Theater Review: KPANLL, A Musical That Has A Lesson In and About Life

After witnessing the teaser during the press launch, the press preview and two shows thereafter,   I could now say an honest-to-goodness review about this daring staging of Kung Paano Ako Naging Leading Lady by Dalanghita Production.

I call it daring because, for a new stage producing team, a musical is not and never is an easy piece to mount.  With no hit productions yet under their belt, Perterean Brinas, Ansis  Sy and Claudia Fernandez took everything in a stride and started all the needed steps to make an original  one-act piece into a musical wonder.  A musical would always call for good and sellable set of performers to make people go for it.  A musical also needs a good creative team to create that music and world that the performers will give life to.  If staging a straight play is a challenge at time, then simply magnify those challenges ten folds or even more when you are staging a musical; and this is no standard musical for it is an original piece.  It is a make or break endeavor.

Ansis Sy, Claudia Fernandez and Perterean Brinas

Such challenges were simply taken into stride by Dalanghita Production when they decided to stage this piece.  Together with the same creative people behind the hit Zsazsa Zaturnnah ze Muzikal, they started the journey mid of 2014 with an audition that took months for the results to come out.  Not because they were all busy but because of the thorough screening that they did to all cast members.  And it paid off!  They have a powerful cast that is talented and known in the theater and music industry.  They were also able to pull in other individuals, all talented, known and respected in their own field – lights, production design, choreography and music.

All is set.

Part of the Cast (Press Launch)

When they had the press launch a month back, the team already showed promise in terms of a worthwhile stage production.  The voices were great.  The songs presented then were catchy enough to make retention in your mind.  The energy of those involved were that palpable that you get a feel of more to come.

Come the press preview night.

KayumangGilas

Despite the tension, technical glitches and other minor things not common to happen on a press night; they have a show, as stated also by their director, Chris Martinez.  As of that time, writing about the experience was a challenge.  There were some things that I fell short for me and I need to see the alternates (Yes I know. It is bad to compare but that is something one has to expect when there is a point of comparison, or in this case – an alternate cast that is also talented and powerful.).

Days after the press preview, I took the time and opportunity to watch it for the 2^nd and 3^rd time and boy was there development!  The running was tighter now.  The actors were able to develop more their characters – in the vernacular “hinog na”, and it manifested with the additional movements that they applied in certain scenes.  The throwing of lines was more spontaneous and has a more normal conversational appeal.  Some of the props and effects were made present after the press preview.  Not that it affected the press preview in the negative way but their presence in the succeeding shows truly improved each scenes.  After watching it for 3x and hearing the alternates do their role, this explains the reason as to why the results of the audition took so long to be released.  Visually, you would see the difference of the alternates but voice wise, they sound the same!  They have the same sound quality that when you hear one, you will hear the same with the other.  I have a hunch that this was so after watching it for the second time around and confirmed things after the third viewing.  This fact was not shown during the press launch but became evident during the actual show.

Bituin Escalante as Mely

Frenchie Dy as Mely

The music was great!  Composed by Vincent De Jesus, his creation has a strong retention and with lyrics that are catchy.  He simply created songs that showed the voice of all the singers/performers and hi-lighted their skills as a performer.  It was playful, it was touching, it was simply a masterpiece to say the least.  

The production design, done by Tuxqs Rutaquio, was interesting enough to pull things off and truly create a world where super powered individuals really live.  His costume designs were inspired by some comic designs, thus making that connection with comic readers.  I love the costume of Madre De Dios!  It is so Magdalene inspired!  The lights were designed by no other than the infamous John Batalla!  If you truly want a light show on stage, then you have to get John Batalla.  His interpretation was great that he was able to do a visual show throughout the musical.

The script was a blast!  Written by Carlo Vergara  and assisted by Perterean Brinas, the lines were both hilarious and perfect in the cross setting that the world of Kung Paano Ako Naging Leading Lady is set. Cross setting because they have a mid-level family in a world where super powered individuals live also; it demand lines that are simple but with a punch.  Aided with songs that are also lyrically balanced, the conversation created is something that captures the viewers.

The actors were a delight, from press launch till now!  Bituin Escalante and Frenchie Dy, alternating as Mely, were both fantastic!  Their interpretation may differ but the way they sound is so scarringly  the same.  Bituin's interpretation is someone who has stopped believing in love due to past experience and present need in life.  She is someone you could classify as jaded.  Frenchie's take on her character is someone who has felt loss in life but still believes that love is true and real.  Two different attacks but  has the same emotional punch when they sang Kasalanan Ko, the aria made for their character Mely.  Same can be said with Markki Stroem and Hans Eckstein, alternating as Leading Man.  Markki takes the cake when it comes to visual appeal, while Hans has the "Prince Charming" voice.  Markki sounds good, don't take me wrong but it is Hans who has that rich timbre that would truly captivates you and imagine him as Prince Charming in any fairy tale you can think of.

The actors playing the part of Fuwerza Filipinas and KayumangGilas were a delight also!  I have my favorites on the roles of Senyor Blangko and Jeryc Sans Rival - not because of humor but the way they brought their characters to life (it pays to be a dancer/mover)!  I just felt a slight mismatch during the fight scene between the two groups (it could have been a director prerogative but for a comic lover point of view, you match a hero to a villain based on their skills - see Marvel vs DC storyline.)

Fuwerza Filipinas

Kung Paano Ako Naging Leading Lady is truly a work that is all original in terms of music, dialogues and setting.  It has a concept that we have played in our minds at some time in our life. Despite the representation that the characters may show, something that may disturb some and the reason as to why I didn’t wrote this experience after the press launch, the true lesson this musical has was delivered at the end between Mely and Viva : “Ano Viva, handa ka na bang maging Leading Lady?” – something that we ask ourselves when placed at a decision point.  After failing, moving forward and finding our ourselves back at the same decision point, are we ready to do it the second time around armed with the lessons in life and do things right?  Are you ready to take the spotlight?

Watch this wonderfully created world of Kung Paano Ako Naging Leading Lady at the PETA Theater Center and see if the hero/leading man/ leading lady in you is ready to come out and take the centerstage in your life. 

Photos:

(all photos posted were personally taken by me all though out the events mentioned - Press Launch, Press Preview, Actual Show)

Press Launch:

Press Preview:

Scenes: