Cory ng EDSA, a Filipino Musicale at SM North EDSA

Glory Ann Nacional as Cory Aquino

I’ve had my second viewing of Cory ng EDSA, a Filipino Musicale when the Philippine Stagers Foundation invited me to catch its run over at the SM City North EDSA. I was a bit tentative coming in to the cinema since I knew that I’d be watching among students who might not be the best audience to watch a play. Fortunately, these students were at their best behavior which left me impressed.

This time around, the lead roles of Cory Aquino and Peter were played by the alternates Glory Ann Nacional and Patrick Libao and I was very interested to see how they tackled their respective roles. The first thing that I noticed was that Glory Ann Nacional had a very powerful and dramatic voice. And I was very surprised when she shifted to an operatic voice and a soprano at that during one of the soaring numbers late in the program wherein the whole company sang. I also noticed that her dancing was a bit lethargic and she seemed to be behind a bit with the choreography but then I found out after the show that she was sick and yet the show must go on. Her movement may have been hampered by sickness but her singing was still spot on. It was a bit odd at first to see a Cory with such conviction in her singing but I guess that this was balanced by the more laidback vocals from Patrick Libao. I think that it would be too much vocal power if Nacional was paired with Vincent Tañada, the other Peter who is also the show’s writer and director.

There were some things that I’ve noticed during this run that was different from the performance that I saw before. First, there were some scenes that were cut and the pacing got noticeably faster. I guess that they’ve decided to trim the show down into two hours. But in the process, I felt that pauses and moments of silence had to go in order to quicken the pace. There was a scene when Edsa found the truth about his parents and it was a sad realization. The audience wasn’t given the opportunity to take that moment in and also feel sad for the boy because the next scene came rushing in.

Patrick Libao as Peter

Another thing that I noticed was the reaction of the audience composed mainly of kids. They responded positively to the jokes and the pick up lines delivered by the actors. Personally, I think that I am already too old for these kinds of jokes and I was left cringing on how cheesy they were. But the kids also responded well to the other parts of the play like after the end of each musical number and especially during the finale when a portion of Bayan Ko was sung as Cory’s coffin was being carried. And I agreed with the kids on these parts since they were indeed highlights of the show.

I am grateful to Philippine Stagers Foundation for allowing me to see this musical again. The performance that I saw ran smoothly and I think that they’ve gotten over the bugs and kinks of the production since they’ve been staging this for at least two months already. I still couldn’t get over knowing that they sometimes have up to five shows a day and that having just two shows means a light day for them. 

Cory ng EDSA, a Filipino Musicale

Cindy Liper as Cory Aquino

Amidst all the hustle and bustle of the ongoing Cinemalaya, I still managed to drop by the St. Cecilia’s Hall at St. Scholastica’s College to catch the press preview of the Philippine Stagers Foundation’s production of Cory ng EDSA, a Filipino Musicale. I admit that I was very much surprised when I saw the theater company’s profile. The company, headed by Atty. Vincent Tañada has been around for a decade already with an impressive number of productions already staged. But they’ve remained low key compared to other theater companies out there despite some of their members and productions garnering several Aliw Awards. But now, they are ready to take the limelight as they enter their second decade with their season opening musical about the life of one of the most important figures in recent Philippine history.

Cory ng EDSA, a Filipino Musicale, a sequel to the company’s most successful production Ako si Ninoy, stars PSF homegrown talent Cindy Liper who is reprising the role of Cory Aquino. The musical written and directed by Vincent Tañada, with music by Pipo Cifra and choreography by John San Antonio recounts several key moments in the life of the former president starting from the assassination of her husband Ninoy Aquino up to the time of her death. Also starring in this musical is Vince Tañada who plays the role of Peter, a reporter who covers the said events in Cory’s life. Rounding up the main cast are PSF company members Gabby Bautista, Jordan Ladra, Adelle Ibarrientos-Lim, Alex Dorola, Monique Azerreda and Chris Lim who play the various people whose lives were affected, touched and inspired by Cory Aquino. Glory Ann Nacional and Patrick Libao alternate as Cory Aquino and Peter respectively.

The chorus

Cory was very much known for her simple life which may not be an interesting enough material for a musical spectacle such as this. But Tañada remedied this by running her story alongside that of Peter and the rest of the characters whose stories provided the melodrama. Peter getting afflicted with a disease that made him move involuntarily was a nice touch since it further highlighted the stability, calmness and composure of Cory. This juxtaposition was very effective in showing the character of Cory in the play. Even the music remained true and consistent as Liper’s vocal parts were limited to a reassuring alto range while the vocal fireworks were delegated to the strong tenor of Tañada and the impeccable chorus.

The main cast

The musical production numbers were very interesting as almost all of them were extended medleys depicting montage scenes. These numbers showcased various music genres, costume changes and stylized choreography performed with such aplomb by the chorus. And in rare occasions, even Cory joined in the dancing. One notable song in the musical is Naaalala Kita, which is structured like a pop song primed for some radio airplay. The song is indeed catchy and I wouldn’t be surprised if audience members leave the theater humming the melody of this song. Consequently, an original cast recording of the musical will be released by Viva Records and that it will also include a pop version of Naaalala Kita by Nikki Bacolod.

The whole company

Cory ng EDSA, a Filipino Musicale is very much different from the plays that I’ve seen during the recently concluded Virgin Labfest. But productions such as this and the others that have been staged by the Philippine Stagers Foundation provide variety and can further make the theater scene here more vibrant. And the company is poised to do just that as Cory ng EDSA will be staged until March 2012 having runs at SM Centerpoint, SM North EDSA, Tanghalang Pasigueño and the Cultural Center of the Philippines.