maya encila: two-time best actress (for a musical play) nominee for aliw awards!

maya encila in her "beauty & the beast" outfit for rep philippines

It was a delight to see Maya Encila again, which happened at the recently-concluded Press Conference of Nine Works Theatrical's A Christmas Carol. Though Maya's not part of the cast and she simply accompanied her dad (Mr. Robert Encila) there who was covering the event for a certain web site.

Anyway, even Maya was still mourning from the death of her elder sister who's based in the United States (our condolences, Maya, to you and your dad, too.--rms*), she's still making-up a big brave front. And as professional as she could be, still managed to fulfill her works and other commitments. Although she's the type of a person who could not hide her sadness completely & openly.

"People grieve in different ways", Maya told a blogger. "With my case, I grieve openly, I can't hide it. It's because I really love my sister, we are so close to each other. I admire my dad because he's so srong, he could hide his grieve. But I know that deep within him, his heart is melting."

A blogger felt that Maya, in any minute, could burst into tears. So the blogger decided to change the topic of conversation. He asked Maya how she felt about being nominated again for Aliw Awards this year as Best Actress for a Musical Play, via the play Beauty & the Beast of Repertory Philippines?

"I feel so honored, really", Maya answered. "And it's my responsibility to upheld the standards of my acting profession. And I know that there's gonna be so much more expectations on me this time. What I feel now is, I need to be a lot more consistent in my acting ability for the next projects that I would have.

"I'm nervous, but I'm composed this time around", she continued saying. "Last year, when I was also nominated for Best Actress in a Musical for Aliw Awards for another musical play KATIPS (by Philippine Stagers Foundation), that was my first time to be nominated here in the Philippines. I was so nervous then. Now, I am more at ease. And yes, definitely, I will attend the Aliw Awards ceremonies, I will be there."

Maya told a blogger that she owed much from Vince Tanada for her acting nominations at the Aliw Awards. 

vince tanada: maya's mentor

"Vince is so talented", according to Maya as she further went on saying. "I'm really impressed with him. And I owe him a lot to where I am now as an actress here in the Philippines.

"He's like a mentor figure to me", she added. "He's like a Big Bro and I learned so much from him. I don't think I won't land professionally as an actress now in Repertory Philippines without my proper training and background as a Stager in Philippine Stagers Foundation of Vince Tanada."

Until the month of December, Maya will be finishing her remaining performances for Beauty & the Beast musical play for Repertory Philippines. And she's open to the idea of acting professionally in the movies also someday.

"That's why I'm learning much now on speaking Tagalog", Maya said in the end.

More power, Maya.


(words by robert silverio)

maya: gorgeous

maya's ballet-like moves

maya plays the guitar

maya(near center) with fellow Stagers of Philippine Stagers Foundation

ALL IS FAIR IN LOVE AND WAR (a review for the concert play TROY AVENUE)...

In loving someone, you sacrifice almost everything. It's because you love that person so much and you'd never care about loosing it all.

In loving someone, you tend to be brave. You would be strong enough to fight and protect the very person you love.

And you'd soon know, there would always be people out there who would help with the FIGHT. They were the people within the bounds of your very existence- your family, your friends, your co-people, your neighbors.

And in the end, you'd see. Yes, you'd see... that the strength was really deep within you. And even a demi-god would die from your pointing arrow- just for you to know that your LOVE was stronger and your HEART, more powerful.

That was the place they called TROY AVENUE. A place that somehow existed in the mythology of time and space. Where people and gods co-existed, where power and might ruled an entire city. And where beauty and love embraced anew.

Paris (so sweetly portrayed by Stager Poul Garcia) was just a simple, young man. Yet he loved a woman greater than a faith that could move mountains. He proved his great manliness and fair manners to everyone- which only greater impressed his father- King Priam (outstandingly portrayed by Stager Chin Ortega) and that was the reason why he got all the support needed from the people of Troy not to return back Helen (performed with much angst and passion by New Stager Maya Encila) to the land of Greece and under the evil arrogancy of Menelaus (acted upon with great intensity by Stager Gerald Himarino).

AND THE WAR SOON ERUPTED. It was ignited by Paris' great love on the most beautiful woman on earth- Helen.

King Agamemnon (performed on stage with great overwhelming power of conviction by Stager Jomar Tanada Bautista) became the angriest man on the planet and he commanded a thousand ships and a treachery to the land and people of Troy- in order to conquer it and get Helen back. A demi-god in person of Achilles (so wonderfully portrayed by Stager Kenneth Sadsad) participated in the conflict with his own personal agenda and egoistic whims.

In the end, the people of Troy were never conquered. Because Paris proved to everyone that even a demi-god like Achilles would die just for LOVE. And in war, all seemed to be FAIR.

YES, ALL IS FAIR IN LOVE AND WAR.

You would insist, sometimes, that it's all unfair and unjust. But it was not. 
Because, just like in loving, both sides die, both sides win, both sides loose.

A milestone of a performance was again seen in the performances of Stagers Adelle Ibarrientos-Lim, Hark Montillana and John Rey Rivas.
Hark as Hector was convincing and penerating, Adelle as the Troy woman/baby sitter made us laugh to death, and John Rey as Achilles' best friend performed with a new kind of an acting style on stage that's so eye-catching and efficient. Kudos!

But without the great direction and a well-written play script by Vince Tanada, the concert play Troy Avenue would not reach its true intent-

That,

of loving

some one back, again...


AND FOREVER.


(as the words were written by robert manuguid silverio)

VINCE

POUL

KENNETH

JOMAR

ADELLE

GERALD

MAYA

CHIN

JOHN REY

HARK

THE DIRECTOR WITH SOME OF THE CAST OF "TROY AVENUE"