Rodgers and Hammerstein's Cinderella in Manila

I was lucky to have witnessed Filipino Broadway theater actress Lea Salonga perform for a play, Rodgers and Hammerstein's Cinderella in 2009 at the Cultural Center of the Philippines.

It was the Cinderella's cast and crew's first time to put up a show in Manila which ran July 15 to 28, 2009. Then it was managed by an Australian production. 

Manila is actually their first stop in their Asia and US tour but they already nailed it. Like most of the renowned plays, Cinderella was able to capture the heart of the Filipinos especially that it was adapted from one of our favorite fairy tales. The shows were sold-out and it was truly lauded. I love their set. The carriage was very remarkable the casts were of course brilliant. I know that not everyone is fond of musicals but plays like these should also be appreciated because they are well-crafted since there must be a presence of good script, music and acting in one production. Here are some photo snippets of the day I watched Cinderella:

I adore this glass slipper. This is how the stage looks like during close-curtains/breaks.

The 2009 Cinderella poster

Since I can't take photos from the play proper, I took photos of the souvenirs outside the theater.

Shirts and caps 

Yay, pumpkins!

Some other displays

Cinderella's friend! Thought he was supposed to be a rat/mouse. Whatever rodent.

The precious glass slipper. Where we all know the twist originated from. Look there's a white mouse.

Well, this is a musical so...

This is what I took home. A key chain glass slipper. Too bad after some years it broke due to the tropical weather.

My ticket. Low quality, sorry. I wonder where this is now? Lost, maybe.

I'm hoping that that would not be the first and the last time I'd be seeing Miss Saigon, Salonga perform in theater (internationally).

This year Rodger and Hammerstein's Cinderella  will be staged again. This time Cinderella will be played our very own Karylle (alternating with Julia Abueva and Justine Pena) and her Prince Charming will be portrayed by the balladeer Christian Bautista (alternating with my crush, Fred Lo). It will be shown this October at the Newport Performing Arts Theater, Resorts World Manila. I am looking forward to these two talents. The play will be adapted to the Chinese version. Plus this is an all-Filipino cast, Filipino pride! Let's see how they would keep up with Ms. Lea Salonga. 

Cinderella poster (Photo Credits: Resorts World Manila)

For show schedules,

34th Manila International Book Fair

Heads up book lovers! Our book "heaven" is officially open!

Last September 11, the Manila International Book Fair opened once again.

Photo credits

Filipino bookworms look forward to this event yearly as numerous bookstores and publishing companies gather to promote reading. They set up booths wherein they sell books and other reading materials, most of the time at a discounted price. There is a wide array of selection from text books to fiction and non-fiction, to magazines and to comic books.There are also freebies and workshops which await for those who will come. If you are lucky enough, you could even bump into your favorite author and you could have your book signed for there are also scheduled book signing and book launches.

In 2010, I've had my fair share of MIBF. I was able to go there during the last day (September 20, a Sunday) after an overnight for our Literature magazine. I was able too see Ambeth Ocampo and some other authors from Anvil. Unfortunately, I wasn't able to buy any book because all the good titles I've been meaning to buy were already out of stock. My favorite bookstore got their books sold-out. So if I were you, you better be an early bird so you'd get hold of good deals because you have several competitors out there, all hungry for books and SALE.

The 34th MIBF is running

Win a Hello Kitty Instax-mini camera too!

I am not called Ladyluck Gazette for nothing.

So far in my 22 years of existence, I've won several things from different contests be it on a raffle basis or an essay/question and answer type one. My friends even asked me to join Lotto/lottery but I told them I may lose all my luck if I join that. Maybe next time.

Concert tickets, guest lists, home appliances, gadgets and even cash prizes name it. Those are some of the things I've won to name a few. Partly, it's probably because of my guts and will to win, or my creativity and talent maybe, but mostly I think luck always play a big role in all of my winning-streak. I'd like to believe that it's all because of me, but sometimes I just believe in fate because there are instances that no matter how hard you try in life, you just can't seem to get it. If it's not for you, it will never be, they say. As cliche as it may sound, that seems to be 75-90 percent true to me. I don't usually have faith in fate but when all else fail, I just resort to that good old Lenon line: "LET IT BE." For whatever will be will be.

Going back to my winning-streak, in 2013 alone, I've won six contests! Close-up summer solstice ticket (failed to attend), guest list for Bloggers United 5, a magazine subscription from Zinio and Ana Viajera (Nylon, baby!), a mug from ETC and very recently my favorite prize to date, a Hello Kitty instax-mini camera from SM Accessories Kids! How lucky, isn't it? I myself couldn't believe it as well.

When I've learned the contest from Ava Te, I immediately bookmarked the mechanics.

Old mechanics

However, I got preoccupied by a lot of things and failed to attend work due to typhoon Maring that I ended up not remembering it until the deadline came! Good thing my entry got in even if it was just a last minute strike. My friend was laughing at me because it was a contest sponsored by SM Accessories Kids, emphasis on Kids. I don't really think I will win because my essay was a blah made for about 5-10 minutes but I guess stroke of luck really played well, what do we know, this kid at heart won!

After watching a very victorious UAAP game of UST versus FEU, I browsed Facebook for updates and found out that I won.

YAHOO!

I literally jump from joy and squealed because it was so unexpected. I'm a true blue HK fan for as long as I can remember. I even plan to buy it if I don't win but my parents don't approve because they told me I already own digital cameras and phone cameras. You know how I love photos and cameras, so no. But yes to winning!

I claimed my prize at SM Mall of Asia Building C.

Across Sunrise Blvd.

I was so glad people there were so accomodating, special mention to Ms. Rovie. My undertime for work was totally worth it!

Thank you SM Accessories!

I could not thank SM Accessories kids enough! They even took a photo of me for their documentation purposes. Ms. Rovie noticed that my phone strap and wallet was Hello Kitty. I told you I was a fan!

Surely, I went home with a smile on my face. 

Happy Kid!

                   

Later that evening, I bought a film to finally test it. It is quite expensive but of course it's worth buying. The sales lady from SM Department store took a photo of me.

Here's my baby and my selfie:

The prize is right!

I know you want to win this too. You still have a chance. Just follow

Photo trials 2010

It's September again! Ber/brrmonths ahead.

It's the time of the year when Filipinos are starting to have the Christmas-y spirit! They begin to play Christmas carols, sell Christmas decors and the countdown to December 25 is now being taken seriously.

In line with that, I would like to share some of the photos I took during the Christmas season of 2010. Consider these my photo trials:

Greenhills Shopping Center 2010

So we watched this Christmas display in Greenhills sometime around December 2010. It showcases moving display starring Santa Claus and his reindeers' riding on a one horse open sleigh ala-COD style formerly in Cubao. The show lasts for about 10-15 minutes accompanied by various Christmas music. They are showing every 30 minutes or hour as I remember. Let's see what they have in store for us this 2013.

Santa Claus is coming to town!

This is just one of the several photos I took, but this is the only decent one I have because other photos were blur as many people are watching in front of me, sans a tripod it's pretty impossible to take a clear photo using a DSLR with that huge crowd.