Keepin’ it jazzy
Movie musicals haven’t been de rigueur since the ’50s and ’60s. Scroll through a database of movie musicals on the net and you’ll see the devolution of the movie form from the grandiose hits of the 3D movie Golden Age to animated films that made all that possible, minus the stringent faculties of the live performer. That was due, in large part, to the ever-changing technology that made movies seem more “magical” (read: inorganic and estranged to its original form). By the turn of the millennium, the movie musical had fallen by wayside to less contrived (yet paralyzing) forms of horror, action, and rom-com – until Chicago came along.
The 2002 hit that starred Renee Zellweger, Catherine Zeta Jones and Richard Gere had, for some reason, struck gold with its audiences. Blame it on social satire, intrigue, love, sex, betrayal, (all ‘dem na$$ty components that make for good storytelling these days). Or that director Rob Marshall allowed for song and dance to shift adroitly between reality and fantasy (and with it, the audience’s whimsy and yearning for escape). But the movie racked up eight Oscars in that same year, including Best Picture. Could it be? The movie musical has finally, re-arrived.
It was through the film that the world began to take notice and develop a strong fascination for Chicago – the musical that gets you all riled up when Velma Kelly sassy-sings to the musical’s titular hit, All That Jazz, when as chorus girls in their boudoir warble to the titillating beats of the Cell Block Tango.
On that note, the musical that captured our hearts at “pop, six, squish, uh uh, cicero, Lipschitz!” is finally coming to Manila by way of the newest luxury theatrical hotspot, The Theatre at Solaire Resort and Casino. Following its sold-out staging of CATS, Mamma Mia, The Phantom of the Opera, and most recently, Wicked, the unholy trinity of Lunchbox Theatrical Productions, David Atkins Enterprises, and Concertus Manila, in partnership with Visa and Smart, have reunited to give audiences the ol’ razzle dazzle and a taste of Chicago on the live stage.
“Manila is becoming a very important part of the Asian touring circuit, with a sophisticated and musically-savvy audience,” shares producer James Cundall of Lunchbox Theatrical Production. Keeping within the tradition of its previous performances, they will be flying in a foreign cast, this time around from Broadway, to enthrall our local audiences – headlined by Bianca Marroquin (Roxie Hart) and Terra Macleod (Velma Kelly). Terra adds, “I would say it’s a timeless piece. It’s a classic. And I think as Bianca said, it transcends, no matter where you are in any part of the world.”
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On the other side of the world-class cultural front, La Boheme, an opera by Giacomo Puccini, will be returning to the Manila stage for a limited two-day engagement at SM Aura. Presented by MusicArtes, Inc., producers of the critically acclaimed The Maids by French avant-garde playwright Jean Genet which will be returning for a limited run at PETA this coming October as part of multi-arts festival The Imaginarium, the opera is considered to be the most romantic musical of all time. In fact, it serves as the precursor or inspiration to the Pulitzer Prize-winning production of Rent by Jonathan Larson. La Boheme is actually the original Rent.
Helmed by internationally awarded director Anton Juan with production design by Otto Fernandez, La Boheme follows the story of craftswoman Mimi (also the namesake of the Rent counterpart) and poet Rodolfo (Roger in Rent) who begin their love with a kiss in candle light, on a Christmas Eve in Paris 1896.
The intimate new production will star Rosa Ponselle awardee Filipina soprano Margarita Gomez Giannelli as Mimi, celebrated guest singers American Tenor Scott Ramsay of Chicago Lyric as Rodolfo and Italian-Brazilian Baritone Fernando Araujo of Open Institut Salzburg, rising soprano Myramae Meneses as Musetta, Nonon Baang as Colline, and Greg de Leon as Schaunard, Michael Bulaong as Benoit and wonderful emergent young singers from Viva Voce. Jonathan Velasco conducts the Manila Symphony Orchestra.
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Chicago: The Musical runs from Dec. 3 to 21 at Solaire Resort & Casino, 1 Solaire Blvd, Entertainment City, Pasay, Metro Manila. For ticket inquiries, call Ticketworld at 891-9999.
La Boheme, enthralls music lovers at the Samsung Hall of SM Aura this October 18 & 19, 2014. The production is with the support of Lexus Manila, Assisting Team & SM Aura Premier as they are the co-presenters to this vibrant MusicArtes Production.
