All posts tagged: Theater

Q&A with Calvyn Grandling and Noxolo Dlamini + Musical Review: THE LION KING in Manila

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The Lion King is part of my childhood soundtrack, and its stage adaptation has long been on my list of must-see Broadway musicals. So when I heard that Manila would be their first stop in this year’s international tour, there was no way I could miss it. Luckily, I didn’t just get to see the show, I was also invited to an exclusive lunch with Calvyn Grandling and Noxolo Dlamini, otherwise known as Simba and Nala.

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 …

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) …