‘Musikal!’ theater extravaganza marks CCP’s 45th anniversary bash

A rare musical revue, showcasing excerpts from Filipino hit musicals from the last five years and featuring their original cast members, will be performed on Sept. 5 and 6 at the Cultural Center of the Philippines (CCP) Main Theater to highlight the CCP’s 45th anniversary celebrations this month.

The productions to be included in "Musikal! A Musical Theater Celebration of CCP's 45th", said CCP vice president and artistic director Chris B. Millado in an interview, are the "box office hits, critically acclaimed, or artistic breakthroughs in Philippine musical theater."

Millado, who joined the CCP in 1986, will direct "Musikal!", which he calls "a milestone in bringing together on one stage the best of Philippine musical theater talents."

He described the coming together of the production as a "singular" experience, "listening to the melodies of the composers, watching the spectacle put together by the directors, and appreciating the passion of the ensemble and the splendid musicality that Filipino musical theater performers are known for worldwide," Millado said.

The revue will include well-loved scenes and excerpts from "Rak of Aegis," "Rama Hari," "Maxie the Musical," "Katy!," "Caredivas," "Noli Me Tangere," "Magsimula Ka," "ZsaZsa Zaturnnah, Ze Muzikal," "Bluebird of Happiness," "Rock Supremo," "Rivalry," "Sandosenang Sapatos," "Toilet, the Musical," "Sa Wakas," "Sinta," "Orosman at Zafira," "Labaw Dongon," "Walang Sugat," "Batang Rizal," and "Lorenzo."

Composer and pianist Jed Balsamo arranged the scores by Ryan Cayabyab, Vincent de Jesus, Rony Fortich, Ed Gatchalian, Aegis, Ebe Dancel, and Gines Tan, and other Filipino composers.

Conductor Gerard Salonga leads the Philippine Philharmonic Orchestra, while special medleys were rearranged for the Philippine Madrigal Singers.

To direct the cast of more than 200, Millado worked in close collaboration with the original directors and producing companies of each show, including Tanghalang Pilipino, Ballet Philippines, Philippine Educational Theater Association, Trumpets, Spotlight Artists Center, Bit by Bit Company, 4th Wall Theater Company, Green Wings, and Ateneo Blue Rep.

Beginnings

The CCP was established by President Ferdinand E. Marcos through the issuance of Executive Order No. 30 in 1966. It was formally inaugurated by Marcos and First Lady Imelda Marcos, accompanied by then-California Governor Ronald Reagan and his wife, Nancy, on Sept. 8, 1969. its opening night ushered in a three-month-long inaugural fiesta, starting with the mounting of the epic musical "Dularawan."

Today, CCP has a number of resident companies: Ballet Philippines, Philippine Ballet Theater, Tanghalang Pilipino, Ramon Obusan Folkloric Group, the Bayanihan Philippine National Folk Dance Company, PPO, UST Symphony Orchestra, Philippine Madrigal Singers, and the National Music Competition for Young Artists Foundation. These cultural groups present a regular season of productions, workshops, and outreach performances.

Other anniversary projects

Apart from the musical revue, the CCP will launch other projects this month to commemorate its anniversary.

"25@45 Special Portfolio of Prints," produced together with the Printmakers Association of the Philippines. It will be a collector's item, with only 25 sets produced and priced at P250,000 per set. Among the prints are works by National Artists Ben Cab and Art Luz, and Gawad CCP artist Brenda Fajardo.

The funds raised will go to an arts education program targeting the Filipino youth, especially those in the non-urban areas.

Also to be launched is the CCP Digital Timeline, composed of wide-screen computers strategically positioned within the CCP building featuring an interactive presentation of the center's history; and the "corridors of excellence," large-scale portraits and photographs of famous Filipino and international artists who have graced the CCP during the last 45 years.

These will be mounted in the back halls, corridors, and passageways exclusively used by the Filipino artists and local performers, said Millado.

"Why this particular exhibit for the Filipino artists and performers at the back of the house? These photographic legacies of excellence by Filipino and foreign artists are to remind Filipino artists of the CCP tradition of excellence, which have been nurtured by local and international artists who have used and performed in these spaces before them," he said.

"Filipino artists who perform at the CCP theaters and other CCP venues are part of this tradition of excellence," he added."This is one of the ways of strengthening and reminding the current Filipino artists of the CCP tradition of excellence."

The CCP Encyclopedia of Philippine Art, meanwhile, will be updated and and online version launched next year.

"By digitizing these contents and materials, we ensure a wider and broader audience, a longer shelf life, easier access to these audio-visual materials and other contents," Millado said.

Millado is already looking forward to the CCP's 50th anniversary in five years. He said he hopes the center will regain its prestige and place of pride among the top arts and cultural destinations in the Asia-Pacific region.

"It used to hold the distinction of being the number one arts and culture destination in the region before arrival of Singapore’s Esplanade, before the Hong Kong Arts Center, and other centers of arts and culture in the region," Millado said.

"We are known all over Asia as an artistic country. We need to reclaim this space again," he added.

"We are known all over the world for our musical theater talents. Why don’t we claim this space where we are known internationally?" — BM, GMA News

"MUSIKAL! A Musical Theater Celebration of CCP's 45th" is performed Sept 5. and Sept. 6, at 8:00 p.m., Tanghalang Nicanor Abelardo or the CCP Main Theater. For inquiries, please call the CCP Sales and Promotions Office at 832-3706 or 832-3704.