Some of Manila's most popular theater actors will appear
together in Repertory Philippines' year-end grand musical titled A Christmas
Carol. Michael Williams, Audie Gemora, Miguel Faustmann, Onyl Torres, Joy
Virata, Pinky Marquez, Rem Zamora, Oliver Usison, and Liesl Batucan, bring to
life Charles Dickens' immortal characters: the penny-pinching Mr. Scrooge, the
generous and fun-loving Mr. and Mrs. Fezziwig, and the Ghosts of the
Christmas-Past, Christmas-Present and Christmas-Yet-To-Come.
Alternating in the role of the young Ebenezer Scrooge are TV host JM Rodriguez
and Felix Rivera. The latter is a relative newcomer to the professional stage
who has impressed Manila audiences since his appearance in last year's Avenue
Q and Fiddler on the Roof. Meanwhile, Christine Escudero and Cara
Barredo are tapped to play the sweetheart of the young Scrooge. Jejie Esguerra
and Anna Santamaria play Mr. and Mrs Crachit-the poor but happy parents of a
brood of children including the little cripple with the pure heart named Tiny Tim,
alternately played by Matthew Esteva and Ethan Paras.
Other talented child actors include Nacho Tambunting, Daniel Delgado, Basti Paras, Dustin Delgado, Alessa Zialcita, Liezl Nieto, Vea Salvador, Rocio Tambunting, Paulo Esteva, Crystal Paras, Arielle Guevara, Raizel Yu, and Luis Nieto appear in featured roles. They are supported by a large cast who play villagers, carolers and ghosts.
Baby Barredo, REP's president and artistic director, co-directs with Robbie Guevara who will also be in charge of media projection design. The artistic team is composed of Mio Infante for costume design, Lito Borromeo for set and lights design assisted by Miguel Faustmann and Martin Esteva respectively; Gidget Tolentino for sound design; and Deana Aquino as choreographer. Maestro Toti Molina will conduct the Manila Symphony Orchestra.
A Christmas Carol is a musical based on Charles Dickens' story of an ill-tempered miser who mistreats his employees, will not help the poor, and who considers Christmas a "humbug." He is taught a lesson by the Ghosts of the Christmas Past, Present and Yet-To-Come and is touched by the goodness of Tiny Tim and his family. REP has done several other musical versions of this story--all of which turned out to be family favorites. This version, by the Broadway team of Alan Menken (Little Shop of Horrors, Aladdin, Little Mermaid) and Lynn Ahrens, with book by Mike Ockrent, played for ten successive Christmas seasons in New York's Madison Square Garden.
This Repertory Philippines production opens this Friday, November 14, and will run until December 14 at Onstage Greenbelt One, Ayala Malls, Makati City. Call 8870710 or Ticketworld at 891-9999 for ticket inquiries.
