GANDA ART GALLERY, IN PARTNERSHIP WITH GIRON BOTANICS CULTURE AND ARTS CENTER BECAME THE MAJOR SPONSORS FOR RAFAEL 'POPOY' CUSI'S LATES PAINTING ART WORKS THAT WAS EXHIBITED IN DAVAO PROVINCE.
MASTER POPOY CAPTURED THE BEAUTY OF THE MINDANAO CONTINENT THROUGH HIS LATEST SERIES OF PAINTINGS EXHIBITED THERE. IN ACCORDANCE WITH THE CELEBRATION OF NCCA's NATIONAL ARTS MONTH.
MABUHAY ANG SINING PILIPINO! MABUHAY ANG GIRON BOTANICS! MABUHAY, MASTER POPOY!!!!
(sinulat ni robert manuguid silverio)
PHOTOS BY: MR. IVAN IRINCO
(note: photo captions and names of people with mr. popoy cusi during the exhiobit were too many to mention and needs clarification. credits belongs to them. photos were not captioned for a more delightful presentation. thank you).***
ROMEO & JULIET: THE MOST BEAUTIFUL BUT TRAGIC LOVE STORY EVER TOLD
BLOGGER ROBERT (LEFT IN RED SHIRT), WITH DIRECTOR JUN PABLO AND ACTOR-SINGER LANCE RAYMUNDO
LANCE: THE PERFECT ROMEO
LANCE: AN ETERNAL YOUTHFUL GLOW
LANCE: STILL SEARCHING FOR THE RIGHT "JULIET"
LANCE: SEXY ROMEO
It was a great lunch meeting at an exclusive Thai restaurant named Nina (located at the 3rd floor of SM Megamall) with actor-singer Lance Raymundo and veteran stage director Jun Pablo (C.E.O. of Gantimpala Theater Foundation) as they discussed together with blogger Robert Silverio the important details in the pre-production stages and revival of Gantimpala's most successful stage play ever- "Romeo and Juliet".
The meeting ended with direk Jun saying that the rehearsals for the play will start by the month of December 2020 and performances for schools and other theater venues like the AFP Theater and Meralco Theater will begin by the month of February 2021 (next year). "This play will take so long for rehearsals because of the fencing action scenes, the long English lines in the script and my intent to make the play the most beautiful play of all", direk Jun said. "It was the most successful play I had ever directed. And reviving it this time, together with my very first Romeo- Lance Raymundo again, brings so much joy to my heart."
For all those who doesn't know yet, it was direk Jun Pablo who was Lance's very first director on stage via the play "Romeo & Juliet" years ago. It was also direk Jun who first directed the original version of the said play, before the late Tony Espejo (R.I. P.) had his turn and own version for the play and also got Lance Raymundo as Romeo.
That's why during the lunch meeting, direk Jun and Lance were both very emotional and nostalgic. They both reminisced and recalled the many controversial incidents when they staged the said classic play. They laughed, giggled and smiled recalling all those memories. Like that incident when direk Jun had to close the curtains abruptly because he saw Lance perspiring so much in a bed scene, only did he know later, that Lance was caught in a very awkward live situation because 'HIS THING' stood-up like a flag ceremony in that delicate bed scene with Juliet, portrayed by Ms. Adriana Agcaoili at that time. This blogger asked Lance during the meeting: "How could you relate to the character of Romeo? Would you say that he's also like you?"
"Yes, Robert, I am very much like Romeo in many same ways", Lance answered. "Just like him, I am so passionate in loving a girl. I would go hell and high waters just to be with the person that I love." A big pharmaceutical company, a famous skin clinic, a beauty product company, among others, are now keen in sponsoring the play "Romeo & Juliet". Lance's and direk Jun's plan is to present the play also to mature audiences and not just to students. That's why they're targeting either Meralco Theater or Solaire Theater as separate venues for the play, aside from the AFP Theater which is the regular venue for all Gantimpala plays.
Direk Jun is also eyeing award-winning director Jose Jeffrey Camanag as his assistant director for the revival of Romeo & Juliet play. He's wishing that direk Jeffrey will be free for the schedules. Auditions for the supporting cast of the play and for the role of Juliet will be set around the month of July and August this year.
Wow...Whew. ROMEO AND JULIET, THE PLAY. This could be Gantimpala Theater Foundation's biggest and most powerful play to date! Watch out in February 2021!!!
KALIGAYAHAN... ITO'Y NALALASAP DIN SA PAMAMAGITAN NG MGA MATA... SA MGA BISYON AT LARAWANG IPINIPINTA NG MGA DAKILANG PINTOR... MGA TANAWING MAPAYAPA, SIMPLENG PAMUMUHAY, MAPAGKUMBABANG MGA GAWAIN... OO, KAY SARAP NILANG TIGNAN SA MGA MATA... KAY SARAP NILANG PAGMASDAN MULA MALAPITAN MAN O MALAYO. MAPAPANGITI KA NA LAMANG DAHIL SADYANG KAY GANDA. NAPAKASARAP NAPAKA-MAINAM AT IYAN ANG KALIGAYAN. MAGLAKBAY MAN AKO NG MALAYO MAGTUNGO SA MGA KUNG SAAN-SAANG LUGAR... TATANAWIN AT TATANAWIN KO PA RIN ANG MGA BAGAY SA LUPA, MGA BUKIRING MALA-GINTO SA PAGKA-LUNTIAN, MGA BIGAS NA UMUUSBONG BUHAT SA MGA DAMUHAN AT MGA MORENONG NILALANG NA NAKABILAD SA GITNA NG ARAW. ISA NA NAMANG LARAWAN MULA KAY MASTER POPOY, NA AKING IIBIGIN AT MAMAHALIN NAGLALARAWAN NG KALULUWA NG ISANG TUNAY NA PILIPINO, NAGMAMARKA SA PUSO SA DIWA AT, SA KAGANDAHAN NG BUHAY. MAGPAKAILANMAN. (sinulat ni robert manuguid silverio, mga larawan, mula kina ivan irinco at Sir Popoy Cusi)***
Lance with the "mystery girl" on his Facebook Page
Lance and Ms. Mystery Girl looks good together
Lance drinks flavored water and Ms. Mystery Girl sips coffee
Lance: Undobtedly Handsome
Now it can be told. Isa nga kami sa mga regular 'stalkers' ni Lance Raymundo sa kanyang Facebook account. Haha. Araw-araw, sinusundan namin ang FB posts niya at mga recent activities. 'Yun bang tipong lagi kaming curious kung ano na nga ba ang mga bagong kaganapan sa personal niyang buhay at maging sa career niya. O kaya, kung anu-ano ang mga recent activities niya, showbiz commitments, and the likes. Lance, a Viva Talent Management Artist, with John Navarro as his personal handler there, is now awaiting for the schedule of his next mainstream movie under Viva Films. Pero ang mga detalye ukol sa pelikula ay hindi pa puwedeng isulat. Basta ang alam lang namin, nagkaroon pa nga sila ng extensive training (together with other Viva male artists) sa Martial Arts at Arnis in preparation for the shoot of the movie which has been scheduled by the month of March. Gigantic film iyon at tipong pang-international ang scope and magnitude. Oh, wow. Anyway, nagulat na lang kami. Biglang may sumulpot sa kanyang mga FB posts na isang babaeng kasama niya sa Philippine Stock Exchange, kung saan doon kinunan ang mga pictures nila together. Sino ba ang babaeng ito na mestisahin, maganda, at pang-leading lady ang dating? Siya na nga ba ang bagong girlfriend ni Lance Raymundo? Oh, my. "She's Ms. Kara Madrid,", sagot ni Lance sa amin sa isang biglaang cp call. "She just recently signed-up at Viva Artist Management, and with veteran lady scribe Ms. Aster Amoyo as co-manager sa Viva. Actually, we've been friends since last year pa of 2018. And I told her, if ever she goes into showbiz, I would like to be her first leading man. And when I learned just last week na nasa Viva na rin siya, I got her at once to be my leading lady sa isu-shoot naming MTV for my song SANA. "But wait, Robert, don't think of anything romantic yet!!", dugtong na sabi ni Lance. "Nakakahiya naman kay Tita Aster. Kara does not have any boyfriend 'coz she's so young pa and she comes from a very conservative family. It just so happened na siya talaga ang gusto kong maging leading lady sa MTV ng song kong SANA. "And soon, we will also have a pictorial with Mr. Wilson Fernandez for Liwayway Magazine cover", huling sambit pa ni Lance sa ikinagulat niyang cp call from us. "Bagay daw kasi kami. Based dito sa mga trial shots/pictures namin together at Philippine Stock Exchange, marami ang nag-akala tuloy na mag-sweethearts kami. Nope. I repeat, nakakahiya talaga kay kina Kara at Tita Aster." Idinagdag pa ni Lance, sa taong 2020, all-out focus muna siya sa kanyang career as an actor, singer, model, celebrity endorser, and host. Very soon din, he'll be back on the Theater scene dahil ire-revive niya ang papel na Romeo sa dulang Romeo and Juliet for Gantimpala Theater Foundation. "Love can wait", pahabol na sambit pa ni Kance sa pagwawakas. Oo nga.... sana. (sinulat ni robert manuguiod silverio, photos grabbed without any authorization at Lance Raymundo's FB Page).****
Sa bawat malilinis na instensyon at maiinit na pagtanggap, Mga ngiting masasaya, walang pretensyon, walang pagbabadya. Mga pang-uunawa't pagbibigay na mula sa puso. Pag-iistimang hindi mo malilimutan, paglilingkod sa mga kabataang sadyang nangangailangan ng TAMA at WAGAS na pagkakakilanlan sa mundo ng Performing Arts at sa Opera, Kaalinsabay ng sinag ng liwanag na nagmumula kung saan... May pagasa pa nga po. Para sa isang pusong nagmamahal, at sa isang malinis na adbokasiya na walang halong Komersyalismo. Sa mga taong nagbukas ng pintuan, Nangarap na maisakatuparan, Ang isang parte ng Sining sa Entablado Na muling nabuhay at natanggap. Nakabalik. Niyakap sa muli ng mga kabataan. Sa isang direktor na may ganap na BISYON at imahinasyon, Sa isa pa ring direktor na gumalaw, kumilos, buong-husay na bumuo ng isang pangarap Sa isa pang kapwa Prodyuser na mapagkumbabang nakipag-ugnayan sa isang manunulat Sa isang simple, banayad at marahang pamamaraan. Sa mga musikang nailikha at sa direktor din ng mga musikang iyon pumaimbabaw sa mga pagtatanghal Sa mga artistang napansin rin at nabigyan ng mga papuri. Sa isang produksyon na sana'y magbalik muli at sa isang ganap na pagtatanghal mula sa isang award-giving body para sa mga Performing Artists... Ang L.E.A.F. awards- Lahat ay nagkaroon ng ultimong kaganapan. Tunay na rekognisyon Sapat na mga pagkapanalo. Mga palakpakang umalingawngaw Mga pusong muling nagmahalan at mga litratong muling nabuhay.
MARAMING SALAMAT PO. CONGRATULATIONS, Jerry Sibal and Jose Jeffrey Camanag (Winners, Outstanding Directors for a Musical) "Noli Me Tangere, The Opera" by J&S Productions (Winner, Oustanding Musical Production) Maestro Herminigildo Ranera (Winner, Outstanding Musical Director) Bernadette Mamauag (Nominee only, for Oustanding Performance by an Actres in a Featured Role for a Musical) M A B U H A Y ANG TUNAY NA KAHULUGAN NG SINING AT ENTABLADO. MABUHAY!!!!!!
(sinulat ni robert manuguid silverio, at mga larawan ay mula kina Ginoong Edwin Josue at direk Jose Jeffrey Camanag, kasama ang Artist Playground).** special note: Hindi na po namin nilagyan ng Photo-Captions ang mga larawan para sa mas maigting na "dramatic effect" sa mga taong nasa larawan mismo. Salamat po.---rms.**
DJ REINHEART: THE YOUNG MAN BEHIND THE VERY CRISP AND GOOD SOUND INSIDE CLUB MWAH
DJ REINHEART AT WORK
DJ REINHEART (CENTER) WITH MR. JAY-AR GALIDO, AND A SPECIAL FEMALE FRIEND
THE GREAT AND EXCELLENT TECHNICAL PEOPLE OF CLUB MWAH
MS. TERESA MONTEMAYOR (CLUB MWAH'S ECEVUTIVE STAFF) AND DJ REINHEART
REINHEART: "I BALANCE THE SOUNDS"
DJ REINHEART: THE SON OF CLUB MWAH OWNERS ALSO SHINES!
Lahat ng mga media people- bloggers, writers, tabloid columnists and social media influencers, na naimbita na namin sa CLUB MWAH, lahat sila, iisa lang ang sinasabi: Na napakaganda raw ng tunog at sound na naririnig nila sa loob ng Club Mwah. "Hindi ganyan kaganda ang tunog sa iba pang concert venues na napuntahan ko na o maski ano pang mga clubs o bars na napasok ko na!", tili ng isang magaslaw na movie reporter. "It sounds soooo good!", sey naman ng isang sosyalerang blogger. "It very good to the ears!" "Hindi masakit sa tenga ang sound nila dito sa Club Mwah, ha", sabi naman ng isa pa ring mahiyain namang blogger. "Ang linaw-linaw sa pandinig. Napaka-crispy ng tunog!" "I love the music, I love the mix, I love everything in the technical aspect!", pahabol namang sabi ng isang supladitong broadsheet writer. "It makes me feel so damn' good!" So there, iyan lang naman po ang mga nakakataba sa pusong mga compliments ng mga prestigious and legitimate media people na bumibisita paminsan-minsan sa Club Mwah. Kaya naman, minsang ma-korner namin ang very cute, chubby and charming boy na nasa likod ng 'very excellent' sound and technical direction sa Club Mwah, na walang iba kundi si Mr. Reinheart Mallilin, hindi na namin siya pinakawalan pa at mabilisang ininterbyu. Unang tanong namin kay Reinheart: "Bakit ba ang galing-galing mo as a technical director? Ano'ng sikreto mo? Bakit ang ganda-ganda ng tunog ng mga musika at kanta dito sa Club Mwah?" Napangiti lang in a very boyish manner si Reinheart. At napaka-simple lang ng kanyang sagot: "Nasa tao lang po 'yun. Nasa tamang diskarte lang po sa pagtimpla ng mga tunog sa mixing. Hehehehe." Pero dahil bitin kami sa naisagot na iyon ni charming boy Reinheart, inupuan na namin siya for a Q & A (Question & Answer) interview. Heto po sa ibaba ang aming Q and A with Mr. Reinheart Mallilin, the young man behind the excellent sound system and great technical aspects at Club Mwah:
ROBERT: Reinheart, can you further elaborate about your technique in delivering good sound at Club Mwah? How would you describe it?
REINHEART: Actually, to be honest Sir Robert, it's HARD. It takes time po talaga. For you to attain perfection towards something, you go through a hard process but a very fulfilling one. I guess po, Sir Robert, it's all in the mixing of the sound and my own creative style of doing it. Dapat, malakas ang power of SENSE ko. I have to balance the hearing and the talking of the people inside Club Mwah. Gusto ko kasing mangyari, kapag nasa loob na sila ng Club Mwah, maski may music all-over na naririnig, ay nakakapag-usap pa rin sila ng maayos at hindi 'yung tipong nagsisigawan na para makapag-usap ng maayos. What I want is, they can still converse to one another even when there's already a music or a show going-on. Nakikita ko kasi sa iba, itinatapat na sa tenga nu'ng kausap niya para magka-rinigan lang sila. Dito po sa Club Mwah, ayokong mangyari ang ganu'ng discomfort sa mga guests namin. That's why I balance our sound system. I mix it well. I balance hearing and talking. The result, I found out later, was very comfortable to all of our guests who are visiting at the club.
ROBERT: What made you come-up with that great idea, Reinheart? It really fascinated me now!
REINHEART: Naobserbahan ko lang po kasi iyan through some Test and Trial method. Napapansin ko, sa mga guests namin sa Club Mwah, ayaw nila ng 'too noisy' or 'too loud' na mga tunog. Nai-irritate sila sa gano'n. Ayaw nila ng masyadong mayabang ang dating ng tunog na halos ikabasag na ng mga eardrums nila. Napansin ko lang talaga iyan. Kaya ang ginawa ko, I adjusted the volume of the sound, I mixed it well- and the result- naging very crispy po ang tunog ng sound system namin inside the club.
ROBERT: Perfect! But I guess, baka nakatulong ang pagiging 'high end' ng mga sound equipments ninyo sa Club Mwah?
REINHEART: All sound equipments po are one and but the same. And all suppliers of sound system equipments are also one and the same din. IIsa lang po talaga, pati brands, names, or whatever. Kaya nga gaya po ng nabanggit ko kanina, nasa tao lang po talaga. It's all up to the people who executes the sound. Actually nga, Sir Robert, 'yung mga sound equipments namin dito sa Club Mwah ay more than 10 years na. Hehehehe. Kaya lang, hindi siya ganu'n ka-gasgas pa kasi name-maintain namin ng maayos at inaalagaan talaga namin ang mga equipments namin dito. Hindi po namin sila inaabuso. Kaya ganu'n, maski ilang taon na 'yung mga gamit, parang bago pa rin ang mga tunog, pati ang mga naglalakihang mga speakers namin dito. In the end, nagkakatalo lang talaga sa technical people. Kapag honest and sincere ang mga technical people mo at may malasakit sa mga gamit mo, magtatagal 'yung quality. I-maintain mo lang mula umpisa hanggang dulo. kapag may kaunting malfunction, i-adjust mo lang para hindi mahalata.
ROBERT: What are your favorite production numbers at Club Mwah? 'Yung tipong natsa-challenge ka ng husto para mas pagandahin pa ang sound? And also, pagdating sa mga outside shows, ikaw pa rin ba ang nag-aayos ng sound?
REINHEART: Sa ngayon, ang gusto ko ay 'yung VOGUE production number nila dito, at saka 'yung mga Brazilian-inspired productions numbers nila. Ang sarap kasing paglaruan nu'ng sound sa mga numbers na iyon, parang nakikiayon sa mga costumes and movements and light-effects. Pagdating naman sa mga outside shows ng Follies de Mwah, hindi na po ako ang may hawak nu'n. Kadalasan kasi, sa mga outside shows, especiallly sa mga out-of-town events and invites, may sarili nang mga tao 'yung mga kompanyang nag-imbita. I mean, they have their people na on the technical side. Ang ginagawa ko na lang, nagga-guide na lang ako duon sa mga tao nila. Kapag may mali, doon na lang ako pumapasok. Pag nakialam kasi ako ng husto, mahirap. Magkakaroon pa ng misunderstanding. Kapag mga foreigners ang nag-imbita sa amin, wala akong ka-worry-worry. Kasi, ang gagaling ng mga foreigners pagdating sa sound and other technical aspects. One week kasi ang preparations nila, kaya naayos ng maganda. Hindi katulad kapag local lang ang nag-invite, bara-bara na lang at walang masyadong preparasyon. But Club Mwah's Follies de Mwah were known to be world-class in its performances, kaya sana naman, paghandaan nila ng maganda at maayos ang sound at iba pang mga teknikal na aspeto.
ROBERT: Pero Reinheart, paano ba nag-umpisa ang lahat sa pagiging magaling mong technical director sa Club Mwah?
REINHEART: After I graduated from College, I decided to pursue my passion as a DJ. That was year 2015. Soon after, nagkaroon naman ako ng mga disc-jockeying jobs at doon ko na natutunan ang pag-aayos sa sound kasi it's part of your job as a DJ, ikaw nagpapatakbo ng tunog sa mga bars and clubs. Self-study lang po ang lahat. Natuto lang ako sa sarili ko. Later on na lang ako kinuha ng parents ko dito sa Club Mwah. Nu'ng minsan nga, naging dancer din nila ako. pero mas may passion ako sa technical aspects, eh. Kaya hayun, dito na ako inilagay ng parents ko sa DJ part and sound and other technical aspects ng aming club. By the way pala, Sir Robert, let's also credit my partner here sa technical direction sa Club Mwah. He is Mr. JAY-AR GALIDO. Kaming dalawa talaga, to be honest, ang nasa likod ng magandang sound system dito sa loob ng Club Mwah.
ROBERT: One final question to you, Reinheart. How would you really describe all the great fabulous numbers here at Club Mwah?
REINHEART: They are so good, amazing, kakaiba talaga. Walang ganito sa Pilipinas, dito lang talaga sa Club Mwah sila makakapanood ng mga ganoong uri ng mga shows. Pero 'yung standards niya, comparable to the standards of Las Vegas and the U.S.A. Kaya naman talagang award-winning kami. Maraming salamat po sa lahat ng mga taong patuloy pa ring sumusuporta sa aming club!
(SO THERE. ANG GALING SUMAGOT NI REINHEART, HA, SIRS CRIS AND POCHOLO. PINABILIB NIYA KAMI! MABUHAY ANG CLUB MWAH!!!!--rms).***
Joseph is one of the characters we learned to love so much in the Holy Bible. We read his story over and over and over again, capturing every detail, feeling every kind of drama in his story, and almost reliving in our very life the relation in our family and everyday life. For us, Joseph's story is one of the MOST DRAMATIC STORY EVER TOLD for a human being, second to Jesus Christ's story. His story was very family-like, very personal, very revealing... It told of forgiveness, love for fellow brothers, and the TRIUMPH OF THE HUMAN SPIRIT. God gives the humble people a "GIFT". And that kind of GIFT would redeem them from all persecutions, ridicules and wrong impressions from other people. When God gave Joseph the gift to interpret dreams, his journey through life became more dramatic and forgiving. A simple boy who simply knew how to LOVE. And now, how lucky could actor-singer, in person of SAM CONCEPCION be, to portray the role of Joseph in the play "Joseph The Dreamer" by Trumpets, Inc. "It's the kind of role every kind of a performing artist like me would like portray over and over again", Sam revealed to a blogger. "He was also a young person like me at the start of his story, and along the way that he matured, he was able to help so many people, including that of his own family who wanted him gone at the early stage of his life. And that makes me feel so challenged. There's so much drama in it." Sam Concepcion is among our younger actors of today who carries a very good and neat image. No scandalous gossips, no bad ways and habits- but only a pure dedication to his career. Surely, with Sam alone as the lead actor of this play, we guess, it's definitely worth the WATCH. Need I say more, Ms. Johanna Rioferio? (words by ROBERT MANUGUID SILVERIO, and video above is not related to the Trumpets Inc.s version of "Joseph, The Dreamer", F.Y.I. It was attached alongside this article for Cinematic purposes only. Thank you.--rms***).
“Joseph The Dreamer” goes onstage this February 21 to March 7 at the Globe Auditorium, Maybank Performing Arts Theater and promises to recreate moments of sheer nostalgia for people who have experienced the magic of previous stagings. The updated material is aimed at reaching a newer, younger audience and has been given new twists and takes that make it more vibrant and playful yet somehow more profound.
Trumpets President Butch Jimenez says, “The time is ripe for younger generations to experience this incredible musical and the best way to reach them is to have millennials at the helm of this new production. We did not have to look far to assemble the best artistic team.“
