Wicked Manila

When Wicked opened in Singapore almost 2 years ago, I couldn't contain my excitement and I know my excitement will only be paralleled by my sister's.  I wanted her to fly to Singapore so we can watch the show together but circumstances didn't allow her to do so.  

So when they announced that the mega-musical will finally open in Manila, I immediately bought tickets for the two of us and we finally got to watch the show last Saturday. 

We arrived at CCP 30 minutes before the show, the lobby was already chaotic.  It was a good kind of chaos, you can feel the excitement in the air.  People were talking animatedly, posing against the Wicked wall and getting hold of souvenirs and programs. 

The show started 10-minutes late, which I found unusual, but I really didn't mind. There were minor issues with the sound system but it didn't take away the magical experience of watching Wicked on stage right here in Manila.  

We spent the next three hours totally enthralled and wishing for the show to never end.

Too bad we didn't run into Tin who flew to Singapore to watch Wicked and is now working for the company that's responsible in bringing Wicked to our shores.

Avenue Q The Musical and Swimming with Sharks in Singapore

Avenue Q The Musical

Avenue Q holds a special place in my heart being the first Atlantis Prod show that I bought with friends. Check out my gratitude post here. When I heard that Atlantis Productions is bringing the show in Singapore for a short run, I was beyond excited. I managed to find a schedule, a Wednesday night, that works for both Em-J and I and off we went to the theatre.


Only Rachel Alejandro from the original Manila cast was retained. I actually became a fan of hers when I saw her in this production, the way she was able to transition from one character to the next engaged in a cat fight is just amazing and I can say that she hasn't lost her touch.

The rest of the cast also transitioned from one character to the next seamlessly. I did miss Frenchie Dy as Christmas Eve but Anna Fegi was also good. Besting out Wicked for Best Musical, you can expect one great show and the all Filipino cast delivered. I felt proud to be Pinoy.

The play runs at the Marina Bay Sands Grand Theatre till Sunday, Oct. 7. Catch the show while its still playing and I assure you it's one of the best 2 hours you'll spend inside the theatre. We both left the theatre with a big smile on our faces.


Now, can I just also voice out what the rest of the fans are saying, a Manila repeat next, please.

Tip: Try to sit as close to the stage as possible, it's better to see the facial expressions of the cast.


Avenue Q, Singapore
Marina Bay Sands Grand Theatre
Fri, 8PM / Sat & Sun, 2PM & 8PM



Swimming With Sharks


I have been a fan of Pangdemonium since their first production and save for The Dealer's Choice, I have seen their every show so I wouldn't pass up the chance to watch Swimming With Sharks.

I haven't seen the movie so I read about the show a little and formed the conclusion that it's The Devil Wears Prada on stage with male characters. The similarity ends with the premise that a new hire is working for an evil boss. The play is much darker but still funny.

Clocking in at almost 3 hours (including the intermission), the actors' energy were boundless especially the two leads who were on stage 90% of the time. The material was tight and was never boring save for the first scene, though no fault of the show. I wanted it to immediately end as I was squirming in my seat because I can feel my tummy threatening to emit one of its "I'm hungry" loud, embarrassing gurgle. It was doubly hard because it was awfully quiet, there was no background sound being piped in and the Drama Centre is a bit cramped.

Adrian's talent has been proven many times over so it's no surprise that he delivers a strong performance, I am always amazed at how he falls into character with ease.

George Young is a major revelation. Being his first theatrical debut, his first few scenes seemed easy playing a timid newbie. But the second act required so much of him and he nailed it. I won't say what happens but I was on the edge of my seat. I am just amazed at how fast he transitions from looking like a train wreck to looking mighty fine in a manner of seconds.


Swimming With Sharks also runs till this Sunday.

Tip: The stage is multi-level, so choose a balcony seat. Seated at row C, I had a hard time seeing the actors when they were on the 2nd level as a bar directly covers their faces. On the other hand, sitting up close, you might just get a glimpse of something extra as wardrobe malfunctions can't be avoided in live theatre.


Swimming With Sharks
Drama Centre Theatre, National Library
Fri, 8PM / Sat & Sun, 3PM & 8PM

It's great that the theatre scene is alive and well in Singapore so do yourself a favor and have a little fun this weekend. Watch Avenue Q The Musical or Swimming With Sharks or better yet, both!


Now, just to squeeze this in, if you're in Manila, NINE is on its closing weekend as well. Get your tickets now!!!

Diamond Hotel's Corniche Buffet

Quite by accident, we chanced upon Corniche's buffet promo. Priced at only 999 net, it was impossible to pass up. Em-J who was wanting a Jollibee chicken joy lunch needed a bit of prodding so they asked us to look at the buffet spread. Upon seeing the Filipino dishes, specifically, the sinigang, he was sold.


salmon sinigang

The interiors of the restaurant were very elegant. The birds hovering above the diners and the floor to ceiling glass wall that showcases a garden with falls is just peaceful to look at.







The buffet spread itself was worth every penny that we paid for. They have fresh seafood, assortment of breads and cheese, salads and pizza for appetizers.





For the main dishes, they have Filipino, Western, Indian, Chinese dishes.


I loved all the dishes, if only I can try them all.









They also have a dedicated Japanese station.





Having a sweet tooth, their dessert station drove me to the wall. I made sure that I had plenty of room left.




Pinoy sweets and a halo-halo station


Assortment of different flavored Crème brûlées



I also loved this rack of sweet goodies that I'm sure children will also love.



More food photos here:










The flaky crepe was exceptional

Another good thing about the buffet is that it comes with a lemonade drink or soda with unlimited refills. I don't think it can get better than that since most buffets would charge an arm and a leg for a drink. The 999 promotion ends this August so make time and head to Diamond Hotel soon!

It is valid everyday except Tuesday, Thursday, Friday dinner and Sunday lunch.

Plus:

The Diamond Hotel is the official residence of The Phantom of the Opera which starts its run this week. The hotel has special show and stay packages and special discounts to Phantom ticket holders. Check out the packages here.

Telephone: (632) 528-3000
Address: Roxas Boulevard cor. Dr. J. Quintos St., Manila, Philippines 1000

Wicked

Wicked has all of Manila's theater fans very excited, thanks largely to a bootlegged copy uploaded on YouTube a few years back. U.S., London and even Australia are too far for us so when they announced that they were opening here in Singapore, we were among the first in line.



I got free invites to the Gala premiere so I went with Abby and Eco. I didn't watch the show cause my tickets were for the next day but it was already quite an experience being there. They had a green carpet leading to the entrance of the theatre and there were a lot of local celebrities being interviewed.



I was overwhelmed when I saw the set. It was exactly the same with I saw from the YouTube videos complete with the time dragon. Very very cool! They were a bit cool with people approaching the stage during intermission to have their pictures taken during the first week. Now, you couldn't even approach the orchestra below to take a peek.





On a side note, the ushers need to learn a thing or two about good customer service, we wanted to have our pictures taken at the lobby behind the huge Wicked wall but they looked at us and gestured that the area is already closed. No explanations, no smile. We had to settle for the TV outside.



That minor inconvenience aside, it was really quite an experience. Everything was grand and more than the beauty of the set, I was very impressed with their lighting. They were able to simulate rain that looked very realistic. One Short Day and Defying Gravity were also numbers that were made more effective because of it.

The leads were very good with crystal clear voices, as Tin said, she had a lot of goosebumps all throughout the performance. Here's Tin with David Harris who was outside signing his CDs.



Last weekend, Rhommel and Stu flew in from Manila to supposedly watch the closing performance of Wicked but it got extended till April. For those who haven't seen it, it's worth ever penny.



There are rumors swirling that they are also opening in Manila soon but I can't confirm, I really hope they do because it's theatre magic that one should really experience.

Another side note,  we all love the  theatre's lobby. It's a great backdrop for photo ops. :p

Watching Closer at the DBS Arts Centre

The first Wednesday of this month, I went to DBS Arts Centre to watch Pangdemonium's second production, Closer. It was a huge leap from their first very successful production, The Full Monty.


To be honest, I actually enjoyed the movie more but this is not to say that I didn't like the production. I just read a lot of good reviews about the production so I had such high hopes. I felt that some of the performances were lacking in intensity and the British accent here and there was a bit distracting.

I did love the set and how they tried to interact with the stagehands during one particular set change. I also liked the restaurant scene where the past and the present were almost simultaneously on going and lastly the scene where Dan and Larry were chatting was hilarious.

It was also quite interesting how they tried to skirt around the smoking ban in performances given that the play has a lot of scenes where smoking is integral.

Overall, it was worth it. I'm glad that Pangdemonium is being very gutsy and is opening doors to allow the theatre goers here to experience something daring and different.

On another note, it was my first time to watch a performance at the DBS Arts Centre and I'm surprised at how small it is, the seats are very cramped and we all actually had to stand and wait at the aisles just to let the people in the middle seats through.

An Exciting 2011 Ahead!

2011, like the previous year should prove to be exciting.

True, the 24 movie script has been initially rejected which means that it would take longer for 24 fans to see Jack Bauer and Chloe on the big screen, but when it comes to movies for 2011, there are already a few that I'm very excited to watch but then again this post is not about upcoming movies so I'll skip this.

For 2011, I'm excited about:

1. My brother's wedding. I think nothing can be more exciting than us joining our brother on his special day as the year opens.



2. Our trip to Bangkok.This will actually be my first time to go there and I can't wait.



3. The Rocky Horror Show, The Lion King, Closer, Next to Normal, AIDA, and The Little Mermaid - the theatre scene in  Manila  and here in Singapore couldn't be more vibrant.



4. Our brand new savings plan. This will at least ensure that a portion of our earnings is protected.


photo credit: http://www.wordsaboutthings.co.uk/saving-money-study/

5. The BlackBerry Playbook.



6. Micah visiting Singapore this summer.



As early as now, I'm already looking forward to a lot of things that this year will bring. Happy 2011 everyone!

Lots of TV

I was supposed to watch SRT's Blackbird today, quite excited about it. I got my tickets a month back but I was feeling sick so I decided to just stay home the whole day and rest and catch up on my downloads.

I watched returning favorites and a few new series. I was able to watch Glee, Modern Family, Hawaii Five - 0 some time within the week which leaves me with a handful more. 

Cougar Town - I watched the premiere episode twice, Jennifer Aniston guest stars. Similar to Modern Family, I love each and every cast member. They have the ability to make you laugh without really trying to hard. 

30 Rock - Now, on their 5th season and definitely still one of my favorites. I don't know why but I'm just beginning to feel sad for Liz. With Matt Damon as her partner, we all know he won't really stay long so it's another heartbreak for her. 

The Event - I was kind of hesitant to watch this first because I was afraid it might be another Lost. I did like the pilot episode, I just hope it doesn't take them too long to reveal what the event is. Another thing I liked about it is that fact that I feel like I'm watching 24, the font that they used to show the time is very 24 plus the people surrounding the black president also appeared as villains on the said series. 

Smallville - I've stopped watching the series long before Lois Lane even joined the show but being that it's already their final season and they received such positive responses when their trailer was premiered at the Comic-Con, I wanted to see what the fuss is all about. I was a bit lost but I think I'll be able to catch up. The episode was quite packed which leaves me with high hopes for the rest of remaining episodes. 

UnderCovers - Before watching the episode, I was thinking Mr. and Mrs. Smith but this one is different. Quite fun and exciting. I'll definitely be following the series. 

Chase - I'm seeing Kari Matchett in Chase's lead star, Kelli Giddish which automatically made me want to tune in. I loved it, another very exciting series. 

Bleep My Dad Says - I had such high hopes for this series but this turned out to be not so funny after all. The guy playing William Shatner's son is just not funny. He along with the actress playing the aunt is trying too hard, it's making me cringe. I don't think I'll still be watching the next episodes.

Outsourced - I'm still not sure about this one. There were some funny moments but the brand of comedy plays with stereotypes which is not at all very clever. 

What about you? What new series are you liking?