Wicked on Broadway

in the world of musical theater, i have one that has been at the top of my list since it started in 1989 - Miss Saigon. to me, that is the epitome of a good musical : beautiful songs coupled with amazing actors/singers and a storyline that captures the hearts of the audience long after they have left the theaters. Miss Saigon had it. 

and then came Wicked which had everything Miss Saigon had and more.

i know it isn't fair to compare these two as they are as vastly different as day is to night but i can't NOT compare as i love both. Miss Saigon was romantic and sad and tragic while Wicked is light and comedic with a dash of seriousness here and there.  a difference, which i think gave Wicked a slight advantage  is the entertainment value and how each individual line was written with humor and wit. even when Glinda and Elphaba were saying goodbye for the last time, they still managed to inject a little bit of humor in the end. 

that moment when you see or hear something and then your goosebumps suddenly get out of control? i had that in Defying Gravity. literally. i had to physically shush my goossies to go away coz they just won't! 

Wicked is current and relatable. the audience left the theaters not in tears nor with heavy hearts but with smiles on their faces happily humming "Defying Gravity" and being sentimental over "For Good" and "I'm not that Girl" or trying to recall Ginda's one liners. i know i was! i remember eric and i doing Glinda's toss toss as we left the Gershwin Theater. 

it was that good. it's been days and i still can't get over it. i've seen some videos on Youtube with the original cast and all i can say is the cast last saturday was as just as talented and maybe a bit funnier?  it's like watching Glinda on crack! really hilarious! and Miss Elphaba gave me the awww moment of the night.

best musical ever. sorry Lea. Miss Saigon will always have a soft spot in my heart but for now, it's Elphaba and Glinda's turn. 

waiting for the show to start...yes, my eyes were twinkling in anticipation!

cocktails served in cool Wicked tumbler/sippy cup souvenirs is an ingenious marketing strategy! i had the glozmopolitan (cranberry vodka) and eric had the ozmopolitan (apple vodka)

thanks Eric for another Wickedly fun night

quite simply, it's the best money i've spent EVER and i wouldn't mind watching it again. 

time to meet the witches of OZ

this saturday,
at the Gerswhin Theater in New York

something will change within me

i will finally get to watch Wicked

here's to hoping i don't pee in my pants. seriously.

Repertory's Sweeney Todd

i guess i expected too much from this musical. i mean, the cast in itself is reason enough for one to go gaga the moment it was announced to be staged.

sadly, this Sweeney Todd, if not for the awesome Menchu Lauchengco-Yulo, fell short of what i was expecting.

Gibbs Cadiz couldn't have said it better in his blog

while Audie Gemora's vocal skills still remain impressive, he was overshadowed by the dear Mrs. Lovett. Franco Laurel's Anthony sounded whiney while the young lady who played Johanna ate her words most of the time. as for Judge Turpin, i could care less.

what was surprising was the lady who played Lucy/beggar, Liesl Batucan, who's voice was crisp and her acting was spot on. while i liked the movie version of Tobias, Marvin Ong's take on the lad was ok. especially on the last few scenes.

needless to say, Liesl and Menchu were my favorites as they both stole the show.

i almost fell asleep on some parts. sayang. not the money, but the production in itself. i mean, i love Rep but this one was a dud. sorry.

there's truth in humor

me: ladies, are we gonna watch Hairspray? we gotta buy tickets soon as the good seats are almost sold out

April: i'm good with Dec. 6. and while we're at it, lets celebrate your birthday!

D.I.: so, what would you like on your birthday?

me: i want LALAKI!

yes, it sounded desperate and so un-ME i know! but seriously, i do want one! it's been 3 effin years! i think it's about time.

so friends and countrymen, if wanna make me happy on my birthday, you go find me a fine man!

West Side Story (Dress Rehearsals) @ Meralco Theater

ANITA (Rowena Vilar) ROCKED! i loved loved loved her! her voice, her accent, her moves. everything about her screamed Anita.

as for the rest...

lotsa rave over Avenue Q

from the time the first note was played, until the last applause have faded, i was in theater heaven. really.

it was everything i hoped and thought it would be and more. the puppets were hilarious and the actors, whose energy never ceased, were simply awesome.

the humor was spot on and with the interjection of social issues such as sex, racism and homosexuality, not to mention full puppet nudity, Avenue Q proved itself worthy of it's Tony.

it is indeed a play like no other.

i loved it enough that after seeing it last night, i wanna go and watch it again. so, i will. this Sunday. for it's final show in Manila, i will be there, laughing my ass off and clapping like there's no tomorrow.

of course, it goes without saying, that i will kidnap monsternap Trekkie Monster after the show!

Avenue Q's Final Run

since i failed to watch Avenue Q last year, i made sure i got my tickets as soon as i learned about their final run in Manila this June. yey!

for those who have yet to watch the show, you better start buying as tickets, like last year, are selling like crazy.

for discounted ticket sales, you may get in touch with Rache Diaz for the June 13 (Friday) and June 14 (Saturday) shows. details on this link.

something to think about

i'm seriously thinking about the audition. really. it did say all shapes and sizes. plus i'm a fairly decent singer (at least that's what friends and family tell me). i've even memorized most of the songs in Miss Saigon, Avenue Q, Les Miserables, Phantom of the Opera and Jekyll & Hyde (all of which are my favorites).

now all i have to do is choose a song, that is, after i've mustered 'nuff courage to actually go. hmn.

we were kids once more

when we were young, i must say that we were blessed with such wonderful parents. we were never rich, in fact, in my earlier years, my dad was in between jobs and my mom barely made ends meet. we lived a simple life and we were happy. we would go out every Sunday and just spend time together. we may not have been blessed with expensive clothes or lived in a house with a pool and a maid but we were just as happy.

we were, however, blessed with the fondest of childhood memories. from the great London Circus to Spellbound to the moving Christmas display at COD in Cubao not to mention countless carousel rides at the Fiesta Carnival, my siblings and i were always thrilled.

often over dinner, we would talk about those times. happy times indeed. and we never get tired talking about it.

last night, my brother, gave us the chance to be kids again. he got us tickets for the Wanders show at PAGCOR'S Grand Theater at the Airport Casino. excited cannot begin to describe how we all felt. it was like the London Circus all over again. only bigger because this time, it was on us and my parents were there as guests.

my brother could not have picked a better show to watch. from start to finish, people were clapping. it was simply awesome. the lights, the costumes, the music, it was like being in Vegas. there were showgirls, contortionists, drummers (kinda like the bluemen in Vegas, only they were green), acrobats and fab fab singers and dancers. the aerial acrobatics cum cirque de soleil was my favorite. there were chills when dancers appeared from the ceiling, ever so gracefully dancing on air. it was spectacular.

last night was one of the best nights of my adult life. we were kids once again and my parents loved every minute of it.

*****

we were not allowed to bring in cameras so i wasn't able to take snapshots and videos. in any case, just to give you an idea on what the show is about, you may click on this link. it runs til Dec. 29 and is a must for the kids and the kids at heart.

Repertory's Tuesdays with Morrie

a few years back, my college bestfriend Anele's older brother was diagnosed with Amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) - the same illness that Morrie Schwartz has in Tuesdays with Morrie. i read the book and i cried buckets.

shortly after, i chanced upon the the tv adaptation in Hallmark. I've always loved Jack Lemmon and his portrayal of Morrie was exceptional. yes, i cried even harder.

last saturday, i had the privilege of watching Repertory Philippines' take on the best-selling book as it was staged on Greenbelt 1.
the cast only had the 2 main characters : Bart Guingona as Mitch Albom and Jose Mari Avellana as Morrie. the set could not have been any simpler - a couch and a table on one end, a hospital bed in the center, a cofee table under a Japanese maple tree on the right. there were no costume or set changes. it was just Mitch and Morrie from start to finish and it was beautiful.

halfway through, people started sniffing and as the intensity of the scenes increased, so did the sniffs. it was one of those where people's emotions are caught even long after the curtain closed.

towards the end, a long standing ovation was imperative.

all praises go to both actors and the Repertory for staging such a wonderful production.
"don't let go too soon, but don't hang on too long" - Morrie Schwartz

2007 in a glance

as i welcome every new year, it think it's best to look back and reflect on the year that was. here are the highlights of 2007:

january

my family spent the new year in baguio. it is one of those holidays that i shall forever remember.

bought a house in Bulacan

march

bottomless margaritas @ TGI Friday's

my sister and i got back together after months of falling out

april

my personal life took a major blow

dear friend samantha got married in boracay

two of my closest friends lost their loved ones

may

beach! beach! beach!

voted hoolah hot momma at the company outing

june

found out the ex had a new baby

consecutive weekends in Tagaytay first with chinabank friends then with my family to celebrate father's day

less than a month upon diagnosis, cousin kuya pochie passed away due to liver cancer

july

had a minor episode on being single and got all weepy about it

august

got promoted

september

watched cinderella

sucky turnover month

pau's car came

october

had a minor disagreement with a friend from work

dear friend pam got her visa

much to my utter surprise, my sister told me she was getting married and being the overprotective sister that i am, i was of course apprehensive

november

met my sister's bf, marlon who turned out to be a fine man and my family approved.

Sabangan Beach with chinabank friends...last out of town trip before pam leaves for the US.

the itch that couldn't be scratched struck again. fuck it!

had one of them pre-birthday episodes

the Manila Peninsula Mutiny

december

wasn't too excited when i turned 32

pau got married

missy the newest bitch in the house made a debut

mama lily (papa's sister) passed away at the age of 86

on christmas eve, pau told us she's pregnant and everybody was ecstatic! i remember my dad did one of his silly dances and i got teary hehe.

finally found the perfect template for this blog.

here's to better things to come in 2008

related post:
recap of 2006

tickets for Avenue Q

i made ticket reservations last thursday and was supposed to pick them up the next day. however, since we were in the hospital til sunday, i failed to claim them hoping that i can still get tickets for the show on the 23rd.

so i called both ticketworld and Atlantis today and much to my utter disappointment, tickets are sold out on all the remaining shows. deng it!

Avenue Q

voted Best Musical in the 2004 Tony Awards, Avenue Q is a play where people and puppets share the stage. the story evolves around princeton, a college grad who went to New York in the hopes of making his dreams come true and the people who live in a neighborhood called Avenue Q.

i read about this musical thru bobby garcia's blog today and fell in love with it right away. i wanted to watch it so naturally, i went online to purchase tickets . however, since the venue is a bit small i found out that there are no more seats available on Ticketworld.

i'm keeping my fingers crossed that there will be seats left when i call Atlantis tomorrow (actually, i called tonight but it's past office hours hehehe!) as it only runs til the 23rd of Sept.

wish me luck!

bibidi-babadi-bu

ayi, pam, dennis and i watched Disney's Cinderella for Kids @ OnStage Greenbelt today.

the story is the same and the music, familiar. but Rep Children's Theater made it an interesting production as the audience became part of a few scenes. kids screamed and raised their hands when prince charming went around the theater asking lil girls to try on the glass slipper and when fairy godmother asked what the magic word was. everyone was singin bibidi-babadi-bu!.

a new take on a classic, Repertory Philippines version of the Disney animation is a must see for the kids and the kids at heart.