Curtains have opened once again for one of my favorite Filipino musicals, Mula sa Buwan, and I AM ECSTATIC! I always thought it was a shame the runs for this show were extremely short, so I’m really happy they’re producing a total of sixteen shows now (well, down to twelve now, because they’ve already opened last Friday). I caught yesterday’s 3PM show, and here’s a list of notable things I loved in this rerun:
When I saw Mula sa Buwan‘s teaser a few months ago, I immediately decided I’m going to watch this production without even knowing yet what it was about. It was THAT pretty and catchy. I followed their Facebook page, watched out for updates, and panicked a little when they released show dates and realized it was only going to run ONE weekend.
ONE. WEEKEND. Imagine that.
Fortunately, we were able to secure tickets for its closing night last Sunday (December 4), and let me tell you–it was everything I wanted and more.
I walked into The Tempest Reimagined with only the vaguest idea of what the story was about. I already expected to drown in Shakespeare’s words like an inexperienced person was wont to do, but PETA’s masterfully written adaptation always managed to pull me back to shore.
Weaving two different stories from two different cultures, worlds (fiction vs. real life), and eras could not have been an easy feat, but the team behind The Tempest Reimagined made it look like a walk in the park. Special mention to Norbs Portales as the fisherman Jaime, who provided slivers of wisdom and laughter as the show’s narrator. He also tugged at my heartstrings toward the end of the show. (In short, umiyak ako.)
Topper Fabregas was hilarious, especially when he momentarily traded his Trinculo character to portray a masked foreign aid “god.” Kuya Bodjie Pascua‘s portrayal as Papa Bons was heartfelt and inspiring as usual. Seeing him in 3 Stars & a Sun in March made me want to watch him on stage again, so thanks, show! John Moran did a awesome job portraying the “monster” Caliban, while Neomi Gonzales, Gabriela Pangilinan, and Gio Gahol were enchanting as the elemental spirit Ariel. I’m a sucker for music so I always loved it when they played the instruments and sang. I wished there were more of that, actually.
I’ve always loved how PETA designs their stages, and The Tempest Reimagined‘s stage was no different. Almost bereft of color, the dominantly white stage was a great backdrop for the vibrant characters of the play. I also appreciated how functional everything was on stage, especially toward the end when the characters were, quite literally, building something new out of the ruins.
The play’s run was pretty limited (it closed yesterday, December 4th), and it made me sad to see a lot of empty seats when we came to watch. I hope this doesn’t discourage the company from bringing this closer to the viewing masses, one way or another. Every story needs to be seen and heard, and this one, most expecially, needs to be put out there for many others to enjoy and learn from.
PETA Theater’s The Tempest Reimagined was a magical attempt at putting Shakespeare in a perspective more relatable to the Filipino viewing public. It wasn’t perfect, but it was heart-wrenching and inspiring all the same. Kudos to everyone who made this production possible! Congratulations!
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:
Except I won’t. Because there’s no party. Yet.
No, scratch that. The party’s started way before today. It’s those little every day moments that made me laugh, smile, feel kilig in a number of different ways. When you put them all together, they make for a pretty fantastic party. (I’m really just saying this because I feel like I’m too old for an actual one and would rather spend my birthday here at home, writing something.)
So–first things first: I’ve drawn a winner for my birthday giveaway, and it’s . . .
Congratulations, Nicole! I’ll be in touch with you soon so you can claim your prizes! ^_^ WOOHOO!
So yes, February’s been awesome so far, what with all the #romanceclass happenings as of late. Like that time we went to watch PETA’s 3 Stars and a Sun:
We bought 18 balcony center tickets to see Gio Gahol play Chino in PETA’s newest production featuring Francis Magalona’s songs. I’d write a review of the musical, but I need to see it again. And again. Maybe I’ll get to that review by mid-March. Yep, it usually takes me that long to process All My Feelings. But please, for the love of all things beautiful–go see the show. Here’s a list of shows and showbuyers you can contact to get tickets. They run until March 6 ONLY!