AIDA Manila by Atlantis

(disclaimer: this is NOT a review. this is a nice stroll along memory lane, with comments on the play on the side)


I HAD TO WATCH AIDA. I JUST HAD TO. Even if I just spent for Archuleta's Patron tickets, I didn't want to miss AIDA. AIDA will always have a special place in my heart; it's the first play I adapted and directed for our English playfest back in highschool. Probably, one of my very first theater experience.
I watched my with my friend, Pinky. She came all the way from Iloilo just to see AIDA! Reminiscing on all the drama that happened back then in 2nd year highschool was inevitable. I mean, ALL. THAT. DRAMA. hahaha! Now that we think about it, it all seemed so funny.

pic from here

So AIDA by Atlantis was breathtaking!!! I was emotional the whole time and maybe I was biased because AIDA was special to me, but I really really loved the show!

Ima Castro (AIDA) and Myke Salomon (Radames)
pic from here

A big fan of Myke Salomon since PETA's CAREDIVAS, he did great! as Radames, Aida's lover. Ima Castro (Aida) who was Kim in Miss Saigon Manila, was also perfect for the role. According to this blog, she had to "adjust to a lower vocal register", yes considering the songs were of lower octaves, and did an awesome job. I'm a fan now. Rachel Alejandro, playing Queen Amneris, Radames' betrothed, had an interesting take on the role! Very cute! I'd never thought I'd want to see her on the theater scene, but now I'm a fan too! Hadji Alejandro, her father, was also in the play as Radames' father.

Rachel Alejandro as Amneris, Strongest Suit
(pic from here)

Hadji Alejandro as Zoser, Another Pyramid
(pic from here)

Dance of the Robes

Production-wish, I LOVED IT. I loved everything; costume, set, props, choreography. Sorry, I JUST LOVED IT. (no, i'm not sorry haha)

It was all just emotional for me. Brought back sooo many memories!!! I still never EVERY WORD TO EVERY SONG from the musical, and in almost every scene, Pinky and I would whisper to each other "hey I remember that scene" or "oi we did that!" And I would remember how we rehearsed every line, every step of the choreography, Anabel who didn't like the Strongest Suit dance step she even cried (haha! love you bel!), the drama of having TWO SCRIPTS because Loi and I didn't agree on so many levels HAHA! And changing actors two or three times just because Loi didn't want to get involved. (love and miss you loi!!!)

Pinky and I said that if we had to relive one year of high school, we'd pick 2nd year. (yes senior year was fun, but it was too perfect naman) 2nd year highschool. ALL THE DRAMA!!

We had this contest, AC BECOMING (like MTV Becoming) and did Nsync's music video of POP. I was JC chasez bwaha! We won, so we were chosen to spearhead the batch number for the year level elimination. The other sections didn't want to do POP again, they wanted to do "Do You Remember" by Michael Jackson, but we refused so we said, if we don't do POP we want out. OH DIBA DRAMA. HAHAHAHA.

And Loi, again, (hahaha!) didn't want me to play Laura (for Florante at Laura). If I played Laura, she's not going to play Adolfo and get involved in AIDA. So the director decided to hold another auditions for the role Laura. Some of my classmates auditioned for the role, pero pa joke. In the end, I got the role, ulet. DRAMA! HHAHAHA!!

I miss highschool. :)