Zia, Simple Girl Concert

Zia Quizon

She might have penned Simple Girl, but there seems to be absolutely nothing simple about Zia Quizon. Having Dolphy (the Philippines’ King of Comedy) and Zsa Zsa Padilla (dubbed as the Divine Diva) as parents, Karylle as a sister and belonging to a showbiz clan, Zia seemed destined to have the spotlight shine on her one day. And on the eve of her 20^th birthday, Zia did have the spotlight on her as she had an intimate concert called Simple Girl coinciding with the launch of her debut album held at the T.E.A.T.R.I.N.O. in Promenade, Greenhills. Zia’s family, friends, members of the press/media, fans and well wishers filled the venue to capacity which bode well for this newest gem of Polyeast Records.

Amidst a video slide show of photos from her childhood, the band started playing a few riffs and Zia who was still off stage joined in by singing a few runs which lit up the audience. Cheers almost drowned the band when she finally came on stage and sang Simple Girl. Right from the start, the ease in which she sang was noticeable despite her looking very nervous. She did loosen up whenever she had her spiels in which she admitted that she was indeed nervous. But whatever nerves she had while on stage didn’t manifest in her singing. One person who also seemed nervous and yet excited at the same time was Zsa Zsa Padilla who stood proudly in different sections of the intimate venue to watch her daughter perform. I am pretty sure that one proud moment for her was when Zia sang one of her hits from the 80’s which was Mambobola done with a slower and more mellow arrangement.

Zia performing

Zia may not possess a vocal range that reaches the stratosphere but she does have an innate musicality and a very secure sense of pitch. She also demonstrated a clear sense of who she is as an artist through her concert repertoire. Her choice of Supposed to Grow Old by Justin Nozuka and Don’t Know Why by Norah Jones didn’t feel like they were forced upon her and that they were really her choices.

Zia and Jay R

One of the highlights of the concert was when Zia sang Ako na Lang which is also the carrier single of her album. Playful in both the lyrics and the rhythm, this song showcases the maturity of her voice without abandoning her youth. And most important of all, it didn’t sound like anyone else. During the concert, she credited her dad, Dolphy the most for her taste in music. And as a tribute to him, she sang another track from her album, Smile, which is also one of her father’s favorite songs. Jay R was the concert’s special guest and he performed a couple of numbers, a duet with Zia and a solo.

Zia, being the daughter of celebrity parents may have had the door to show business opened to her very easily. But skepticism comes with this entry to the industry. Fortunately, her talent, unique vocals and superb musicality are more than to have these doubters be silenced. The album in itself is a joy to listen to and my biggest complaint is that it’s just too short with only six tracks clocking only around twenty minutes. A talent like her deserves a full length album with mostly original compositions. As I’ve noted earlier, she seemed nervous during her concert and it was understandable since it was her first. And now I can’t wait to see her blossom and get more comfortable on stage. With Zia in the picture, the OPM scene has definitely looked brighter and it couldn’t be simpler than that.

Zia

Tracks:

1. So Much in Love

2. Ako na Lang

3. Dear Lonely

4. Mambobola

5. Simple Girl

6. Smile

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. 

Titus Andronicus

Dulaang UP recently staged a local adaptation of Titus Andronicus by William Shakespeare and this production boasted of a cast that included winners from the recent Cinemalaya 2011. Having experienced both Cinemalaya 2011 and also the Virgin Labfest 7 greatly contributed to my interest in watching the play since included in this production was some actors from both events whom I know personally as well. I didn’t mind that I was never a fan of Shakespeare plays and I had no idea what Titus Andronicus was all about. All I knew was that I just had to make it to the Wilfrido Ma. Guerrero Theater, Palma Hall over at the University of the Philippines, Diliman.

As previously mentioned, Cinemalaya awardees were cast in this play and they were led by Bembol Roco (Cinemalaya 2011 Best Actor, Directors Showcase) and Shamaine Centenera-Buencamino (Cinemalaya 2011 Best Supporting Actress, New Breed Category) who played the lead roles of Carding and Clarissa respectively. But it was the other Clarissa, Mailes Kanapi who was on hand during the evening performance that I saw. Other members of the cast were Paolo O’Hara, Paolo Cabañero, Nicco Manalo, Cris Pasturan, Rolando Inocencio, Nar Cabico, Olive Nieto, Zaf Masahud, Skyzx Labastilla, JR Macanas, Ross Pesigan, Sig Pecho, Fitz Betana, Julius Gareza, the Dulaan UP Ensemble and a special participation by Eula Valdez. Mike Tan, Arnold Reyes, Delphine Buencamino, and JK Anicoche were also part of the cast but I wasn’t able to see any of the dates when they were scheduled to perform.

The local adaptation by Layeta Bucoy and directed by Tuxqs Rutaquio was set during the election season when killings and numerous acts of violence related to the elections are rampant. Clarissa (Kanapi) wants to avenge her son’s death at the hands of Carding (Roco) and the scheming, killing and backstabbing happens just two weeks before the elections. It was a bit confusing to me at first who the characters were, and to whom they were allied to. But as things got clearer to me, the body count rose and no one was spared. And those who survived also had some blood in their hands which unfortunately reflects on how local politics is. One aggrieved party demands the life of the other and either side doesn’t seem to be satisfied until the other is completely annihilated.

The Cast of Titus Andronicus

I remember shifting continuously in my seat since this wasn’t a comfortable play to watch. I knew that this was just a play and that no one was really supposed to get seriously hurt (although Olive Nieto absolutely got hurt since she got dragged around the stage during the scene when her character was brutally raped) but there were some moments when I had to squirm and sit through some tough scenes. One particular scene that really disturbed me involved a remote control being shoved into a place where the device clearly doesn’t belong to.

This wasn’t a walk in the park for me. The play was indeed disturbing in so many levels. But the most disturbing of all is that the violence depicted in the play, no matter how absurd, does indeed happen in real life especially in the world of politics. I wish that I could’ve seen this production once again with a different set of actors playing the major parts but prior commitments and nasty weather prevented me from doing so.

The Noli Me Tangere, the Musical Experience Part 4

The Closing Night

Cris Villonco signing autographs

I thought that seeing Noli Me Tangere, the Musical twice at the Cultural Center of the Philippines was enough for me. I could’ve said that I was done with it since I was able to see both Gian Magdangal and Mark Bautista play the role of Crisostomo Ibarra alongside with the very solid Cris Villonco as Maria Clara. I even mentioned that if I see it another time, I would’ve robbed someone else a chance to see it for the first time since seats at the Tanghalang Aurelio Tolentino (CCP Little Theater) had been in such high demand. Because of this high demand, Tanghalang Pilipino extended the run to include two more shows and I was extremely fortunate to witness the last performance of this extremely successful production.

Going into the theater, I was trying to remember the moments that really got through me the last time I saw it. Since weeks have already passed since then, my memory of the musical was no longer as clear so there was also a sense of anticipation in revisiting this after some time. But there were some musical numbers that have remained on my mind and I did find myself humming to it which is a testament to the strength of the libretto by National Artist Bienvenido Lumbera and the music by Ryan Cayabyab.

Right from the beginning, I sensed that the cast and almost every technical aspect went on smoothly with nary a glitch. Mark Bautista played Crisostomo Ibarra during the closing night and he vastly improved since his opening performance which was rough in some parts. He had more control with his voice and he no longer strained as much in the higher registers that really pushed him to the limit vocally. I regret not seeing Gian Magdangal for a second time but he did a surprise cameo appearance as Maria Clara’s suitor Linares.

Gian Magdangal and RAd

Most of the press releases and publicity leading to the opening of this musical was centered mostly on the participation of Mark Bautista and Gian Magdangal who are both currently visible in the mainstream media via their weekly television shows. Theater veteran and versatile actress Cris Villonco didn’t have as much hype but every review that I’ve read had sung her praises. As for me, I would rather have a good word of mouth than a lot of hype. And during this particular evening, Cris Villonco really gave her everything and performed as if there was no tomorrow. She held nothing back and didn’t seem to care if she lost her voice the following day. Overall, I did feel that the three really raised their game in order to meet the challenges that their roles presented. I couldn’t be more pleased to see them stepping up and exceeding expectations than being the reason in dragging the production down which fortunately didn’t happen at all in here.

There were some things in the production that I only noticed during the last night that I wasn’t able to see the previous times that I’ve seen the musical. One example is the scene when Ibarra was arrested and was led downstairs with the company at the sides shunning him. I noticed that the music, choreography and the blocking was essentially the same of an earlier scene with the Leproso. It was only during my third time seeing the show that I noticed that when Ibarra was eventually treated like a leper and to think that he was a celebrated personality earlier in the play.

Audie Gemora with RAd

I surprised myself once again when I found myself holding back tears quite early during the second act when Maria Clara was confronted with the two letters that revealed her true parentage. This was when I noticed that she really went for broke and she was responsible for the scattered sniffs that I heard inside the theater and I bet that these people weren’t stricken with colds. Another moment that really got through me was near the end when Ibarra and Maria Clara were saying their farewells to each other. There was a part when Cris sang in monotone while the accompanying chords build and swell to the emotional number Paalam na Pag-Ibig (Farewell My Love). I never imagined that singing in monotone could contain such emotions that I regret not wearing something thicker and warmer since I got covered with goose bumps at this exact moment.

To say that this production was a phenomenal success is still an understatement. I was able to see director Audie Gemora weeks after the final show and I heard him say that some people were still inquiring about Noli. I did find it very amusing that I was finally able to see the show alongside a younger audience who were enthusiastic and showered each musical number with generous applause. This musical has been staged before and I could now see why it has become one of the much acclaimed local musicals. I really hope that the plans for a national and an international tour will push through so that more audiences here and abroad could see this masterpiece.

Part 1 The Music Run Through with Mr. Ryan Cayabyab

Part 2 The Opening Night

Part 3 The Other Ibarra and Other Scenes