SOUNDS FAMILIAR By Baby A. Gil | Updated June 23, 2014 – 12:00am
Have you ever wondered what if God was just another story? Have you ever thought about the possibility that maybe believing and make-believing aren’t all that different? These are a few of the questions raised and in some ways answered by the new groundbreaking Off-Broadway musical Dani Girl and I can see no better time than now to put this show on the local stage.
I see everybody, everywhere all gushing about how much they cried while watching the movie The Fault In Our Stars and of how touched they were by the love story of two cancer stricken teenagers. Now, remove a year or two from the lead characters and you have Dani Girl. Ergo, this then puts a lot of teary-eyed, feeling people in just the right frame of mind to fully enjoy the exploration into life and death, hope and despair that Dani Girl has to offer.
Written by Jonathan Larson Grant winners Michael Kooman and Christopher Dimond, Dani Girl tackles the topics of cancer and dying from the perspective of a child. This is the story of Dani Lyons, a nine-year-old girl whose leukemia has suddenly returned after three years in remission. She is a spunky spirit who is not about to take her situation sitting down. So she goes off on an imaginary quest with her guardian angel Raph; her film buff roommate Marty and her Teddy Bear named Mr. Fritz to get back the hair she lost to chemo and to find the answer to the question she needs to ask, “Why is cancer?”
Cast in the demanding role of the imaginative Dani is Rebecca Coates, a high school student at the Enfuego Christian Academy who previously appeared in The Sound of Music and Alice In Wonderland. Playing Dani in some performances will be Mitzie Lao, a music student who is making her professional theater debut.
Also in the cast are theater veterans Lorenz Martinez and Reb Atadero who will be alternating as Raph, Dani’s guardian angel; Sheila Valderamma and Pamela Imperial who will play Dani’s loving mother; Luigi Quesada who is Marty, Dani’s film buff roommate at the oncology ward. He will also be played by Reb at certain performances.
This is the Asian Theatrical premiere of Dani Girl and also the inaugural presentation of the recently-formed performing group The Sandbox Collective. It will run for 15 performances at the Carlos P. Romulo Auditorium at the RCBC Plaza in Makati from July 11 to 27. Call 585-6909 or 0917-8996680 or Ticketworld 891-9999 for tickets. Director is Toff de Venecia, who is also Sandbox managing artistic director with Ejay Yatco as musical director and Delphine Buencamino as choreographer.
New cast announced for Rak of Aegis. Singers and stage actors Arnell Ignacio, OJ Mariano and Jimmy Marquez have joined the cast of Rak of Aegis, PETA’s hit musical comedy which returned last June 20, for more performances at the Peta Phinma Theater in Quezon City. Directed by Myke Solomon from the libretto by Liza Magtoto, the show is built around the hits of the popular rock band Aegis like the now iconic Basang-basa Sa Ulan.
Fans need not worry about missing the original members of the cast. Isay Alvarez and Robert Seña, plus Kalila Aguilos, Kakai Bautista, Neomi Gonzales, Jerald Napoles and many others who made the first run ofRak of Aegis such a delight, will still be in the show. Arnell and OJ who, by the way, were excellent inThe Full Monty and singing champ Jimmy who was last onstage in Disney’s Aladdin, will be around to add spice to the mix.
P.S. Catch Jimmy and his soulful kind of music on Tuesday evenings at the lobby of the Midas Hotel and Casino.
Big news announcement from Bobby Garcia of the Atlantis Theatricals Entertainment Group. There will be local auditions for roles in Here Lies Love. You must have already heard something about this show by now. This is the much-talked about dance musical created by the famous David Byrne and Fatboy Slim about former First Lady Imelda Marcos. It has been so well-received in the U.S. of A. and is now going international.
I do not know yet if they are bringing the show to Manila. They should I am sure it will be a huge success. What is sure is that the National Theater of London Production is set to open in September in the UK. Let us all feel proud that within a few months, London will have two major musicals playing that stars Filipino talents, Here Lies Love and Miss Saigon.
And that is where the local auditions come in. A musical about Imelda Marcos certainly needs Filipinos in the cast. Those interested in the auditions should keep tabs on the ATEG Facebook page for announcements about the show’s requirements and the complete audition information. Good luck.
Source: The Philippine Star
