CULTURE EXPRESS: ARTISTS AS HEROES

The Amado Hernandez Resource Center in cooperation with the Cultural Center of the Philippines and the National Commission for Culture and the Arts present

Mabibili ang ticket sa ticketworld o sa Cultural Center of the Philippines ticket booth. Para sa detalye, tumawag po lamang sa (02)412.0909 o 0916.790.0671.

CULTURE EXPRESS: JUVENAL SANSO AT THE AYALA MUSEUM

A selection of works by noted Spanish artist Juvenal Sanso will be on display at the Ayala Museum from November 23, 2007 to January 13, 2008. Entrance fee is only PHP 150.00. Free entrance to Ayala Museum members.

Sanso was born in Reus, Catalonia, Spain in 1929 but moved to Manila five years later where his family had a wrought-iron business. He paints in watercolor, acrylic and his favored ink and dry brush medium.

CULTURE EXPRESS: GABI NG PAGPUPUGAY NG MGA PAMBANSANG ALAGAD NG SINING

Click on photo to enlarge.

Para sa tickets, tumawag lang po sa 4120909 at 09167900671. Mabibili na rin sa Ticketworld.

JESSICA ZAFRA VISITS SPi!

By Jo Herrera

From what she does to borrowers who won’t return her books to her writing habits, Carlos Palanca awardee and author of the best-seller Twisted series Jessica Zafra dishes on her life, likes, and who she would trade places with.

PinoyCentric: What makes you happy nowadays?

Jessica Zafra: Small things, like an unexpectedly good movie (Sunshine) or a great find in a bargain book bin (Gerontius) or an excellent restaurant no one’s ever heard of (I’m not telling, or else I’ll never get a table).

PC: Are you the type who keeps reading materials in her bathroom? What do you have?

I used to keep magazines in the bathroom (back issues of National Geographic seem to be a favorite among friends), but my cats developed the nasty habit of knocking things into the litterbox.

PC: Which among the books that you’ve written is the most personal? What made it so?

The short story collection, I think. Manananggal Terrorizes Manila. I wrote (or started) many of those stories in college, when I knew I wanted to be a writer, but wasn’t sure anyone would read me. So writing them was like leaping into the void.

PC: How many books have you lent and were never returned? How might you have discouraged this habit of borrowers?

Dozens. I used to get annoyed, then I realized that since I’d already read the books, it didn’t matter. True, I only lend books to friends now, and since I also borrow their books, I have hostages. When I really like a book, I force it on people. Recently I practically force-fed James Salter’s Last Night to a friend.

PC: Are you working on something now? Do you mind sharing what it’s about?

I am working on the second draft of my novel. Like all first novels, it’s a thinly veiled autobiography. I don’t usually do drafts. I don’t enjoy rewrites. If it works, it works, if it doesn’t, throw it away. However, I wrote the first draft from beginning to end during a one-month period of unemployment, so I literally did not know where it was going. Now I’m trying to make sense of it, plugging up the holes in the structure and so on.

PC: Do you have any writing rituals?

It’s easier to write when I’ve spent the whole day doing nothing, or things not related to writing. If I have an early-evening deadline, I’ll go out and watch a movie first, or have a coffee with friends. If I can’t think of anything to write, I take a nap, and when I wake up I usually have something in mind.

I prefer to write longhand. I carry a bunch of notebooks around—one for ideas and bits of information, one for my novel, and one for articles, the stuff that pays the bills. When I type up the drafts, I make corrections. Then I press send and forget about them.

PC: What do you say about critics’ claim that you went commercial and, supposedly, sold out?
I’m a professional writer, meaning I write for a living. I don’t teach, work at a newspaper, or write advertising copy; I support myself entirely by selling articles. Selling! My work is by nature commercial.

I think the readers have over-romanticised my career. Maybe they expect writers to live in a garret and starve. Very charming and nineteenth century. I don’t like suffering, and I avoid it as much as I can.

PC: Is there a character that you identify the most with? Who would that be?

Nah, I contain multitudes.

PC: Would you like to meet my brother? (I’m kidding. You probably won’t, unless you like spending your free time in Vegas . . . every year.) Seriously, how does Mr. Right look to you?

What makes you think he’s not sitting in front of me rolling his eyeballs?

PC: Do you fantasize about having children?

No, I don’t like children. I have to be able to take off at a moment’s notice, and you can’t do that if there are spawn.

PC: How do you spoil your cat?

Treats and toys. The weekly dose of catnip. They’re not very cooperative. I buy them a toy from the pet store, and when they see it they plotz over the box and ignore the toy.

PC: Who was (or is) a very influential person to you?

Teodoro Locsin, Jr. (Teddyboy), my former publisher, has been a major influence. I was somewhat nicer before I started writing for Today. Also, he’s a great believer in the classics, but he’s always on the lookout for a well-written thriller.

PC: Where are the Zafras from, originally?

My parents are from Bicol. I was born and raised in Manila. There’s a town in the Extremadura in Spain called Zafra, complete with medieval castle. Never been there.

PC: What have you learned about yourself in the past few years?

That everything turns out the same whether I get worked up about it or not.

PC: What could you have said to Ewan McGregor, in person?

Fire your agent. Get better career advice.

PC: If you could trade places with anyone for a day, who would that be, and well, why?

Charles Darwin on the HMS Beagle, researching what would be the most important book ever written.

PC: What is the song of your life?

“Camelot” from Monty Python and the Holy Grail.

Editor’s note: Jo Herrera has written for business magazines and taught English and literature at St. Scholastica’s College and De La Salle University in Manila. She has an MA in Creative Writing from UP Diliman. Now based in Fort Bragg, North Carolina, Jo is doing research on contemporary Philippine culture.

Article reprinted from PINOYCENTRIC.COM.

SHE IS COMING!

Click on photos to enlarge.

CULTURE EXPRESS: THEATRE

INTO THE WOODS. The cast includes Angela Padilla (far left, last row) of SPi's Corporate Communications.

Photo by NVC.

The New Voice Company is proud to announce the stellar cast for its upcoming musical INTO THE WOODS, which goes onstage at the Music Museum from November 9 to December 8th.

INTO THE WOODS, with music by Stephen Sondheim and book and lyrics by James Lapine, combines the well-known fairy tales of Cinderella, Rapunzel, Jack and the Beanstalk, and Little Red Riding Hood with the story of the Baker and his Wife who desperately want a child. Unfortunately, the Baker and his Wife have been affected by a spell that has left them childless by a witch and must perform various missions involving the characters in the other fairy tales to break the spell. The Baker and his Wife must bring the witch a cow as white as milk, a cape as red as blood, hair as yellow as corn, and a slipper as pure as gold. Once the characters have accomplished their goals, however, they learn about the pitfalls of greed and gluttony. Finally, they learn about the need for community and unity and the power of wishes and dreams.

Leading the heavy weight cast of this Tony and Grammy award winning musical are theatre veteran actor Michael Williams - who plays the Baker, and musical theatre star Menchu Lauchengco-Yulo as the Baker's Wife - both of whom are the show's catalysts and who drive the story into a magical web of spells and wishes. Lynn Sherman stars as the Witch who sings one of the show's most popular songs - Children Will Listen.

The romantic leads of the musical looking for their "happy ever after" are Cinderella and her Prince charming - played by young rising theatre leading lady Cathy Azanza, and acclaimed theatre actor Jamie Wilson, respectively. Seasoned musical theatre actor John Mulhall plays the other dashing Prince who falls in love with a maiden in a tower.

INTO THE WOODS is about wishing and the sometimes unforeseen consequences of getting your wish, but it's also about the journey through life's experiences and how the young grow up along the way. The "children" of the story are Rapunzel, played by exciting new actress Angela Padilla, Jack in the Beanstalk, played by teen heartthrob Joaqui Valdes, and Little Red Riding Hood, played alternately by Julia Abueva and Crisel Consunji.

Completing the cast are some of the top names in Philippine theatre, television and film. Tommy Abuel plays the Mysterious Man, while some of the country's top actresses - such as Juno Henares and Mads Nicolas, play the Wicked Stepmother and Jack's Mother respectively. Acclaimed dramatic actress Missy Maramara plays the Narrator, while exciting new actresses Mika Margolles and Maita Ponce play the Wicked Stepsister - Lucinda and Florinda. The rest of the cast include Red Concepcion, Amiel Mendoza, Mica Pineda and China Tapia.

The show is directed by NVC Associate Artistic Director Rito Asilo, choreography by Dexter Santos, Set Design by Gino Gonzales, Light Design by Martin Esteva, and Musical Direction by Ceejay Javier. Rossana Abueva is the show's Executive Producer, with Monique Wilson as Artistic Director.

INTO THE WOODS is produced with special licence from Music Theatre International, and is presented in cooperation with Aquabest, Revlon, Dream FM 106, Teriyaki Boy, NU107.5, Sound Design, Burger King, Energizer, Crescent Moon Café and Lanelle Abueva-Fernando Studio Pottery.

h For tickets, show buying, block buying, student and group discounts and sponsorship, call the New Voice Company office on 8966695, 8965497 or 8990630, email nvc@pldtdsl.net or visit http://www.newvoicecompany.com/. Tickets are also available at all Ticketworld outlets (T: 891-9999/ http://www.ticketworld.com.ph/ ).

STANZAS OF STILLNESS

Tuloy sa Pagtakbo

Darating ang isang pagkakataon
na ating babakahin ang mga luhang
kikitil ng ating pansamantalang kaligayan.

Tayo'y papasok sa isang saligutgot
na daigdig ng kawalang malay; Upang
tungkabin ang ating ulirat.

Ulirat ng kahapon na susubok
ng ating katatagan sa buhay.

Ngunit, ‘di dapat umatras sa laban
O kaya'y tumalikod sa nakaumang
panganib.

Ating harapin ng buong tapang
at sa dakong huli'y tiyak din ang
ating tagumpay.

Patuloy nating takbuhin ang landas
sa ating harapan.
Kahit na marami pang suligi na
nagkalat.

Tuloy lang sa pagtakbo.
Tuloy ang laban.

______
Rey Tamayo Jr. is from ____.

SPi: HOW TO GET HERE

Welcome to SPi, the home of the Writers Guild! Our complete address is Pascor Drive, Sto. Niño, 1700 Parañaque City. The landmark is Casino Filipino which is just right across the NAIA 1 terminal. Please see map below for directions on how to get here. You can click on the image to enlarge it. Go on. Give it a try! :-)

For visitors coming from

QUEZON CITY, MANDALUYONG, MAKATI, ETC.: Take MRT up to Taft Station, take a bus to Baclaran where FXs bound for Sucat are easily available.

MANILA: FXs bound for Sucat regularly ply Taft Avenue.

CAVITE, LAS PIñAS: Take bus up to Coastal Road. FXs bound for Sucat wait for passengers infront of KFC Coastal Branch.

SUCAT: Well...