Oliver Oliveros News

How does a neophyte at Repertory Philippines, one of the country's pioneering theater companies, which is known to have molded world-class talents such as Lea Salonga, Monique Wilson, Menchu Lauchengco-Yulo, Michael Williams, and Audie Gemora, among others, under the infamously stringent rehearsal and performance policies of the late stage director Zenaida Amador, fit in?

Warner Brothers Pictures (Philippines) released the much awaited stage-to-screen adaptation of "Rock of Ages" one day ahead of the United States. The film stars Tom Cruise as Stacee Jaxx, Diego Boneta, Julianne Hough, Russell Brand, Alec Baldwin, Mary J. Blige, Brian Cranston, Malin Ackerman, Paul Giamatti, and Catherine Zeta-Jones.

Philippine Opera Company's ANG BAGONG HARANA, a musical revue featuring traditional and contemporary Filipino love songs and patriotic anthems, continues to tour nationally, and will open Silliman University's 50th Cultural Season on June 29 to 30 at Luce Auditorium in Dumaguete City.

It was no mere stroke of luck for Jon Viktor Corpuz, a 15-year-old Filipino-American stage actor who hails from South Tampa, Florida, to be landing one of the 10 coveted slots for GODSPELL on Broadway Cast of 2032 - a crowd-pleasing group of kids and teens who performed a special encore medley for one night only at GODSPELL's Circle In The Square Theatre last month. Like any other grown-up stage artist in the big city, Corpuz has worked his heart out - unceasingly trained, and performed in numerous school and regional productions - prior to facing producer Ken Davenport and director Daniel Goldstein; and competing with more than 500 aspirants for his first Broadway audition.

Tuacahn's production of Disney's "Aladdin," which premiered Monday, June 4, starring Dan Domenech as Aladdin, Haley Carlucci as Princess Jasmine, Edward Juvier as Genie, and Michael G. Hawkins as Jafar, has recently released the show's official artworks, featuring its lead actors. The production runs alternately with Marc Shaiman's "Hairspray" at Tuacahn Amphitheatre, an outdoor performance space nestled in a verdant valley, and surrounded by towering red rock cliffs, until October 19.

66th Tony Awards, the most prestigious theatrical awards in the United States, which airs on Velvet Channel on Monday, June 11, 8 a.m., has announced its lineup of performances that includes "Godspell" (Filipino actors Anna Maria Perez de Tagle and George Salazar are part of the cast), "Ghost" (Filipino-American singer and dancer Albert Guerzon is part of the ensemble), and Tony-nominated musicals "Evita," "Follies," The Gershwin's "Porgy and Bess," "Jesus Christ Superstar" (Filipino Canadian actors Julius Sermonia, Jason Sermonia, and Laurin Padolina are cast members), "Leap of Faith," Disney's "Newsies," (Filipino-American actor Aaron Albano is part of the ensemble), "Nice Work If You Can Get It," and "Once."

Filipino musical theater artists Anna Maria Perez de Tagle ("Godspell" - Broadway), Rachelle Ann Go (Disney's "The Little Mermaid" - Manila), Ryan Cayabyab ("Katy!," "Larawan,"), Kirby Asunto ("Child Access Broadway'), Liz Casasola ("Imelda," "Girl Crazy"), Ryan Cayabyab Singers, Broadway Barkada, a group of New York-based Filipino actors, singers, and dancers that have been performing in various Broadway and Off-Broadway productions, and GMA Pinoy TV talents Dingdong Dantes and Aljur Abrenica headlined the Philippine Independence Day Council's (PIDCI) well attended 114th Philippine Independence Parade and cultural show held on Madison Avenue Sunday afternoon.

Anna Maria Perez de Tagle, 2012 BroadwayWorld.com Awards' 'Best Featured Actress In A Musical' nominee; Rachelle Ann Go, a concert and recording artist who recently made her professional theater debut, playing Ariel, in the Southeast Asian premiere of Disney's THE LITTLE MERMAID; Ryan Cayabyab, the composer of original Filipino musicals KATY!, LARAWAN and MAGNIFICAT, among others; and Broadway Barkada, a group of New York-based Filipino actors, singers, and dancers that have been performing in various Broadway and Off-Broadway productions are all set to join the Philippine Independence Day Council's (PIDCI) 114th Philippine Independence Parade and cultural festival today, June 3, 11:45 a.m. until 6:00 p.m., along Madison Avenue (from 38th Street down to 23rd Street).

Summer Stages - Top 5 Picks for the Philippines

Anna Maria Perez de Tagle, 2012 BroadwayWorld.com Awards' 'Best Featured Actress In A Musical' nominee; Rachelle Ann Go, a concert and recording artist who recently made her professional theater debut, playing Ariel, in the Southeast Asian premiere of Disney's THE LITTLE MERMAID; Ryan Cayabyab, the composer of original Filipino musicals KATY!, LARAWAN and MAGNIFICAT, among others; and Broadway Barkada, a group of New York-based Filipino actors, singers, and dancers that have been performing in various Broadway and Off-Broadway productions are all set to join the Philippine Independence Day Council's (PIDCI) 114th Philippine Independence Parade and cultural festival on Sunday, June 3, 11:45 a.m. until 6:00 p.m., along Madison Avenue (from 38th Street down to 23rd Street).

As the summer days near, BroadwayWorld rounded up our worldwide community - from Australia to Spain, California and beyond! - to bring you our top picks for the best of summer theater in each of our main markets! Looking for the best of the summer venue and production offerings in your area? Let's hear from a sampling of the BroadwayWorld experts!

My first dose of musical theater was through my uncle's old screechy phonograph recording of Andrew Lloyd Webber and Tim Rice's hippie, loud, angst-laden rock musical "Jesus Christ Superstar" (JCS). The classic stage hit, which was originally a concept album before evolving into a full-blown Broadway musical that follows the passion and death of Jesus Christ as seen through the eyes of Judas Iscariot, had completed its three-year run on Broadway (1971-1973), and its first commercial movie release (1973) by the time I got to experience JCS's electrifying, personally-impactful songs in the '80s though. So when the Stratford Shakespeare Festival in Toronto, Canada announced late last year that its critically-acclaimed, deemed revolutionary production of JCS, directed by Tony winner Des McAnuff, was coming to Broadway, I was delighted to hear the news; and more so when I learned that three Filipino-Canadian musical theater artists - brothers Julius and Jason Sermonia, and Laurin Padolina - are part of the show.

2nd Annual Off-Broadway Alliance Awards' Best Family Show nominee STINKYKIDS, THE MUSICAL, featuring book and lyrics by Sammy Buck, music by Daniel S. Acquisto, based on the children's books with the same title by Britt Menzies, and direction by Tim Drucker, will play its last extended performance at Theatre 80 Saint Marks Place in the East Village on Saturday, May 26, at 1 p.m.

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.

Hollywood-turned-Broadway actress Anna Maria Perez de Tagle's "Godspell" co-stars, showbiz friends, and fans turned out in full force at her recent benefit concert held on board the Hornblower Hybrid, which - aside from the audience enjoying De Tagle and her buddies' wide repertoire - treated the crowd to breathtaking views of the Manhattan skyline and the Statue of Liberty.

GODSPELL stars Corbin Bleu, George Salazar, Wallace Smith, Nick Blaemire, and Eric Michael Krop; Tony winner Lea Salonga; and Filipino TV, film actor and recording artist Sam Milby walked the red carpet on Monday night to show support to mutual friend and fellow artist Anna Maria Perez de Tagle in her pursuit to raise additional funds for St. Jude Children's Research Hospital.

Dan Domenech and Tony Award-winning actress and Disney Legend Lea Salonga sang 'A Whole New World,' Disney's ALADDIN's theme, at the latter's live concert recently held at the Tuacahn Ampitheatre, an outdoor performance space nestled in a verdant valley, and surrounded by towering red rock cliffs.

"Care Divas," Philippine Educational Theater Association's (PETA) newest hit musical about five overseas Filipino male caregivers who transform into drag performers at night, written by Palanca Award-winning playwright Liza Magtoto, wowed theatergoers anew during its three-day run held recently at Repertory Philippines' (Rep) Onstage Theatre in Makati City. Both PETA and Rep are celebrating their 45th anniversary this year.

Leo Valdez, Cameron Mackintosh's "favorite Engineer' in 'Miss Saigon," joins Monique Wilson, "Miss Saigon" alumna-turned-women's rights activist, in Resorts World Manila's (RWM) third major stage production, Rodgers and Hammerstein's beloved Broadway musical "The King and I," which premieres on September 15 at RWM's Newport Performing Arts Theatre on Newport Boulevard, Pasay City.

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.