Legally Blonde: The Musical

OMIGOD! That's my bubble thought when I got hold of our precious tickets to Legally Blonde: The Musical. It was sorta difficult to choose prime seats on a weekend and, after an hour of exchanging SMS with contact persons for various play dates, I was able to grab two tickets (priced at Php 1,000 each - just to watch Elle!) for prime seats. Unexplainable excitement and giddy-like happiness!

Photo credit: Celebrity Pulp site

Long before I found myself strutting in law school, Elle Woods was one of my fave heroines. Why not? She's one heck of a femme fatale. Then came law school where almost every single lass in the class wears or owns something pink. In my personal glossary, pink is synonymous to Elle Woods. I couldn't imagine my law school life without Elle Woods-y stuff. Hey, I am not talking about feather pens or heart-shaped notebooks. It's more than that. It's kinda shameful to admit but, yes, Elle Woods inspired me how to be confident and having a little faith in people and myself. I could go on rambling but I need to stop.

Our precious tickets

We're lucky to be seated in the first few rows of Meralco Theater last July 17, 8:00 p.m. show. Lots of familiar faces on TV and print were part of the audience, laughing carelessly and enjoying every minute of the musical.

Nikki Gil (Elle Woods) was indeed a revelation. The musical brought the best of her talents. I was very amused how she delivered her lines vis-a-vis Elle Woods' signature flair and wit. She knows her voice strengths as well. On the other hand, Nyoy Volante (Emmett Richmond) was good but we saw no chemistry between him and Nikki Gil. Oh, it must be the height difference.

Cris Villonco (Vivian Kensington)  fits the role to a  T as the serious and boring fiancee of Warner Huntington III (played by handsome Guji Lorenzana). Since I have watched the film version a lotsa times, I am perhaps decided that the actress who would play Vivian should also come out as serious and boring. 

Geneva Cruz (Brooke Taylor Wyndham) was simply fabulous with her "Whipped Into Shape" number. She could do no wrong with those abs, I guess. Calvin Millado (UPS Guy) was very hilarious. My BF and I were laughing at him the whole time, and so did the entire theater. Whoever thought of getting him to play the role was so clever. His ill-fitting clothes and funny antics made his portrayal a whole lot funny. He was also funny in Avenue Q where he portayed the role of Brian, the comic fiance of Christmas Eve.

As expected, we came out of the theater with smiles on our faces. Although the film and the theater versions were both entertaining, I still want to grab the book authored by Amanda Brown who started it all!

Avenue Q: We're Back!

Hmmm, this is my long overdue post about Avenue Q. I watched this Sesame Street-inspired musical last March 24 with my BF at the RCBC Theater. And I furry furry furry much enjoyed it despite holding back a liter of pee (exag, I know) prior to the musical's 15-minute break.

The characters, namely, Princeton, Kate Monster, Rod, Nicky, Brian, Christmas Eve, Gary Coleman, Trekkie Monster, Lucy the Slut, Mrs. Thistletwat and The Bad Idea Bears will always hold a memorable spot in the theater fan in me. 

True enough, Rachel Alejandro was a revelation as Kate Monster and Lucy the Slut. I suffered from LSS for a couple of days, thanks to her excellent performance of "There's A Fine, Fine Line". And I bet I will associate anything R-18 to Trekkie Monster's hilarious song "The Internet Is For Porn". Last but not the least, I think I will never view Sesame Street puppets with 100% wholesome feeling, and any attempt of resurrecting that same feeling which traces its roots from my puppet-worshipping childhood days will always be futile. Two words: Puppet nudity.

Our precious tickets

And here's something not so trivial, I learned the concept of Schadenfreude from the musical. Hmmm. So that very human feeling has a name after all. Interesting, isn't it?

Random happiness, minus quirks

So, in constant apppreciation of anything good in my life and to honor my vow of updating my blog every day, I will now list down whatever I could think of. Happy thoughts, y'all!

1) The Holy Week

Taken last June 2009 at Chocolate Hills in Carmen

The Daisypath ticker has been playing its role very well. It reminds me majorly well that I'm a few days away from Holy Week, and how it's synonymous to Bohol. I long to feel the unpolluted air of a laidback town, where everyone is just a walking reminder that life is intended to be spent mingling with anything nature. And I should not be impatient about it. I always remind myself that Bohol will always be our home, at least, for my folks. Let's count five years to a decade from now. Then, folks will be happily relocated in the island - eating the greeniest veggies and the freshiest catch of the day (read: fish). Will Mama master the art of cooking bibingka (mixed with local palm wine/"tuba") by then? Let's see.

2) Choco Attack

So my boyfriend brought his second Red Ribbon's Chocolate Heaven last Sunday, lunch time. And trust me, it cured all my longing for anything chocolate-y. I suddenly felt guilty how I've been bugging him about chocolate cake. I told him to just buy the junior size, but, as expected, my pleading fell into deaf ears. I could still imagine the ravaged portion (see photo) sitting inside the ref. A choco monster of a cake seething with impatience, waiting to be attacked by a choco addict. Uh-oh, not me, for now. Oh well. Aside from this cake, some Marks & Spencer's Swiss chocs and two large packs of M & M peanuts are all waiting for choco devourers. This much I can say: I will abstain from eating anything choclits for A MONTH. I will survive.

3) Avenue Q

This is the cast of the Avenue Q which started showing last March 21. And tomorrow is the day that I get to watch it. Maximum level of excitement has seeped its way to my blood. Yey! So there. I have high hopes for it. But CATS in July will be different, so I have to reserve extra energy for another level of excitement - just for Miss Lea Salonga.

Rent: No Day But Today

If only money will keep rolling in and notwithstanding the story lines, I would prefer watching theater performances/musicals than movies. I strongly think that stage actors are much more impressive than film actors since the former have no room for errors while on stage. Raw, God-given talent at its best.

Then I heard the buzz that Broadway musical RENT is making a comeback in Manila. I was warned that balcony tickets are seriously running out at Ticketnet branches, hence I had my moment of panic. The available balcony tickets will be for the closing night, February 28. Three weeks before the date, I got hold of the precious tickets from an agent of 9 Works Theatrical, the theater company responsible for RENT production.

RENT was really worth waiting for. The story is nothing but ordinary. But what makes RENT extraordinary is the superb cast. Aside from the fact that the setting is New York, one of my favorite places so far, most of the stage actors/actresses performed well to the audience delight. Overall, I appreciate the songs maybe because they have been playing in my playlist for a month. "Seasons of Love" has been the target of my LSS lately. 

First off, I love Carla Guevara-Laforteza's performance as Maureen Johnson in "Over The Moon" and "Take Me or Leave Me" duet with Jenny Villegas as Joanne Jefferson. Truth to tell, I'm a bit disappointed that she was replaced by Rachel Alejandro in the upcoming musical "Avenue Q". Carla was simply amazing.

Second, I think Roger and Mimi (played by Gian Magdangal and Nicole Asensio, respectively) did justice to the song "Light My Candle", but the pair failed to exude a convincing chemistry to the audience. Oh well. We saw Gian's wife, former Viva Hot Babe Sheree, in the audience and she has a striking resemblance to Nicole's character Mimi. You know, petite, colored curly hair, sexy make-up. So there.

Third, Job Bautista did an excellent performance as drag queen Angel with HIV.

Last but not the least, I commend Ring Antonio's powerful voice in "Seasons of Love". She reminds me of Chaka Khan and Frenchie Dy.

Kudos to the whole cast for superb performance overall, for making us aware of the struggles of LGBT under the scare of HIV/AIDS and, most of all, for making the audience realize that life is meant to be lived to the fullest. Carpe diem! No day but today!