OPM stars join 7th run of Rak of Aegis

In a move that surprised nobody, Philippine Educational Theater Association's (PETA) megahit musical Rak of Aegis returns for a 7th run this July 5 - September 29, 2019 at the PETA Theater Center.

For this run, Rak welcomes a handful of the country's legendary recording artists to its ever growing cast as PETA partners the Organisasyon ng mga Pilipinong Mang-Aawit (OPM), the PhilPop MusicFest Foundation (PhilPop), and PLDT Home Fibr.

Randy Santiago

Noel Cabangon

The OPM artists joining the cast are singer/songwriter/actor Randy Santiago, multiple Awit Award winner Noel Cabangon, Miss Saigon  alum Jenine Desiderio, and world music recording artist Bayang Barrios.

Jenine Desiderio

Other new additions to the cast are actor/singer Derrick Monasterio, singing competition winners Kimberly Baluzo (Wish 107.5 Wishcovery 2018 1st Runner Up) and Leah Patricio (The Voice of the Philippines Season 2), and two-time PhilPop grand prize winner Yumi Lacsamana. Rounding up the new additions are Ashe Uy, Marynor Madamesila, Gerard Dy, and Lemuel Silvestre.

Kimberly Baluzo

Leah Patricio

The upcoming run also sees the return of Aicelle Santos to the Rak stage after a year long stint as Gigi in the UK/European tour of Miss Saigon.

Kimberly Baluzo, Aicelle Santos, Kim Molina, and Shaira Opsimar

Also returning are the other Aileens namely Kim Molina and Shaira Opsimar. Other cast members back for this run are Isay Alvarez-Seña and Sweet Plantado-Tiongson (Mary Jane); Robert Seña and Renz Verano (Kiel); Kakai Bautista and Neomi Gonzales (Mercy); Myke Salomon, Poppert Bernadas, and Vince Lim (Kenny); Jerald Napoles, Pepe Herrera, and Joshua Bulot (Tolits); Ron Alfonso and Jimmy Marquez (Jewel); Gie Onida and Rody Vera (Fernan); and Gimbey Dela Cruz, Gab Pangilinan, Matel Patayon, Abi Sulit, Teetin Villanueva, Gold Villar-Lim, Paeng Sudayan, Roi Calilong, Gio Gahol, Carlon Matobato, and John Moran as members of the ensemble.

Bayang Barrios and Renz Verano

The partnership with OPM will see rising artists busking at the lobby initially scheduled to coincide with the celebrations of the Linggo ng Musikang Pilipino.

Kim Molina and Derrick Monasterio

Shaira Opsimar and Pepe Herrera

Rak of Aegis and PhilPop are hardly strangers since back in July 2014, at the finals night of the 3rd PhilPop competition the cast of Rak of Aegis (then currently in its 2nd run) performed in a production number before the winners were announced. Fast forward five years later, the relationship has grown stronger. Rak's music director/arranger Myke Salomon join the PhilPop Songwriting Bootcamp sharing his expertise in composing musical theater.

Rak of Aegis Season 7 begins on July 5 running up to September 29, with shows from Thursday to Sunday at the PETA Theater Center.

24th French Film Festival: The Ideal Palace and Sink or Swim

RAd and Nils Tavernier

With the weather fully cooperating, the 24th French Film Festival rolled out the red carpet for French director Nils Tavernier at the opening night highlighted by the screening of his film L’Incroyable histoire du facteur cheval/The Ideal Palace.

The cocktail reception held at The Gallery, Greenbelt 5 quickly overflowed with people that had French Ambassador Nicolas Galey extremely busy with welcoming and greeting guests left and right. Spotted are the usual personalities from the diplomatic corps, and Philippine cinema. Also in attendance that night was losing senatorial bet Samira Gutoc.

Luckily, I was able to spot director Nils Tavernier during the cocktails enabling my friends and I to have some photos with him before most of the guests figured out who he was among the crowd.

The people enjoyed the cocktails by Bizu very much that it took some time to convince everybody to head over to the Greenbelt 3 Cinema to watch the opening film.

L’Incroyable histoire du facteur cheval/The Ideal Palace

Director Nils Tavernier was on hand to present his film L’Incroyable histoire du facteur cheval/The Ideal Palace that officially opened the 24th French Film Festival. The movie tells the true to life story of Ferdinand Cheval (Jacques Gamblin), a rural postman who for 33 years built a castle for his daughter Alice despite having no knowledge of architecture.

It was refreshing to see such an understated way of storytelling like how the relationship between Cheval and his eventual wife Philomène (Laetitia Casta) blossomed after an offer of a drink of water. The showing of grief was equally understated even as Cheval kept on losing members of his family so that the impact was palpable when he did finally allow himself to break down. This is a stark contrast to the drawn out, melodramatic cry fest that plagues local productions.

The picturesque scenes coupled with the subtlety of how Tavernier portrayed relationships and expressions of love made this film a must see.

Le Grand bain/Sink or Swim

The press preview from weeks ago showed Gilles Lellouche's comedy La Grand bain/Sink of Swim which is about a group of middle aged men each with their respective crises who eventually overcome the odds through synchronized swimming.

The film's main protagonist Bertrand (Mathieu Amalric) is unemployed and clinically depressed. He finds a sort of solace by taking a dip in his local pool. Out of curiosity or probably desperation, he then joins the pool's men's synchronized swimming team much to the surprise of his family. But he soon discovers that the other guys there are just like him, all struggling with different issues in their respective lives.

Soon, this ragtag band of unlikely swimmers find themselves training for the world championships under the guidance of former world class synchronized swimmers (who also have issues of their own). As expected and against all odds, they triumph in the end, not just at the championships but in life as well.

The film's tackling of issues regarding mental health and relationships is commendable but things sank quickly once the focus went on to the team's training for the worlds. I will not go into detail how improbable the team's road to becoming competitive athletes was that I had to pull my suspension of disbelief card. 

I know that this was a feel good film with some tears along the way. But it was hard to convince myself that the team's triumph in the end seemingly solved all of their personal issues as well. Had the film remained a bit more grounded and not crossed over into almost a fantasy, I would enjoyed it and laughed out more instead of having to raise my eyebrows in skepticism.

The Manila leg of the 24th French Film Festival runs up to June 18, 2019 at the Bonifacio High Street and Greenbelt 3 Cinemas.

Celebrating Denmark's Constitution Day with Nicklas Sahl

Danish Ambassador Jan Top Christensen

At a music event held in early May, I met Danish Ambassador Jan Top Christensen and he teased me about the presence of a rising music star who would be performing at their upcoming Constitution Day. At that time, I didn't ask for further details (which was very unlikely of me) but was still very much intrigued as to who he or she might be.

Fast forward a month later, I find myself once again as a guest of the Embassy of Denmark's Constitution Day celebrations held at the Enderun College in McKinley, Taguig. This year's celebrations was bittersweet as this was going to be Ambassador Christensen's last time to host for he is ending his mission soon. He has been instrumental in strengthening the ties between the Philippines and Denmark ever since the reopening of the Embassy of Denmark here back in January 2015.

Since then, the Embassy had spearheaded a number of cultural projects ranging from music, film, and literature. These cultural events have exposed Filipinos to Danish culture and increased their knowledge of the country to know more beyond Lego and cookies. As for me, I got to know Carl Nielsen which was how my connection to the Danish in here started.

Ambassador Christensen will be certainly missed and I wish him all the best in his future endeavors. I will always be grateful for the wonderful opportunities that the Embassy of Denmark has given me for the past few years.

RAd's Playlist | Nicklas Dahl's Planets

As I've said earlier, the celebrations featured the performance of a rising music star. And he was no other than Danish singer/songwriter Nicklas Sahl.

Singer/songwriter Nicklas Sahl

Armed with his Fender Stratocaster, he performed a handful of his originals after the speeches and the toasts. With all the food, wine, and beer at the event, as well as the excellent weather, the guests were in a good mood to listen to him jam. This was when I realized that I should've pressed for more details on who the performer was before I came to the event. It would've been great to have familiarized myself with his discography prior to seeing him perform live.

Virgin Labfest celebrates 15 years, expands stage readings

A new lineup of untried, untested and unstaged one act plays are set to send hearts beating at the 15th edition of the Virgin Labfest happening on June 19 – July 7, 2019 at various locations of the Cultural Center of the Philippines.

Aside from the 15 plays lined up (12 virgin plays plus 3 revisited plays from VLF 14), this year sees the expansion of the Staged Readings. Dubbed as Once They Were Virgins, this new staged reading sets will feature the first one act play by established playwrights Jun Lana, Liza Magtoto, Chris Martinez, and Chris Millado.

Front: Raymund Barcelon, Rolin Migyuel Obina, Anthony Kim Vergara, 
Andrew Estacio, Karl Caminade, and Juliene Mendoza
Back: Handing Josef, Hobart Savior, Chris Millado, George de Jesus III,
Tuxqs Rutaquio, and Rody Vera

In celebration of 15 years of VLF, a Playwright Fair will be held on June 19, 2019, a chance for playwrights, both established and budding, to connect with their peers, audiences, potential producers, etc. and get mileage for their respective works.

Also continuing is the Virgin Labfest Writing Fellowship Program, a two-week mentoring program for young aspiring playwrights that will culminate in a staged reading of the chosen fellow's works.

Here is the line up, synopses, and schedules of the plays of Virgin Labfest 15.

Featured Plays

Set A

CCP Tanghalang Aurelio Tolentino

June 19 & 28 | July 3 & 7 | 3:00 PM

June 19 & 27 | July 2 & 6 | 8:00 PM

FanGirl
by Herlyn Alegre

Director: Charles Yee

Cast: Mayen Estanero, Marj Lorico, and Mean Espinosa
Stage Manager: Jerome Aytona
Poster Design: Zoe de Ocampo

As one of the biggest boybands of the 1990s get together for a long-awaited reunion concert after 20 years, high school friends, Barbara, Jessica and Angeline, also reunite to book concert tickets to see their favorite boys. As the three friends reminisce their teenage years spent swooning over their favorite boyband, they also find themselves confronting issues from their past as concealed insecurities and unspoken resentment rise towards the surface.

Huling Hiling ni Darling
by Raymund Barcelon

Director: Ricardo Magno

Cast: Renante Bustamante, Sherry Lara, Skyzx Labastilla, Chase Salazar, Kenjie Villacorte, Liway Gabo
Stage Manager: Francisco Miguel Yabut
Poster Designer: Zoe de Ocampo

After Abet’s wife fell into a sudden coma, he calls on his mother-in-law and sister-in-law to bid her goodbye. Much to the chagrin of Abet, his overbearing mother-in-law refuses to let her daughter go and insists that she’s fighting for a reason. The sister-in-law then reveals to Abet that she and his wife made an agreement that their mother will live with them, an agreement that he only learned on that fateful day.

Isang Gabing ang Buwan ay Hila-hila ng Gula-gulanit na Ulap
by Ryan Machado

Director: Paolo O'Hara

Cast: Ybes Bagadiong and Heber O’Hara

Stage Manager: Jonalou Fabon
Poster Designer: Nicole Viray and Kweng Fernandez

In the dead of night when the moon is full, two men are secretly digging a waist-deep hole. It is uncertain whether they’re burying something or digging up treasures. Before dawn, they will lock horns with the power driving their deadliest, most guarded secret, their hunger.

Set B

CCP Tanghalang Aurelio Tolentino

June 20, 23 & 29 | July 4 | 3:00 PM

June 20 & 28 | July 3 & 7 | 8:00 PM

The Unreachable Star
by Layeta P. Bucoy

Director: Mara Marasigan

Cast: Raffy Tejada, Tex Ordonez, 
Lorie Figuerroa, and Reynald Santos
Stage Manager: Rafa Lubigan
Poster Designer: Mitzi Tayer

When self-assured Tatay discovers that his youngest child Ali is giving up on her dream of becoming an engineer, he has to persuade her that he can provide for her education through the help of their barangay captain's patronage and his wife's blind faith to their patron saint. He  evicts his unapologetically gay older child from home as he is forced to hang on to his belief that he could fulfill all their dreams or risk the realization that his simplest of dreams has already metamorphosed into an unreachable star.

Anak Ka Ng
by U Z. Eliserio 

Director: Maynard Manansala

Cast: Krystle Valentino, Skyzx Labastilla, and Rafael Tibayan
Stage Manager: Bojo Barnes
Poster Designer: Jason Panuelos

Pina has spent most of her life without a mother. She has learned to rely on and love only her father. But now her father is dead. Connie, her mother, came home from abroad seemingly just to attend to the details of the funeral and burial, not to grieve. Soon, Connie will leave the Philippines again. Pina has to decide: will she forgive her mother and try to salvage their relationship, or will she cast Connie completely out of her life?

Wanted: Male Boarders
by Rick Patriarca

Director: George de Jesus

Cast: Lance Reblando, Ross Pesigan, AJ Sison, and Vincent Pajara
Stage Manager: John Mark Yap
Poster Designer: George de Jesus III

In Indang, Cavite, a trio of college students relearns the definition of desire as they try to coexist with a new enigmatic board mate.

Set C

CCP Tanghalang Aurelio Tolentino

June 21, 26 & 30 | July 5 | 3:00 PM

June 21, 23 & 29 | July 4 | 8:00 PM

The Bride and the Bachelor
by Dingdong Novenario

Director: Topper Fabregas

Cast: Via Antonio and Alex Medina
Stage Manager: Carl Sy Tanseco
Poster Designer: GA Fallarme

In a moment of heightened emotion, i.e. the Bride’s actual wedding, the Bride and the Bachelor meet up. Today it is extra-special because after ten years of being together, the Bride finally gets to tie the knot, albeit to her new fiancé. This provides both the Bride and the Bachelor one last chance to look back at their failed relationship and save what’s left of it, or perhaps take their relationship one step forward. After all, ten years together is definitely a bond that’s stronger than any marriage contract.

Surrogare
by J. Dennis Teodosio

Director: Roobak Valle

Cast: Roeder Camañag, Paul Jake Paule, and Karen Romualdez
Stage Manager: Matthew Manalaysay
Poster Designer: Jhayr Lagrimas

Adam and Eve live like a typical married couple, focusing whatever they do around each other. They have committed to this fantabulous relationship for almost seven years now. Then, as they are about to feast on their anniversary dinner, Ana arrives, forcing them, not just to face their utmost fear, but, to fulfill their greatest fantasy as well. “Surrogare” is presumably about love and making things (sur)real.

A Family Reunion
by Anthony Kim Vergara

Director: Ian Segarra

Cast: Gie Onida, Chrome Cosio, Lesley Lina, Joshua Martin Tayco, and Sabrina Basilio
Stage Manager: Alpauline Peña
Poster Designer: Kaori Hayama

The family’s bunso is visiting from Japan with fianceé in hand and the job of breaking the news of their engagement to the family. He rounds up Dad, Ate, and Kuya for an evening family gathering where his guest and their exciting news are supposed to be the stars. But ghosts of family past are dredged and dragged to the surface and threaten to steal the spotlight. This play is an uncensored close-up of the Filipino family reunion, in all its hilarity and reality.

Set D

CCP Tanghalang Aurelio Tolentino

June 22 & 27 | July 2 & 6 | 3:00 PM

June 22, 26 & 30 | July 5 | 8:00 PM

Ang Pag-uulyanin ni Olivia Mendoza 
by Rolin Migyuel Obina

Director: Phil Noble

Cast: Edna Vida, Nonoy Froilan, Celeste Legaspi, Crispin Pineda, and Erlinda Villalobos
Stage Manager: William Guillermo
Poster Designer: Otto Hernandez

Olivia, a 75-year old woman in a home for the elderlies, keeps her dark past to herself in fear of losing the hard fought relationship with the man she loves; among the coterie of the same senile, cranky, old people with once significant but now forgotten lives. Until one day, when Alzheimer’s Disease reveals her deepest secrets, everything she holds dear falls apart, leaving a fractured memory she might never mend back again.

Larong Demonyo
by Nicolas B. Pichay

Director: José Estrella

Cast: Leo Rialp and Johnny Maglinao
Assistant Director: Issa Manalo Lopez
Dramaturg: Ina Azarcon-Bolivar
Lighting Designer: Barbie Tan-Tiongco
Sound Designer: J Laspuña
Photography: Henriette P. Baes
Poster Designer: Tristan Ramirez
Stage Managers: Rafa Ticzon and Camille de Luna

Napipilitang mag-apply ng trabaho si Efren sa dating kinakatakutan at ngayo’y kinasusuklaman Heneral ng Martial Law dahil kailangan niya ng pang-ospital sa kanyang lolo na na may malubhang karamdaman.

Makakatunggali ni Efren ang Heneral sa isang matinding talakayan hanggang sa umabot ito sa paglalaro nila ng chess na may nakakapangilabot na pustahan.

Wala Nang Bata Dito
by Sari Saysay

Director: Tanya Lopez

Cast: Venise T. Buenaflor
Stage Manager: Roger Joshua Venzal
Costume Designer: Adrian Torres
Multimedia Projections: Elvert Bañares

One early evening in a small fishing barrio in Bikol, a mother awaits the authorities who will take her nine-year old child to prison.

Set E (Best of VLF 14/Revisited)

CCP Tanghalang Huseng Batute

June 20, 22, 23 & 29 | July 6 & 7 | 3:00 PM

June 21, 22, 28 & 29 | July 5 & 6 | 8:00 PM

Mga Eksena sa Buhay ng Kontrabida
by Dustin Celestino

Director: Roobak Valle

Cast: Jay Gonzaga, JV Ibesate, Fitz Bitana, Richard Manabat, Lian Silverio
Set Design: Carlo Pagunaling
Stage Manager: Matthew Manalaysay
Poster Design: Kim Quilicot

River Lethe
by Allan B. Lopez

Director: Chris Martinez

Cast: Paolo O’Hara, Mayen Estanero, Charm Aranton, Ian Formacion, and Roco Sanchez
Set Design: James Reyes
Stage Manager: Enzo Canon
Poster Design: Carlo Vergara

A room in a small lover’s hotel is sanitized, preparing it for its next occupant. Abe and Mara, two cancer patients who just finished with their early morning chemotherapy sessions, check in before returning to their regular lives. In snapshots, we see the few hours they are together exploring fetishes, kinks, uncanny sex and hopeless medical conditions – the nakedness of their bodies shadowing intimacies that nobody outside the room will ever know. All is left in the cramped space to be forgotten – a dip in the mythical River Lethe, where one drinks to forget.

Edgar Allan Hemingway
by Carlo Vergara

Director: George de Jesus

Cast: Guelan Luarca, Rafa Siguion-Reyna, and Ricci Chan
Set Design: Zard Eguia
Poster Design: Carlo Vergara
Stage Manager: Soc Amon

When a young man achieves a feat that many writers could only dream of, he’s thrust into a hectic life of celebrity, one unabashedly embraced by his supportive lover. But when a childhood friend shows up hoping to have a slice of the same success, an unexpected revelation brings about questions on ethics, survival, and freedom.

Staged Readings

CCP Bulwagang Amado Hernandez

Set A (Once They Were Virgins)

June 21, 2019 | 6:00 PM

Rated X
by June Lana

Director: Dennis Marasigan

Freshman
by Chris Martinez

Director: Kanakan Balintagos

Set B (Once They Were Virgins)

June 28, 2019 | 6:00 PM

Pagsasarili
by Liza Magtoto

Director: Olive Nieto

Intermedyo
by Chris Millado

Director: Baha Vergara

Set C

June 30, 2019 | 6:00 PM

Ang Pagbalik at ang Paglisan
by Karl Caminade

Director: Bong Cabrera

Multiverse
by Juliene Mendoza

Director: Pat Valera

Mula Kina Cain at Abel
by Mikaela Regis

Director: Yong Tapang

Set D
July 5, 2019 | 6:00 PM

Ang Pambansang Impyerno ng Republika ng Pilipinas
by Andrew Estacio

Director: Sari Saysay 

Lit
by Emmanuel Feliciano

Director: Eric Villanueva dela Cruz

Mema
by Joey Paras

Director: Chunchi Cabasaan

Presented by the Cultural Center of the Philippines, Tanghalang Pilipino, and Writer's Bloc, Inc., the Virgin Labfest, established in 2005, aims to provide Filipino playwrights a venue to present their unpublished, untried, and unstaged works to the theater going public.