| About the author
It feels great to be onboard
CarouselPinoy.Com!
And Id like to share
this great feeling to all the loyal followers of this widely-read Pinoy
Entertainment Portal in the US!
For the past 12 years,
Ive been writing, handling public relations (PR) projects, and even
teaching the science of PR to prospective practitioners at De La Salle
University-Manila. It started out really serious for me as young professional
to be handling corporate PR accounts for Pepsi Philippines, Dao Heng Bank,
PICOP Resources, and some land and investment holdings in the first 8 years
of my practice. I definitely learned a lot from the experience. But, hey,
I feel I needed to let my hair down!
Heaven-sent Philippine theater
stalwarts Bart Guingona (Actors Actors Inc.) and Audie Gemora (STAGES)
came into the picture to rescue me. I tried it out first as a
freelance publicist to Guingona and Gemoras theatrical production of
Off Broadway hit The Last Five Years. The theater bug finally
bit me and til now Im handling a huge slice of the pie of the
biggest theater shows in the Philippines like Trumpets productions
of Mr. Noahs Big Boat, and Joseph the Dreamer;
Actors Actors Inc.s productions of Broadway shows
Oleanna, Art, Once On This Island, and
Death and the Maiden; Dulaang UPs grand production of
St. Louis Loves Dem Filipinos; and of course my homebase
STAGES production of hit Broadway musical Footloose, and
the upcoming full stage production of Disneys High School
Musical.
Moreover, my post in STAGES
as resident publicist and PR consultant, has been paving the way for me to
work on the publicity needs of big mainstream artists such as Christian Bautista,
Gary Valenciano, Little Big Star grand prize winner Sam Concepcion,
Heart Evangelista, Rachelle Ann Go, Bituin Escalante, Lara Fabregas, Franco
Laurel, Philippines premier rock band The Dawn, among others.
The chance to also work
on the much-needed publicity for independent films like Clodualdo del Mundo's
Maid In Singapore, and Pepot Superstar, Denisa Reyes
and Mark Garys Sandalang Bahay, and more recently Adolf Alixs
Donsol, and Mike Sandejas Tulad Ng Dati came into
my way.
PR works for marine resources
and whale shark (butanding) conservation in partnership with Greenpeace
Philippines, and underwater cinematographer Carina Escudero have definitely
fueled in more passion into my practice.
When Carousel Pinoys
publisher Terry Badiola offered me a column space on his highly popular portal,
I just couldnt say no. I firmly believe that the Philippines has been
blessed with amazing talents, arts and culture, travel destinations and marine
resources; and the rest of the world must know that. Sadly, most of our
kababayans in the US are not even aware of these amazing tidbits about the
Philippines. I hope that my column STAGESCOPE will be a worthy
expanded avenue for our kababayans in the US and for that matter all over
the world to appreciate more of the Philippines.
The Philippines is not as
bad as what you read in the papers or watch on TV. Allow me tell you the
other side of the story.
I urge you to read on, and
the great wonders of the Philippines will unfold.
God Bless.
I love the Philippines.
Oliver Oliveros
stages_pr@i-manila.com.ph
Pinoy hip hop dancers
from Mindanao win the Dunkin Donuts Icy Coolers dance
tilt
June 21, 2009
Pinoy
hip hop dancers Next Block Crew from Butuan and Experience Kidz
from General Santos snagged the top prize of P100,000 each at the recent
Dunkin Donuts Icy Coolers Dance Dunkdown 2009 Grand Finals Night held
at the Music Hall of SM Mall of Asia. Dance groups Batang Mama from
the National Capital Region and Dance Pull Kids from Bacolod were
the runners-up and awarded with P50,000 each.
The Grand Finals night started
with a bang as the 14 finalists from all over the country heated up the dance
floor to the Pussycat Dolls hit Jai
Ho. Two of the most popular names in the industry, Karylle and
Vhong Navarro, hosted the event and also performed.
Judges were made up of the
hottest names in Pinoy hip hop today, dancer-choreographer Jason
Zamora of the Manoeuvres; member and choreographer of the international
hip hop group Philippine All Stars Lema Diaz; and iconic Philippine
hip hop choreographer and music producer Jungee Marcelo.
They
were all optimistic about the performances of each finalist and commented
about each groups hippest moves.
Im looking for
a group that starts fresh and finishes strong said Jason. I want
to see variety, popping and locking, not just the same krumping style,
chimed in Lema. For me precision is the edge, commented Jungee.
Teen heartthrob Sam
Concepcion, the endorser for the Dunkin Donuts Icy Coolers Dance
Dunkdown also performed, sending the audience squealing as he danced the
Icy Coolers jingle.
The kids I saw were
not just the usual dancers you see on the streets, and
some of them I think have what it takes to be
professional dancers some day, Sam shared.
As the night ended, all
were delighted to see happy faces and were thankful for having been part
of the Dunkin Donuts Icy Coolers Dance Dunkdown as the kids look forward
to another year.
Local show biz personalities
Julia Clarete and Pauleen Luna announced the grand winners
on noontime show Eat Bulaga.
For queries, you may contact
Oliver Oliveros, Senior Public Relations Officer/Consultant, STAGES, at tel.
no. 818-1111 loc. 225, mobile no. 0928-7725254, email add.
stages_pr@i-manila.com.ph
or web site
http://oliverpublicist.blogspot.com
Karylle is
everybodys favorite cover girl
June 18, 2009
Since
December 2008, the Divine Divas daughter has lent her serene face,
toned body, and contagious smile to numerous magazine covers. Such was the
demand for this young lady that there was even a time that she did six in
a month. Karylle, to date, is undeniably one of the countrys
most sought after cover girls.
I hardly did magazine
covers before. I always felt like I could never be a cover girl, admits
Karylle in an interview, while waiting for her hair and makeup to be done
for a magazine pictorial. But these days she finds herself ready to face
the things that life throws at her. And when she does, she finds herself
in the middle of a miracle. I learned that once you accept the things
that can happen to you, thats when it started coming, affirms
the
multi-talented artist.
Before she became in demand
in the glossies, Karylle would always sheepishly smile with her maternal
grandmothers request. My grandma would always say, Padalhan
mo naman ako ng mga magazines na ikaw ang cover. And Id always
be like, Wala naman eh, recalls Karylle. But her Las Vegas-based
grandmother was just in town last month and she beams with pride that she
can now give her copies of the long-time request.
In ASAP, they laugh
at me when I would ask permission to plug my magazine covers. Laugh in the
funny kind of way because I would tell them, Can I plug my cover? Sige
na, ngayon lang ito nangyari sa buhay ko, she relates candidly. Despite
the royal treatment being accorded to her by the industry, Karylle is far
from being overbearing. If cover girls are commonly perceived to convey standards
of physical beauty, this multi-media performer admits that she is not. She
cannot recall ever being extravagant on a beauty product. In fact, she claims
that it is her mom who buys her makeup stuff, which she uses for pictorials
and TV guestings.
As
Karylle lets the makeup artist and hairstylist do their jobs, she multitasks
during the shoot. Her constant companions are her laptop - to do her emails
and check her Facebook account - and her cell phone. In one cover shoot,
she was able to organize a reunion with her friends while on the wait. I
always try to manage to do a lot while on a shoot. Time is so precious,
stresses Karylle.
And while Karylle has managed
to execute different magazine cover concepts in the past, she talks about
her dream cover. I havent really done a nice beach shoot or like
a Batanes scene. I want something that we can showcase what is
good and beautiful here.
The good and the beautiful
that Karylle is talking about is bound to roll along in the days to come.
Her third album, Time For Letting Go, is out in the market. She
shares a song with mom Zsa Zsa Padilla in I Live For Your
Love. Three cuts from the album were originally written by her. She
continues to share the spotlight with Kristine Hermosa in the remake
of Nasaan Ka, Maruja? Karylle will also star in ABS CBNs
new soap, Dahil May Isang Ikaw, together with Gabby
Concepcion, Lorna Tolentino, Kristine Hermosa, Jericho
Rosales, Chin Chin Gutierrez, John Estrada and Sid
Lucero. She is in the cast of SineDirek film, Litsonero.
Apart from her weekly ASAP gig, Karylle continues to be active in supporting
the Philippine Animal Welfare Society (PAWS) and charities for White Cross
Orphanage and ChildHaus. She is also the celebrity endorser of popular brands
Bench Body and Blue Water Day Spa.
For more information about
Karylle, contact STAGES at (632) 818-1111 loc. 225 or visit
www.stages.com.ph or
www.karylle.com.
Reymond Sajor topbills
World Vision concert
June 14, 2009
Reymond
Sajor, Grand Champion Solo Vocalist at the 2007 World Championships of
Performing Arts (WCOPA), lends his powerful pipes to attract additional World
Vision sponsors for poor Filipino children getting ready for the new school
year. Ill Be There
A World Vision Concert goes on
stage at the Music Museum on June 27, 2009, Saturday at 7:30 p.m. with
Gerard Salonga as musical director and The CompanY as special
guest.
Reymond, who leads the local
artist pool of the international advocacy organization, mentioned in a recent
interview that, We still need around 7,000 new sign-ups to meet our
target for the year. World Vision in the Philippines is currently sending
some 122,000 children to school. Around 16,000 of these youngsters are supported
by Filipino sponsors.
In this concert for a cause,
expect Reymond to deliver a powerhouse
performance highlighting songs that have so far
inspired his journey as an international performer; his newest single
Ill Be There, composed by Filipino American songwriter
Ritchie LaPaz; and uplifting musical numbers pertaining to the Filipino youth,
their dreams and aspirations.
Reymond, who is being managed
under the Ambient Media Group, will be working on his first international
album right after his concert for World Vision. His management team is all
set to finalize negotiations with a Singapore-based talent company that is
engaged in promoting world-class performing artists around Asia.
World Vision International
is a Christian relief, development and advocacy organization dedicated to
working with children, families and communities to overcome poverty and
injustice.
Sponsoring a World Vision
kid to school will only cost P600 every month.
Apart
from Reymond, other World Vision endorsers include Miriam Quiambao,
Karen Davila, Nikki Gil, Christian Bautista, Sam
Concepcion, Sam Milby, Lea Salonga, Christine and
Julius Babao.
Beverly Salviejo,
Eula Valdez, Kris Aquino, Ruffa, Richard and
Raymond Gutierrez, Charice and Cesar Montano, among
others have been World Vision Philippines avid supporters.
For tickets to Ill
Be There
A World Vision Concert, contact 5579283, 09088815694,
09174739227 or Ticket World 8919999, Music Museum 7216726, 7210635. Ticket
Prices: Balcony: P500, Orchestra: P1,000.00.
Revelation launches
debut album Amor y Sueño
June 7, 2009
MANILA, PHILIPPINES.
June 5, 2009. Revelation, 2007 World Championships of Performing
Arts (WCOPA) multi-medalist and Zamboangas Pride, officially launched
their debut album Amor y Sueño (Chabacano phrase for
Love and Dream) Friday night at Ratskys Tomas Morato in Quezon City. The
album is released through Zone 7 of Candid Records Philippines.
Revelation
is comprised of Zamboangueño siblings Jimboy Calisang
(vocalist/keyboardist), Shalmai Calisang (vocalist), Nuel
Calisang (bassist) and Isaac Calisang (drummer). Although they
all started performing in a gospel choir at a young age, the Calisang siblings
grew up with different musical tastes. Collaborating on an album with all
original works was indeed very challenging, but it was worth all the effort
-- Amor y Sueño showcases the fusion of pop, jazz, R&B,
classical and Chabacano musical influences of the band members.
Produced by veteran album
producers Arnold Jallores and Marlon Silva, Amor y
Sueños carrier track is the very pop and bouncy
Ikaw written by Jimboy, Shalmai, Marlon and Andrew Guevarra.
The single has been enjoying heavy daily airplay on top radio stations 90.7
Love Radio, 101.1 Yes FM and 93.9 IFM for three weeks now.
Each song in the 12-track
album is written based on personal relationships and recollections of the
band members. Shalmai, for instance, wrote Daddys Girl
for her sister who passed away and was a personal favorite of her father.
Jimboy penned Peace for Our Motherland about twelve years ago
as a hymn to Zamboanga. It was performed as an original competition piece
ten years later at WCOPA in Hollywood, USA. Isaac, on the other hand, finished
Ignore a few hours after his breakup with his girlfriend.
Other original ditties in
the album are titled Baby Come Home, Amor, Baby
I Love You, No More, Kaibigan, Meant
As One, Hymn to the Sea, and Sueño.
Classically trained Jimboy
stresses, We wanted to apply equal treatment among the instrumentalists
in the band. In the track Hymn to the Sea, for example, the bass
player hogs the spotlight. He doesnt just provide reverb for the
bands technical sound all the time.
Prior to joining WCOPA,
Revelation was awarded the Orgullo de Zamboanga (Pride of Zamboanga)
in 2006.
Honorable Mayor Celso
Lobregat has all praises for the band, The bands songs
Amor and Sueño help
reintroduce the Chabacano, a Spanish derivative
language, to more people beyond Zamboanga. Singing Chabacano songs
is a way of not only preserving but also strengthening the Chabacano
language and culture.
Revelation joins the roster
of mainstream musicians that include Buddy Zabala of Eraserheads/The
Dawn and Bossa Nova Queen Sitti Navarro who also hail from Zamboanga.
Catch Revelation at Sta.
Lucia Mall in Cainta, Rizal on June 14 and in Ormoc City on June 17. For
booking inquiries, call STAGES at 818-1111 loc. 225 or 0917-8822838.
Revelations sponsors
include Mohesaka Health and Beauty Centre, Salon de Mayo, Ratskys and the
Calisang family of Zamboanga.
For queries, you may contact
Oliver Oliveros, Senior Public Relations Officer/Consultant, STAGES, at tel.
no. 818-1111 loc. 225, mobile no. 0928-7725254, email add.
stages_pr@i-manila.com.ph or web site
http://oliverpublicist.blogspot.com
Harana
tours the Netherlands
June 2, 2009
Philippine Opera Companys (POC) hit show
Harana tours the Netherlands on June 8-15, 2009. A first
for the countrys premier opera company, Harana will also
have a special performance at Theater de Compagnie in Amsterdam on June 11
at 7:30 p.m.
Harana features
eight of countrys highly celebrated singers Ana Feleo, Deeda
Barretto, Karla Gutierrez, Florence Aguilar, Sherwin
Sozon, Lawrence Jatayna, Noel Rayos and Miguel Castro.
When the show opened last
year, it reaped good reviews from both the audiences and critics: How
long have we waited for such an endearing piece of artful, delightful
entertainment, said Jullie Yap-Daza in the Manila Bulletin.
Harana has garnered prolonged, deafening
applause, noted Rosalina Orosa in her column in the Philippine
Star.
Harana (serenade)
refers to the traditional form of courtship where a man
woos a womans affection
by singing underneath her window. In the 1920s, harana or
kundiman became a mainstream musical style, with many popular performers
including Diomedes Maturan and Ruben Tagalog performing it.
Harana takes
its audiences to a spectacular cultural journey showcasing the very best
of Philippine music. From the indigenous Cordilleras and pre-colonial period
to contemporary and fusion, each musical suite is theatrically presented
with authenticity and visual excitement.
The show consists of six
suites: Igorot, Maria Clara, Rural, Muslim, Folk and the
Contemporary. Repertoire includes timeless classics like Bituing
Marikit, Dahil Sa Isang Bulaklak, Pamaypay ng
Maynila, Iyo Kailan Pa Man, Kalesa, Ang
Maya, Ano Kaya Ang Kapalaran, Dumbele, Ay
Salidumay, Waray-Waray, Sa Kabukiran, Manang
Biday, Atin Cu Pung Singsing, Pobreng Alindahaw,
Saan Ka Man Naroroon, Gaano Ko Ikaw Kamahal and
Hindi Kita Malimot.
The creation of each Harana suite is a product of thorough
research with the commitment to preserve indigenous Philippine music and
its appropriate dance and folklore.
Direction by Kokoy
Jimenez, music arrangements by multi-awarded composer/arranger Von
de Guzman, choreography by Irina Feleo and costume designs by
Zenaida Gutierrez.
Harana is produced
in cooperation with the Yuchengco Group of Companies, Nardas, Dita
Sandico-Ong, Shangri-la Plaza and Onesimus.
Harana (the
album) is also now available for purchase, exclusively distributed by Pixelgrain.
For more information, log
on to
www.philippineoperacompany.com.
Stephanie Reese wins
Manila concertgoers
May 20, 2009
Filipino American chanteuse and musical theater actress Stephanie
Reese recently held her first solo concert in Manila entitled I
am Stephanie Reese at the Teatrino, Promenade in Greenhills Shopping
Center.
The one night only concert
was packed with young and old, Filipinos and foreigners alike. The concert
narrated Stephanies personal and musical journey from her childhood
to how she became a singer and actress and to how she was able to get back
to her roots in the Philippines.
The singer/actress started
the concert by singing the songs that her lola (grandma) taught her
when she was young. The audiences were brought back to her childhood days
when she gave a compelling rendition of Que Sera Sera, Doggie
in the Window, Somewhere My Love and Hi Lily Hi
Lo.
Stephanie recounted that
while growing up in Seattle her parents sent her
to different training centers
to enhance her skills in singing, dancing and acting. After getting enough
working experience, Stephanie reached the dream that every Asian American
like her wants to portray in the world of musical theater. She starred as
Kim in Miss Saigon in Germany.
Before Stephanie gave her
concert audience a feel of Saigon that evening, she impersonated her
grandma and told a short story of how her lola started a
sari-sari store and sold mongo beans. She did a heartfelt
performance of Sun and Moon in German and English as the Reese
family portraits were flashed on screen.
The svelte songstress
demonstrated her incredible vocal power by performing a number of showstopping
opera numbers: Malaguena, Spente le Stelle,
Habanera from Carmen. She also performed her original
composition called Choca Locka Boom Boom thats always the
most requested song in any show she does.
But what really impressed the audience was her effortless performance
of the popular opera aria Nessun Dorma from the final act of
Giacomo Puccini's opera Turandot. It was her rendition of this
aria that made Patti LaBelle call her the little girl with a
big voice, and which also earned Stephanie the title Standing
Ovation Queen.
Before the evening ended,
Stephanie showed her versatility as a singer by singing a wide range of
repertoire and this included singing some kundiman and Original Pilipino
Music (OPM) hits. She sampled the audience with a medley comprised of
Dahil SaYo, Sarong Banggi, Usahay
and Ikaw.
Finally, Stephanie thanked
the people who made the concert a reality, one of whom is her best friend
Sarah Soliven de Guzman. Stephanie called on their mutual friend
George Yang to sing a duet with her. In their rendition of The
Prayer, the audience just marveled at how complementary their voices
were.
George even sang some parts in Italian
with a flawless diction.
As the show came to a close,
Stephanie said that she had one more audition to do that night.
I stand before you as Stephanie Reese the Filipino. I hope by the end
of this song, all of you will accept me as a true Filipino. And she
gave an intense and sincere interpretation of Bayan Ko and Ako
ay Pilipino.
On that note, Stephanie
had the audience on their feet as an approval and welcome that she is a Filipino,
and true to the moniker that she is the Standing Ovation Queen.
Oliver Oliveros
Senior Public Relations Officer/Consultant
STAGES
Unit 606 Greenbelt Mansion
Perea Street, Legazpi Village
Makati City, PHILIPPINES
Tel no. +632 8181111 loc. 225
Mobile no. +639287725254
stages_pr@i-manila.com.ph
http://oliverpublicist.blogspot.com
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