All posts tagged: Musicals

Musical Review: ETO NA! Musikal nAPO! by Globe Live x 9 Works Theatrical

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When I found out 9 Works Theatrical and Globe Live would be mounting an original musical featuring APO Hiking Society songs, I was mildly surprised. I liked some of their songs, but those I knew were the modern versions, not the originals. And while I knew of APO, I didn’t really understand how big a role they played in the rise of Original Pilipino Music or OPM. On the other hand, when I told Vince about Eto Na! Musikal nAPO!, he got that wide-eyed look on his face. Of course I had to bring him along. To complement my take as a relative APO newbie, I asked him to write his own review as a fan—another He Said/She Said like what we did for The Lion King. But first, some facts: 5 Things You Should Know Before Watching Eto Na! Musikal nAPO! APO Hiking Society, better known as APO, was one of the pioneers of OPM. Composed of Danny Javier, Jim Paredes, and Boboy Garrovillo, APO helped push fellow musicians to create Filipino songs instead …

Musical Review: HIMALA by The Sandbox Collective x 9 Works Theatrical

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Everyone said it was an experience that would stay with you, but I didn’t want to pin my hopes on other people’s opinions. After watching the play for myself, I can say that it was a musical experience unlike any I’ve witnessed before. It was disturbing and painful and beautifully made, and I hope more people get to enjoy it. 

Musical Review: A CHRISTMAS CAROL by Globe Live x 9 Works Theatrical

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With the Christmas rush in full swing, I avoid going to Makati and BGC, especially on a Friday night. Yet last week, we braved the TGIF traffic to watch Globe Live and 9 Works Theatrical’s A CHRISTMAS CAROL. I missed it last year—I couldn’t miss it again. Luckily, the roads cleared enough that we arrived at Bonifacio High Street with enough time for a quick dinner. In the Globe Iconic Store amphitheater, we stared at the lopsided brick buildings onstage and the oversized clock crowning them. People filed in, many of them families with kids buzzing with anticipation. I was excited—excited to see how they would top their production of Disney’s Newsies and to experience some snow. Soon, the stage lit up and music swelled. Time for some holiday magic. A Christmas Carol opens with an English town caught in the flurries of the holidays. Everyone’s merry and giving, except rich old Ebenezer Scrooge (Miguel Faustmann). He scolds kids, turns away pleas for donations, and rejects his nephew’s invitation to their Christmas dinner. As he …

Musical Review: tick, tick…BOOM by 9 Works Theatrical

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Often, it’s the unexpected things that end up to be so memorable. I felt that way about Budapest five months ago, and I felt that way last Friday night while watching tick, tick…BOOM! When I first saw 9 Works Theatrical’s teaser for tick, tick…BOOM!, I was intrigued by the mere fact that it was created by RENT‘s Jonathan Larson. RENT has always been one of my favorite musicals, and its soundtrack is one of those I revisit whenever I get ’em Broadway blues. When I learned about its basic story line, I became even more intrigued. A musical about the trials and tribulations of an artist who chooses between compromise or perseverance? How could I miss out on that? Thing is, I almost did. And I’m glad that I didn’t. I feel that all well-written musicals have the power to touch and move people, but tick, tick…BOOM! is one of those I could relate to without even trying. It’s actually an autobiographical story covering the period right before Jonathan Larson’s 30th birthday. Not only is Jon …

The Sandbox Collective Brings the Boy Back

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The Sandbox Collective hasn’t even been in Manila’s theater scene for a full year, yet it’s already gained a huge following. I know I fell in love with their production of Dani Girl, which I reviewed for Hitlist.PH and watched again in a different venue. I’m no theater expert, but I do know what I like—actors who give raw, believable performances, music that draws me completely into that world, and most importantly, material that’s compelling, meaningful, and real. From what I’ve seen so far, The Sandbox Collective does an excellent job delivering all three. If you’re looking for a cool way to spend your Saturday, why not head over to the Huseng Batute theater at the CCP and catch The Sandbox Collective’s final showing of The Boy in the Bathroom? It’s an off-Broadway musical that touches on themes such as parent-child relationships, unexpected love, and facing the unknown. It seems right up my alley, and I regret being unable to catch it this time around. You could still watch it though—and you should! Read on for more deets about …

Pop, six, squish…and all that (CHICAGO) jazz!

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So my blogging streak has been interrupted once again, this time by the holiday madness. I’ve got a lot to share with you guys, but for now, I’ll start with the end…the end of my 2014 theater exploits, that is. I hadn’t planned on watching Chicago live since I’d already seen the movie, but my sister asked for tickets to the show as my parents’ gift to her, so I ended up happily accompanying her. We caught one of the last shows in Manila. Surprisingly, the newly opened Theater at Solaire was far from full, at least in the balcony where we were seated. I’m guessing people were busy with Christmas parties and last-minute shopping. The upside for us was that we were able to switch seats and get a much better view. The stage was smaller than I’d expected, but the American performance company made excellent use of it, with the cast maximizing every inch of space that wasn’t taken up by the orchestra. I loved how the lights were utilized to give the illusion of …

GREASE is the word

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Last night, I had the opportunity to watch Grease for the first time ever. I knew the story and was familiar with some of its songs, but I’d never seen it before. I’m so happy that my first experience of it was live. When it comes to theater, I tend to prefer heavier, more emotional material—which is weird, because I’m a happy-ever-after kind of girl—but what I loved about Grease was just how entertaining it was. It’s fun, funny, and flashy, and it’s a great way to spend a Friday night with friends. I’d missed 9 Works Theatrical’s first production of it last year, but thankfully, they decided to do a rerun featuring a mix of old and new cast members under the direction of Robbie Guevara. Interestingly enough, both leads were newbies to the Rydell family. Here are Tippy dos Santos as Sandy Dumbrowski and Guji Lorenzana as Danny Zuko. I’ve got to say, isn’t Tippy super pretty? Everyone in the cast was talented and totally in character—and man, did they rock those dance moves! They had me grooving along with …

“Will you share your life with me for the next ten minutes?”

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This is going to deviate from my usual topics, but because I’ve got such a hangover from watching Jason Robert Brown’s The Last Five Years–staged in Manila by 9 Works Theatrical–I just had to write about it. I’ve loved musicals since I was a kid listening to cassette recordings of Miss Saigon and watching our Betamax copy of The Sound of Music on repeat. My trip to New York wouldn’t have been complete without a Broadway show or two (or more), and one of my London highlights was getting to watch Wicked at the Apollo Victoria Theatre. You can imagine how giddy I am that my current writing gig allows me to watch musicals and plays for free. It never fails to amaze me how music–the well-written kind–has the power to grab hold of my heart and wrench out all kinds of emotions from it. Joy. Despair. Love. Hatred. Triumph. Desperation. It knocks down my walls and makes me feel things I haven’t felt before. Makes me believe that I’m a mother watching her daughter struggle with cancer (Dani Girl) …