Cruise wants MiG's role for Rock of Ages film version

Fil-Aussie rocker extraordinaire MiG Ayesa has been getting a lot of buzz and great reviews for his nightly performance as over-the-top and arrogant ’80s rock star Stacee Jaxx in the ongoing national tour of the Broadway hit musical Rock of Ages, topbilled by American Idol alum and Tony nominee Constantine Maroulis.

Since Rock of Ages opened in Chicago last Sept. 21, MiG’s spectacular voice and delightful portrayal have been hailed and often singled out by critics from almost every state where Rock of Ages is mounted, claiming that MiG’s take on the role of villainous aging rock star is “better than the original” on Broadway, as female fans gush over his washboard abs and oh-so-naughty stage persona.

According to Funfare’s Big Apple correspondent Edmund Silvestre, Rock of Ages (reviewed a few issues ago by Raoul Tidalgo who watched it with Edmund and MiG’s Tita Ching Legarda in Boston last October) is being adapted in the big screen by New Line Cinema with Tom Cruise in the lead for his very first movie musical set in 1987 on the Sunset Strip, where a small town girl meets a big city rocker in L.A.’s most famous rock club. The love story is told through the hits of Journey (yes, the band our very own Arnel Pineda now leads as its vocalist), Bon Jovi, Styx, REO Speedwagon, Pat Benatar, Foreigner, Twisted Sister, Poison, Asia and Whitesnake.

“The names of Oscar winner Gwyneth Paltrow, Oscar-nominee Alec Baldwin and R&B singer Mary J. Blige were also thrown in for the film version,” said Edmund.

According to E! online, the planned Hollywood project will be directed by Adam Shankman who also megged and choreographed the 2007 film adaptation of Hairspray, featuring John Travolta, Michelle Pfeiffer, Queen Latifah and Zac Efron.

Edmund noted that Shankman reportedly has been in talks with Cruise whose much-talked-about appearance as studio executive Les Grossman in the comedy film Tropic Thunder has impressed Shankman and inspired him to get Cruise for Rock of Ages.

Added Edmund, “It has not been revealed which role Cruise has been offered, but Hollywood blogger Perez Hilton earlier disclosed that Tom is eyeing the role of Stacee Jaxx (yes, that’s MiG Ayesa’s role) which actually is a supporting part but could be a star vehicle for any actor. For Tom, it could even bag for him his first Academy Award statue.”

One report said that Cruise, acclaimed for his performance in Jerry Maguire and Born on the Fourth of July (shot partly in the Philippines) was initially in talks for the role of Dennis Dupree, an ex-rocker who hangs onto his glory days by operating the club on the Sunset Strip and where the musical’s story takes place. But Cruise is reportedly “now drawn to the villainy of rock singer Stacee Jaxx,” the same report said.

Last Dec. 17, Shankman tweeted the following teaser, according to Hollywood Reporter: “RUMORS: t cruise as stacee, Alec Baldwin as Dennis, Mary j as justice, Gwyneth paltrow as Constance from rolling stone... Sounds crazy :)”

How will Tom Cruise (left) look in Stacee Jaxx costume (MiG, above)?

“Stacee Jaxx could be a role of a lifetime for Cruise or for any other actor for that matter, but it will definitely shatter all hopes for MiG to try out for the film version,” said Edmund. “Although not a few critics and theater goers across the US believed that MiG’s interpretation of Stacee Jaxx is the best ever, stealing a role from somebody like Tom Cruise will be an impossible mission.”

But MiG must not fret should the role of Stacee Jaxx end up on Cruise’s lap. The rave reviews MiG has been drawing on the national tour will definitely open wider doors for him on the Great White Way, and maybe even beyond, theater insiders predict.

Rock of Ages will continue to rock the US until June 2011. It’s currently playing in Fort Lauderdale’s Broward Center in Florida until Jan. 9, 2011 before moving to the next venue on Jan. 11 (a day before MiG’s birthday) at Orlando, Florida’s Bob Carr Performing Arts Center.

The little story behind the song Auld Lang Syne

As we ring out the old and ring in the new, we will again be singing Auld Lang Syne. But do you know how that song originated?

Here’s a little backgrounder from a Funfare reader who got it from the Internet:

Auld Lang Syne is a Scots poem written by Robert Burns in 1788 and set to the tune of a traditional folk song. It is well known in many English-speaking (and other) countries and is often sung to celebrate the start of the New Year at the stroke of midnight. By extension, its use has also become common at funerals, graduations, and as a farewell or ending to other occasions.

The song’s Scots title may be translated into English literally as “old long since” or, more idiomatically, “long long ago”, “days gone by” or “old times.” Consequently “For auld lang syne,” as it appears in the first line of the chorus, is loosely translated as “for (the sake of) old times”.

The phrase “Auld Lang Syne” is also used in similar poems by Robert Ayton (1570–1638), Allan Ramsay (1686–1757), and James Watson (1711) as well as older folk songs predating Burns. Matthew Fitt uses the phrase “In the days of auld lang syne” as the equivalent of “Once upon a time...” in his retelling of fairy tales in the Scots language.

Robert Burns sent a copy of the original song to the Scots Musical Museum with the remark, “The following song, an old song, of the olden times, and which has never been in print, nor even in manuscript until I took it down from an old man.”

Okay, all together now:

Should auld acquaintance be forgot

And never brought to mind?

Should old acquaintance be

Forgot and auld lang syne?

CHORUS

For auld lang syne, my dear

For auld lang syne.

We’ll take a cup of kindness yet

For auld lang syne.

 More ‘family-oriented’ Christmas Cards

Here are two more ‘family togetherness’ Christmas Cards received by Funfare during the season. Top: Yong Larrazabal and wife Donna Cruz at their new house on top of a hill in Cebu City, with their children Belle, Cian and Gio; and (below) Johnny Revilla and wife Janet Basco with their children Jantu, 25; Marco, 22; Juliana, 17; and Franco, 16, who are according to Johnny, ‘all musical.’

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