Marvin does it straight from the heart

Curtain-raisers:

• In case you haven’t noticed, a merry-go-round is happening under our very noses. The ex-boyfriend (1) of a beautiful, “leggy” actress (2) is the current flame of the immediate ex-girlfriend (3) of the athletic actor (4) who could be the soon-to-be (if not already the) squeeze of the “leggy” actress. Somewhat confusing, isn’t it? It looks like a case of changing partners without their intending it to be. Needs the initials of the characters in this interesting love “quadrangle?” Here they are according to how they are mentioned (numbered) in this story: The first name of (1) has an “o,” the second name also has an “o” and the last name has a “u;” the first name of (2) has a “u” and her surname also has a “u” and two “r’s;” the first name of (3) has one “a” and her surname has two “a’s;” and the first name of (4) has two “e’s” and his surname has two “a’s.” 

• Two popular (very!) Filipino singers were advertised as co-performers of an equally popular Fil-Am member of a band at a recent concert in California. Well and good? Not quite. Imagine how surprised the two singers were when they realized that they were reduced to mere “front acts,” with the Fil-Am’s band as the main attraction. Moral lesson? Look before you leap.

• Oops!!! The advocacy of the Mrs. Universe-Philippines contest is the “prevention” and not the “promotion” (as inadvertently “typo-errored” by Funfare’s “beauty experts” in a recent item) of violence against women and children. Thanks to Don Moral, brother of former (2010) Mrs. Universe-Philippines (engineer) Muriel Moral-Pandi, for calling Funfare’s attention to it.

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Whether acting on stage (in the recent production of The Sound of Music at the Resorts World Manila, in which he played Rolf, the actor in the Sixteen Going on Seventeen scene) or recording an album (the just-released Sigaw Ng Puso Ko by Viva Records), Marvin Ong does it straight from the heart. There’s no halfway or half-hazard way for him.

When I watched Sound Of Music, it took a little time for me to reconcile Marvin as young German officer Rolf to Marvin as himself. In person, Marvin is so wholesome, bordering on being “cute,” but onstage he was menacing especially in the near-finale scene where, hurt by the hostility towards him of his ladylove Liesl’s captain-father, he squeals on the Von Trapp family hiding at the convent.

“I think that that role was really meant for me because when she saw me at the Viva office, director Roxanne Lapus said, ‘I finally found you,’” Marvin recalled.

Marvin now dreams to play Che in Evita, the role now being essayed (to positive reviews) by Ricky Martin on Broadway. Too young to be Che? Not really. Marvin has a way of transforming himself onstage depending on the demands of the character.

In the meantime, while waiting for that dream role to materialize, Marvin is focused on promoting his latest album (yes, Sigaw ng Puso Ko) which includes his three compositions, Ayoko Na, You Can Never Be Mine and the title track.

There’s an interesting story behind the songs.

“Ayoko Na is about giving up after you give it a try,” said Marvin. “You know, parang ibinigay mo na lahat, pero wala pa rin kaya napapagod ka rin magmahal and you have no choice but to say, ‘Ayoko na!’.” Hmmm, quite a thought from somebody who, at 32, claimed that he hasn’t fallen seriously in love…yet.

Singers usually make parinig to somebody (an “ex” or a “prospect”) through their songs. Is Marvin trying to catch somebody’s attention with Ayoko Na?

“Well,” he said teasingly, “if she hears it, she’ll know it’s meant for her.”

Sigaw Ng Puso Ko is about a guy who can’t resist revealing his feelings for a girl he has a secret crush on.

“I dedicate it to many girls,” Marvin said, still in a teasing mood.

Ayoko Na has already been translated into a handsome music video directed by Carlo Alvarez, with Miss Philippines-Australia Stephanie Rose as a guest playing a model who turns her back on her boyfriend when she becomes popular.

Besides the three songs, Marvin’s album also carries the following: Labis Kitang Mahal (composed and produced by Vehnee Saturno), the revived Pakisabi Na Lang (written by Moy Ortiz and Edith Gallardo) and the acoustic version of Ayoko Na as bonus track.

The album’s executive producers are Vic del Rosario Jr. and Wilbert Ong, with STAR columnist Baby Gil and MG Mozo as supervising producers, and Mary Ong and Kat de Castro as associate producers.

(E-mail reactions at [email protected]. You may also send your questions to [email protected]. For more updates, photos and videos visit www.philstar.com/funfare or follow me on www.twitter/therealrickylo.)