Being Alive

This year's summer has sucked compared to last year's. Last year, I've enrolled myself into a musical theater workshop in Repertory Philippines; looking back, it was the best summer of my entire life--no beach, no staying under the hot sun, no long travels, just doing what I love doing. It was then that I've learned a whole lot more about theater. We did "The Nicest Kids in Town" (a.k.a., Hairspray) for our culminating showcase and it's a very fun and enjoyable show. We got the whole OnStage full and overflowing. And I've met the best people who had the same interest as I do. It's as if you've known them your entire life. So, if you're planning to take a musical theater workshop, do so--not a single penny will go to waste (well, with Repertory Philippines that is).

But this year's summer had been sucky. No Rep workshop this year--I have to face college. Sigh.I would've joined this years workshop if I knew they're gonna do "Legally Blonde the Musical", which is the first musical I've been hooked on; where I'd spend my whole day memorizing songs and lines from the musical. And I've been on regret this whole summer.

So, my summer has not been very musical-- except for Atlantis Productions' Next to Normal, which until now, I still have withdrawals. So, I explored many, many musicals this summer via its OBCR (Original Broadway Cast Recording; or OLCR for London). Actually, when you listen to its OBCR, you'll already get an idea of the show's plot. Here are the list of the OBCRs I've downloaded:

• Sweet Charity (2005 Broadway Revival) I've decided to listen to the whole album already and not just "Big Spender". And since 9 Works Theatrical is doing the show, I'd better get ahead of the music.

• Sweeney Todd (2005 Broadway Revival) Because I just love Patti LuPone so much. I loved her Mrs. Lovett rather than Angela Lansbury's or Helena Bonham Carter. Only let down is--Signor Pirelli is a woman. 

• Shrek the Musical Because one time, I watched a bootleg of "I Know It's Today" in Youtube and reckoned it was brilliant--and it is indeed. And add my everlasting love for Sutton Foster.

• Gypsy (2003 Broadway Revival)  Bernadette Peters. 'Yun lang.

• The Addams Family It's a great set of music, to be honest. And I just love, love "Pulled".

• [Title of Show] Susan Blackwell, sigh. It's like a musical-reality show + SNL. Favorite song: Die Vampire, Die!  

That's pretty much all of them, although I think I've missed some. Besides listening to OBCRs, I also watch musicals (not bootlegs) which I've no knowledge on. I had the chance to watch these musicals because of Oliver Oliveros's pamana (DVDs, Playbills, Guides, Books, Souvenirs) to us theater fans. I had to share and divide them with the others, but because I got to pick them up, I had the advantage to explore them.

• Into the Woods This is the Bernadette Peters recording. I love, love the musical. It's very funny, witty and ironic. The songs are great as well. One favorite is "Children will Listen"; it's kind of an odd favorite but I loved it when I heard Menchu Lauchengco-Yulo sing the song (with Loving You as mash-up) in her CD lite. 

• Phantom of the Opera (2004 Movie) I don't know why I haven't watched this musical yet but maybe because I despise any Andrew Lloyd Webber (Although, I loved Cats). And I wasn't sure of Gerard Butler as a singer. But unexpectedly, I loved the musical, I love the songs, I love the characters and the story. Favorite song: Think of me, think of me fondly...

•  Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat This is the filmed version with Donny Osmond. I didn't love it, nor like it. Uhmm.

•  Victor/Victoria Although not the musical, this is the film where the musical (which starred Julie Andrews as well) was based on. It's a great, great movie. And Le Jazz Hot? Nobody sang it better than Julie Andrews. I recommend watching this movie. I just love watching movies where musicals are based on. I've watched the original Hairspray movie, Legally Blonde (of course), Little Women (with Winona Ryder) and many others I can't remember. I'll try watching Catch Me If You Can next.

• Bernadette Peters in Concert Not a musical, but a musical theater great-- Bernadette Peters. I just love, love her voice. And I loved "Being Alive" because of her version, although it's not intended to be sung by a woman, and also "Johanna" with the same case as well. 

• Hey, Mr. Producer This is a concert composed of snippets from Cameron Mackintosh's produced musicals. It's like a bursting volcano of musicals. 

Yeah, that's pretty much most of them. If missed mentioning some of them, it either meant that I didn't like them, or it was okay. Which also pretty sums up this year's line of shows in the Philippines. It's not very exciting nor I'm looking forward to (except for the Next to Normal re-run) watching them. Each of these musicals have mainstream actors as lead which is very sad. Last year's Little Women, for example--none of the leads are mainstream actors. Which only shows that they got the best of the best actors and they didn't need any stunt casting. Let's imagine if, let's say, Nikki Gil was cast as Jo March, Iya Villania as Amy, A sober singing-actress as Beth and another one for Meg--it would just be a Party Pilipinas or ASAP the Musical. If they cast mainstream actors for the sake of the show's popularity and advertisement, it wouldn't do justice for the characters, the writers and the whole show; and it would not be nominated and praised like it got today. And another example is Next to Normal.

Aaron Tveit for example; he wasn't a small screen star before he stood-by for Rent, or when he got the role of Link in Hairspray or Gabe in Next to Normal. He started in theater before he was known on T.V. or Marissa Jaret Winokur, likewise, originated the role of Tracy Turnblad in Hairspray before she was a movie star. And in America, when theater actors made it to the small/big screen, they are introduced as Movie star Marissa Jaret Winokur who starred in the musical Hairspray on Broadway; But in the Philippines, Bituin Escalante, singer of the hit "Kung Ako Na Lang Sana", that's it, not even mentioning her theater background. My point is, we think of theater as a small medium for the performing arts and television/movies as a bigger one--which is true. Why not let the TV get actors from the theater instead of theater getting actors from the "Showbiz" industry? Stunt casting is getting common among Philippine theater companies, and I do believe there are more deserving seasoned theater actors who deserved getting those leads.


Anyway, too much for that. I'd like to invite you to my friend, Michelle's showcase for her Masterclass with Pinky Amador and Bill Atwood at OnStage Greenbelt, on May 21, 2011; 8PM. You can get tickets at the gate. It's Scene Night (according to Michelle, it's like Into the Woods where children's story are connected by a musical, but instead, it's Shakespeare plays in a play) and there'll also be performance of snippets from various musicals. Click this link for the event page on Facebook.




Guys, don't forget to catch the upcoming shows this year! And if you can, watch all of them, alright? Always support the theater!