Of ballets and ballets and song

Lisa Macuja obliges a fan.

Ballerina ng bayan signs my copy of the program.

Big Mama with the West End Mamas: Ces Campos-Bonner, Gia Macuja-Atchinson and Maya Barredo-Duffy

On their second to the last performance, the ballerinas and balletomanes of Midsummer Night's Dream stand on the sweeping stairs of the Cultural Center of the Philippines lobby to meet the audience for pictures and another round of applause.

Viva Ballet Philippines!

The weekends in the month of heart and arts have become full of trips to shows (visual and performing arts) all over town. But memories of the 21st of February were of a day filled with sensory overload--good thing the shows were all in the boundary of Manila and Pasay cities so getting from one theater to another only took my sister Suzy and me one leisurely stroll. Turns out leisurely wasn't what it was meant to be. We caught the 11 a.m. matinee of West End Mamas, the main act of the palabas "Ballets & Ballads" at Aliw Theater.

Afterwards, we went to the artists' dressing room, largely through the intercession of director Roxanne Lapus who I met in my reporter years at the Philippines Daily Express and interviewed many years after for a cover story on talent managers for The Sunday Times Magazine. 

Roxanne, daughter of couturier Nena Lapus, is one of those memorable persons who crosses one's life briefly but remains embedded in one's memory. I remember her as an Assumption College teacher who has directed romantic comedies and lately, musicals (The Sound of Music had over a hundred performances at Resort World's Newport Theater). For a time she was on top of promoting and marketing shows when the Metropolitan Theater (what a loss there!) still had regular seasons of performances, especially in the late '70s to the '80s, until Vilma Santos's variety show kept it alive as it was sputtering. Last year, Roxanne helmed "The Legends and the Classics," featuring Cecile Licad, Lisa Macuja and Lea Salonga.

That Sunday I overheard her talking to the young dancers after the show and reminding them to overcome their onstage fears once and for all. Words to the effect that if they themselves don't  decide to overcome those fears that make them hesitate and withhold the giving of their best, they will indeed fall on the seventh pirouette or the fifth leap. 

Teacher Roxanne said what she was saying came from a lived life. I couldn't forget her parting lines to those dancers: if you fell in love with a tarantado 30 years ago and you still didn't get over it by moving on and deciding in your mind and heart not to let it happen again, 30 years after you will fall again for a tarantado cut from the same cloth as the one you originally fell for. I wanted to giggle at that one, but it would lessen the authoritativeness in her voice. Besides, the dancers were nodding their heads in agreement the same way I was, too.

Sometimes it only took a brief encounter like that to be reminded of lessons vital to our existence. So thank you, Roxanne, thank you, Lisa , her singing sister Gia who together with Maya Barredo and Ces Campos and Ballet Manila gave it their all.

From Aliw Suzy and I walked towards the CCP with the intention of taking a late lunch first at our favorite Pancake House by Manila Bay. But we detoured to the box office so we could buy our tickets early for the afternoon matinee of Midsummer's Night Dream. It turned out the show was about to start in 15 minutes! The 3 p.m. in my mind was actually 2 p.m. There was time to wolf down a triangle of pizza and a soda and off we went to our seats.

When the curtain went up, everyone went "Ahhhhh!" at the fairy magic of a set. That was how we were transported to a dreamy forest where lovers' quarrels, mischief and mistakes were eventually sorted out till we heard the familiar strains of Mendelssohn used for wedding marches. The danseur who played the crucial role of Puck simply signed my program "Puck."

Somewhere between the two shows, I received an SMS from a Diliman campus-based friend inviting me to watch later in the evening a Noh performance at the old UP Theater. All I could say was thank you, but, Mamma Mia! I was all "culture vultured" out. At least for a day and until the next trip that will transport me out of reality.

Photos by Babeth and Suzy Lolarga

West End Mamas at Aliw Theater

Maya Barredo-Duffy, Gia Macuja-Atchison and Cez Campos-Bonner

Ballet Manila wraps up its 17th performance season with the latest installment of its popular Ballet & Ballads series, featuring the London-based trio West End Mamas.

The show goes on stage at the Aliw Theater, CCP Complex, Pasay City, on Feb. 15, 7:30 p.m.; Feb. 16, 11 a.m. and 3 p.m.; Feb. 17, 11 a.m. and 3 p.m.; and Feb. 23, 11 a.m.

Ballet & Ballads is presented by Ballet Manila, Aliw Theater, Star City and Manila Broadcasting Co. with Bank of Singapore as co-presentor and Island Rose, First United Travel and Ralph's Wine and Spirits as sponsors.

The West End Mamas, which is making its Philippine debut, is composed of musical theater artists Gia Macuja-Atchison, Cez Campos-Bonner and Maya Barredo-Duffy.

The post-Valentine extravaganza promises to be an unforgettable evening of romance and celebration. This season-ender will feature a combination of Broadway and West End hit songs linked with highlights from Ballet Manila's classical and neo-classical repertoire.

Ballet Manila's "Reconfigured"

Ballet & Ballads showcases the Filipino-flavored dance pieces Dalagang Pilipina and Manila, Manila, Ballet Manila's contemporary choreographies (Reve, Reconfigured) and classical staples (Le Corsaire Pas des Trois, Romeo and Juliet Balcony Scene), as well as songs by the West End Mamas from Miss Saigon (The Movie in my Mind, I'd Give My Life for You), the rousing Boogie Woogie Bugle Boy and the popular Mr. Sandman.

 

Dance and song fuse in such numbers as Dream Girls, Defying Gravity, the Webber Trio and the Mamma Mia Medley. Also not to be missed is the West End Mamas/ Ballet Manila Disco Medley comprised of Ain’t No Mountain High Enough, It’s Raining Men and Lady Marmalade.

Lisa Macuja-Elizalde, artistic director of Ballet Manila, said, “We are happy to welcome the West End Mamas in their first performance as a trio in their home country. We know they too are excited to perform for local audiences.” 

Ballet & Ballads marks the return of Macuja-Elizalde to the stage after being sidelined for three months due to an ankle injury.

Artistic associate Osias Barroso, together with dancers Gerardo Francisco, Rudy de Dios, Rod Ma, Francis Jaena and Michael Divinagracia, choreographed the numbers featuring Ballet Manila and the West End Mamas.

The West End Mamas has been described as “the most exciting act of their generation.” Their moniker is quite apt as all three “mamas” have played lead roles in smash hit musicals in London's West End.

Macuja-Atchison was in the original cast of The Lion King for five years where she played Princess Nala. She also performed both the roles of Gigi and Ellen in the West End run of Miss Saigon.

Maya Barredo-Duffy performed as Kim in Miss Saigon for many years around the UK and in London's Theatre Royal Drury Lane and was in the cast of The Lion King London. She also played Eponine in the Asian premiere of Les Miserables.

Cez Campos-Bonner has played Kim in Miss Saigon in Asia, Australia and Europe, including London's West End run. She has also played Mabel in The Pirates of Penzance at London's Savoy Theatre and the roles of Tuptim and Lady Thiang in The King and I.

 

For tickets and other inquiries, contact Ballet Manila at tel. nos. 525-5967 or 400-0292 or through the website www.balletmanila.com.ph or Ticketworld at 891-9999 or ticketworld.com.ph.