so inexplicably happy hearing people cheer wholeheartedly. It’s kind of addictive, actually, in that I recall feeling sad whenever I don’t get picked to perform for certain events because my skills weren’t at par with the others that were chosen. But after a while, I realized that working behind the scenes also had its perks and one need not be in the limelight all the time to feel fulfilled.

Review, Theatre

RAKINANGINA! (Or, why I can’t stop blurting out expletives while watching Rak of Aegis)

July 5, 2015 No Comments

Cards on the table, first of all: I first saw Rak of Aegis in February last year, and again in March. I was so enamored by the entire production I couldn’t stop singing Aegis songs for weeks, and the withdrawal caused me to create an unofficial fanpage for the production . . . because I needed an outlet for my overflowing love, obviously.

At about the same time, I, together with my friend and co-fanpage moderator, Rica, began forging friendships with the cast members. They were very happy to see the effort we put on the fanpage, and were very appreciative of it. We couldn’t be happier, and would constantly get bouts of kilig over getting likes and favorites all over Facebook and Twitter.

Come June of last year, we went to the fictional barangay Villa Venizia again and were wowed by how much the musical had improved. The storyline was tighter, running time shorter, and even if I’ve already seen it twice before, there’s still that magic I felt when I saw it for the first time. Or the second time.

Before 2014 came to a close, I was able to see the production for six times already, and even then, the cast and crew of the hottest musical of the year were still giving us something new. It is truly a gift that keeps on giving, and by god, I took everything I could. I got intoxicated with everything Rak of Aegis had to offer, and my hangover was so immense it lasted me six months more until the production opened again this June.

(Further review of the musical under the cut. THERE ARE SPOILERS, YOU HAVE BEEN WARNED.)