Angelu: What’s the real score? - FUNFARE by Ricardo F. Lo

These past several days, there have been all sorts of speculations on what’s keeping Angelu de Leon in wintry New York where she spent the Christmas season with her mom, Luisa, and her daughter (by Joko Diaz) Nicole. Angelu must have been so smitten with The Big Apple that she has decided to prolong her sojourn. Now, the questions: Has she gotten married to her bussinessman boyfriend (son of a very popular man), reportedly with her in New York? Could it be true, according to "blind items" (not in this corner) that she’s five months pregnant (oh, no, not again – not so soon!)? Or is she taking a film course (preparatory to directing a movie she’s producing under LVN Pictures, the defunct company of her grandparents which Angelu is reportedly planning to revive)?

Those are all, as I’ve said, speculations, unconfirmed reports.

Funfare’s New York DPA reported, however, that Angelu has accepted an offer to do "an international film" entitled Broken Eggs in which she’ll play the daughter of Maria Conchita Alonzo, to be directed by Eduardo Machado. The movie is based upon a hit play which was presented at the prestigious Mark Taper Forum in L.A.

Broken Eggs is a comedy about the wedding of Alonzo’s older daughter, a Cuban-American girl, to a "nice Jewish boy" from L.A. and how the Cuban family tries to fit into Alonzo’s family. Angelu is cast as the adorable, trouble-making little sister.

How did Angelu get the role?

According to the DPA, Angelu met Broken Eggs producers Barbara Ligeti and Jeffrey Altshuler at a party. They discussed about each other’s movie activities and, as one thing led to another, Ligeti was impressed with Angelu and advised her to take acting and accent class under Marilyn Fried (a member of The Actor’s Studio).

Let’s hope that something good – an "international" movie and not another baby – will come out of Angelu’s extended stay in New York. Let’s hope.

Anton, Dyan’s second ‘honeymoon’

On Valentine’s Day the other day, Thai Airways brought to Thailand couples from around the globe to exchange, or in some cases, renew their wedding vows in the largest underwater wedding ever. Thai’s Trang Underwater Wedding Festival made it to the Guinness Book of World Records, won the PATA Gold Award in the Public Relations category and, in the recent ASEANTA Awards, the Best New Tourism Attraction in the ASEAN Region.

Representing the Philippines in this once-in-a-lifetime event were newlyweds Dyan Castillejo and Anton Garcia who, along with other to-be-married and recently-married couples from around the world, were treated to four romantic and fun-filled days. Upon arrival in Trang, Thailand’s ultimate diving destination, horse-drawn carriages took the couples for a parade through the decorated streets of the city on their way to their hotel.

On Valentine’s Day, the couples were transported to "Valentines Island" (Kradan Island) by boat for the preliminary ceremonies, followed by the "wedding dive." Once the specified depth was reached, the underwater wedding ceremony or renewal of vows was held, officiated by a Minister. All participating couples were certified divers.

Raves for Rent in Singapore

More good news from overseas:

In Singapore, the Filipino talents in Rent, which opened last Feb. 10 at the Victoria Theater (running until first week of March), have been getting raves, accorded a standing ovation and three curtain calls on opening night.

"The audience didn’t want them to leave the stage," according to a feed from Singapore. "Filipino talent shines in Singapore!"

Among those in the cast of the rock musical written by Jonathan Larson are Rachel Alejandro, Calvin Millado, JM Rodriguez, Michael de Mesa, Carlo Ledesma, Anna Fegi, Jake Macapagal, Boyd Tinio, Joel Trinidad, ManMan Angsico, Lana Jalosjos, Gloria Sicam and Beatrice Gomez.

Directing Rent is Bobby Garcia (take a bow, Bobby).

Here are excerpts from a glowing review that came out in The Straits Times:

Alejandro’s Mimi sounds even better than Broadway’s Daphne Rubin-Vega. Her crystal-clear voice is far stronger than the smoky whisper of Rubin-Vega, who got drowned out occasionally by the live band…

Instead of a Parisian garret, the setting is a freezing New York loft, from which musician Roger (Millado) and aspiring filmmaker Mark (JM Rodriguez) are about to be evicted unceremoniously by landlord Benny (Brendon Marc Fernandez).

Instead of tuberculosis, the plague of choice is AIDS. Roger is HIV-positive. As is Mimi (Alejandro), the dancer at an S&M club whom he falls for...

This cast goes one better than the Broadway cast – it has heart.

The first hint comes early in Millado’s solo, One Song Glory. Adam Pascal, who played Roger on Broadway, delivered it with an angry rocker’s howl that made it a raging protest. Millado, on the other hand, taps into the song’s underlying melancholy and turns it into a moving lament. Mark is a far more appealing character than Anthony Rapp’s detached observer in the Broadway production.

There are other scene-stealers that, by themselves, are worth the price of admission…

Fegi, with her wild shock of auburn, tumble-weed curls, brought the house down with her bravura show stopper, Over The Moon. She got a theater packed with glitterati on the gala night to moo enthusiastically in unison too.