Interview With The Cast of MATILDA The Musical

I am so happy that Roald Dahl's MATILDA The Musical is having it's Manila staging at the Meralco Theater this November 10. We've got very talented kids and I'm sure it was a breeze to actually see talent in the country fit for a Broadway musical. I love the movie so much that up to this day I still look forward to the HBO reruns for the movie version. It would be quite interesting to see how they would be able to translate that and tell the story through music. 

This book by Dennis Kelly has gone and taught a lot of kids around the world about being good, about hope, friendship and love and for sure Tim Minchin already proved how his music and lyrics would encompass age as this will also be entertaining for adults. It will run from November 10 to December 10 and if you haven't planned anything to do this Christmas, wouldn't it be a good thing to have an early gift for a change?

Esang, Uma and Kyle will be alternating in Matilda's role. The kids uttered:

"Yes actually I've watched the broadway musical, this is a dream role for me. It teaches us to never give up if we have our dreams!" 

"I've watched the movie and also adore the book. I am dreaming because this just feels surreal for us. Even if you're little you can do a lot. I have always wished to become someone like Lea Salonga."

"If you want something, you can do it and never give up!"

It's one of the most exciting musicals this year and Atlantis Theatrical Productions have done a really great job choosing the kids and the rest of the cast. We talked to them right after a short press conference at Marco Polo this evening.

We sat down with Joaquin Valdez who's playing the character of Harry Wormwood who is the father of Matilda. He says "It was a character that was completely out of our personal image so in a way it's a bit difficult. I play an escapologist, Matilda likes books and I go between that and a fantasy story, like a dual role of a slimy abusive father and that perfect one she wishes for. It's an interesting take because it's not done in the broadway version, a personal touch of Direk Bobby. Matilda can move things, because her mind is that strong. He sent me a message a couple of months back and this was really a stretch, I just jumped in. People who know me were really surprised. 

This is the first time I'm playing this  character and I think it's a test, it's a nice dynamic. We get to discover a lot of new things especially with the kids. I started out in theater when I was 11 and when puberty hit, I couldn't play roles. I signed up with a pop vocal group, I studied film making, but I still go back to theater. Until recently I made a decision to do this full time. I went into advertising, but this was really something that I looked for. You'll really go back to theater. I am more comfortable with English, it's nice to do an original but my training has been really there."

Jamie Wilson (whom  I loved in Kinky Boots by the way) plays Agatha Trunchbull the evil head mistress. In broadway and west end, they require to actually have the man play the part because of the physical requirements they have to have like throwing kids and stuff around. He says "I play the principal of the school, the antagonist, I get to scream at kids, provide horror. It's a female character which initially I didn't know was actually commonly played by men in different stagings. I'm going to be in an outfit. It may have been played by a female one in the movie but there's a lot of magic on stage that happens, she's an olympic hammer throw champion. I was shocked initially because they made me learn Ms. Trunchbull's part. I may or may not have a harness, but there's a lot of theater tricks because it's really exciting. It's a matter of building trust, of safety, of guidance, even if it's repetitive, it's a nice opportunity for professionals. They're like midgets, like adults in small bodies. 

My whole family has been in theater, and I have been doing this for 37 years. My father is Johnny Wilson but he discouraged us, I was one of the first MTV VJ's, even before Donita Rose. I did a few movies, but the process of theater was just so good. I was really bit by the theater bug. We had 2 months of rehearsals, you've seen Atlantis do productions and they invest in this heavily because they have international standards. Theater has been here quite long, but it never became as big as this. Now you have shows every week, people can choose, from Shakespear, to activist shows. Internet made it easy to market everything. They are attracted to something live, to sing big songs, the risks, the tensions and it's not practiced. So you'll see a lot of that in this project."

Mrs. Zinnia Wormwood is played by Carla Guevara Laforteza, a star magic artist. She says "She's a neglectful mother, always with her DI and only wanted money from her husband. She had hate for Matilda, but these kids are so much of my babies. These children, they are like the future of international theater but they are such naturals. They can teach get the international actresses a run for their money. I'm not a dancer but I had to study for this one. I have three children at home, but here it's a gazillion. They run crazy, but I always go early so I can prepare myself. I have been in the industry for about 25 years. I've worked with children before but not this many. I did Hansel and Gretel, I played a Nun, but this was a real mother to child thing. 

They are very disciplined when they passed the auditions, they briefed them and had child wranglers while we are at work. They are kept busy, sometimes have too much fun but they are controlled. I watched the movie, I watch adaptations but I watch it because I want to make sure I don't duplicate them and just bring out a personality that is natural or similar to me so I can play it like my own interpretation. If you watch it here, it's got more heart. It's not mechanical, that's the difference. It has more heart and that's what make it special. In this one, it's going to be a woman that doesn't care what her husband does, but I'll try to be more lovable. That's what I was trying to do in this case." 

Ms. Emeline Celis Guinid plays Ms. Phelps the librarian. She's on one of the most pivotal scenes because she's the librarian who's going to make Matilda's mind soar high. She says "This musical is much like a gold mine, if you see the kids perform, dance, even if I don't have songs I have to interact with her storytelling. I have to listen to it all. Esang can pick up lines easily, I think that's what is good with the kids because they can absorb fast. They might be three kids, but they have their own strengths and they really tell the story legibly. You naturally just pay attention. I did one day of audition for this and waited for their call. This is a great experience all in all!"

The soft spoken and pushover Ms. Honey will be played by Cris Villonco. She utters "Oh my god, having 20 kids around, I'm not really used to that. It's a lot of fun watching them focus, and enjoy the music and choreography like it's not work for them. They sang the songs with so much gusto, so much energy. They knew what exactly what to do, even know the script better than me at times. They were singing, I was crying at times because in my time it wasn't like this. Their parents must be really proud. It was hard to keep them quiet at times, but man, they get all the choreography without dumbing it down. They had 4 hours to do it and it wasn't a challenge for them at all. You'll see the songs come alive, I hope even in Meralco you get to see their heart in the show. I think the adults learned more from them, we get to teach them accents but they know their music and lines. I come in one day and they even know OUR parts. They are good, even if they are tired from school takes discipline to do a show. Their grades are monitored too, I applaud the parents for trusting the handlers because these kids are so good. 

This play isn't about us, it's about them. Every child is different, they could learn a thing or two about them not being alone. It was Matilda who pushes Ms. Honey to have more courage. Kids handle bullies, adults handle bullies, all in live theater. Whether mistakes are made, you'll love the magic and I hope children see this in schools. I hope they enjoy it as much as we do. I auditioned when I was 9 for Les Miserables, but I wasn't as talented as compared to these children. It's simply overwhelming seeing them dance, sing and you wonder where it comes from. They do it with love. I guess the exposure to different talent shows, to Youtube, they're learning a lot and knowing there are talented kids around the world too. The Philippines should be recognize as a hub for talent. There's no talk about that yet in putting them in international staging, but some of the boys in the cast are already part of Lion King. My character is more pushed around in this show, some little stunts will happen. Let's see when we do technical rehearsals because we are moving there on Sunday for the first time. It will be magical, I promise you that!"

Oh and for a great parting shot, let me share with you this performance earlier. If you're impressed, remember to buy a ticket eh?

Again, MATILDA The Musical will start on November 10 until December 10, 2017. If you're interested in making your kids watch the show, make sure they are around 7 and up as we don't want to make kids bother other theater watchers okay? It's a great way to bond with your family over a great story, great songs and show. You may purchase tickets at Ticketworld.com.ph or call 8919999. I'm watching too, hopefully on the actual opening date!

Ashley Rivera's Better Entertainment Experience with Vivo V7+

When she plays music, they all come. Ashley Rivera loves this game. She's been around the world and donnes her social media accounts, but she's always in the best clubs and music festivals. She isn't just playing pretty, she's walking the talk. This is why Vivo Philippines believe in her, she made her part of Vivo Philippines' endorsers.

She also mans her blog and on her recent social media posts, she wanted you to see how she's taking advantage of the Vivo V7+. She's also enjoying the V7+’s AK4376A Hi-Fidelity audio chip which makes the experience of listening to music be brought to a whole different level. The V7+ also has a 5.99” display so she watches videos and movies non stop when it's her off day. With the 84.4% screen to body ratio it won't be an ordinary game and visual experience if you are fond of it. She hopes it would entertain her hundred thousand followers on Instagram. Because as she tried the Vivo V7+, the 24MP clearer selfie just stands out. It's why she's got crisp and natural looking photos these days.

Ashley will also be joining the rest of the Vivo endorsers in mall tours around the country. This would last until the last quarter so make sure you follow their social media channels and visit their website to know more. It's at www.vivo.com/ph and their Facebook page https://www.facebook.com/VivoPhil. You can also follow them on Instagram @vivophil and @vivo_phil on Twitter.

She says so.

The Launch of EPSON Compact L-Series Integrated Ink Tank Printers

Okay first up, I actually intended to go to this event but forgot my outfit at home. This would have been a nice thing to see up close.

Epson just launched their new A4 duplex integrated ink tank printer. The new L-series printers makes it as one of the lowest printing costs in the Philippine market. The device itself looks phenomenal, with sheen as shiny as a new car, this piece of hardware looks like they took a really good time designing it. They also use spill free ink bottles which fits snuggly in each tank making it convenient for users to actually change the thing without worrying too much about the process.

The hardware can be expected to have high yields as it has been tested remarkably well to have an output of about 7,500 pages for black and white prints and about 6,000 colored ones. This would make it lower operating costs in businesses with the pigment based prints water and smudge resistant too. Mind you, Epson is currently the only brand offering ink tank printers with auto-duplex function. They have been committed to improve productivity for business and home users.

They also have a 30 page Automatic Document Feeder (ADF) if you're a little too busy at work and want scanning and copying of multi-sheet documents done in no time. It can be a network printer too as it's got Ethernet ports, Wi-Fi and ad hoc connectivity so you don't need to fuzz much about setting it up on networks because it's easy. You can even print remotely from anywhere via Epson Connect which is Epson’s suite of connectivity solutions.

They are currently the number 1 ink tank vendor and about 20 million Epson ink tank printers sold worldwide since 2010, my former office could attest to it.

You have to note though that Auto duplex is available for all models except for L4150 printer model. The L6160, L6170, L6190 printers are top notch so if you're looking for an efficient one for your business, you should definitely take a look at these models. They also have the L4150 and L4160 models if you prefer different ones too.

How To Write Good Essays Fast

Despite our best efforts, we’ve all been in a situation where we need to write an essay in a truly ridiculous amount of time. It can either be because we genuinely forgot about it, or because we're in a class which gave huge amounts of homework. This means our schedules need to change and move quickly. While a lot of students prefer to simply buy an essay from writing services such as www.essayzoo.org, there are ways in which to tackle the need to write quickly which can be learned easily by anybody who wants to do so. Writing an essay quickly is difficult, but ultimately doable.

Brainstorm

When you need to write something fast, the most important thing is to get started. Getting started can mean simply beginning to write, of course, but it can also be as simple as simply jotting down ideas for research and structure, just so that you have something to work from.

Getting ideas onto paper is one of the easiest ways to start the process of writing, as it means that you have something to work from, and that the process of writing has started.

Structure

When writing essays, it is always a good thing to try and stand out in some way, to get your essay noticed. When you are on a deadline is not the time to try something like that; it is the time to keep things simple. A simple structure is more easily remembered, so when you are writing in a hurry it is much easier to remember what goes where, and how to structure a thesis statement, and so on.

Keeping to the basic structure also allows you to build an essay more quickly, as the basics are usually the same, no matter the essay.

Proofread!

When you are on a deadline, paying attention to the little details becomes all the more important, because that will detract attention from the half-baked ideas which you might end up with. Spelling and grammar is also an opportunity to make up for any points lost in other areas of the essay.

When it comes to how to write a good college essay, both good spelling and good ideas are needed, but if one has to be sacrificed to the deadline? Good communication skills as shown by an entirely grammatically correct and well-formatted paper cover bad ideas far more easily than good ideas will cover for a badly-written and formatted paper.

Check your spelling and grammar as much as possible. Time constraints might not allow it, but having a second pair of eyes to look over your work is helpful too. Make sure to check that the formatting you are using for your paper is correct, and pay special attention to quotes and references, as they are the most visible part of the formatting.

Don’t Panic

It can be easy to start feeling paralyzed by looming deadlines, but don’t let that get in your way! If you let yourself be stopped by fear, then the work you need to do will never be done, so push through the fear, and keep writing. The work will get done one way or another and the quicker you start, the quicker it will be done.

Minimize Distractions

Ask anyone who has had to contend with deadlines how to write an essay fast and they will most likely share some wisdom about minimizing potential distractions while working. Unfortunately, distractions only seem to be worsening as time goes on, with streaming TV and movies, social media, and video games all jockeying for space with the more usual ways we have of spending our leisure time.

Be strong, and ignore the distractions around you! There are now programs and apps which can be used to temporarily block social media sites (among other things) for a certain duration – you could consider getting one of them if necessary.

Eat and Drink

Remember to eat and stay hydrated! It is easy to forget these things when on a deadline, but it is important that you not. Eating and drinking properly helps you to stay alert and awake, and also makes it easier to concentrate, so keeping up with these things can help with the writing process.

Eating and drinking can also serve as a way of relaxing, or rewarding yourself for reaching certain milestones in your paper. When on a deadline, rewarding yourself for keeping to the timetable and not getting distracted can be a good way of keeping yourself on schedule.

In Conclusion

Writing an essay on a strict time limit is not fun, but there are ways in which it can be done, and done well. This article looked at some of the more popular tips which can come with short deadlines, such as keeping distractions down, and making sure you eat, among others. These tips could apply to any writing situation, not simply short deadlines, but they are particularly appropriate here.