Lorenz Martinez News

60 out of 420 auditionees got callbacks on the first day of the much-talked-about "Miss Saigon" auditions, spearheaded by British stage director Laurence Connor ("Miss Saigon," "Les Miserables") and Cameron Mackintosh's representative in the Philippines, Dong Alegre ("Miss Saigon"), held at the Philippine Opera Company's headquarters in Makati City early today. Experienced thespians Karylle Tatlonghari, Tippy dos Santos, Jake Macapagal, Julia Abueva, Lorenz Martinez, OJ Mariano, Noel Rayos, Cathy Azanza, Kyla Rivera, Cara Barredo, Topper Fabregas, and Jay Pangilinan were among the 60 who made the short list.

Voting is now underway for the Philippines Awards and continues until December 31, 2012. Winners will be announced in early January. Check out the live standings below!

BroadwayWorld.com, the premier theater news website in the United States, in the United Kingdom, and in more than 20 other countries, has expanded, updated, and is now ready for this year's BWW Awards that are conducted simultaneously across all local and international markets, including the Philippines.

Celebrity marriages usually do not last very long. However, in the case of Resorts World Manila's THE KING AND I stars and real-life couple Shiela Valderrama-Martinez, who plays the British teacher Anna Leonowens in the classic Broadway musical, and Lorenz Martinez, who plays the Burmese emissary Lun Tha in the same production, it is almost the opposite: Shiela and Lorenz have been inseparable since they first met 11 years ago.

MISS SAIGON alumni Leo Valdez and Monique Wilson were first seen as the King of Siam and British governess Anna Leonowens, respectively, at the press conference for Resorts World Manila's (RWM) grand production of Richard Rodgers and Oscar Hammerstein's THE KING AND I held Saturday, July 28 at Newport Performing Arts Theater.

Upstart Productions brings back Off-Broadway smash FORBIDDEN BROADWAY(Greatest Hits), a musical revue that parodies old and new Broadway musicals, at Carlos P. Romulo Theater, RCBC Plaza, Senator Gil Puyat Avenue, Makati City tonight, August 24 and Saturday, August 25.

When he was younger, 2011 BroadwayWorld Philippines Awards' Best Featured Actor in a Musical, Ramon Enrique Mariano aka OJ Mariano always had an interest in the theater arts. At 10 or 11 years old, he and his family would go to Rajah Sulayman Park in Malate, Manila and watch stage plays.

BroadwayWorld photographer Jory Rivera brings you more photos taken at the recent press launch for Resorts World Manila's upcoming grand production of Richard Rodgers and Oscar Hammerstein's beloved Broadway musical "The King and I" at the Newport Performing Arts Theater, BroadwayWorld Philippines' 2011 Best Theatrical Venue, beginning Saturday, September 15.

MISS SAIGON alumni Leo Valdez and Monique Wilson were first seen as the King of Siam and British governess Anna Leonowens, respectively, at the press conference for Resorts World Manila's (RWM) grand production of Richard Rodgers and Oscar Hammerstein's THE KING AND I held Saturday, July 28 at Newport Performing Arts Theater.

Upstart Productions brings back Off-Broadway smash FORBIDDEN BROADWAY(Greatest Hits), a musical revue that parodies old and new Broadway musicals, at Carlos P. Romulo Theater, RCBC Plaza, Senator Gil Puyat Avenue, Makati City on Friday, August 24 and Saturday, August 25.

Upstart Productions brings back Off-Broadway smash FORBIDDEN BROADWAY(Greatest Hits), a musical revue that parodies old and new Broadway musicals, at Carlos P. Romulo Theater, RCBC Plaza, Senator Gil Puyat Avenue, Makati City on Friday, August 24 and Saturday, August 25.

Theater actor, writer, and director Gerard Alessandrini's brainchild, the 30-year-old Off-Broadway hit parody series FORBIDDEN BROADWAY, finally premiered at Carlos P. Romulo Auditorium, RCBC Plaza in Makati City last weekend. Joel Trinidad, Upstart Productions' president and the show's director, had picked FORBIDDEN BROADWAY'S GREATEST HITS, which has two volumes to date, and features some of the more popular spoofs of Broadway musicals and theater legends culled from more than a dozen FORBIDDEN BROADWAY editions.

Joel Trinidad, Upstart Productions' president, announced at a press conference on Tuesday that theater bigwigs Lea Salonga, Aiza Seguerra, Nyoy Volante, Jett Pangan, Iya Villania, Nikki Valdez, Markki Stroem, and Gabe Mercado will guest star in the theater company's summer production of Off-Broadway parody "Forbidden Broadway's Greatest Hits," written and originally directed by Gerard Alessandrini, and top-billed by Liesl Batucan, Caisa Borromeo, OJ Mariano, and Lorenz Martinez. The musical will run at Carlos P. Romulo Auditorium, RCBC Plaza on Sen. Gil J. Puyat Avenue from May 11 to 27.

For its first offering this year, 9 Works Theatrical presents the musical comedy YOU'RE A GOOD MAN, CHARLIE BROWN - based on the comic strip 'Peanuts' by Charles Schulz; featuring book by John Gordon; and music and lyrics by Clark Gesner. The show runs at Carlos P. Romulo Auditorium, RCBC Plaza, Makati City until Saturday, March 3.

Repertory Philippines (REP), the country's premier English-language theater company, and Stages Production Specialists Inc. (Stages), a fast growing event and talent management firm, will bring to the Meralco Theatre Anthony Drewe and George Stiles' musical incarnation of PETER PAN from September 29 to October 30.

Television and recording artist-turned-stage actress, Nikki Gil (Charity Hope Valentine) and newbie theater actor, Kris Lawrence (Oscar Lindquist), lead 9 Works Theatrical's (Rent, The Wedding Singer) production of the classic Broadway musical comedy, Sweet Charity, at the Carlos P. Romulo Auditorium, RCBC Plaza, Makati City.

Nikki Gil (Charity Hope Valentine) and newbie theater actor, Kris Lawrence (Oscar Lindquist), led the opening of the classic Broadway musical comedy, SWEET CHARITY, at the Carlos P. Romulo Auditorium in Makati City last night.

Nikki Gil plays a dancer for hire, Charity Hope Valentine; Ciara Sotto plays one of Charity's best friends, Helene; OJ Mariano dabbles in double roles as an Italian film star, Vittorio Vidal, and as a charismatic religious leader of the Rhythm of Life Church, Daddy Johann Sebastian Brubeck; and Sheree Bautista plays one of Charity's co-dancers, Carmen; when SWEET CHARITY opens on Friday, August 5 at the Carlos P. Romulo Theater, RCBC Plaza Makati City.

Nikki Gil, TV personality, actress and recording artist, seems to be fascinated playing off-beat characters in stage musicals. Gil made her theater debut as blonde sorority star Elle Woods last year. And she's set to grace the stage again starring as dancer-for-hire Charity Hope Valentine in 9 Works Theatrical's production of the Broadway musical comedy Sweet Charity in August.