A good year for movies

Feb. 24 marked the 85th Academy Awards, when the best and the brightest in Hollywood gathered to celebrate the best and the brightest filmmaking of the year.

Leo with 'Manong Oscar'

Sunday was Hollywood’s biggest spectacle final stretch. Mega-rich industry attendees descended from their hillside mega-mansions to sit inside the Dolby Theater  in one-of-a-kind gowns and Prada tuxedos. It was true, the glare from their diamonds could blind you.

We’re hearing more and more about what kind of show to expect while covering the Oscar Week. Observers had been predicting who would bring home the Oscars even accredited media men from all over the world, your columnist included (US-based Boholano socialite Mikey Gatal who accompanied me spotted  rising Thai actor Chaiyapol Julian Pupart who is Mario Maurer's co-star in movie Jan Dara and Spanish actress Sonia Monroy) had placed their own markers.

Everybody got a little piece of something.  Argo, Les Miserables, Zero Dark Thirty and Lincoln were all touted as front-runners at one point or another.

Former Miss USA 2007 and Miss Universe 2007 4th runner-up and E! reporter Rachel Smith who's covering the Oscars for four years said that it was fantastic.

When she learned we're from Philippines, Rachel was all smiling. "I would love to visit the Philippines soon. I heard wonderful things about it. I met the kindness people from there and a  little r and r. "

Mikey Gatal with Spanish diva Sonia Monroy

ABC7's George Pennacchio told us earlier that the 85th Oscars was different from the past.

"It's gonna be surprises. I think it's a good show.  I think America and the whole world would fall in love. it's the most prestigious red carpet of the year."

The Oscars have historically been the place to find the biggest dresses and even bigger fashion statements. We would ask, “who are you wearing?"

A number of designers and stylists offered their predictions for what we might see. On the red carpet was Filipino designer Alexis Monsanto who was KTLA Morning News' in-house Oscar fashion critic. He said that "every year is fantastic." Monsanto said his father came from Batuan, Bohol.  

"They are classic timeless designs. Beautiful colors of turquoise of blue, I expect to see that," said Monsanto, who made the gown for Hollywood actress Kimberly Roberts.

Rachel Smith

Another Filipino designer Oliver Tolentino dressed up actress Gloria Reuben for this year's Oscars. 

Also reporting on the red carpet were Fil-Ams Yong Chavez of ABS-CBN North Bureau, film expert David Magdael  and Inquirer's Ruben Nepales.

Oscars host Seth MacFarlane mocked Hollywood and embraced it. MacFarlane has the musician's edge too. He could do singing and dancing that the producers didn't have to force him to do. He delivered the kind of opening that gets a host invited back.

Sunday was the biggest night of Anne Hathaway' life. The actress made sure everyone knew of her enthusiasm for Les Mis , and she didn't let us forget it.

“It came true!” was Anne Hathaway’s opening speech. 

We agreed Hathaway totally deserved that award. Even watching that tiny little clip of her Les Miserables song made us teary-eyed. Isn't it?

Alexis Monsanto

But there's a woman who earned a place in our hearts forever. The talented and accident-prone Silver Linings Playbook actress Jennifer Lawrence who fell flat on her face.

Dressed in an off-white strapless Dior Haute Couture gown, a stunned Lawrence tripped over all that fabric. Thankfully, Lawrence recovered quickly, and managed to turn her awkward moment into a totally adorable one. "You guys are only standing up because you feel bad that I fell, and that's really embarrassing, but thank you," she told the audience as they gave her a standing ovation. It was pretty much perfect.

It was Lawrence's second major wardrobe malfunction. She accidentally hike up her blue Dior gown, revealing a sheer panel over her legs and making it look like her dress had ripped in half while climbing the stairs to accept her Golden Globe.

Jennifer Lawrence Courtesy: AMPAS

Ang Lee, a humble and beloved figure in Hollywood, emphasized that the achievement of his film was not just about effects.

“I hope this award season thing help people recognize that it’s not just technology’s triumph, it served the purpose of our artistic expression,” he told reporters on the red carpet. “It’s actually the artistic approach that I think make it believable and amazing. It’s not just technology itself, it’s the handcrafts, it’s the heart of doing it.”

The Oscars were all about music this year. It featured  Jennifer Hudson belting And I Am Telling You I'm Not Going, Anne Hathaway singing One Day More passionately, and Catherine Zeta-Jones performing All That Jazz"  bringing Chicago back to life. Some raised questions as to whether Zeta-Jones was lip-syncing.

Hudson inspired the entire Dolby Theater to deliver a standing ovation. Then the cast of Les Mis including Anne Hathaway, Hugh Jackman, and Eddie Redmayne, took the stage with a medley that they wisely opened with the only original song from the score, Suddenly. Of course, they also decided to let Russell Crowe sing with them too.

Barbra Streisand sang The Way We Were as this year’s In Memoriam segment paying tribute to performers and artists like Ernest Borgnine, Nora Ephron, Michael Clarke Duncan, Jack Klugman, Tony Scott, Frank Pierson, Marvin Hamlisch, Hal David, the critic Andrew Sarris and Adam Yauch.

Lawrence and Hathaway Courtesy: AMPAS

Film critics said that the win by Argo demonstrates the difference — when it comes to predicting Oscar winners — between earning critical acclaim and earning an Academy Award. Zero Dark Thirty may have won more plaudits from critics, but critics didn’t vote in the Oscar balloting.

In the Academy Awards, as in political elections, who votes, matters.

We can fall on every stage and still be graceful.  Maybe we can take lessons from Jennifer Lawrence.

The Winners of Oscars 2013:

Picture-Argo

Actor in a Leading Role-Daniel Day-Lewis, Lincoln

Actress in a Leading Role-Jennifer Lawrence, Silver Linings Playbook

Director-Ang Lee, Life of Pi 

Original Screenplay- Django Unchained, Quentin Tarantino

Adapted Screenplay-Argo, Chris Terrio

Original Song- Skyfall, Skyfall

Original Score- Life of Pi, Mychael Danna

Production Design- Lincoln, Rick Carter; Set Decoration: Jim Erickson

Film Editing- Argo, William Goldenberg

Actress in a Supporting Role- Anne Hathaway, Les Misérables

Sound Editing- Zero Dark Thirty, Paul N.J. Ottosson

Sound Mixing- Les Misérables, Andy Nelson, Mark Paterson and Simon Hayes

Foreign Language Film- Amour, Austria

Documentary Feature- Searching for Sugar Man, Malik Bendjelloul and Simon Chinn

Documentary Short Subject- Inocente, Sean Fine and Andrea Nix Fine

Short Film, Live Action- Curfew, Shawn Christensen

Makeup- Les Misérables, Lisa Westcott and Julie Dartnell

Costume Design- Anna Karenina, Jacqueline Durran

Visual Effects- Life of Pi, Bill Westenhofer, Guillaume Rocheron, Erik-Jan De Boer and Donald R. Elliott

Cinematography- Life of Pi, Claudio Miranda

Animated Feature- Brave, Mark Andrews and Brenda Chapman

Short Film, Animated- Paperman, John Kahrs

Actor in a Supporting Role-Christoph Waltz, Django Unchained

***

Thanks for your letters, all will be answered. Comments welcome at leoudtohan@yahoo.com, follow leoudtohan at Twitter /Facebook.

And the Oscar goes to....

LOS ANGELES, CA- I grew up loving the Oscars.  I like the evening's glamorous fashions, the little snippets of the screenplays, famous kisses to seat-climbing winners and the wildest acceptance speeches.

 

Like you, the Oscars brings out the child in all of us.  We all dream of walking the Red Carpet on the arm of a movie stars we like while hundreds of bulbs flash simultaneously.

 

The Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences aka Oscar is the world's preeminent movie-related organization, with a membership of more than 6,000 of the most accomplished men and women working in cinema.

Last Wednesday, I arrived in Los Angeles, California to cover the 85th Academy Awards.  

 

US-based Boholano socialite Mikey Gatal, who lives in the downtown Los Angeles County, accompanied me during the Oscars activities. 

 

It was like an epic to watch the red carpet being physically rolled out last Wednesday for the ceremony. The golden statues were being readied. Statuettes of Oscars are ready for visitors and tourists at a local souvenir shop in Hollywood. 

 

Mikey and I gushed when we witnessed how the Oscars organizers and crew were all organized.  

 

"They are very organized and they have a very tight security," observed Mikey.

 

Before starlets hit the Red Carpet, Hollywood Boulevard was being dressed for the occasion. It was closed between Orange Drive and Highland Avenue. There was re-routing bus traffic. However, people could still visit the Hollywood Walk of Fame and Forecourt of the Stars at Grauman's Chinese Theater and Madame Tussauds Hollywood and Hollywood Museum and the Max Factor Building. (I was thinking to visit the Hollywood Walk of Fame after the Oscar activities for the day yet Mikey rushed me to Hollywood's famous spots.)

 

At the Dolby Theater (formerly known as Kodak Theater), the statues were lined the length of the red carpet which is approximately 500 feet. A little bit of Oscar trivia – the size of most common set-dressing Oscar is 34 in. diameter (base), 7½ feet tall and 65 pounds. The statuette was designed by Cedric Gibbons, art director for MGM studios, and was sculpted by George Stanley.

 

Mikey Gatal

In the week leading up to the Oscars, Mikey and I attended the events celebrating this year's nominees. The Oscar Week featured screenings, film clips, and discussions with filmmakers and artists whose work has garnered nominations in the animated feature film, documentary, foreign language film, make-up and hairstyling and short film categories.

 

We’re hearing more and more about what kind of show to expect this Sunday.

 

The films Lincoln, Zero Dark Thirty, Argo and Les Miserables earned multiple Oscar nominations.

 

Oscar producers Craig Zadan and Neil Meron told reporters that Academy Award winner Jane Fonda will join Jennifer Garner, Kristen Stewart and Kerry Washington to present on the Oscar telecast. They are working on a tribute to the genre of movie musicals. With Dame Shirley Bassey, Adele and Barbra Streisand performing, as well as the Les Miserables cast members Hugh Jackman and Anne Hathaway, it promises to be an all-singing, all-dancing kind of affair.

 

Fonda earned seven nominations and won Academy Awards for her roles in "Klute" and "Coming Home." Garner was seen in this year's "The Odd Life of Timothy Green" and will be seen next in "Dallas Buyers Club." Stewart is best known for her role as Bella Swan in the "Twilight" saga and also starred in 2012's "On the Road" and "Snow White and the Huntsman." Washington starred in the Best Picture Nominee "Django Unchained" and was seen in "A Thousand Words." Washington is also the star of ABC's hit drama "Scandal."

 

Fonda, Garner, Stewart and Washington join a stellar list of previously announced Oscar presenters including Jennifer Aniston, Michael Douglas, Jamie Foxx, Paul Rudd, Salma Hayek Pinault, Melissa McCarthy, Liam Neeson, John Travolta, Ben Affleck, Jessica Chastain, Jennifer Lawrence, Halle Berry, Sandra Bullock, Nicole Kidman, Reese Witherspoon, Mark Wahlberg, Ted and "Marvel's The Avengers" cast members Robert Downey Jr., Samuel L. Jackson, Chris Evans, Jeremy Renner and Mark Ruffalo; returning 2011 Oscar winners Jean Dujardin, Christopher Plummer, Octavia Spencer and Meryl Streep; "Chicago" cast members Richard Gere, Queen Latifah, Renée Zellweger and Catherine Zeta-Jones; special guests Joseph Gordon-Levitt, Daniel Radcliffe, Channing Tatum and Charlize Theron; and performers including Kristin Chenoweth, Jennifer Hudson, Catherine Zeta-Jones, Hugh Jackman, Russell Crowe, Anne Hathaway, Amanda Seyfried, Eddie Redmayne, Samantha Barks, Aaron Tveit and Helena Bonham,Adele, Dame Shirley Bassey, Norah Jones and Barbra Streisand.

 

Oscars for outstanding film achievements of 2012 will be presented on Feb. 24, the Oscar Sunday, at the Dolby Theatre at Hollywood & Highland Center, and will be hosted by Seth MacFarlane live on the ABC Television Network. The Oscar presentation also will be televised live in more than 225 countries worldwide.

 

Meanwhile, excuse me as I attend the Oscar Party tonight.

 

Here is the complete nominations lists:

 

Best Motion Picture

Argo
Amour
Beasts of the Southern Wild
Django UnchainedLes MisérablesLife of PiLincolnSilver Linings PlaybookZero Dark Thirty 

 

Achievement in Directing

Ang Lee, Life of PiBenh Zeitlin, Beasts of the Southern Wild
David O. Russell, Silver Linings PlaybookMichael Haneke, Amour
Steven Spielberg, Lincoln

 

Performance by an Actor in a Leading Role

Bradley Cooper, Silver Linings PlaybookDaniel Day-Lewis, LincolnDenzel Washington, FlightHugh Jackman, Les MisérablesJoaquin Phoenix, The Master

 

Performance by an Actress in a Leading Role

Emmanuelle Riva, Amour
Jennifer Lawrence, Silver Linings PlaybookJessica Chastain, Zero Dark ThirtyNaomi Watts, The ImpossibleQuvenzhané Wallis, Beasts of the Southern Wild

 

Performance by an Actor in a Supporting Role

Alan Arkin, Argo
Christoph Waltz, Django Unchained
Phillip Seymour Hoffman, The Master
Robert De Niro, Silver Linings Playbook
Tommy Lee Jones, Lincoln

 

Performance by an Actress in a Supporting Role

Amy Adams, The Master
Anne Hathaway, Les Miserables Helen Hunt, The Sessions
Jacki Weaver, Silver Linings Playbook
Sally Field, Lincoln

 

Best Animated Feature Film

BraveFrankenweenieParaNormanThe Pirates! Band of MisfitsWreck-It Ralph

 

Original Screenplay

Amour, Michael Haneke
Django Unchained, Quentin Tarantino
Flight, John Gatins
Moonrise Kingdom, Wes Anderson and Roman Coppola
Zero Dark Thirty, Mark Boal

 

Adapted Screenplay

Argo, Chris Terrio
Beasts of the Southern Wild, Lucy Alibar and Benh Zeitlin
Life of Pi, David Magee
Lincoln, Tony Kushner
Silver Linings Playbook, David O. Russell

 

Best Foreign-Language Film

A Royal Affair (Denmark)
Amour (Austria)
No (Chile)
War Witch (Canada)
Kontiki (Norway)

 

Original Score

Anna Karenina, Dario Marianelli
Argo, Alexandre Desplat
Life of Pi, Mychael Danna
Lincoln, John Williams
Skyfall, Thomas Newman

 

Original Song

"Before My Time," J. Ralph; Chasing Ice"Everybody Needs a Best Friend," Walter Murphy and Seth McFarlane; Ted
"Pi's Lullaby," Mychael Danna and Bombay Jayashri; Life of Pi
"Skyfall," Adele Adkins and Paul Epworth; Skyfall"Suddenly," Claude-Michel Schönberg, Herbert Kretzmer and Alain Boulil; Les Misérables 

 

Achievement in Production Direction

Anna Karenina
The Hobbit: An Unexpected Journey
Les Misérables
Life of Pi
Lincoln

 

Achievement in Cinematography

Anna Karenina, Seamus McGarvey
Django Unchained, Robert Richardson
Life of Pi, Claudio Miranda
Lincoln, Janusz Kaminski
Skyfall, Roger Deakins

 

Achievement in Costume Design

Anna Karenina, Jacqueline Durran
Les Misérables, Paco Delgado
Lincoln, Joanna Johnston
Mirror Mirror, Eiko Ishioka
Snow White and the Huntsman, Colleen Atwood

 

Best Documentary Feature

5 Broken Cameras
The Gatekeepers
How to Survive a Plague
The Invisible War
Searching for a Sugar Man

 

Best Documentary Short Subject

Inocente
Kings Point
Mondays at Racine
Open Heart
Redemption

 

Achievement in Film Editing

Argo
Life of Pi
Lincoln
Silver Linings Playbook
Zero Dark Thirty

 

Achievement in Makeup & Hairstyling

Hitchcock
The Hobbit: An Unexpected Journey
Les Misérables

 

Best Animated Short Film

Adam and Dog
Fresh Guacamole
Head Over Heels
Maggie Simpson in "The Longest Daycare"
Paperman

 

Best Live-Action Short Film

Asad
Buzkashi Boys
Curfew
Death of a Shadow
Henry

 

Achievement in Sound Editing

Argo
Django Unchained
Life of Pi
Skyfall
Zero Dark Thirty

 

Achievement in Sound Mixing

Argo
Les Misérables
Life of Pi
Lincoln
Skyfall

 

Achievement in Visual Effects

The Hobbit: An Unexpected Journey
Life of Pi
Marvel's The Avengers
Prometheus
Snow White and the Huntsman

After Les Mis, it’s Romeo and Juliet!

Tugonon Courtesy: Mikey Gatal

Wake-uppers:
Seen: Miss Universe 2012 1st runner-up Janine Tugonon will visit Bohol on Tuesday, Jan. 29.

Seen: Lizel Mae Tortuga was crowned Miss Getafe 2013 and Miss Bohol Gateway-Tourism 2013.

Seen: Motivational speaker Anthony Pangilinan was the guest speaker of “Blue Jeans: Maximum Results, Maximized Relationships” held at Doy’s Seafood and Grill on Jan. 25. It was organized by JBJ (Jesus in Blue Jeans) in partnership with JCI-Bohol Sandugo and K&N Productions of (councilor to-be) LJ Lumayag. Also spotted in Bohol yesterday was model, host and blogger Patty Laurel- Filart. Last week, Sam Concepcion, Bianca Gonzales and Grace Lee were also spotted in Bohol.
          
Scene: BOHOL-BUHOL 2 is in Cebu on Jan. 31 at Qube Gallery at The Persimmon Plus. It will feature Boholano artists Keith Andog, Rhants Anunciado, Bethlehem Joy Bullen, Eric Catot, Edgar Comito, Guy Custodio, Jacquelou Curambao, Roi Ferre, Irish Glori Galon, Joey Labrador, Glenn Lumantao, Carlito Masalta, Henri Cainglet, Sam Penaso, Rico Tompong, Jef Sisican and guest artist Melbourne Aquino.

The exhibit will showcase the wealth of Boholano artistry spanning a healthy breadth of genres from realist works that stress the island’s natural wonders to abstractions that have challenged the works of contemporary artists in the country and the world.

                                     
Qube Gallery at The Persimmon Plus is situated along MJ Cuenco Street and Gil Tudtud Street, Mabolo, Cebu. BOHOL-BUHOL 2 will open on January 31 until February 21. For details contact, +6332-512-1921 or visit www.qubegallery.com.

***

Bohol turns Ubi country
Bohol was undoubtedly the Ubi Country when it celebrated its 13th Ubi Festival recently as some of the ubi growers and supporters gathered to honor the tasty, purple-hued crop as a major agricultural product.

Attending the Ubi fest for the nth time was loving and learning more of Bohol, such as, 1) the scientific name of ubi/ube or purple yam is dioscorea alata, 2) ubi is also known as ubi jam, food for the gods, purple yam and sweet lavender, 3) Bohol is the largest ubi producer in the country, and 4) ubi is the only staple food included in the Bohol hymn.

At the Plaza Rizal, people could buy ubi varieties like kabus-ok, kinlot, balagon-on, binanag, tam-isan, apale, iniling, lima-lima, kot, bot and kinampay, the most aromatic ubi in the world, at reasonable prices.
     
Adding savor during the opening program was the search for the pinaka (the best quality ubi harvest and endemic root crops such as the 31 kilos ubi balagon-on and ubis which looked like a sea lion, human-tooth, carabao's foot, elephant and hand-glove of Pacman), most promising ubi product (ube jam, ube polvoron, ube calamay, ube torta, ubi ice candy and pinwheel), most promising ubi cuisine (ubi ginataan and ubi lumpia) and ubi eating contest at the Plaza Rizal and the literary musical contest (balak, kuradang, rap and jingle and ubi poster making) at the Island City Mall. (Again, I didn’t like how the ubi eating contest was done. There was no-thrill when the committee members decided to hold the contest by batches. Another one, the event at the Plaza Rizal had no sound system when they could have played Onie Oclarit’s Ubi Festival to add fanfare and enliven the mood of the people.) 

Anyway, I had the chance to ask environmental activist Zenaida Darunday who shared to me the health benefits of including ubi in our meal. 
            
“Ubi is an excellent source of vitamin A (in the form of beta-carotene), a very good source of vitamin C and manganese, and a good source of copper, dietary fiber, vitamin B6, potassium and iron. When you take ubi, you won't be constipated,” said Darunday. “Of course, it's a good alternative for rice especially now that we are trying to cut on rice consumption, ubi is a substitute. You can eat ubi without eating rice. Compared to potato it has more nutritional element.”

Ubi is also good for people who have hormonal imbalance and women who suffer menstrual cramps.

“It has dioscorin and it is good for women with dysmenorrhea," said Darunday.

For almost half a millennium, the ubi tuber has been venerated by the Boholanos. Yes, ubi is sacred in Bohol. To this day, the respect for the plant is still stronger than ever.

And why we kiss the ubi when it falls on the ground?

“It's our culture because according to some legend there was a famine in Bohol. Boholanos were able to stay alive because they found ubi when they were scratching the ground because ubi survives during drought and famine. And  when they saw ubi, ‘praise the Lord’ because it saved them from starvation.  If ubi tuber falls, you have to kiss it," added Darunday.

Recent studies revealed that ubi has also potent antioxidant effects. It is also an anti-diabetic and anti-Inflammatory food.

So, the next time you have the urge for something sweet, how about eating ubi products such as ubi jam? It's one food guaranteed to satisfy your whole body, not just your sweet tooth.

On the other hand, I was sad. The Ubi Festival committee decided to cancel the search for Ubi Queen this year in this supposed beauty contest-crazy province. The Ubi Festival organizers changed it to Miss 4-H but was cancelled on Jan. 23 at the Island City Mall.

Why? Like you, I was clueless.

Miss Ubi Festival Queen 2012 Jade Nica Obedencio will carry the crown for another year(s) until the Ubi Festival Committee members will decide when they can hold a pageant. Other winners were Pinky Gica Beldia–Socias who was the first Miss Ubi Festival Queen in 2000 and Rhiz Nova Tagsip Arenas (who became Miss Bohol Sandugo 2004) who was Miss Ubi Festival Queen 2004.
                                                                                 

***

Anne Hathaway made me cry a river on Les Miserables especially during the I Dreamed A Dream scene. She sings with so much heart and soul, and so real that you can’t help but moved to tears.

Les Miserables (aka Les Mis or Les Miz) is based on Victor Hugo’s 1832 novel . Set during 19th Century France, Anne Hathaway plays Fantine (the same role by Lea in London’s West End) who’s driven by poverty to prostitution.
               
The mood is somber in Les Mis. There is a tone of melancholy predominates, even when events are relatively happy. I warn you: The song springs the old water works into the eyes.

You see, last year, there was a stage play of Les Mis in Tagbilaran City produced by DreamBig Productions, a cultural and theatrical production composed of young Tagbilaranons whose passion is into performing and theater arts.

Hu! Hu! Hu! I cried when Fantine (played by Gayle Marie Sinadjan) sang I Dreamed A Dream with so much emotion and passion that I heard the voices of Elaine Page, Ruthie Henshall, Petula Clark, Leah Salonga and Susan Boyle.

BigDream's mission is to raise back the theater industry in the province of Bohol and mount quality, realistic, timely relevant creative productions yet educating in the field of theater arts that caters both theater enthusiast and students.

On Feb. 9, DreamBig Productions will bring to Bohol another event as it will relive the romance, danger, beauty and passion of Romeo and Juliet, history’s greatest ever love story.

"This Valentine season, we will bring you an early Valentine show for the first time in history in the entertainment scene of Tagbilaran, a full length world class classical ballet performance of Romeo and Juliet live in Bohol,” said Jurie Balbuena, DreamBig PR head. “We will bring 40 professional, lovely and graceful dancers from Atlanta Festival Ballet Georgia U.S.A and Ballet Center Cebu choreographed by artistic director Gregory Aaron and international prime ballet dancer Nicolas Pacaña as Romeo himself and Katherine Trofeo of Ballet Philippines.”

Jurie Balbuena, who is one of the scholars of Ballet Center Cebu, approached Pacaña and Aaron to hold their last farewell performance in Bohol. Aaron was impressed of DreamBig when he learned of the successful Les Mis in Bohol.

“We are very honor that Mr. Pacaña chooses Bohol as part of his farewell performance or last International curtains call in the world of ballet,” said Jurie.

In our English class, Romeo meets Juliet at a masked ball and they fall in love at first sight. But the young lovers fall victim to their feuding families.

With a price on Romeo’s head, and Juliet suddenly betrothed to another man, the young lovers share a night of forbidden passion before Romeo flees the city. Juliet’s desperate pleas to call off the wedding are denied, and a secret plan is hatched for them to be reunited, with devastating consequences.

My English literature teacher shared Prince's elegy for the lovers: For never was a story of more woe than this of Juliet and her Romeo.

“The timeless Romeo and Juliet still packs a huge emotional wallop,” added Jurie.

Romeo and Juliet will be on Feb. 9 at  2 p.m. (matinee) and 6 p.m. (gala) at the Bohol Cultural Center.

Tickets are priced at P300 (VIP), P150 (Platinum) and P100 (General Admission) at all Dunkin Donuts outlets. For details, call/text 0929-276-6536 or visit www.dreambigproduction.webs.com.

Meanwhile, excuse me while I rush to a theater nearby to watch Les Mis again, and cry a river again.

I dreamed a dream in time gone by
When hope was high
And life worth living
I dreamed that love would never die
I dreamed that God would be forgiving
Then I was young and unafraid
And dreams were made and used and wasted
There was no ransom to be paid
No song unsung, no wine untasted…
-(I Dreamed A Dream)

***
Thanks for your letters, all will be answered. Comments welcome at leoudtohan@yahoo.com, follow leoudtohan at Twitter /Facebook.

Theater group to stage ‘Les Miserables’ in Bohol

Wake-uppers:

 

Ayala and Carbon

Scene: The unique concert event of celebrated folk-rock artist Joey Ayala (with his band Ang Bagong Lumad) and Pinoy pop icon Lolita Carbon of the band ASIN is tonight, July 8, at 7 p.m. at the Danao EcoPark. Ticket is P300. For inquiries, call Beryl at +639103390672.  According to Mayor Thomas Gonzaga, the concert coincides with the 50th Foundation Day of Danao, the first town to launch extreme adventures in tourism.

 

Seen: Veteran broadcaster Korina Sanchez was at the Bohol Bee Farm (and other tourist attractions) shooting an episode about Bohol for her TV program on ABS-CBN.

 

Scene: Actor and businessman Mandy Ochoa lost his wallet and cellular phone while going through the Tagbilaran Airport’s X-ray machine.

 

“Oh my God Kuya Leo, nilagay lang ni Tito Mandy ang kanyang cellphone at wallet sa tray at hindi na lumabas mula sa x-tray machine,” shared Mandy’s friend AKK to Bared.  

 

Gov. Edgar Chatto has requested for an investigation into the matter which is within the purview of the police agency. 

The airport terminal building has no CCTV cameras. Now, flyers need to remove their shoes in order to pass through airport security.

 

Ochoa

However, “RM” who is Bared’s friend and working inside the airport said that the incident was “First time pa na nahitabo diri sa atoang airport.”

 

The who si Mandy Ochoa? He appeared on Ang Tanging Ina (as father of Angelica Panganiban) in 2003 and Basta’t Kasama Kita (TV series) in 2002.

 

Scene: The first meeting to organize the “elusive” reunion of the University of Bohol- Day High School Batch 1998 is on July 21, 9:00 am at the UB High School Principal’s Office. Look for Elaine Joy Auza.

 

 

***

There was a time when men were kind
When their voices were soft
And their words inviting
There was a time when love was blind
And the world was a song
And the song was exciting
There was a time
Then it all went wrong

I dreamed a dream in time gone by
When hope was high
And life worth living
I dreamed that love would never die
I dreamed that God would be forgiving
Then I was young and unafraid
And dreams were made and used and wasted
There was no ransom to be paid
No song unsung, no wine untasted

But the tigers come at night
With their voices soft as thunder
As they tear your hope apart
As they turn your dream to shame

He slept a summer by my side
He filled my days with endless wonder
He took my childhood in his stride
But he was gone when autumn came

And still I dream he'll come to me
That we will live the years together
But there are dreams that cannot be
And there are storms we cannot weather

I had a dream my life would be
So different from this hell I'm living
So different now from what it seemed
Now life has killed the dream I dreamed.

-I Dreamed a Dream (Les Miserables)

 

 

Many singers like Elaine Page, Ruthie Henshall, Petula Clark, Leah Salonga, et al, have done a fabulous cover version of this song. The song springs the old water works into the eyes.

 

Susan Boyle, a woman who goes against everything our society expected of a "star," joined Britain’s Got Talent in 2009, had a remarkable version of this song. From the moment Susan opened her mouth and started signing I Dreamed a Dream everyone was clapping and cheering during a standing ovation. You know the words she had sung conveyed her true life experience.

 

Well, the good thing is Boholanos can hear this song this Sandugo fever as DreamBig Productions in cooperation with Cre8tive Thespian Club Inc. will stage the "Les Miserables," the infamous novel authored by French writer Victor Hugo, on July 27 and 28, 2012 at the Bohol Cultural Center.

 

DreamBig Productions is a newly established group of young Boholanos that aims to provide a productive, competitive and innovative approach in the field of performing arts, creative productions, training and learning. Its mission is to mount quality, realistic, educative and creative productions.  On the other hand, the Cebu-based Cre8tive Thespian Club Inc. is a non-profit organization composed of students and young professionals who have banded together for the love of theater.

 

Les Mis is set during 19th Century France, delving into the lives of revolutionaries, outcasts, orphans, bandits and lovers. The musical has produced some of the most memorable Broadway songs, such as I Dreamed A Dream and On My Own.

 

I have to tell you that mood is somber in Les Mis. There is a tone of melancholy predominates, even when events are relatively happy. So, better bring handkerchief or tissue during the show.

 

DreamBig Productions said that they bring “Les Miserables” to Bohol because “it is a story worth telling and retelling.”

 

“Some proceeds of this musical will go to the benefit of Cogon Night High School fund,” says Celeste Grace Yap Telmo, event organizer of DreamBig Productions.

 

“Through this, we can help the Boholanos to open their hearts for performing arts and give them the chance to experience how theater play plays an important role in our daily lives,” adds Celeste, “It's time to step out of the box and think of something educational and entertaining.”

 

Tickets for the grand premier (July 27, 7 p.m.) and gala night (July 28, 7 p.m.): P200 (orchestra), P130 (balcony); for the matinee opera (July 28, 2 p.m.): P150 (orchestra) and P100 (balcony).

 

For tickets and promos, contact 09128137759, or email cgracetelmo@gmail.com/celestegracetelmo@yahoo.com/ Prodjb@yahoo.com, or visitwww.lesmizbohol.webs.com for more info.

 

***

Thanks for your letters, all will be answered. Comments welcome at leoudtohan@yahoo.com, follow leoudtohan at Twitter or email at Facebook.