Curtain Call: Defending The Caveman

Last Thursday, I dragged my best friend out to watch Rob Becker's Defending the Caveman at the RCBC Plaza in Makati.

The play delves into the male and female psyche, and how it all probably started during the caveman era. Joel Trinidad, who plays the "Caveman" in this one-man show, takes us through the stark differences between men and women when it comes to friendship, bonding, and sex in a spontaneous, conversational tone that will make you listen to every word he says. It was like listening to a good friend who's trying to figure out how the hell he became an asshole just because he forgot to text his girlfriend "good morning". Joel was able to establish a good rapport with the audience and got them to participate; in other words, he was nowhere near boring (like that monologue I saw back in college which drove me to tears). His female impersonations were particularly funny, mainly because I know a lot of girls who would interact that way with their boyfriends.

It was also very amusing to see how the audience reacted to Joel's monologue. Everyone laughed, sure, but there were some who laughed and then nudged or elbowed their partners whenever they heard a situation or scenario they could relate to. But what's good about this play is that it isn't very sexist; everything that was said in the play poked fun at both sexes and was delivered in such a way that made you sheepishly admit to doing some of the things (if not all) pointed out in the play.

So if you're looking for something fun to watch this summer, I suggest you give this play a shot. I think it's going to be a good experience for both single and attached people, and who knows - getting a glimpse into how and why the opposite sex behaves that way might improve your relationship or help you find one.

Defending the Caveman is directed by Michael Williams and Cathy Azanza-Dy. It will be shown at the Carlos P. Romulo Theater, 4th floor RCBC Plaza, 6819 Ayala Avenue, Makati City on the following dates:

May 6, 7, 13, 14, 20, and 21, 2011.

You can get tickets at www.ticketworld.com.ph or email cteshows@gmail.com.

Movie Update!

Enchanted.
Up.
Megamind.
Astroboy.
My Amnesia Girl.
Despicable Me.
Leap Year.
Burlesque.
Wall-E.

9 movies in 4 months. Damn, I'm slow. Must watch more.

College Kids Can Also Say The Darndest Things

I really believe that education is a two-way thing. Sure, teachers are supposed to impart some sort of knowledge (academic and otherwise) to their students but I think it's also healthy for us teachers to sit back, relax, and try to learn something from the kiddies (they're not literally kids, this is just a term I use). I teach college students, and after spending another year with these crazies, I've picked up quite a few things. I'm just not sure if they're useful or not. LOL

1.) "Humanap ka kasi ng panget para pag na-busted ka, di ganun kasakit." (Find someone who is ugly so it won't hurt so much when she dumps you.) Ah yes, the words of the great Andrew E., tweaked just a tiny bit by Y.M. while consoling a broken-hearted F.B. Brilliant piece of advice, especially when said with a straight face like it's the most obvious thing you can do.

2.) "Miss, pa-deliver ka sa McDo! No minimum wage!" I think she meant "no minimum (delivery) fee". I really got a kick out of this one because of the conviction in her voice. LOL

3.) "Giggity, giggity." My students' version of "yihee", with matching knowing looks and sly grins. Kinda scary, to be perfectly honest.

4.) "Smooth na smooth!" An alternative to "swabeng-swabe", this can be used whenever you see an arrogant piece of *insert profanities here* being, well, arrogant. It's vague, inconspicuous, and perfect. :))

5.) "My cat ate my Mechdraft*." Ah yes, the old "the dog ate my homework" adage with a twist. Although this time, the cat can eat almost anything - homework, cars, gasoline, even your own dignity. You name it.


*Mechdraft is a subject where I teach them how to draw different 3d projections in a 2d plane. It's a very basic engineering/architecture class. Think blueprints and plans and all that jazz.

Chemistry

Chemistry
n. the interaction of one personality with another; sympathetic understanding; rapport.
(from Dictionary.com)

Last Feb. 28 to Mar. 02, the 3rd year ABMA students made waves by holding the first-ever external exhibit in the history of Media Arts. Ice Adriano, Michael Brion, Michael Manansala, Krizia Parungao and Lawrence Virina rolled up their sleeves, dusted their hands and whipped up a storm by showcasing their impressive works in digital and film photography, animation, video production and graphic design at The Enterprise Center in Makati City. I was fortunate enough to see the opening of the exhibit, which they called "Timeless", and I am impressed with what they came up with after months of planning and hard work. They all looked sharp and held themselves professionally whenever someone would approach them and ask about their work. They've grown up so quickly, and witnessing that growth is something I will truly never forget. I'm sure they will excel in whatever field they choose to get into after they graduate.

Left to Right: Lawrence Virina, Krizia Parungao, Michael Brion, Mr. Jepster Togle, Ms. Felma Tria (AB Mass Communication
and Media Arts Chairperson), Michael Manansala, and Ice Adriano. Photo taken by Sachiko Miyazawa.

Another thing I'm proud of is my Digital Photography class comprised of the 2nd year Media Arts students. I brought them to Makati to cover the Timeless exhibit opening, and I think they did a pretty good job. Everything was documented, even the dust on the floor. They worked systematically and in sync with each other. That's what I like about this batch - they have this bond that manifests when they need to work together as a group, even if they're not one whole barkada. And when they start getting serious, they transform into a force to be reckoned with (even with the excessive amounts of "kamanyakan" some of them seem to exude).

Digital Photography class, 2nd semester, AY2010-11. Photo taken by Michael Manansala.

So what do these two groups have in common? Yep. Chemistry.

Good job, guys. ;)

Curtain Call: Rent 2011 (3rd Run)

I first heard about Rent a few years ago from a student who kept on singing the first few lines of "Seasons of Love". I was a bit annoyed at first - imagine hearing the phrase "525,600 minutes" over and over - but it all changed when I actually heard the song in its entirety. Next thing I knew, I had all of the songs in my iPod and watched the movie version three times. So when I got the invite from the 9 Works Theatrical PR, I almost fell off my chair.

Rent, the brainchild of the late Jonathan Larson, is a story about a group of friends living in New York, going through different life struggles such as drug addiction, homosexuality, homelessness, and career decisions that can probably influence and change their lives, and the lives of the people around them. The play is directed by Robbie Guevara (The Wedding Singer, A Fiddler on the Roof) and stars Gian Magdangal as Roger Davis, an HIV-positive songwriter/musician; Sheree Bautista (alternating with Ciara Sotto) as Mimi Marquez, a sexy dancer with HIV; Fredison Lo as Mark Cohen, an independent filmmaker; OJ Mariano as Tom Collins, a philosophy teacher; Job Bautista as Angel Dummot Schunard, a gay street musician who is HIV positive; Mian Dimacali (alternating with Carla Guevara-Laforteza) as Maureen Johnson, a performance artist; Jenny Villegas as Joanne Jefferson, a lawyer who is also Maureen's lover; and Lorenz Martinez as Benjamin Coffin III, former roommate to Roger, Mark and Tom, who becomes a landlord. Peachy Atilano, Harold Cruz, Johann dela Fuente, Pam Imperial, Gary Junsay, Anna Santamaria, Alys Serdenia, and Mark Tayag complete the ensemble.

To be completely honest, I did not expect to enjoy as much as I did. After seeing and hearing countless upon countless of western songs being butchered on TV, I was slightly afraid that Rent might turn out the same way so it was a big load of my chest when it didn't. The moment Mark Cohen started singing onstage, my doubts were wiped away and when the others chimed in, the play got better and better and better.


Sheree Bautista was a pleasant surprise. From Viva Hot Babe to theater actress, it was like she fit into the Mimi role perfectly (maybe the fact that she's Magdangal's real-life girlfriend helped with the chemistry), although she did look a wee bit awkward on the pole (understandable, since she only did three sessions). She didn't have the best singing voice but I think it's a good thing - I can't quite imagine Mimi sounding like some diva. Her tone was seductive and a bit husky/raspy in all the right moments. In other words, amazing.


Another actress to look out for is Mian Dimacali, who did a wonderful job as the feisty bisexual performer Maureen. "Over the Moon" was a hoot and thoroughly entertaining, and she managed to personify Maureen's spunk and resilience that she even got the audience to "moo" with her. Yes, I mooed once or twice. Never thought I'd moo in a theater.

Of course, this post wouldn't be complete without mentioning the sweetest couple in Rent - Tom and Angel. It doesn't matter if they're gay (I actually saw a comment that "I'll Cover You" would've been so much better if sung by a girl and a boy); there's just something between what those two shared that's so pure and so strong, it just takes my breath away. OJ Mariano and Job Bautista played them so beautifully, it brought tears to my eyes. Especially that scene where Tom was singing the reprise of "I'll Cover You." Heart-wrenching moment there.

Rent is all about its music. I love the entire soundtrack, and that's not very common for me. Each song speaks volumes about a wide range of topics, like desperation (One Song Glory), defiance (We're Not Gonna Pay, Over the Moon), true love (I'll Cover You), pride (Take Me or Leave Me), longing (Without You), and living life to the fullest (Seasons of Love, No Day But Today). I guess this is what really makes this play special - it has something for everybody.

The cast singing "La Vie Boheme", one of the livelier songs.

PAK!

Bottom line - WATCH IT. It's on its final run, so hurry before it's too late. No day but today, right?

Now excuse me while I figure out what to do with those free, one-hour Polecats strip tease lessons I won.

Rent will be shown at the Carlos P. Romulo theater, 4th floor RCBC Plaza, 6819 Ayala Avenue, Makati City on the following dates:

February 12 to March 6, 2011

Fridays, Saturdays and Sundays at 8PM

Saturdays at 3:30PM and Sundays at 4:30PM

Tickets are sold at Php800 to Php2,000 via the 9 Works Theatrical Website.

Pet Peeve

I rarely get annoyed to the point where I want to strangle someone with a shoelace, so whenever I do get that murderous urge, it usually means that I'm really, REALLY pissed off.

I'm not the most organized person in the planet. I find comfort in the chaos I create on my desk or my room because I know where to find what. Sure, I usually have bouts of OC-ness and actually clean up, and when that happens, I'm the only one entitled to mess it up again because I'm territorial like that.

My organized chaos was disturbed a couple of days ago and I HATE IT. I don't mind people relocating my things as long as they handle them with care, but noooooooooo. This oaf just had to dump everything everywhere, tearing a couple of important papers and posters and breaking a project in the process. Being in a state of panic is not excuse to treat my stuff like trash. What if I had something fragile there, hmm? To make things worse, I found more papers the next day, just dumped there over my freshly organized table and THEY'RE NOT EVEN MINE. Is being a little more careful too much to ask?

Hay. I've been very irritable lately, and when I'm irritable, I get so nitpick-y and I notice every single thing, and I really have to exert effort not to say something insulting and offensive. I just hope this week will be over soon.

Curtain Call: "Orosman at Zafira"

I'm not that familiar with theater. Sure, I've seen a few plays like Beauty and the Beast, Zsazsa Zaturnnah, and Avenue Q, but those were a bit mainstream. Last Friday (Feb. 4), I got to experience something different at the preview night of Dulaang UP's "Orosman at Zafira" (thanks to Ruth Floresca and Sir Toots), and I must say I really enjoyed it.

Orosman at Zafira cast

"Orosman at Zafira", a play written by Francisco Baltazar, is a story of three kingdoms locked in an endless, vicious battle which starts when Gulnara, the Marruecos' sultan's wife, is found having an affair with the sultan's adopted son Aldervesin. The events following this discovery show the darker and grittier side of love, filled with revenge, despair, hopelessness, greed and bloodshed. But amidst the chaos, the love between Orosman (the Tedenst prince) and Zafira (the Marruecos princess) shines through and gives the audience a sliver of hope that everything will be alright in the end.

Gulnara begging Mahamud (the Marruecos sultan) for mercy, as Zafira looks on.

The sultan's guards restrain Aldervesin after Mahamud sentences him to death.

Zafira, played by Maita Ponce

Orosman (aka Dances with Abs), played by Jay Gonzaga

Star-crossed lovers

There were moments when I got a bit confused as to who the main characters of the story were. The love story between Orosman (Jay Gonzaga) and Zafira (Maita Ponce) was pushed to the sidelines and the play basically revolved around Gulnara's (Jean Judith Javier) treachery and Abdalap's (Roeder Camañag) thirst for power and his unrequited love for Zafira. It got better towards the end, though. Oh, and one thing to look out for is Tao Aves' portrayal of Zelima, the narrator. Her voice is so mesmerizing, I think I melted on my seat.



Huge props to director and choreographer Dexter M. Santos for staging such a fantastic production. The energy exuding from the cast particularly during the battle scenes was pretty intense that it made watching them kind of exhausting (and I mean that in a good way). The vibrant costumes and lights were somewhat in contrast with the darkness and angsty theme of the story but I'm not complaining; I don't think I can stand watching this play with the characters wearing drab colors. Plus it made the each tribe stand out from each other. Tuxqs Rutaquio and John Neil Batalla (Production Design and Lighting Design respectively) did a wonderful job.



Of course, this play is not without its flaws. For one, it was too long; I think they could do away with some scenes that were a bit dragging. There were a couple of technical difficulties (like the microphones not working), one of the characters sang off key for the entire song, and the most obvious flaw - the heavy, nosebleed-inducing Tagalog. Okay, maybe it's not a flaw since this is probably how Baltazar wrote this, but I have to admit that I had a hard time understanding the dialogue and some of the songs and I would've been left behind if I hadn't read the synopsis. The only words I could understand were "kasuklam-suklam ang pag-ibig", "pugot", and "mahal."



All in all, I think "Orosman at Zafira" is one of the most spectacular productions I've seen so far. If you're a fan of Baltazar, theater, or pretty lights and dancing guys with incredible abs, then go watch this.



"Orosman at Zafira" will be shown at the Centerstage Theater, 2/F SM Mall of Asia, Pasay City, Manila, Philippines on the following dates:



Feb. 4, 5, 11, 12, 18, 19, 25, and 26 at 8PM
Feb. 5, 12, and 19 at 10AM
Feb. 5, 12, 19, and 26 at 3PM



Tickets are sold at Php400 to Php1000.

The Return of the Comeback

Okay, okay, I'm sorry for not updating this blog. Work's been insane, and when you add a food blog (which was something I had to update EVERYDAY to pass a subject) and a weekend trip to Baguio, my time with this blog has been seriously compromised. Things are slowing down just a wee bit, so I'm taking this opportunity to write here before my students kill me (apparently, they think I'm holding out on them by not updating this blog while requiring them to post on theirs three times a week).

My movie countdown has screetched to a halt. I've seen 6 out of the 50 movies I have lined up, and I was supposed to write short comments on them which I never got around to do because of the food blog. I will finish that sooner or later.

Speaking of food blogs, I created a Wordpress site as a requirement in one of my subjects for graduate school. It's called Blue Plates: Rants and Raves of a Food Fanatic, and it's all about food, food, and more food; basically anything and everything that has to do with food and eating. We had to post a new entry everyday for a week, so yeah, this was where I focused my energy. And believe me, pigging out for a week takes a loooooooot of energy.

Now that we're on the subject of pigging out, I went up to Baguio last weekend with a couple of friends to, um, eat, bask in the cold, eat, drink, eat, play mini-golf, take pictures, sleep, and eat some more. It was so cold up there (10 degrees!), we used the ledge of our hotel window as our cooler. Aylavet. On our way back to Manila, we got lost and ended up in a fair (perya) with scary, unstable ferris wheels, makeshift haunted houses, and shooting ranges. The last time I went to a perya was way back in highschool during one of our December trips to Ilocos. Everything about that fair in Pangasinan was so nostalgic, I almost didn't want to leave.

We stopped over Tarlac for dinner and accidentally found the infamous Tacsiyapo wall, where you can buy a plate and break them by throwing it to a wall. I'm not a very violent person (I do get easily frustrated, though), but I have to admit that there was a slight feeling of satisfaction after I threw a mug and watched it shatter to pieces. That breaking sound is somewhat intoxicating that you can't help but throw some more. You can throw plates, mugs, pitchers, bowls, and even a TV. If it weren't too far away from home, I'd probably be a regular. :))

And I think that's about enough for an update. Hopefully, my next post will have more sense and coherence than this.

Resolutions

First of all, let me all greet you a VERY HAPPY NEW YEAR!! Here's to hoping for a brighter, better, and more meaningful 2011 for all of us! ^_^


Here's something I did for my high school friends - a new year greeting card. The picture was taken in Casa San Pablo, Laguna where we had an amazing overnight stay filled with good food, grownup girl bonding, Absolut Kurant, and intense and competitive games, like Scrabble (hey, when you have an editor-in-chief, a "Best English Communicator" awardee, two English teachers, a writer, and a bunch of Grammar Nazis playing, then you bet it's gonna get dirty).

Now since it's supposed to be a time for new beginnings, I have a couple of resolutions in mind.

1. WATCH MORE MOVIES. My friends know that I don't watch movies that often. Case in point - I have not seen Spiderman 3 and that was way back what? 2007? So I will watch at least 50 movies this year, may it be the latest blockbuster hit or an all-time classic. Just last night, I saw Wall-E and Enchanted on the Disney Channel. 48 more to go.

2. EXERCISE. I started brisk-walking at least four times a week sometime in December. That's a start, right? But after all the festivities, I have a loooooooot of catching up to do.

3. READ. I honestly believe that people who cannot appreciate a good book lack imagination and creativity. Books are a good source of inspiration and ideas which you can tweak and twist into whatever shape and form you want. Plus, reading can help you expand your vocabulary and improve grammar. I thank my older sister for exposing me to writers like Jessica Zafra, Stephen King, Robert Jordan, etc. and to my bookworm friends. Anyway, back to topic. I will read at least 5 books this year. Baby steps.

4. WRITE MORE SONGS. I might have to bring a small notebook with me, just in case a line pops up suddenly in my head. Also, I won't care if it sounds too "pop" for some people. I can't help it if I grew up listening to pop, and I don't plan on pleasing everybody.

5. SOCIALIZE, aka see my friends more often. I'm also going to try and meet up with friends whom I haven't seen in the longest time, like my good ol' elbi buddies. Oh, and elbi itself. I miss the place.

6. GO ON TRIPS. At least two out of town trips, and maybe one out of the country trip. Whatever my budget allows.

7. SAVE MONEY. Yes, I will unleash my inner Ilocano and go kuripot on everyone. I need the money if I want to do number 6. :)

Aaaaand that's it. I leave you with this very inspiring quote from none other than Lord Voldemort himself:

"Did you know if you wish at 11:11 on 1/1/11 that... nothing'll fucking happen. If you want something, stop wishing & get off your lazy ass."

Check out his Twitter account. Hilarious.