Monday, June 02, 2008 Costanilla: Lapu-Lapu, Air Supply, Max Surban By Sam Costanilla spotlight
THE struggles of Lapu-Lapu, the first national hero from Cebu, will soon be produced as a big-budgetted movie. A Manila-based film outfit will be doing a joint venture with a Malaysian group to have this dream realized eventually. I was asked by a bigwig of this Manila film company to gather vital research-based materials about the life of Lapu-Lapu for submission to her as soon as possible. She emphasized that the planned movie is a major undertaking.
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ALL Air Supply fans like this writer can’t wait for June 13 when Graham Russell and Russell Hitchcock present something like a Valentine’s-in-June concert at the Waterfront Cebu City Hotel in Lahug. It’s going to be a special evening of romantic ballads as the title suggests, From the Heart: Best of Ballads. Oh yes, it’s good to avail of the early bird promo ticket prices until June 7 by calling 4124512, 2326888 or 5169387.
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THE incomparable Max Surban, widely known for his novelty songs, and the comic duo Dos Compañeros are slated to entertain the general public on June 28, starting at 8 p.m., at the City of Naga sports complex. Both the city administration and J Ladder Entertainment are producing this show. With Max as the main star, the show will definitely be a truly delightful treat. VIP tickets are priced at P150 while the general admission tickets are only P50 each. Call 4898006 for ticket purchases or reservations.
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MY good friend Jamna Gicole, founder of the Cebu-based Repertory of Young Professionals in Theatre (Rypit), e-mailed from the state of Florida where she is now based as an occupational therapist. She wrote that she finally saw The Lion King at the Tampa Bay Performing Arts Center and found the entire play an amazing production. “While watching the play, I remembered Rypit and had a hard time holding back my tears,” Jamna stated.
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SHE added that the stage alone is as large as the Saint Theresa’s College auditorium and has a revolving and electrically powered rail used to transport small and huge props in and out during set changes. “They also have projector screens as well as hundreds of technical equipment all over the theater for a more impressive and greater effect,” Jamna disclosed.
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HOWEVER, she wrote, there were a few glitches in the production despite its being a professional presentation. Jamna revealed that some microphones were not as audible as the others especially in modulated conversations. Also, as the curtain opened to show a new scene, some props from a previous scene were seen being pulled out to the side stage. “Nobody cared and made a fuss about it,” Jamna stressed.
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SHE added that with several productions being staged by different theater companies here in Cebu, spectators have become intelligent theater enthusiasts. Jamna emphasized, “We opened their eyes to see beyond the superficial flaws of a production and instead appreciate the beauty of its entirety as a live performance.”
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IT was a beauty pageant that looked like a seminar.
The event, held in Bogo city recently, featured several speakers that only made it so dragging and boring. The guest of honor who was supposed to crown the winner eventually walked out. The emcees, obviously amateurs, provided a lot of comic relief with their carabao English. For example, in introducing one of the judges, one of the emcees said, “This judge is a certificate.” My goodness!
