Come Watch Jersey Boys at the Meralco Theater

I was one of the few kids who got tortured with the music of Frankie Valli and The Four Seasons. My dad used all the sound system he could muster pretty much when I was in inception up to the time I was working graveyards when I still had a blue collared job. Not that I didn't like it, but my Dad did this almost every day even if people were still sleeping or tired from work. It's his picker upper, the generation which he says even pre dated The Beatles in their hey days. 

I've grown to listen to them by force but turned out to have imparted me a LOT about the music back then. It gave me a piece of history, the nostalgia, I kinda learned to understand my Dad like the same fanaticism I have now with Eraserheads and the little annoying disconnect I get with the millenials when I tell them stories about them.

But enough about me, this time Atlantis Theatrical Entertainment Group is bringing the Tony, Olivier and Grammy Award winning musical production the Jersey Boys to Manila. 

Christian Bautista says "We had to research a LOT and didn't just depend on what's written on the script. Some of these guys were interviewed on video and you can still read certain things about how a song was made, the whole thought process and even how it saved their lives. Pressure? This is still running in Broadway, and this is the first time in Asia. You're going to sing, dance and stand up when you watch the show."

Nino Alejandro adds "We have to respect who they are and what they want to accomplish in their lives because these all happened in the past. We have to make the scenes believable, as these are true stories."

Markki Stroem "We had accent tapes to listen to and trained ourselves with mints in our mouths so we can do it. It's the iconic part, the character creation was a fun process. Watch the movies and you get to create your own interpretation without veering away from the spirit.

Nyoy Volante says "Franky Valli's voice is iconic and the group had him sing this way, it's hard to know it from his fans and the pressure not to be like it puts ton of pressure and we have a story to tell. The message of the show is good and we're doing the it for the first time in Asia. You can't top that!"

For tickets, you may visit www.ticketworld.com.ph or call Ten Bridges Media Corporation at (02) 6505144. Jersey Boys will tell you about the story of Franky Valli and The Four Seasons and why it's been one of the most watched and longest running show in Broadway history. 

KUMAGCOW

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Tanghalang Pilipino Presents A Filipino Adaptation of Shakespear's Midsummer Night's Dream

I'm not a hardcore Shakespear fan nor am I a religious watcher of plays. The last one I watched was El Fili in PETA Theater a couple of months back. This is a different company and as Artistic Director Nanding Josef says "We found and institution and individual who would help us pursue our dreams for the Filipino artists. We have scholars in the room, of which study performing arts and are taken cared of by this institution. We are commemorating the 400th deat anniversary of Shakespear and we are doing this in part because of that. There are a lot of shows featuring Shakespearian plays but I think he's got a universal message on love, on assertion of rights, and virtues that are all wordly."

Carlos Siguion Reyna adds "I was nervous and among Shakespear's plays I felt I had connection with the other ones because it had powerplay and power trip materials, but this has magic and stuff which I felt is also an opportunity to do it. It's been a joy doing it, I hope we can do justice and feel that in the production. I haven't seen one in the Philippines but I read the material and I felt interested is when order becomes conflicted, when passion gets chaotic, it becomes an interesting thing and we hope to put that out. It's dark but we have a lot of material, some crazy stuff and kicks a patriarchal court of issues right from the start. Through all of these, the painful things is that it's all love, falling in and out of love and the traditional forces of order and those who want to explore more. That's what we want to pull up from the production, it's magic, it's comedy, it's romance. You'll get to see a scene in the woods today and there are fairys, all sorts of animals. I am also looking at the structure of the fairy and the Athens court, I think especially with the four lovers it's going to be a bit hard. She falls in love with a guy not approved with the Father and comes into conflict with spells and situations which both can be funny and frightening."

It felt weird seeing a love quarrel in full Filipino language. The medium is a bit deep, and using it for an old English play was a little unnatural because it was too passionate for its form, until I heard them do the more oligarchial scenes in English. It's a way for people to decipher authority, the power they were trying to imply earlier. That makes sense.

Seasoned actors Rafa Siguion Reyna and Ms. Jackie Lou Blanco are part of the ensemble cast. Tanghalang Pilipino actually have some of the best and judging from the looks of it, this is going to be great. Ms. Jackie quips "I really wanted to do it and I couldn't say no to Tata Nanding. I haven't been able to work with Direk nor have I done anything Shakespear. I'm really glad I joined the company, I'm really excited! I hope you invite your friends and family to watch it."

Tanghalang Joseng Batute will be it's home for the duration of the production. "Pangarap Sa Isang Gabi Ng Gitnang Tag-Araw" (a reimagined Midsummer Nights Dream by Shakespear) will be shown on a three weekend limted run from September 30 to October 16, 2016. This is produced by Tanghalang Pilipino Actors Company. 

KUMAGCOW

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On Soaps, Shampoos and Shower Gels: Men Should Smell Like Men

You are better than you think you are. No one said it is easy, but we all have to know the difference between grooming products for men and women. Sometimes you just feel we live in a world where people would want to kill us with fluff, flowers and pink stuff, not that it's bad for us but there's a huge difference in our physiological and biological makeup. Our hair might be made with the same things but the daily abuse, use, wear and tear is just on a different level. Our activities are different and if nobody admits we too need special care, that would be a sad life.

I was browsing the grocery of Mercury Drug a couple of days ago with my Mum and Dad and saw these products on the shelf. While they were signing their senior citizen discounts and I bought a couple cans of pineapple juice as I was a bit under the weather (long story) and saw ToppCock on the way to the counter. It's a line specially made for the male form of which the last one I tried was ToppCock Silver on my article here. This time I'm trying the Mint Soap, the Hydromax Invigorating Shampoo (Mint Lavender) and the All In One Shower Gel (which I have tried before).

The Mint Soap was marvelous. It didn't need a promise of 99.9 percent germ removal to make it feel good while in the shower. You feel clean and it smells so good. I like that the mint wasn't too harsh because the last thing that you need when the water from the shower is already cold is also mint to ruin the experience. So it's like hitting two birds with one stone, that's good yeah?!

The Hydromax Invigorating Shampoo on the other hand has Mint and Lavender. If you're a man and want to feel fresh and clean without smelling like a bouquet of flowers when you get out of the shower, you just have to put it in a subtle way. That's what this is. Like the soap, the mint isn't really too harsh either. I think they got this right during production which is a good thing.

I like the Shower Gel. It's like fresh pine. This got emptied in like 3 days because apparently everybody else at home liked it a LOT. It's like those really good perfumes for men mixed with it but I won't tell what brand LOL. Anyway, I think if you're looking for something cool, perhaps keep like a staple in your bath, this would be it. I assure you, it's something you would mistake as something only expensive designers would make. It's affordable too so you know what this means? You should get it too!

Take it in, because I'm sure event the women can relate to that. They wouldn't want the men to use what's designed for women right? That thought alone is beautiful, it means something and it's real. It will feel right because it's proper, and proud!

Again, you should go to the nearest Mercury Drug outlets and get yourself some ToppCock. Be a great example to the men in your age group. Take care of yourself buddy!

For more information about their products:

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Vina Morales for "Vina at 30"

It's been 30 years since Ms. Vina Morales has joined show-business and it's about time she celebrates it with the people that she love, and those that have been instrumental in making her the success that she is today. She's going to have a concert this October 14, 2016 8PM at the KIA Theater and she's not holding back. She's going to make it worth your time from the moment she opens the show until it ends with guests and co performers that you'll also love!

"Vina at 30" is her way of giving thanks, she wants it to be fun and she wants all that love her to be there. Vina says "I did showgirl years back and had Georcelle choreograph that. I'll be doing a prod with Gary, the cute Ogie Alcasid, some light songs with Daniel Padilla, and my family Shaina and Ceana. I will also have Robin Padilla, it was hard to make him say yes and our supporters would love that. Robin and I are thankful that despite of our own respective lives, we have that kilig for the fans when we look at each other. 30 years personally has changed me a lot, in my career, I am so blessed and I make sure to give my best even if I have small roles, I still make them feel I work a lot for it. The time alone is an achievement, after the concert maybe I'll be promoting my album with Star Records. I'll also have concert tours in other countries and I'm looking forward to put up more businesses with my friends because there's a lot we want to do still. There are a lot of shows already in KIA Theater and I'm happy, fulfilled to have that and celebrate it with you." 

"I am taken by Mark, I'm always wishing for the best with our relationship, I'm leaving it all to God and not force things, I'm always hoping for the best. I'm happy my friends are here, to make me feel who I am in these 30 years. If you want to work, love the people that you're with, you're going to stay in the business. Ceana can sing, but she's shy so I hope she gets over that."

She adds "I really wanted to sing, but never had channels to go to them. I sang in different provinces when I was a teen ager, I hope I had the chance to have that before I was discovered. There were no reality shows before. I probably have done a lot, i just hope this one would just have some twists so you always see something new. There are new artists that are great, like Sarah Geronimo, they're very talented now but the new ones really have to polish it. My secret is not really secret, it's the love for the craft, I learn from suggestions so I listen to people personal or career wise. You need to watch your attitude with co workers, if you turn diva you will never make it. I used to feel the times I were in Viva that the intrigues were really tough, I was affected then, but it's better now and I would just laugh at it because I thought those were already hard compared to what I am experiencing now."

"For 30 years I haven't been very showbiz or on intrigues just so they talk about me or use my name, I don't answer back or fight with anyone. When you do need to fight back, I just always wait for the right time and now I have a good lawyer for cases and those that will come. That's what give me courage especially my daughter."

October 14 will be a good night to celebrate, thanks to PLDT Home DSL, Ystilo Salon, San Miguel Corporation, Splash Corporation, Aficionado, Salu Restaurant, Chivs Lounge Bar, Bench, Nice Day Coffee, Ideal Vision and Philip Dizon Photography for making her concert Vina at 30 possible. You cab get tickets at DSL Events Production (02) 659 3474, (0918) 563781, (0933) 519 8118 or their website www.dsleventsandproductionhouse.com or Ticketnet at 9115555 www.ticketnet.com.ph. It is Directed by Johnny Manahan and Choreographed by Teacher Georcelle of GFORCE.

KUMAGCOW

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