Ms. Monsod

Theater in Manila is a vibrant scene with productions ranging from big-name musicals to very experimental pieces.  Repertory Philippines  is running Seussical at Greenbelt 1 from August until December. It features ISM alumnus Nicanor Campos (’06) alternating in the role of Horton the Elephant.  Denis Lagdameo, winner of the 2011 Gawad Buhay Awards for Costume Design for last year’s Repertory Philippines’ critically-acclaimed staging of Equus and a familiar face at ISM (because of the training and technical design services he has extended to ISM students and theater staff for more than a decade), is Props Master for Seussical.

Meanwhile, 9 Works Theatrical is running the well-reviewed musical Sweet Charity at the RCBC Makati until August 27.  It features ISM alumna Angela Padilla (’01) as Ursula March.

At CCP, Tangahalang Pilipino is on its last week of Noli Me Tangere: The Musical. Another ISM alumna, Cris Villonco (’02), stars as Maria Clara. The play is directed by the famous Audie Gemora (’77).

Looking ahead, Repertory Philippines’ Peter Pan, directed by REP’s Artistic Director Ms. Menchu Lauchengco-Yulo (also an ISM alumna) opens September 29.

IB Theater students are encouraged to see as many productions as possible to enrich their knowledge of theater in the making, theater in performance, and theater in the world.  Explore Theater and Intro Theater students would likewise benefit from our impressive cultural scene.

Speaking of ISM alumni in the news, Nikki Muller (’03) is now in Singapore, acting for the TV sitcom Payday. I have also been in touch with Harsh Gagoomal (’10) who had very positive experiences during his recently-concluded summer internship with REP and is scheduled to return to Emerson College, where he is studying Directing.

“You do lighting like you are doing a watercolor painting.  Treat gels as the pigments and light as the water.” –Denis Lagdameo,  Lighting Designer, The Book of Antigone

Antigone's Death Scene from The Book of Antigone. Photo by Antonio Villalon.