CCP Presents "EJ"

(PR from CCP)

The rock musical “EJ: Ang Pinagdaanang Buhay nina Evelio Javier at Edgar Jopson” opens on February 15, 2008, at the Tanghalang Aurelio Tolentino (Little Theater). Cultural Center of the Philippines.

Written by Palanca Hall of Famer Ed Maranan with songs and music by The Dawn, EJ stars Ricky Davao as Evelio Javier and Jett Pangan as Edgar “Edjop” Jopson, two men who rocked a nation during the turbulent years of the Marcos regime.

Described by its director Chris Millado as a “rock memoriam, ” EJ outlines the beginnings of social consciousness in the early lives of Evelio and Edjop Jopson, to their contrasting reactions to the turmoil in Philippine society, and their eventual violent deaths. Edjop blazed into the headlines as the President of the National Union of Students of the Philippines at the time when Martial Law was declared, while Evelio is best known as the crusading governor of the province of Antique who refused to be co-opted by the ruling party and its minions.

Though Evelio and Edjop never met in real life, EJ puts them face to face with each other in an imagined debate, with Evelio taking the side of gradualist and enlightened reformist politics as the way forward for the country, and Edjop believing in violent struggle due to the futility of reforms in the political culture and class structure of Filipino society.

“Evelio and Edjop can be likened to rock stars of their time, and what better way to present their lives to contemporary audiences than through rock music”, says Chris Millado.

The Dawn, one of the most enduring bands in the country, was tapped to provide the music component of EJ, a challenge the band members took up willingly. Aside from hearing original music composed specifically for the play, audiences can look forward to some of the band’s more popular tunes in EJ, including “Talaga Naman”, “Alam Ko, Alam Niyo”, “Abot Kamay”, “Dreams” and other favorites. The band will perform live in selected performances.

Others in the cast of EJ ; ANG PINAGDAANANG BUHAY NINA EVELIO JAVIER AT EDGAR JOPSON are Rody Vera, Juliene Mendoza, Stella Cañete, Tex Ordoñez, Mayen Estañero, Wenah Nagales, Bong Cabrera, Nar Cabico and the Tanghalang Pilipino Actors Company. It will run for four weekends from February 15 to March 9, with 8 PM shows on Fridays to Sundays and 3 PM matinees on Saturdays and Sundays. Tickets at P300 and P600 are available at the Tanghalang Pilipino (832-3661), CCP Box Office (832-3704) and Ticketworld (891-9999). Website: www.tanghalangpilipino.com; email: ccptanghalan@yahoo.com.

EJ; completes Tanghalang Pilipino 21st Theater Season and is presented in cooperation with the Cultural Center of the Philippines and the National Commission for Culture and the Arts with the support of the Evelio B. Javier Foundation.

Old Techniques Revisited in Makati Photo Exhibit

Modern photography would attempt to look back at its roots when a five-man exhibit dubbed Elements, a Group Exhibit: The Art and Craft of Alternative Photographic Print Processes, unveils on February 1, 2008 at the Bella Luce Studios. Ground Floor, Alvion Center , 110 Rada Street, Legaspi Village, Makati.

The event will officially run from February 2 to 15. It will showcase the works of Catalino Celso Jr., Susan Celzo, Mar Bustamante, Cris Bustamante, and Allan Razo. The featured photographers explore the forgotten but beautiful art of Platinum/Palladium printing, Gum Bichromate, Gold-toned prints, Gum over Platinum prints, and Pinhole Photography that old masters perfected centuries ago.

Modern Photography has come a long way with the advent of modern technology that helped revolutionize the methods especially printing. The exhibit presents an opportunity to those who yearn for the true craftsmanship of the art in a more arduous and painstaking but artistic manner of photography.
The affair is under the aegis of the Federation of Philippine Photographers Foundation, Inc. and has received support from ShenHao large format cameras, Ilford black and white films and Photoworld Asia.

For Born Writers

(No less than Isagani Cruz e-mailed yours truly these enlightening quotes. Luckily, I was able to contain myself and did not fall on my seat while reading. He is this writer's professor on Playwriting Class. Am I just lucky today, or am I just lucky today?:)

Elie Wiesel:
Write only if you cannot live without writing. Write only what you alone can write.

Henry David Thoreau:
Write while the heat is in you. The writer who postpones the recording of his thoughts uses an iron which has cooled to burn a hole with. He cannot inflame the minds of his audience.

Sharon O'Brien:
Writing became such a process of discovery that I couldn't wait to get to work in the morning: I wanted to know what I was going to say.

Sholem Asch:
Writing comes more easily if you have something to say.

Jules Renard:
Writing is an occupation in which you have to keep proving your talent to those who have none.

Jack London:
You can't wait for inspiration. You have to go after it with a club.

F. Scott Fitzgerald:
You don't write because you want to say something, you write because you've got something to say.

William Shakespeare:
If I chance to talk a little wild, forgive me.

Robert Benchley:
It took me fifteen years to discover that I had no talent for writing, but I couldn't give it up because by that time I was too famous.

Edmund Morrison:
Like stones, words are laborious and unforgiving, and the fitting of them together, like the fitting of stones, demands great patience and strength of purpose and particular skill.

Mark Twain:
Most writers regard truth as their most valuable possession, and therefore are most economical in its use.

Ernest Hemingway:
My aim is to put down on paper what I see and what I feel in the best and simplest way.

Andre Gide:
Only those things are beautiful which are inspired by madness and written by reason.

Robert Frost:
Poets need not go to Niagara to write about the force of falling water.

T. S. Eliot:
Some editors are failed writers, but so are most writers.

David Hare:
The act of writing is the act of discovering what you believe.

Raymond Chandler:
The faster I write the better my output. If I'm going slow I'm in trouble. It means I'm pushing the words instead of being pulled by them.

Samuel Johnson:
The greatest part of a writer's time is spent in reading, in order to write; a man will turn over half a library to make one book.

Bulwer-Lytton:
The pen is mightier than the sword.

Richard Harding Davis:
The secret of good writing is to say an old thing in a new way or to say a new thing in an old way.

Truman Capote:
To me, the greatest pleasure of writing is not what it's about, but the inner music that words make.

Lord Byron:
To withdraw myself from myself has ever been my sole, my entire, my sincere motive in scribbling at all.

Dan Quayle:
Verbosity leads to unclear, inarticulate things.

Ray Bradbury:
We are cups, constantly and quietly being filled. The trick is, knowing how to tip ourselves over and let the beautiful stuff out.

Logan Pearsall Smith:
What I like in a good author isn't what he says, but what he whispers.

Samuel Johnson:
What is written without effort is in general read without pleasure.

Samuel Goldwyn:
What we want is a story that starts with an earthquake and builds to a climax.

Erica Jong:
When I sit down at my writing desk, time seems to vanish. I think it's a wonderful way to spend one's life.

Anne Sexton:
When I'm writing, I know I'm doing the thing I was born to do.

Samuel Lover:
When once the itch of literature comes over a man, nothing can cure it but the scratching of a pen.

Ivan Levison:
When your writing is filled with detail, it has a lot more impact.

Rudyard Kipling:
Words are, of course, the most powerful drug used by mankind.

Gaston Bachelard:
A word is a bud attempting to become a twig. How can one not dream while writing? It is the pen which dreams. The blank page gives the right to dream.

Robert Frost:
All the fun is in how you say a thing.

Henry Ward Beecher:
All words are pegs to hang ideas on.

John Osborne:
Asking a writer what he thinks about criticism is like asking a lamppost what it feels about dogs.

Ben Franklin:
Either write something worth reading or do something worth writing.

Socrates:
Employ your time in improving yourself by other men's writings so that you shall come easily by what others have labored hard for.

Flannery O'Connor:
Everywhere I go I'm asked if I think the university stifles writers. My opinion is that they don't stifle enough of them.

Henry David Thoreau:
How vain it is to sit down to write when you have not stood up to live.

Peter De Vries:
I love being a writer. What I can't stand is the paperwork.

William Faulkner:
I never know what I think about something until I read what I've written on it.

http://quotations.about.com/cs/inspirationquotes/a/Writing1.htm

Find the Elements in "Elements"

Federation of Philippine Photographers Foundation, Inc. presents Elements, a group exhibit participated by contemporary active Filipino photographers namely Mar Bustamante,Catalino Celzo Jr., Chris Bustamante, Allan Razo, and Susan Celzo.

Cocktails start on Feb. 1 at 6 p.m. Display of works will be from Feb. 2-15, at Bella Luce Studios G/F Alvion Center, 110 Rada Street,Legaspi Village, Makati City.

YouTube sensation Christine "Happy Slip" Gambito coming to Manila

(Press Release From Agatep)

YouTube celebrity videoblogger and Internet sensation Happy Slip is finally coming to visit Manila and the rest of the Philippines!

The Filipino-American Internet celebrity, whose real name is Christine Gambito, will arrive at the Ninoy Aquino International Airport on January 23, 2008. She will be welcomed by Department of Tourism Team North America (DoT-TNA) officials.

On January 24, 2008, Happy Slip will pay a courtesy call to
DoT Secretary Joseph "Ace"� Durano during the grand draw of DoT's
Out-of-the-Box online raffle promo at the St. Francis Shangri-La Place Showroom in Ortigas Center, Mandaluyong City.

In her latest vlog posted on www.happyslip.com, Happy Slip
expressed her excitement on her Philippines trip. "It' official, Im
going to the Philippines. It's gonna be an exciting journey. You'll be seeing Happy Slip being happy in the Philippines."

Happy Slip has accepted the invitation of Secretary Durano, DoT-TNA
and its digital agency Euro 4D Manila to do a series of videoblogs or
vlogs documenting her two-week tour of the Philippines' best travel
destinations, including Bohol, Cebu, Boracay, Tagaytay, Palawan, and Manila.

The vlogs will be posted at www.happyslip.com and www.experiencephilippines.ph to promote the Philippines as a world-class tourist destination.

Secretary Durano said that DoT has tapped Happy Slip to be a part of its 2008 programs for North America because she enjoys a relatively-large cyberspace fan base of Americans and Fil-Ams in the United States and represents the 2nd and 3rd generation Fil-Ams which DoT wants to invite to come home, rediscover their roots, and explore and experience
the present-day Philippines.

Gambito is the creator of Happyslip.com which features short form vlogs she writes, acts, directs, edits, and distributes. Her website is experiencing exponential growth as the word spreads through more than 100,000 combined subscribers on sites like YouTube, MySpace, Friendster, and iTunes. In peak months, her website has attracted 206,600 unique
visits with 659,000 page views.

She gained Internet prominence through her more than 40 self-produced and widely-viewed vlogs, including "Mixed Nuts" which was voted 1st runner-up in the 2006 YouTube video awards for Best Comedy.

Since posting her first video on YouTube over a year ago, Happy Slip's videos have reached over 30 million viewers. Happy Slip's YouTube channel currently ranks as the 5th most subscribed channel of all time, with over 106,000 subscribers. It has also earned 4.4 million channel views.

The rapid spread of her viral videos has garnered Happy Slip interviews from ABC News, the Wall Street Journal, New Your Times Magazine, USA Today, HBO, and MTV.

CloseUp Gives Away 100 Diamonds at Lovapalooza Frost Fest!

A shower of sparkles awaits 100 lucky couples at this years’ Lovapalooza ’08, the most awaited annual Valentine’s Day event. Coosome twosomes with icy cool kisses will receive a diamond-studded Crystal Frost necklace at the Lovapalooza ‘08 Frost Fest - the must-attend and coolest Valentine’s bash of the year, graced by celebs, fashionistas, and partyphiles.

You too can join this exclusive and glitzy Heart’s Day celebration. Just send a photo of you and your honey’s best icy cool kiss to Closeup@lovapalooza.ph or to 160 Pasig Blvd , Pasig City. 100 lucky couples will be chosen get to attend the exclusive Lovapalooza Frost Fest Party and will be given the best Valentine’s gift: a diamond-studded Crystal Frost necklace! CloseUp Lovapalooza Frost Fest will be the ultimate Valentines event – featuring ice bars, overflowing drinks and cool entertainment for a night of love and partying only for couples with icy cool kisses!

CloseUp Lovapalooza, a Valentine’s tradition in the Philippines since 2004, has brought couples together with a kiss. This year, CloseUp Lovapalooza brings out fresher and cooler kisses with CloseUp’s new Crystal Frost variant. It has crystal frost granules that scrubs as it releases icy cool freshness, giving you icy cool kisses! Join CloseUp Lovapalooza ’08 now and get a chance to win one of 100 diamonds and be one of the first to experience icy cool kisses! Deadline of submission of entries is until February 5. Have an icy-cool Valentines!

Herald Held (A Graduate School Story)

(Taken from this writer's Friendster Blog in May 21, 2007. Pardon again for using first-person narration)

Finally, after three gruelling months, I have something to be thankful for (considering the last three months are,arguably, the most deadening part of my life).

I thought I would step out of La Salle for flunking a subject (Kung nagkataon,first time ko yun). I tried to keep myself from going to that University for quite some time. Afraid of looking at my final grade, I said, "I would have to enjoy my summer first, and then, face whatever is the aftermath of not focusing on Evasco's "standard readings." (yes, she's one of the most demanding teachers that the Philippines has, believe me! Mejo, pang Palanca at pang National Artist for Literature lang naman po ang standard nya!)

There were thoughts that I am being too hard on myself. At 22, barely seeing and accepting the flaws of life, I decided to go for a Master's degree (Creative Writing po, course ng mga taong mahilig pahirapan ang buhay nila, thinking that unempirical benefits would merit) . Hoping that, after some mastering, I could take a teaching job(while writing on the side, of course). I've always dreamt of teaching young minds how it is to properly critique a literary piece, how to properly treat journalistic writing, how not to be intimidated with shakespeare (though I still am), show that poetry actually requires skillful technical work--its relation in mathematics and science (and it is not all melodramatic!), and that human psychology is such a complex subject that we ought to understand.

My frustrations, and yes, dreams, keep me from surrending what I have here to go on other parts of Asia to have a better-paying writing job in a magazine or, say, a PR agency. My friends and I have been thinking of grabbing these opportunities, but after seeing my grade at mylassale, I said, "I'd give it one more year."

Graduate school can be a shock for people of my age, especially, if the institution you chose to be immersed to would not take sophomoric works. I've always thought I wasn't graduate school material, that I still need to take subjects from the undergrad to atleast comprehend ( not to be lined up) with minds like those of Dr. Evasco. But since I'm already here, I need to cross the bridge, no matter how shaky it is.

Yes, I have to be thankful to Him, that despite the months of being and living like a corpse, I am finally drawing a smile that I do not have to fake.

Tomorrow, I will be enlisting my next subject. Saturday will be the start of my class.I get to keep my scholarship 'coz the grade I got made it to the cut off (so, I don't need my University's offer of shouldering my matriculation, thank GoD!). I'm sure, the fear of seeing the requirements under the subject would shock me still,and I would again wonder what I am doing in that classroom of Miguel Building ( thinking I could have chosen to just go home to Pampanga and look at the trees instead).

But I am also looking forward to seeing friends and co-writers. I'm excited in walking at the cozy Library, the benches, and yes, opening hard-to-read books. Though the dread of doing critiques and intensive research make me passively freak out, I am musing on how I would perform this time.

I wonder how I could pass the subject this term. I would again spend sleepless nights, staring at a word that I only encountered for the first time, knowing authors whose names I could not even pronounce.

I still don't discern why I am supposed to subject myself to tortures like these.

I need to; I don't have a choice. I don't want to be puerile forever.

Cosmo Nail:Pampering Yourself Starts from Head to Toes

Ever wondered how stylish, long nails with artsy designs would look good on you?

Stop the wondering and have your nails done at Cosmo Nail and see how much adorable your nails would definitely look right after!

Barely four months in the nail care treatment industry, Cosmo Nail is slowly creating a buzz in the vanity department of every girlfriends’ and mother-daughter bonding chats over cups of coffee or tea, and even the sweet talks of the pretty young misses over the phone after school. And yes, whenever they mark a certain day as the official “It’s a Girls Day,” Cosmo Nail will surely be on top of their lists as a place to hang out with to pamper themselves and at the same time, have fun while having their finger and toe nails done.

Own and operated by the aunt and niece tandem of Ms. Mei Ngo and her chic 21-year-old niece Joyce Caitlyn Chua, Cosmo Nail started as an inner passion of Ms. Mei to introduce and apparently bring in the art of acrylic nail designs in the Philippines, which at that time was already very popular in Japan and other Western countries. Wanting to have a good and reliable partner to help her out in the business, Ms. Mei presented the idea to Joyce who immediately found the concept amazing and superbly promising. And the rest is history. The two went to Taiwan to take a short course on the art of acrylic nail painting there. After gaining their own certificates, they immediately banked on good and quality nail treatment and acrylic products from Taiwan and brought everything back to the Philippines. And finally, last September 25, 2007, Cosmo Nail was finally established in the heart of one of the metro’s fave gimmick spots—Tomas Morato, that is. The most innovative and trendiest acrylic nail designs (Php900), acrylic nail extension (Php1000-Php1300) are now one of the most popular services in Cosmo Nail, a constant favorite by women of all ages. Acrylic removal is also being offered at Php300.
-more-

Cosmo Nail: Pampering…………../2
Since its inception in September, Cosmo Nail staff has been very busy entertaining guests from Mondays to Saturdays—the latter being the most jam-packed of all. Their clients and customers include not only the kikay girls but also the young adults, professional career women, mothers, housewives, grandmothers, and even guys who all love to indulge themselves into beauty and vanity services. And yes, even mushy lovers could be scouted inside too, as Cosmo Nail also offers a great place for them to bond while mollycoddling their finger and toe nails. Some of the services that guys enjoy as well are manicure (Php180), pedicure (Php230), hand spa with manicure (Php300), and foot spa with pedicure (Php400).

Aside from the famous acrylic nail treatments, one of the services that Cosmo Nail is relatively proud of is their one-of-a-kind hand and foot paraffin wax treatment. The warm paraffin is one of the most effective ways of applying heat to reduce the swelling in muscles, decrease inflammation of joints and connective tissues, soothe the pain from arthritis and improve circulation. At Cosmo Nail, they are only using the well-known quality paraffin ingredients from Gigi—a world class brand which has been around since the 1970s. Nonetheless, even if they are using a world-class brand, the cost of paraffin wax treatment at Cosmo Nail is still relatively cheaper and cost-effective than any other beauty centers. Treat yourself with any of these luxurious pampering experiences at Cosmo: hand paraffin (Php450), feet paraffin (Php550), combo dry feet with pedicure, foot scrub with paraffin (Php800), or a combo pamper with manicure, pedicure, hand and foot spa with paraffin (Php1450).

Sure there are already a lot of nail care treatment centers that went before Cosmo Nail; however, the center is very confident of the amount of quality and cleanliness that their products and services are offering the clients. With Cosmo Nail, the safety and satisfaction of the patrons are their main objective, and thus, they are making sure that all equipments and products are delicately sanitized. Furthermore, Cosmo Nail is also proud to say that all their products are imported from Taiwan so the clients can be assured that everything they are offering are genuine products with high quality.

Young as the business might be, Ms. Mei and Joyce are pretty confident Cosmo Nail has what it takes to be at par or even greater than those who’d already created their niche in the market. First of all, the owners believe so much in the quality of products and services they are offering. Moreover, they both believe that it’s in the art of serving your clients with passion that would make them come back for more, coupled with proper amount of enthusiasm and passion.

Cosmo Nail is located at 243 Bellagio Square Unit 204 Tomas Morato Cor. Scout Fuentebella, Quezon City. Opening from Monday to Thursday is 11 AM to 9 PM while Friday and Saturday is 11 AM to 10 PM. Last call before closing time is 30 minutes. For inquiries, please call 376 6008.

Poetry is More Than The Poem

(Clipped from Cirilo Bautista's column, Breaking Signs, page 25, Philippine Panorama, 30 December 2007.)

"Poetry is an oligarchy, not a democracy, concerned as it is with things beyond mundane existence. True, the flex and reflex that shape the global consciousness take strength from the vegetable garden and the village fishing ground, but they must transform that strength to achieve the needed elevated significance."

Disney on Ice Takes Spectators To A Musical World Journey

A colorful and exciting show that is as entertaining as it is educational, “Disney on Ice presents Mickey and Minnie’s Amazing Journey” is an adventure in history and geography with discoveries that unfold in every turn. The upcoming musical extravaganza happening at the Araneta Coliseum from January 18 to 25, 2008 takes kids and kids at heart to dreamy cityscapes, colorful tropical islands and underwater kingdoms that serve to warm the heart and educate the mind.

“Kids will not only be entertained, but they will also learn basic lessons in geography. Indeed, there’s a little something for everyone,” Feld entertainment Regional Marketing Director for Southeast Asia and India Eric Gravelle said. The highly anticipated spectacle is set to take audiences in a journey around the world via a grand and colorful production featuring Disney’s well-loved characters. “[Viewers will] get to travel all over the world with this grand production,” adds Gravelle.

Disney on Ice showcases five wonderful stories that take place in inviting and unusual locations. The foggy streets of London serve as backdrop for 101 Dalmatians; Lilo and Stitch frolic under the sunny skies of Hawaii; The Lion King takes place in exotic Africa; Peter Pan prances into Neverland; and the colorful world under the sea sets the tone for The Little Mermaid.

Dubbed as the must-see show of the year, Disney on Ice will also feature favorite Disney tunes. Add to these are the upbeat and foot-stomping musical numbers that audiences will surely enjoy including a rousing hula with Lilo and Stitch and the reggae-spiced romp led by Sebastian of Disney’s The Little Mermaid.

Highly entertaining and definitely educational, “Disney on Ice presents Mickey and Minnie’s Amazing Journey” is the perfect treat for the whole family this season. Book your tickets now and experience a one-of-a-kind adventure in the Big Dome. For reservations, call Ticketnet at 911-5555 or log on to www.ticketnet.com.ph.

The Legacy of Beauty Unfolds with Bb. Pilipinas 2008

The country’s longest-running and most prestigious beauty pageant embarks once again on the quest for a select group of young women whose world-class beauty, intelligence, and character shine through. Be part of this year’s Bb. Pilipinas search and have the opportunity to represent the country and make a positive impact in the lives of others. Preliminary screenings are ongoing only until January 31 from 2 to 6 pm. Only those who qualify for the preliminary screening will be eligible for the final selection of official candidates for this year’s pageant.

Single women who are of Filipino citizenship, 17 to 25 years old, at least 5’5” tall, a high school graduate, and with good moral character, may get application forms at the Bb. Pilipinas Charities Incorporated (BPCI) Secretariat at the Araneta Coliseum or download the form at www.bbpilipinas.com. Submit the accomplished form with an NSO-certified copy of your birth certificate, certified true copy of your high school or college diploma, Philippine passport (if any) and close-up and full-body color photos to the BPCI Secretariat or fax to (632) 911-2771. Prospective candidates who are 17 years old must also submit their parents’ written consent.

For the past 44 years, BPCI has been organizing the annual pageant to raise funds and put the spotlight on helping local communities. Past winners and global beauty titlists such as Gloria Diaz (Miss Universe 1969), Margie Moran (Miss Universe 1973), Miriam Quiambao (Miss Universe 1st Runner-Up 1999), Aurora Pijuan (Miss International 1970), Melanie Marquez (Miss International 1979), Ruffa Gutierrez (Miss World 2nd Princess 1993), and Precious Lara Quigaman (Miss International 2005) have all become messengers of hope and love to the underprivileged. With their exposure to world issues and other cultures, as well as improved confidence in their abilities, they have become instrumental in alleviating the conditions faced by orphans, indigent families, and other less fortunate Filipinos. The pageant provides a life-changing opportunity to those seeking more meaningful experiences. Join this year’s quest and be part of an illustrious list of women who have all left a lasting legacy of beauty.

For more details about the Binibining Pilipinas pageant, log on to www.bbpilipinas.com.

Nibbling Nuts

Want an alternative to your cannot-be-stopped savouring of muffin, chocolate,or cheese? You want to shed some pounds and rather resort to a not-so-sinful indulgence?
Then, you might consider nibbling nuts instead.

Reader's Digest Asia,December 2007, gave a rundown of reasons on Why Nuts Are Good Food (p.82).

Lowering your Cholesterol: The polyunsaturated fat in nuts lowers LDL, or bad,cholesterol levels, and monounsaturated fat raises good HOL cholesterol levels.

Helping your Heart: By helping to reduce LDL cholesterol,which eventually leads to atherosclerotic plaque formation and hardening of the arteries, nuts help protect your heart.

Defending againts Diabetes: The fat and nutrients in nuts may improve glucose and insulin stability in people with Type 2 diabetes.

Keeping Trim: Nuts have fiber and other nutrients that interfere with the absorption of fat. And they are satisfying, so people feel fuller longer.

PDI's critic Amadis Ma. Guerrero cites Gantimpala Theater's Ang Pagong at ang Matsing as "one of the best!"

Amadis Ma. Guerrero, Manila's most respected theater critic, who writes for the Philippine Daily Inquirer, cites Gantimpala Theater's Ang Pagong at Ang Matsing, as one of the best shows of the last quarter of 2007.

Guerrero says, " Legitimate (musical) theater invaded the malls with Gantimpala Theater's Ang Pagong at ang Matsing directed by Tony Espejo and performed before a big crowd of school kids. It was an entertaining cavalcade of song, dance, humurous situations amidst a forest setting. The music of Jesse Lucas ends in a rousing call to preserve the environment."

The musical play is written by multi-Palanca winner J. Dennis Teodosio, with lights design by Joey Nombres and production design by Dwight Gaston.

It stars Michael King Urieta (Pagong) and Francis Ong (Matsing) with their bestfriends and sidekicks Meldea Flor Formacil (Suso) and Anthony (Tarsier).

Ang Pagong at Ang Matsing was last performed at the Concert at the Park Open Air Auditorium last December 30 as part of the commemoration of the 111th Martyrdom of Dr. Jose Rizal.


Dr. Rizal's famous comic strip was the inspiration of this Filipino children's musicale.
So, if you want Ang Pagong at Ang Matsing to visit your school, college, university or locale, call 528-0603 or 536-5860 or send an SMS message 0921-5286308.