Viva Atlantis Theatricals is born

MANILA, Philippines - They say that this is the time of year for reflection. And with time seemingly flying by in a blink these days, it’s a good idea to stop for a second and count our blessings. And there are many.

When I look back at the past year, I can tell that 2012 has marked the end of the first act of my profes- sional career. Like a well-structured three-act play (think Tony Kush- ner’s Angels in America), the first act is usually all about the set-up and the introduction of all the main characters. As I enter my 20th year of directing this year, I look back and I can proudly say that, with the support of many seen and unseen angels, the set-up has been well-thought-out and the main characters are all in place.

I formed Atlantis Productions 13 years ago, and now after over 30 productions in Manila and Singa- pore, Atlantis has also begun its own evolution with the formation of a second company called Viva Atlantis Theatricals, in partnership with Viva Entertainment, Inc. That is all the stuff that will ultimately fill the second act of my professional career. And I couldn’t be more excited.

2012 was an amazing year for all of us at Atlantis Productions. We will always be grateful to all who helped make it happen. With luminaries such as Tony Award winner Lin-Manuel Miranda, rockstar MiG Ayesa, Tony Award winner Lea Salonga and Tony Award-winning designer David Gallo joining us as we presented six productions both in Manila and Singapore, it was a year that we will always look back as a marker in our theater company’s history. In The Heights, Rock of Ages, God of Carnage, Nine, Avenue Q and Disney’s Aladdin are all productions we are ex- tremely proud of. They are, individually and in totality, the summation of the 12 years of extremely hard work to get us to this point. We are also proud to have had two productions running simultaneously in Manila and Singapore not once, but twice.

But the biggest step we took (and what perhaps closes the first act and starts the second) is the forma- tion of a new sister company to Atlantis that will have a season of its own, as well as create brand-new origi- nal musicals. It has always been a dream of mine to create original work and with sacrifice in London and two new musicals in Manila, I am one very happy boy. Again, blessings must be counted.

Viva Atlantis Theatricals will open its first season with the celebrated Tony Award-winning musical The Full Monty. Based on the hit film, the Broadway musi- cal opened in 2000 in New York, and will finally be produced in the Philippines. It is ultimately a musical about the importance of friendship in our lives. It runs in April at the Carlos P. Romulo Auditorium, RCBC Plaza in Makati City.

Continuing our yearly tradition of bringing a full- length Disney musical to Manila to thrill families, Disney Theatricals has granted us the rights to stage Disney’s Tarzan in June at the Meralco Theater. Based on Edgar Rice Burrough’s novel Tarzan of the Apes and the smash-hit 1999 Disney animated film, Tarzan fea- tures music and lyrics by international pop icon Phil Collins, including the Grammy- and Oscar-winning song You’ll Be in My Heart. It features a book by Tony Award-winning playwright David Henry Hwang.

The third and final show for Viva Atlantis is the hit Broadway musical The Addams Family, which runs in November/December at the Meralco Theater. Based on the classic cartoons of Charles Addams as well as the hit TV series and films, the musical version of The Addams Family features all the beloved characters in an outrageous original story with music by Andrew Lippa. And, yes, Morticia and Gomez are set to dance a mean tango.

Viva Atlantis has also begun work on two brand- new original musicals. We have started to create Bong- ga, an Original Filipino Musical featuring the music of the Manila Sound pioneer Hotdog and a musical stage version of the hit movie Pusong Mamon that will feature an original score by Nyoy Volante. And there’s more, Viva Atlantis will also be releasing a compilation CD of musical theater songs by various artists who have graced our stage this year.

Atlantis Productions, on the other hand, opens its 13th year with a production close to my heart, Pam Gem’s PIAF. It will star Pinky Amador, who celebrates her 30th year in the business. To say that I have become obsessed with Edith Piaf, her music and her life, would be an understatement. But in this beautiful and heart- breaking love letter to one of the greatest singers in his- tory, we see the triumphs and turmoil of a phenomenal woman who felt the most important thing in life was to love. PIAF will run at the Carlos P. Romulo Auditorium in March.Because the first time simply wasn’t enough, we are thrilled to stage a repeat run of Rock of Ages. The hilarious, feel-good love story told through such ’80s hit anthems like I Want To Know What Love Is, Don’t Stop Believin’, We Built This City, Hit Me With Your Best Shot and Every Rose Has Its Thorn, took Manila by storm last year and turned into the hottest party in town (not to mention the hardest ticket to come by). Chari Arespa- cochaga created a show many have called better than the Broadway production. Rock of Ages will forever be remembered as the musical that showed us just how phenomenal Vina Morales is and just how versatile Aiza Seguera can be. So here is one last chance to either see the show again or see it for the first time. It runs in July at the Carlos P. Romulo Auditorium.

Atlantis Productions’ final show for the year is the legendary musical Carrie, based on Stephen King’s classic horror novel and the hit film that starred Sissy Spacek. As a fan of Stephen King books, the out-of-the- box musical has always had a special place in my heart. I was an 18-year-old college student in New York City when the disastrous Broadway production opened in 1988, and I was there at the Virginia Theatre to witness it. Surprisingly, I found a lot of Carrie’s music to be quite breathtaking (especially the moments between Carrie and her mother) and I was able to score a bootleg cas- sette from the sound desk (this was a good 15 years before YouTube) of the final performance of the show’s infamous one-week run. I listened to this cassette for years and knew the music like the back of my hand.

Now, Carrie has been reworked by its writers and it premiered last year Off-Broadway. With a new book and several new songs, the new Carrie has become a more serious, frightening and tragic musical. I am thrilled that Menchu Lauchengco-Yulo will create the role of Carrie’s Bible-bashing mother, Margaret White, in this one-of-a-kind American gothic-horror-pop- operetta hybrid. It will run in September/October, also at the Carlos P. Romulo Auditorium.

Showbuying and fund-raising opportunities are now available for all these shows. Theater is a great way to raise funds for your group, school, organization or corporation.

I look back at the first act of my professional career and above else, I am filled with gratitude. I have had the rare privilege to do what I love for a living and to meet some of the most amazing and creative people along the way. It has not always been easy (what in life really is?), but with the help of the many angels who fill my life every day, it has always been rewarding. But enough of looking back. Now, I look forward towards the second act. May it be filled with more of the same — wonderful people on stage, off stage and in the audi- ence and, like what Edith Piaf believed life should be, may it be filled with love. Love for the one thing that I truly believe can make a difference in our lives — the theater. The second act curtain is about the rise and I can’t wait to begin.