BINONDO A TSINOY MUSICAL SET TO OPEN JUNE 29

Press release

SYNERGY 88, Rebecca Chuaunsu Film Production (RCFP) and Fullhouse Asia Production Studios, Inc. proudly presents BINONDO, A TSINOY MUSICAL directed by Joel Lamangan and written by Ricky Lee with Gershom Chua and Eljay Deldoc.

            BINONDO, A Tsinoy Musical’ tells the story of how LILY, a Filipina night club singer in pre-Martial Law Manila, and AH TIONG, a mainland Chinese scholar returning to Cultural Revolution-era Beijing, embark on a journey of great love and heartbreak that begins one fated, moon-lit night during the Mid-Autumn Festival of 1971 in the heart of Manila’s Chinatown.

            LILY, a hopeless romantic, finally finds her unlikely great love in AH TIONG, a cynic about destiny, during this night of one of the fullest moons ever recorded and on the birthdate of Ge Lao, the Old Man Under the Moon or the Chinese Deity of Love. Vying for LILY’s heart as well is CARLOS, a local Chinese childhood friend of hers who is finally pushed to confront his feelings for her with the arrival of this stranger set on stealing her heart. A triangle centered on different ways of loving and receiving love forms the crux of this story.

Spanning two decades and two countries, the musical explores how love overcomes even times of racial prejudice and political turmoil and endures years of waiting and absence, only to grow deeper and change the lives of everyone who dares to put their hearts on the line.

The schedule of performances are as follows: June 29 at 8pm; June 30 and July 1 at 3 and 8pm; July 6 at 8pm; July 7 and 8 at 3 and 8pm.

           

Venue: Theatre at Solaire

BINONDO, A TSINOY MUSICAL shall feature the country’s multi-talented

artists from film, TV, stage namely Shiela Valderrama Martinez and Carla Guevara

Laforteza (Lily); Arman Ferrer and David Ezra (Ah Tiong); Floyd Tena and Noel

Rayos (Carlos); Yela Laurel (Jasmine); Ashlee Factor (Ruby); Ima Castro (Mrs.

Dela Rosa); Ana Feleo and Jennifer Villegas (Lourdes); Kay Balajadia and  

Jennifer Villegas (Mrs. Chua); Dondi Ong (Mr. Chua); Russell Magno (Mr. Zhang);

Elizabeth Chua (Mrs. Zhang); Jim Pebanco, Lorenz Martinez. Khalil Kaimo, Ellrica

Laguardia, Rhapsody & Tuesday Vargas (Koro); Jonel Mojica (Ge Lao); Philip

Deles & Ivana Billanueva (Swing);

The ensemble are as follows: Carlos Derriada, Cheeno Macaraig, Claire

Borja, Daniel Cruz, Dusty Suarez, Janine Tolentino, Joseph Billeza, Joseph

Puducay, Julia Chua, Paul Clark, Precious Sementilla, Rence Aviles, Randy Rey,

Romcel Brinquiz, Roy Sotero, Ryan Caraan, VJ Cortel, Xander Pineda, and Zyruz

Imperial

           

The artistic team of BINONDO, A TSINOY MUSICAL are as follows:

Joel Lamangan (Director ), Rebecca Chuaunsu (Original Story / Producer),   

Ricky Lee, Gershom Chua, Eljay Castro Deldoc (Story / Libretto), Von De Guzman

(Music), Douglas Nierras (Choreography), Joey Nombres (Light Design),       

Otto Hernandez (Production Design / Technical Director).                                   

           

The production team are as follows: Gina T. Godinez (Creatives/ Line

Production), Maricel Santos (Production Manager), Lani Tapia (Stage Manager),

Rice Ramos (Asst. Production Manager), Froilan Dabalus & Christaliza Dabalus

(Dance Masters), Therese Arroyo & Celine Bugcat (Associate Production

Designers),  Nikki Borbon, Bing Galla, Reynaldo Balaran, Henrick Jueco &

Ronaldo Alim (Production Staff), Reynan Jalos, Leo Asetre, Jayson Busa,

Jay-Ar Talanay Cruz (Assistant Stage Managers); Jenny Uy Estrope (Production /

Marketing Coordinator); Sonny Aniceto (Graphic Artist);   Christine de Los Santos,

Sherry Gocheco, Hepzibeth Ting (Marketing / RCFP staff).

For tickets, call TICKETWORLD 8919999.

Ticket prices:

Orchestra center: PHP 2500

Orchestra side  PHP 2000

Loge or gold premium side PHP 3000

Balcony center PHP 1000

Balcony side PHP 500.

            For further inquiries, please contact:

REBECCA CHUAUNSU 09189169357 & 09173012445.

Email: rebeccachuaunsufilmproduction@yahoo.com

Ephesus Teatron Stages "ONCE UPON A MATTRESS"

Once Upon The Mattress is a musical adaptation from Jay Thompson, Marshall Barer and Dean Fuller’s book of the same name which is based from Hans Christian Andersen’s classic tale of The Princess and The Pea.

With music by Marshall Barer, the 1959 musical was the stage debut of Carol Burnett. Following her footsteps, it was also staged by Sarah Jessica Parker and Jane Krakowski. Now, it will be locally staged by Ephesus Teatron Group, Inc.

The production is intended as a mobile which can be accessible to schools give them a theater experience. Traditionally, theater productions are considered expensive and staged in a specific location where the theater guild is based. For Ephesus, they want to bring it to a general public.

The name Ephesus is an ancient city in Turkey and is considered the center of performing arts during the Greco-Roman World. Once Upon The Mattress will be staged in Tanghalang Yaman Lahi Theater, Emilio Aguinaldo College in Ermita, Manila on one weekend only from January 20 to 22 with two performances daily at 3:30 and 7:30 P.M.

Sweet Samaniego-Buchanan is the president and artistic director of Ephesus. She performed in musicals at Repertory Philippines and gathered most of her colleagues in this ensemble. She went abroad for performance that when she went back after many years out of the country, she missed performing here which is why she formed Ephesus.

An excerpt during the press launch

Once Upon The Mattress is a parody musical of the Princess and the Peas. You might expect it with sexual innuendo or hint but it is toned down for younger audience especially since the target audiences are the campuses in the vicinity.

Clockwise from left: Yanah Laurel, Raymund Concepcion, Nino Alejandro, Carla Guevarra-Laforteza, Milay Guinid, Ayam Eckstein.

I got to watch an excerpt/song numbers from this musical and I already got hooked. If you are into medieval period with knights, kings, queens, princes, princesses, jesters, minstrels and damsels, then this is the musical for you. Cast includes Carla Guevarra-Laforteza, Cara Barredo, Nino Alejandro, Hans Eckstein, Chino Veguillas, Milay Guinid, Raymond Concepcion, Arion Sanchez, Steven Hotchkiss, Onyl Torres,  Alex Dagalea, Yanah Laurel, Sweet Samaniego-Buchanan, and more. Directed by Steven Conde.

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Musical Feature: Mula Sa Buwan

My first encounter with the story Cyrano de Bergerac was from the movie Roxanne. Instead of the traditional French Renaissance era, it was set in a modern day U.S.  I later found out that it was an adaptation when a Tagalog version was played by Dolphy in the right timeline.

Nicco, Boo, Director Pat. KL, and Fred.

It is also the same with the musical adaptation Mula Sa Buwan. The story was set in 1940’s Manila before the Japanese occupation. Cyrano is now one of the soldiers enlisted in the early days of ROTC where the young men are tested for their love for country.

For those who are not familiar the story, Cyrano is a person who can almost do anything.  But his only flaw was his nose which was deforming long. In traditional productions, his nose was similar to the Japanese spirit called tengu. What he lacks in looks, he can make it up of poetic words. When the love of his life Roxanne got attracted to Christian because of his looks, Christian seeks Cyrano’s help because of his poetic tongue.

This is the second time it is going to be staged. Title character was played by Nicco Manalo and Boo Gabunada. It is the first time Boo is playing the part.  Boo says both of them will wear one prosthetic nose per performance. For Nicco, who is playing the part for the second time, the challenge was to make the prosthetic nose won’t get off during performance. He has to put in on 90 minutes before performance. Nicco adds that his version of Cyrano was not like a skilled fighter but a tough one. He can take on someone taller and look straight in the eye if he has to.

Fred Lo and Edward Bezonia alternates as Christian and KL Dizon plays Roxanne. Music by William Elvin Manzano and direction by Pat Valera. Watch Mula Sa Buwan in Irwin Theater, Ateneo De Manila University, Katipunan, Quezon City from December 2 to 4 with 6 performances at 3PM and 8PM.

For more musical stage productions, follow this blog and like L.E.N.S. blogs on Facebook.