Katy restored, resuscitated, reborn

Whoever thought of restaging the original musical Katy, thank you very much. It was a brilliant idea as those in the audience last Saturday agreed with thunderous applause and a long and heartfelt standing ovation. Its director Nestor Torre, after the show, told us that only in shows abroad had he witnessed such appreciation. Dulce who essayed the role of Olivia, the former diva, added that every performance matinee or evening had a full house.

This amazing turnout for a Filipino production in a country known to be biased in favor of everything foreign, gives us hope for change. Katy de la Cruz on whom this musical is based had always been a fighter and winner. Born Catalina de la Cruz, she knew early on that singing would be her life, from age seven singing at the cockpits, then in between movie screenings, and by 13 alongside such other stars as Atang de la Rama. She would oppose her protective father for the love of singing, and at 18 became the highest paid entertainer in the country, headlining shows in Manila theaters Savoy, Palace and the Lux.

Dulce as Olivia, the outgoing diva who accepts her fate

With her signature song St. Louis Blues, she contributed to the popularization of jazz, scatting and tap dancing in the country. In the ’30s, her song Balut is still performed by Pilita Corrales, Lani Misalucha and Mitch Valdes who would become the first theater Katy in 1989. From the ’50s to ’60s, she topbilled shows in Las Vegas, and concert tours abroad until she retired in San Francisco, California.

Since then, her legacy has been kept alive by daughter Angie and Nikki Ross, the Wing Duo, a singing tandem performing with Pilita and German Moreno, her friend from Clover and the Manila Grand Opera House. “Isa siyang First Lady of the Stage noong panahon niya,” he confirms.

When Katy premiered at the old Rizal Theater in 1988, then The Cultural Center of the Philippines (CCP) in 1989, Katy was present with her friends and children. She even performed Balut on television during this visit. She died on Nov. 10, 2004, at the age of 97.

Committed to the cause of Original Pilipino Music (OPM), Spotlight Artists Centre decided to bring back the glory days of Filipino jazz and bodabil with a restaging of Katy: The Musical at the CCP Little Theater from Jan. 17 to 27. Spotlight is a performing arts school set up by Robert Seña and wife Isay Alvarez-Seña with partners Tricia Amper-Jimenez, Art and Lyn Balita, Noni Buencamino and Kenneth Cataylo. With permission for restaging granted by original producers Celeste Legaspi and Girlie Rodis of Actors Studio East Production, Robert and Isay waded through numerous death defying situations which could only end in stunning victory with the success they are now experiencing.

We recall little from the original 1988 to ’99 production, but are told this version is faithful to the original with the same creative team of Ryan Cayabyab for music, Joey Reyes for the libretto and Nestor for direction. We love Isay’s take as one who would fight everyone including a father for her art, but would forgive philandering husband Gian Magdangal to the end. We know Tirso Cruz III as actor-singer, but after this performance, we are certain there will soon be a beeline for his services. The casting of Dulce as Olivia past her prime, Epi Quizon as Dolphy, Lou Veloso as the bodabil director (said to be the only actor from the original cast) was fortuitous. So was the discovery of Aicelle Santos as the young Katy, a pop singer on her first theatrical outing. Or Fanny Serrano as costume designer and stylist on his first musical theater experience. We can imagine their jitters!

You still have this coming weekend (Thursday and Friday at 8 p.m. and Saturday and Sunday, 3 p.m. and 8 p.m.) to catch this stupendous Filipino musical, restored, resuscitated and reborn.

Wanlu at Singapore

ASEAN Puppetry Fest

Opening today at the ASEAN Puppetry Festival in Singapore until Jan. 25 is Wanlu and puppets Santiago, the parrot and Enchong Go, the monkey with an environmental message for our neighbors from Thailand, Indonesia, China, Vietnam, Malaysia, Laos, Singapore and Cambodia.

This is the second time Wanlu has joined the festival as a director of the Samahan ng mga Papetir ng Pilipinas (SPP), the first in 2012 in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia with puppets Baby Bryan and Nicolo. Wanlu also joined the International Marionette Festival in Hanoi, Vietnam last November where the Philippines got the Silver Award.

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