Category: Arts & Culture

Theater Review — Inside the Bi-Polar Mind: A Review of The Sandbox Collective’s ‘Next to Normal’

I had no prior knowledge about the Tony award winning musical ‘Next to Normal’ before I came to watch The Sandbox Collective’s open rehearsal first and then the show at Circuit during preview night. As someone who grew up with traditional musical tastes from Rogers and Hammersteins to Sondheim, Kander & Ebb to Ahrens and Flaherty, I’ve always had a resistance to contemporary musicals (though that’s changing now). But to hear a musical that’s rooted in rock music and tackling such a heavy topic like mental illness and grief the way that ‘Next to Normal’ does, and with such fervor, it’s quite a shock to the system.

Written by Brian Yorkey (book and lyrics) and Tom Kitt (music), the play is about a family that’s falling apart. Diana, the mom, is suffering from several mental conditions brought forth by an extreme sense of grief. Trying desperately to hold it together is Diana’s husband, Dan, while their kids, Gabe and Natalie are growing up and dealing with their mother’s condition in unique and different ways. While Natalie meets the stoner Henry, who has taken an interest in her, she’s afraid to commit because of the trouble at home while Diana decides to get off her meds which leads to disastrous results. When Diana switches to a different doctor, Doctor Madden, she goes into a journey that threatens to shake the very fabric of this family and forces them to face the demons they’ve been avoiding for years.

Photo Courtesy of Loreta Arroyo

Under the direction of Toff De Venecia, the play sort of exists in some liminal space that is both the family’s home and also Diana’s mind and mental state. The stage is practically bare except for several chairs and a piano bench and one box that can be a sofa or a table that is constantly being arranged and re-arranged depending on the delicate balance of the relationships in the home. This is De Venecia’s best directorial effort, in my opinion, where the busy-ness of the stage movements find themselves in synch with Diana’s decline in her mental health. Constantly, characters are fixing the chairs and putting them down and standing them when making large declarations that the whole space is in a constant state of flux. The few moments when Diana has any semblance of lucidity and peace, is when the play gets to calm down and go quiet. The play’s direction and the choreography of Stephen Vinas and production design of Mark Dalacat, allows us to see this narrative through Diana’s point-of-view.

Photo Courtesy of Loreta Arroyo

The cast does everything else. The cast that I got to see are all exceptional singers, acting through the performances, and really hitting the emotional notes in each of the songs. Shiela Valderrama shines as Diana (alternate Nikki Valdez), who is constantly just trying to keep it together. Her clarity as she is emoting through each of her songs is incredible; she’s breaking down, but each word is getting across to the audience even as her world is crumbling around her. OJ Mariano plays Dan (Floyd Tena alternates) with so much heart; a man that is trying his best to keep that family from breaking, but you can tell he is at his wit’s end. Vino Mabalot plays Gabe (alternate Benedix Ramos), who has some of those most emotional songs (second to Diana) and he can sing the hell out of these moments. But the ones that really stole the show in the performance I saw was Shiela Belarmino as Natalie (alternate Jam Binay) and Omar Uddin as Henry (alternate Davy Narciso). Belarmino and Uddin manages to create a space for their character’s romantic subplot to wonderfully contrast the heavy parts of Diana’s struggle. The counterpoint breathes some fresh air into the piece and Belarmino and Uddin’s comedic timing, charisma, and joyous approach to their scenes creates a wonderful layer that keeps the show from tilting completely into dread and doom. Belarmino manages to amplify Natalie’s narrative without taking away from Diana’s struggle, which is at the heart of the play. It would be very easy to direct everything towards Diana and have everyone’s individual arc be in service of Diana’s, but Belarmino suffuses Natalie with so much spirit that their story feels intertwined. Diana’s journey informs Natalie’s.

Photo Courtesy of Loreta Arroyo

My only gripe is that the venue does not lend well to musicals and large productions. The sound system was off, with the microphones not giving the clarity that the show needed. The full band set-up, directed by Ejay Yatco, could sometimes drown the singers (except Valderrama) and I hope that they can fix the audio problems for future shows.

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This is not an easy play to digest. While it can be funny and charming, it is also alarming and scary and honest and authentic. The way it shows the full extent of how difficult bi-polar disorder can be, how grief can be so destructive when left unchecked, and how the people who are caught in the crossfire can feel so defenseless. All of this is in full display in this musical and De Venecia’s direction brings it all out for us to come to grips with and even enjoy.

My Rating:

Next to Normal will run until February 23, 2025 at the Power Mac Center Spotlight Blackbox Theater. Get your tickets here.

February 11, 2025
PETA Control + Shift: Changing Narratives Festival 2025 – Reimagining Filipino Stories for the Stage
Kickstarting 2025 with a bang, PETA (Philippine Educational Theater Association) is back with a fresh line-up of innovative works! Control + Shift: Changing Narratives Festival promises a vibrant exploration of Filipino stories retold for the theater stage.

J-mee Katanyag, the festival director and PETA’s newly appointed artistic director, has curated a compelling selection of original works. Get ready to be challenged and surprised by diverse performance forms including puppetry, movement, interactive elements, and even digital theater. These creative forces combine to breathe new life into traditional Filipino folklore, values, and contemporary issues. The result? Powerful narratives that weave together the past, present, and future.

The festival’s centerpiece is a highly-anticipated remounting of Melvin Lee’s critically-acclaimed trilogy, Kumprontasyon. But that’s not all! Control + Shift also features a dynamic mix of new and experimental works, improv performances, live music jams, and more. Mark your calendars because the festival runs from February 6 to 23, 2025, happening live at the PETA Theater Center in New Manila, Quezon City. Here’s a glimpse of what awaits theatergoers:

Main Theater Performances

Kumprontasyon (February 6-9, PETA-Phinma Theater)
Hailed by critics as a ‘theatrical masterpiece,’ Kumprontasyon delves into unresolved historical and political events through three powerful one-act plays. The stellar cast includes Teroy Guzman, Sherry Lara, Romnick Sarmenta, Ron Capinding, Missy Maramara, Adrienne Vergara, Gillian Vicencio, and Uzziel Delamide. Prepare to be transported as these talented actors bring to life Allan Palileo’s Lakambini, Guelan Luarca’s The Impossible Dream, and Joshua Lim So’s A Color for Tomorrow.

Twin Bill (February 14-15, PETA-Phinma Theater)
Travel back in time and explore the future with Twin Bill! This exciting program features two revisited plays from Control + Shift 2024. Dominique La Victoria’s Kislap at Fuego will whisk you away to a revolutionary love story, while Mixkaela Villalon’s Children of the Algo tackles the digital age and the struggles of a generation obsessed with technology.

Control + Shift + SPIT: An Improvised Show (February 16, PETA-Phinma Theater)
Calling all fans of spontaneous hilarity! Don’t miss this one-night-only show featuring The Silly People’s Improv Theater (SPIT), Manila’s top improv group. Get ready for an evening of laughter and unscripted fun as SPIT takes the stage at the Control + Shift 2025 Festival.

Studio Theater Performances

PETA’s Studio Theater transforms into a platform for eight brand-new works, running February 7 to 16, 2025. Here’s a quick look at the featured productions:

Studio Theater Set A: Unboxing – Felinda V. Bagas’ The Little Girl in a Box invites audiences on a heartwarming journey of self-discovery and empowerment. This captivating story follows a young girl’s search for her true home.

Studio Theater Set B: Time and Tide – Sig Pecho’s Failed Puppeteer and Felinda V. Bagas’ Noche Buena offer a thought-provoking look at how Filipino family values evolve through generations and navigate times of crisis.

Studio Theater Set C: Codes of Corruption – Herlyn Alegre’s Monit-oh! Monit-ah! and John Custer’s hUst1Sy@.exe pose a challenging question: can Filipino values withstand the temptations of corruption? These productions explore both classic and modern ethical dilemmas.

Studio Theater Set D: Breaking Free – Teatro Balagtas’ Ang Kuwento ni Babae, PETA ARTSZone Youth ARTvocates’ Taya! Sabay Yakap, and Tanghalang Bagong Sibol and Mikaela Regis’ At Nagkatawang-Tao Ang Verbo all tackle the theme of breaking free from societal constraints, exploring gender roles, childcare, and faith.

Exclusive Offer for Metrobank Cardholders

Planning to catch a show? Metrobank cardholders can enjoy exclusive discounts! From January 15 to 19, 2025, avail of a 10% discount on tickets to any Control + Shift Arts Festival event when you purchase through TicketWorld. Metrobank is proud to be PETA’s official 2025 theater season bank partner and a platinum partner of Control + Shift: Changing Narratives Festival.

Don’t miss out on this exciting festival! Tickets are now on sale via bit.ly/PETACS2025Tickets.
- Studio Theater: Tickets start at Php 700
- Main Theater: Tickets start at Php 1,000
For more updates, follow PETA on social media:
@petatheater (Facebook, X, Instagram, and TikTok).

Visit the PETA Theater Center at New Manila, Quezon City, this February and be part of this transformative theatrical experience. See you at the Control + Shift: Changing Narratives Festival!
January 23, 2025
THEATER REVIEW: A Total Theatrical Experience, ‘Nanay Bangis’ is a Triumph in Every Way

Dulaang Unibersidad ng Pilipinas (Dulaang UP) opens their 47th season with ‘Nanay Bangis,’ an adaptation of Bertolt Brecht’s ‘Mother Courage and Her Children.’ The production is directed by J William Herbert Sigmund Go and written by Rody Vera. The play utilizes Brechtian epic theater aesthetics, where the play creates a distance between the audience and the characters. The audience is meant to focus on the issues and not on the drama of the character’s misfortunes and suffering. To do this, there is heavy use of breaking the fourth wall, where actors often speak to the audience and even break character to reveal that they know they are actors in a play. By emphasizing the fictional nature of the narrative, the play allows us to view the atrocities committed on stage for what they are: representations of our reality.

‘Nanay Bangis’ is set in Mindanao in 1971 during the armed conflict between the Moro National Liberation Front (MNLF) and Marcos’ Philippine Army. Caught in the crossfire is the eponymous Nanay Bangis and her three children: Elvis, Christine, and Kesong Puti. Nanay Bangis is wily and crafty, peddling goods, and profiting off the war and justifying it as survival; though as the play unfolds, this justification is put into question. The family push their cart of goods (that also serves as their home) from area to area where they can make the most money. Nanay Bangis doesn’t care if it’s a muslim village or an army camp. Nanay Bangis calls it survival and seems like the only person in the whole play who doesn’t want the war to end. In the process, she will lose all three of her children. This is not a spoiler. This is the play. How it happens is the meat of the story.

Photo courtesy of Marc Stanley Mozo / Dulaang UP

J William Herbert Sigmund Go’s staging and direction really amplifies the piece and ensures that the unfolding of events are as impactful as they are funny and riveting. The stage are to arching platforms that intersect and create a giant X at the center of the IBG-KAL Theater in UP-Diliman. The audience are seated on three sides while the fourth is taken by a chamber orchestra and a foley. At the foley, there’s a table with various items and a mic, and members of the ensemble take turns creating sound effects for the play, much like a radio drama. For a scene with a blazing fire, they take an empty bag of chips and crumple it in front of the microphone creating the crackling sound of flames. For the bombs, a giant drum. The orchestra plays the score and also plays music for the musical numbers. Accompanied by precise lighting directions, the play’s production feels whole and complete. It creates a landscape that builds this world made of violence and strife.

Photo courtesy of Marc Stanley Mozo / Dulaang UP

As you enter the stage to find your seats, the fourth wall is immediately broken. The actors are on stage. They are stretching and joking with each other. Some even talk to the audience, impressing upon everyone that this is all a play. But when the play starts, they are focused and driven to tell this story, though they do sometimes break character to remind us in-between the multitude of deaths that are happening within its almost two hour running time.

Photo courtesy of Marc Stanley Mozo / Dulaang UP

The cast are in fine form. Geraldine Villamil is powerful as Nanay Bangis. The play revolves around her and her resolve to push against the odds to make money as the world burns around her. She is a terrifying force on stage that commands our attention and brings all the other players to revolve around her. Though the real standouts in this show are the three children: Ethan King as Elvis, Khay Eva as Christine, and Raymond Aguilar as Kesong Puti. King and Aguilar are charismatic and have a magnetic stage presence, humanizing their characters in a way that their loss is truly felt. Eva has the unenviable task to play the mute Christine and has to convey her whole character with grunts and garbled speech. Being the only girl amongst the siblings, she has the most complex relationship with Nanay Bangis and she literally doesn’t have the words to express the full range of her character’s struggle. It’s quite a feat. Jigger Semantilla, who plays the army chaplain, Brother Mike, is also a standout. He has a lot of the comedic moments, and he executes this with perfect timing and then quickly shifting to the play’s more serious themes at a moment’s notice.

Photo courtesy of Marc Stanley Mozo / Dulaang UP

The rest of the ensemble are also quite strong, filling in the spaces, shifting from soldiers to Muslim villagers and helping create this palpable world.

Photo courtesy of Marc Stanley Mozo / Dulaang UP

Rody Vera’s script is incredible as it adapts Brecht’s play and suits it perfectly into the Philippine setting, managing to relate a bloody episode of our country’s history and showing aspects of the horrors of the Marcos dictatorship yet still manages to paint a clear picture of why Mindanao is still an unstable part of the country. The treatment of the government to the natives of the southern-most region of our country is still questionable. The play is about profiteers in times of calamity and much like the goal of epic theater, it shows us what wrongs are being committed and that our protagonist is not someone we should emulate.

Photo courtesy of Marc Stanley Mozo / Dulaang UP

‘Nanay Bangis’ is very clear with its message but manages to be equally parts funny and tragic at the same time. The musical numbers make perfect sense and some of Go’s direction is just pure theater magic. In one moving song, someone at the rafters start throwing plastic tied up like parachutes. They fall to the floor on to the stage and create a visual image of the military occupation that underlines the atrocities committed and a justification for the Muslim anger.

I was always a bit cautious and wary of Brecht but after seeing ‘Nanay Bangis,’ I definitely want to see more.

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My Rating:

Nanay Bangis will run until December 1, 2024 at the IBG-KAL Theater, University of the Philippines Diliman. Get your tickets here.

PG-10 (Children age 10 and above must be accompanied by an adult)

November 27, 2024
THEATER REVIEW: ‘Tiny Beautiful Things’ and the Power of Vulnerability

I was fortunate enough to have been invited to the open rehearsal of The Sandbox Collective’s new production ‘Tiny Beautiful Things,’ a play based on the book by Cheryl Strayed and adapted for the stage by Nia Vardalos. Directed by Jenny Jamora, the rehearsal was already a powerful, moving experience that brought me to tears and I’m excited to see the actual run at the PowerMac Spotlight Blackbox Theater in Circuit this coming weekend.

Image Courtesy of The Sandbox Collective/@TheSandboxCo

The book is composed of a series of advice columns by a woman called Sugar and the play creates a space for the columnist to interact with the people writing the letters and asking for her counsel. As written, these letter writers (performed by three people playing multiple parts) share the same space as Sugar on stage, but not in reality but the furniture and the food and the drinks are all shared by them. Letter after letter, advice after advice, Sugar becomes more emboldened to give of herself – her life story, her darkest deeds and thoughts, the private parts of ourselves we usually keep hidden – and in the process the following letters are equally as exposing creating a whirlwind of emotions. In that space, healing can begin.

Set in the round, the audience circle the stage, which means the actors have nowhere to hide and while the three letter writers do have moments when they can exit the stage when someone else is interacting with Sugar, our protagonist never leaves the stage. She is a constant presence in their lives, and in the duration of the play, she becomes a constant in ours.

Image Courtesy of The Sandbox Collective/@TheSandboxCo

Taking the role of Sugar is Iza Calzado, her second foray into theater and she imbues Sugar with a genuine tenderness that can sometimes contrast some of the dark parts of Sugar’s life that she shares with her readers (and the audience). What it creates is a complex character who has seen much, been through hell and back, and is grateful for the opportunity to turn these experiences into nuggets of wisdom that might be able to heal someone else. Calzado makes use of her screen presence and transforms it into a power on stage that keeps the focus on her and permits the sincerity to bridge the gap with her perspective on life, which may not always be like yours, but the insight is something so deep and profound that it touches you.

Image Courtesy of The Sandbox Collective/@TheSandboxCo

The three actors during the rehearsal were played by Rody Vera, Gabby Padilla, and Ketchup Eusebio (with Brian Sy and Regina De Vera as alternates) and they have the great task to shift characters after every letter. When not portraying a letter writer, they stay on the stage, either engaging in the conversation Sugar has with one of the senders or taking space at some part of the stage and just doing ordinary things. This direction keeps the stage alive and vibrant, like life is bursting through regardless if the sender’s story is a funny one or a sad one. The three players can shift to any gender or age, but they don’t assume an overdramatic rendition except for some special moments. When one of Ketchup Eusebio’s characters is a little boy, he fully embodies it and transform but when he has to play the part of a transman, it’s not an affected performance. It’s like there’s a baseline for all the characters that they play that they don’t stray too far away from. It feels connected to the fact that none of these people use their real names. All the letters are anonymous, and even when they ask for Sugar’s real name, she doesn’t give it either.

Image Courtesy of The Sandbox Collective/@TheSandboxCo

It’s the tiny nuances like this that adds an extra layer of depth into the production. It was an open rehearsal – so the set design approximates what will be on stage at the PowerMac Spotlight Blackbox – and no spotlights or lighting effects were used, but already the play felt so full and powerful. The set is a full-on working home with a coffee machine that makes actual coffee, and I can imagine what that smell would do for that scene in the actual theater. It’s this fullness that pulls you in further as you get swept into the world of Sugar and her letter writers.

Image Courtesy of The Sandbox Collective/@TheSandboxCo

And the brilliance of the script, pushed forward by its very capable cast and the clear directions, allows for the play to hit hard at the end and you’ve come to realise that the vulnerability that was slowly growing onstage, from Sugar to the senders of the letters asking for her advice, is the same vulnerability you are experiencing as you are connecting to one of those stories.

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The play underscores how vulnerability is an essential part of healing. As someone who is going through therapy now and trying to get over something, this play touched me in a very profound way. And even if you are not going through something, there’s a story there that is going to remind you of someone – or yourself – and you’re going to nod your head and smile.

My Rating:

Tiny Beautiful Things will run from November 16 to December 8, 2024, at the Power Mac Center Spotlight Black Box Theater in Circuit Makati. The intimate venue is the perfect setting for a play that thrives on human connection and emotional vulnerability. Tickets are available through Ticket2Me.

November 15, 2024
Ayala Museum Presents Dambana ng Kapwa Exhibition

As part of its 50th anniversary celebrations, Ayala Museum, with the gracious support of Wilcon Depot, proudly presents Dambana ng Kapwa: Indigenous Spirituality as Resistance from Colonialism, an exhibition featuring works by Nueva Ecija-based visual artist Joshua Limon Palisoc. It is part of the museum’s public art program, OpenSpace, which began in 2015.

This installation is a tapestry of animist, Hindu, Roman and folk Catholic spiritual symbols that highlights the interplay between foreign and indigenous cultures and creates a narrative of survival and resistance. Each sculpture is made of stainless-steel wire frames encasing light-emitting diodes. The open-work removes the wall between labas and loob, the object and the viewer.

The exhibition is grounded on the Filipino concept of kapwa, a state of shared existence and interconnectedness and treating another person as an extension of oneself. “This return to Filipino spirituality reclaims our deep-rooted cultural identity that fosters community, ecology, and authentic identity,” says Palisoc.

The installation is set up like a dambana, a sacred space where the spiritual and material worlds intersect. The oval shape of the dambana references the balangay, a water vessel associated to indigenous cosmology, trade and warfare. Small white stones surround the sculptures to emulate atang, traditional ritual rice offerings made to nature spirits and ancestors.

The artist acknowledges that, although his art is initially shaped by personal experience, his struggles and desires are shared by many Filipinos. Dambana ng Kapwa offers “a communal space for reflection, reclamation and healing.”

The dambana focuses on three major planes of existence—natural, social, and individual— each one represented by a pair of diwatas. The illumination is inspired from the ancient myth of Barangaw, the Visayan war god of the rainbow, and the Buddhist concept of chakra— specific areas of the body which are sources of psychic energies—by assigning each sculpture to a specific predominant color.

November 15, 2024
THEATER REVIEW: ‘Six’ is Fun-Filled History Lesson on Women Empowerment Disguised as a Pop Concert

I’m a musical theater puritan, growing up and raised on Stephen Sondheim, Maury Yeston, Kander & Ebb, and Lerner and Lowe. Later on, I discovered Lynn Ahrens and Stephen Flaherty. So, I’m not the kind of guy who truly enjoys a jukebox musical, much less new musicals that stray so far away from what I am used to. I didn’t like the thought of ‘Hamilton’ until I finally got to see it and it completely changed my mind. So, I find it funny that I was against coming in to watch the musical ‘Six’ because of its usage of pop music as its aesthetic and motif; but I was – once again! – made to eat my own words and when I saw the show and realised how amazing it is.

SIX UK Tour 2023 | Pamela Raith Photography

The 2017 musical by Lucy Moss and Toby Marlow reimagines the six wives of Henry VIII – Catherine of Aragon, Ann Boleyn, Jane Seymour, Ann of Cleves, Katherine Howard, and Catherine Parr – as an all-girl pop group, who are in a concert and decide to hold a competition to decide who would be the group’s main vocalist. The winner will be determined by who suffered the most under Henry VIII.

The whole show takes on a full pop concert aesthetic. The backdrop is a dynamic LED light board that plays off on the songs. The band, called “Ladies in Waiting” are on stage with the performers and also part of the show in their own nuanced way. The bright, structured costumes are a mix of 70s Eurythmics and Devo inspired outfits with added touches of Victorian-era designs. And the five actresses come out, singing their hearts out and calling out to the audience, in our case “Hello, Manila,” as if they were straight out of a tour (which they are).

SIX UK Tour 2023 | Pamela Raith Photography

The opening song, “Ex-Wives” got me afraid, and proved my point about how pop songs aren’t fit for musical theater. The song is in the narrative mode and tries to establish the characters and the setting in a pop song and it sort of comes off clunky and verbose. Musically, it feels all over the place and it made me feel smug and petty.

In-between, the actresses are doing an amazing job at bringing these characters to life. The women are feisty, filled to the brim with personality, and are all leads in their own way. To prove they suffered the most, they each get a song – a monologue, if you will – to explain the hardships they endured, and this is when my feelings about the show shifted.

Pamela Raith Photography

Each individual song, after the opening, tells a story about the sort of oppressive world women have to live through each day. There’s sexism, unfair beauty standards, and oppression of all sorts that somehow work so well in each individual story. The songs, when focused on just one person’s story works so well and each wife has their own distinct musical style that was purposefully inspired by an existing pop star (according to some online articles).

Pamela Raith Photography

The touring cast is insanely talented, and they take each song and just knock it out of the ballpark. Billie Kerr plays Catherine of Aragon and I love how she never hid her thick Scottish accent while playing the English queen who hailed from Spain. It creates a layer of artifice that fits so well to the show and adds another layer of humor that just fits perfectly. Yna Tresvalles plays Ann Boleyn, and she is so full of charm and spunk. In my opinion, her character has the funniest lines, and she keeps it going throughout the whole show. Jane Seymour, the only woman who King Henry VIII supposedly loved, is played by Liberty Stottor, who gets to sing the emotional power ballad. Her soaring vocals creates a truly emotional moment that helps break the hilarity of the first two songs. Hannah Victoria kills it as Ann of Cleves, whose song is ready for the Top 40 supremacy. Lizzie Emery channels Britney Spears as she portrays the provocative Katherine Howard, whose song is more an acting piece than a vocal piece and Emery sells the story of sexual exploitation so convincingly that it brings you back into the story (the way Jane Seymour’s song does). Finally, Eloise Lord nails Catherine Parr and has the unenviable position to play the character that turns the show around. Her incredible vocals turn her R&B flavoured song into a showstopper.

Pamela Raith Photography

I had to mention all the six actresses because they were all phenomenal. ‘Six’ is pretty much a monologue play that is sung-through and despite it’s silly pop-concert conceit, manages to really bring to light the sort of challenges women continue to face every day. They use the stories of the six wives but told with modern touches – lingo and jargon, dating apps, and the like – to show that the way the patriarchy has objectified women hasn’t much change in 500 years.

Pamela Raith Photography

Except for the first song, which I’m not a fan of, the rest of the songs fit perfectly as both narrative exploration of character as well as rousing pop songs that will get you clapping to the beat. It’s such a fun show that I was taken completely by surprise and fell immediately in love with the musical. In fact, I don’t want to listen to the album on a streaming site because I want to remember how it sounded with this touring cast in my head. I wish I could see it again and I wish more women get to see it for its message of reclaiming your identity from the patriarchy.

My Rating:

SIX the Musical is currently running for a strictly limited engagement at The Theatre at Solaire until October 20. For more updates and exclusive peeks behind the royal curtains, keep your eyes on gmg-productions.com and follow @gmg.productions. This October, the queens of “SIX” aren’t just rewriting history—they’re making it.

October 16, 2024
THEATER REVIEW: Theater as Voyeurism – A Review of ‘Request sa Radyo’

There’s a magic, a spontaneity, that live theater offers that movies can never really capture. I love both, dearly, but while the power of film as a storytelling technique is how it uses the camera to capture the essence and truth about life and the human experience – the camera (and editing) being able to come close to the subject, distend time, connect images together – theater allows us to see it in front of us in real time. The narrative is unfolding right there, on the stage, and if one is so bold (and one should never) you could get up and touch it. It’s that presence, what cultural theorist Walter Benjamin would call art’s “aura,” that makes the theatrical experience like no other.

This aura is pushed beyond its limits in the masterpiece play ‘Request Program’ (or ‘Request Concert,’ depending on the translation), a 1973 play by Fran Xavier Kroetz. It’s a roughly 70+ minute play with absolutely no dialogue. Just one person coming home after what seems like a long day and we witness their evening activities before going to bed. No dialogue whatsoever except the character switching the radio on, giving us a clue to what lies underneath.

At the Samsung Performing Arts Theatre in Circuit, Makati, a revival of the play with distinctly Filipino touches has been reimagined as ‘Request sa Radyo’. The production stars both Lea Salonga and Dolly De Leon, who perform separate shows just an hour apart. It is produced by an incredible team, including theater director Bobby Garcia and stage and costume designer Clint Ramos, a 6-time Tony Award nominee and recipient of the Tony Award for Best Costume Design.

Bobby Garcia

At the Samsung Performing Arts Theatre in Circuit, Makati, a revival of the play with distinctly Filipino touches has been reimagined as ‘Request sa Radyo’. The production stars both Lea Salonga and Dolly De Leon, who perform separate shows just an hour apart. It is produced by an incredible team, including theater director Bobby Garcia and stage and costume designer Clint Ramos, a 6-time Tony Award nominee and recipient of the Tony Award for Best Costume Design.

Clint Ramos

Theater, sometimes called Drama (as in “to dramatize” a story), usually follows an event, a complication or a struggle that can be enjoyable to watch or even disturbing, with the idea of evoking thought and emotion. It’s why we go to the theater or the movies: this never ending need to consume stories and to make it what we will. What separates ‘Request sa Radyo’ apart from almost all of the theater productions you’ve seen is that it asks us to observe and experience the mundane, the ordinary.

Photo courtesy of Sandro Paredes

The character simply enters her home – in this iteration, it’s a flat in New York, the character in hospital scrubs, either a doctor or a nurse, most probably a nurse – and settles in for the night. She cooks dinner – she actually prepares rice – and microwaves leftovers from the refrigerator. She washes a stain on her blouse while listening to the radio. Once in a while, she stares out into space. She eats her dinner. She cleans up. She does some art while listening to a radio station that markets specifically to Filipinos in America, playing mostly Tagalog songs and subtly creating the play’s narrative thrust.

Photo courtesy of Sandro Paredes

In the hands of Lea Salonga, a multi-awarded theater luminary, the role takes on weight and meaning. You’re expecting her to sing at any moment, but she enters with heavy steps and not an ounce of glamour or sophistication on her. The silence is deafening and, oftentimes, as she’s waiting for the rice to cook, she stares out into space and there’s nothing there to fill up the empty space except the songs from the radio. Salonga’s character is so striking from how numb she seems to be. It felt like this was a performance for film, surprisingly, like you want to come in close to look straight into her eyes. I was seated far away, and I was fascinated by the absence of drama.

Until that unsurprising ending note, which you can feel is coming, but you aren’t quite sure why or how you know.

Photo courtesy of Sandro Paredes

‘Request sa Radyo’ is a brilliant piece of theater and that is demanding and thought-provoking. Garcia and Ramos create a space – an actual living space – where Salonga can cook and clean and be as ordinary as she can be and it builds such a strange rapport with the audience. I can’t even help it, but I found myself saying things like ‘Lea washes dishes differently than me’ or ‘I’d switch off some of the lights’ and finding myself connecting with the character in some form or another.

Despite the lack of dialogue, the role is so difficult because, despite the fact that four hundred people are watching her, Lea Salonga has to go through her character’s evening routine as if no one is watching her. It’s an acting exercise that is a true test of one’s skill and talent: to be completely un-self-conscious and to be completely ordinary and mundane for 70+ minutes.

‘Request sa Radyo’ is a meditation on loneliness and longing. The art of theater and even movies is about voyeurism, but this amplifies it and highlights it where the play asks you to really just watch someone be without any real promise for a story. There is, though, if you look hard enough; and the experience is so riveting.

My Rating:

Request sa Radyo is currently running for a strictly limited engagement at the Samsung Performing Arts Theatre in Circuit, Makati until October 20. For exclusive updates, including ticket sale releases, visit TicketWorld.

October 15, 2024
Painter’s ARTablado exhibit is a joyful love letter to his mother

In his first solo art exhibit, Daniel Dumaguit pays tribute to his mother Herminia with a series of paintings featuring Ligaya, a character she inspired him to create.

“Ligaya: Happiness Within” will run until October 15 at ARTablado in Robinsons Galleria.

ARTablado, a Robinsons Land initiative, has been supporting artists and providing them with a venue to showcase their work since 2020. A portmanteau of the words “art” and “entablado,” the Filipino word for stage, ARTablado’s art stages in Robinsons Galleria and Robinsons Antipolo have been putting the spotlight on Filipino talent and creativity.

Dumaguit, a visual artist from Taytay, Rizal, believes ARTablado is the perfect place for his exhibit. “It’s a venue that gives everyone a chance to appreciate art and not be intimidated by it,” he said in Filipino.

Like many artists, Dumaguit’s love affair with art started when he was still a kid. As early as grade school, he would draw on the back of his notebooks, even getting into trouble for drawing his teacher during class, with the guidance counselor summoning his mother to the school as a result.

Dumaguit would go on to join and win art contests and art would continue to be a lifelong passion for him. He holds a degree in Fine Arts from the Far Eastern University and enjoyed a successful career in Saudi Arabia as a graphic designer and visual merchandiser. But now, he’s back in the country to focus on what he calls his “new dream”: painting.

Dumaguit’s mother Herminia has always been his muse, both in art and in life. Growing up, while his father worked in the Middle East, he witnessed his mother doing what she could to supplement the family income—sewing, selling shorts in Blumentritt, raising pigs—while also helping her kids with their studies and providing emotional support for her husband. “She gave us hope,” Dumaguit said of the woman he describes as “madiskarte” and “empowered.”

Herminia inspired the character Ligaya because “she taught me that living a meaningful life comes from the constant pursuit of happiness.”

Her lessons have stayed with him. “Do what makes you happy. Be with people who make you happy. Find joy in everything—small or grand, in good times and in bad times. Bring joy to others.”

Joy is a big theme in Dumaguit’s work and Ligaya, as her name suggests, is the personification of it. Previous artworks in the “Ligaya” series depict the great lengths a woman would go for her family—a clear nod to Herminia’s sacrifices for the people she loved.

Dumaguit said, “Bursting with colors, this series attempts to spark profound happiness in different situations and in mundane things—whether you are spending time alone, with others, at work, traveling, or pursuing a hobby.”

He added, “This year’s ‘Ligaya’ series reiterates what I continue to pursue and hope others would live by too—joy. May we continue to chase it, find it, and be inspired by it.”

Dumaguit, who is inspired by artists Vicente Manansala, Carlos “Botong” Francisco, Jose “Pitok” Blanco and Pedrong Masipag, also explores nature, spirituality, abundance, beauty, nature, and gender equality in his work. In his paintings, women have flowers in their hair and their tresses seem to be reaching for the heavens. “The upward trajectory of the hair symbolizes a sacred offering and a connection to God,” he said. “The narrowing and glowing tips of the hair reflect the transformative journey toward enlightenment and the radiance of inner joy. Through these visual elements, I aim to convey a sense of universal harmony and the joyous essence of spiritual connection, extending beyond gender to embrace a shared human experience.”

The artist dedicates his ARTablado show to his mother who died from breast cancer in October 2010. October is Breast Cancer Awareness Month. He has pledged to donate part of the proceeds of “Ligaya: Happiness Within” to iCanServe Foundation, a non-profit organization dedicated to helping cancer patients and survivors—a way to honor his beloved mother.

Another way, of course, is by continuing to spread joy with his art. After all, that’s why he paints—“to bring joy and inspiration to those who will see it.” He said, “Their happiness is double happiness for me.”

Dumaguit is excited about his first solo show. It is his hope that mallgoers at Robinsons Galleria would get to enjoy his artworks and, through them, enter the world of Ligaya, the world of joy. Dumaguit said, “We are meant to live in joy.”

October 13, 2024
Unveiling Silence: “Request sa Radyo” Stars Lea Salonga and Dolly De Leon in a Poignant Theater Experience

Yesterday, Manila welcomed the opening of “Request sa Radyo,” a unique theatrical experience that delves deep into the echoes of solitude through the meticulous nightly routine of a solitary woman. Staged at the prestigious Samsung Performing Arts Theatre in Makati City, this play offers a profound exploration of quiet introspection and the hidden yearnings for connection. With internationally revered talents Lea Salonga and Dolly De Leon alternating in the solo performance, this limited engagement is set to redefine theatrical storytelling in the Philippines.

The strictly limited engagement, featuring 20 performances, began on October 10 and will run until October 20, 2024, at the Samsung Performing Arts Theatre in Makati City, Philippines. Lea Salonga and Dolly De Leon will take turns performing the solo piece in scheduled alternating performances.

The Essence of Solitude

Crafting Emotions Without Words
Franz Xaver Kroetz’s “Request Program” captures the essence of solitude through the meticulous routine of a solitary woman. Her interaction with a radio program unfurls layers of profound loneliness, portraying how isolation deeply embeds itself in human existence. This narrative beautifully converts mundane activities into a captivating exploration of the human condition, leaving the audience with lingering thoughts on the complexities of solitude.

Conversation in Spotlight – a talk moderated by Clint Ramos alongside Lea Salonga and Dolly de Leon

Stellar Cast, Stellar Performance

Featuring a duo of the Philippines’ most celebrated actors, this production sees Salonga and De Leon in alternating solo performances. Each brings their unique interpretation to the stage, enriched by their vast experiences and international acclaim. This casting choice alone makes “Request sa Radyo” a monumental event in Philippine theater.

Lea Salonga: A Global Icon
Lea Salonga, a beloved Filipino star renowned worldwide for her unparalleled voice and perfect pitch, has captivated audiences for decades. Her illustrious career includes iconic roles in Miss Saigon and Les Misérables, earning her both a Tony Award and an Olivier Award. Salonga’s undeniable talent and global reach make her a true icon in the world of theater. Reflecting on her involvement in Request Sa Radyo, she enthused, “When I was asked by Clint and Bobby if I was interested at all in this project, an experience that told a probable and possible story that absolutely applies to our people, I said sure, even before knowing the details. It will be a challenge though, but hopefully, it will lend a figurative voice to those who are suffering.”

Dolly De Leon: A Rising International Sensation
Dolly De Leon, a celebrated actress in film, television, and theater, has swiftly emerged as a global sensation. Her breakthrough role in the critically acclaimed film “EO” earned her Golden Globe and BAFTA nominations, solidifying her status as one of the most sought-after actresses in the world. De Leon’s versatility and passion for her craft shine through in every performance. She expressed her excitement about returning to the stage, saying, “I’m so looking forward to coming back to my first love, the theatre, after five long years, and I am equally excited that it is in Request Sa Radyo—a play that is relevant and timely.”

Behind the Scenes

A Creative Team Like No Other
The genius behind the curtain includes Clint Ramos and Bobby Garcia, whose visions for the play have set new benchmarks in theatrical storytelling. Ramos, a 6-time Tony Award nominee and recipient of a Tony Award for his designs in Eclipsed—making him the first designer of color to win in this category—brings his innovative design philosophy to the production, ensuring that every aspect resonates with thematic depth.

Garcia, a respected figure in the world of theatre, returns to Manila after a four-year hiatus to direct the play with a fresh perspective on loneliness and isolation—themes that are poignantly relevant today. Reflecting on his homecoming project, Request Sa Radyo, Garcia shared, “The last show I worked on in Manila was The Band’s Visit, which sadly never got to open because of the pandemic.

It was a poignant musical about loneliness, isolation, and the need for human connection. It feels almost like fate that I now return to Manila after four years to direct Request Sa Radyo, a chilling and haunting piece of theatre about those very same issues, but completely different in approach, form, and style. I am thrilled to be working with two of the country’s finest performers, Lea Salonga and Dolly De Leon, who will alternate in performing this unique theatrical experience about our universal need for human contact and the global crisis that is loneliness. I am also thrilled to reconnect with Manila audiences after some time away and re-engage with them through the art of storytelling.”

Experience the Unspoken

Engage in a Unique Theatrical Exploration
“Request sa Radyo” goes beyond traditional theater by offering a space to reflect on the silent struggles of everyday life. It challenges the audience to find meaning in silence and to connect with the undercurrents of solitude that we often overlook.

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A Limited Engagement Not to be Missed

With a strictly limited run from October 10 to October 20, 2024, tickets are expected to be in high demand. Audience members are encouraged to secure their seats early to experience this unique and transformative theatrical event.

For more information on ticketing and showtimes, visit the Request Sa Radyo’s website or follow the show’s updates on Instagram and Facebook. Don’t miss the opportunity to witness this extraordinary blend of talent and narrative, where every silent moment speaks volumes.

October 11, 2024
Celebrating Filipino Art in Japan: BIJUTSU Exhibit Showcases Contemporary Talents

This October, twelve Filipino contemporary artists are set to shine in Japan through an art exhibition titled BIJUTSU, which means “fine art” in Japanese. Running from October 11 to 20, 2024, at the prestigious Toyono Gallery Vitokuras in Osaka, the exhibit will bring the rich and diverse world of Philippine art to the Land of the Rising Sun.

A Diverse Collection of Filipino Art

Led by Mylene Quito, a renowned artist and exhibition organizer, this group of talented artists is ready to display their finest works. The exhibit promises to captivate art enthusiasts with a wide array of styles, ranging from traditional pottery to contemporary masterpieces. Ms. Quito, who has long been a respected figure in the Philippine art scene, has carefully curated pieces that highlight each artist’s individuality and creativity.

The lineup of participating artists includes Allen V. Sanchez, Angelie Banaag, Ann Theresa E. Bolos, Art Lozano, Arturo Arsega Jr., Bing Famoso, Daniel Dumaguit, Franklin Cana, Isah Rodillo, TatEs Cannon, Valerie Teng, and Mylene Quito herself. Their unique techniques and perspectives will come together to celebrate Filipino artistry in an international setting.

Mylene Quito “Radiant” | Acrylic on canvas

An Artistic Cultural Exchange

Beyond the stunning artworks, BIJUTSU represents an important cultural exchange between the Philippines and Japan. As Ms. Quito shared, “We invite our friends, collectors, and art enthusiasts to join us in celebrating this cultural exchange as we collaborate with Toyono Gallery Vitokuras in Osaka, Japan.” She hopes that the exhibit will not only showcase the beauty of Filipino art but also resonate deeply with the Japanese audience, who are known for their love of art and aesthetics.

For Filipino artists, this exhibit marks a significant opportunity to gain international recognition and foster connections with fellow artists and art lovers from across the globe. The exposure to Japan’s art scene could potentially open doors to future collaborations and exhibits, creating a bridge between the two countries’ creative communities.

Valerie Teng “Reawakening” | Acrylic on canvas

What to Expect from BIJUTSU

Visitors to BIJUTSU can expect a wide range of artistic styles, with each piece reflecting the Philippines’ vibrant culture and heritage. From Allen V. Sanchez’s intricate depictions of local life to Valerie Teng’s contemporary interpretations, the exhibition promises to be a visual feast. The artists’ works explore different mediums, subjects, and emotions, creating a dynamic and immersive experience for attendees.

Osaka’s Toyono Gallery Vitokuras is the perfect venue for such an exhibit, as it has long been recognized for showcasing innovative and high-quality art. Hosting the works of these Filipino artists is a testament to the gallery’s commitment to fostering international artistic exchanges.

Whether you’re an art collector, a fan of Filipino culture, or simply curious about contemporary art, BIJUTSU is an event you shouldn’t miss. The exhibit provides a rare chance to witness the convergence of Filipino creativity in a global context. By attending, you’ll be supporting not just the artists themselves but also the growing presence of Philippine art on the international stage.

Additionally, this exhibition strengthens the bond between the Philippines and Japan, emphasizing the role of art in bridging cultures and fostering mutual appreciation.

With its showcase of diverse and powerful artworks, BIJUTSU is set to leave a lasting impression on all who attend. For the Filipino artists involved, it’s an opportunity to showcase the depth and range of their talent to a new audience. And for the Japanese art community, it’s a chance to explore the vibrant and evolving world of contemporary Filipino art.

So, mark your calendars for October 11 to 20, 2024, and immerse yourself in the beauty and creativity of BIJUTSU at Toyono Gallery Vitokuras in Osaka. This cultural and artistic exchange is sure to be a milestone for Filipino artists and a celebration of fine art that transcends borders.

September 30, 2024