Off-B'way hit, joint show / Toro's art, Salonga recital

 A limited run will be held on Aug. 24 (5 p.m.) and Aug. 25 (2 p.m. and 8 p.m.) at the RCBC auditorium of the Off-Broadway hit “Forbidden Broadway”. The cabaret revue cleverly satirizes tunes, characters and plots of contemporary and current Broadway musicals.

Joel Trinidad directs the show with Cathy Azanza-Dy assisting. Liesl Batucan, Caisa Borromeo, OJ Mariano and Lorenz Martinez will act, sing, dance and change costumes portraying more than 50 characters from such imminently successful musicals as Chicago, Annie, Into the Woods, West Side Story, Wicked, Les Miz, Phantom of the Opera, Mama Mia, Rent, Spamalot, Cats, Fiddler on the Roof, Hairspray and A Chorus Line.

After the initial run of “Forbidden Broadway” last May, its critical acclaim and glowing praise from the press led to sold-out shows, causing Upstart Productions to re-run the smash hit which has won the Tony, Drama Desk, Obie and Outer Critics Circle awards.

New York’s longest-running musical comedy has been re-written over a dozen times, and its various editions have been performed over 9,000 times, and seen in more than 200 US cities, London, Tokyo, Singapore and Sydney.

For inquiries, call Upstart Productions at 09175285678.

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To mark the 114th anniversary of Phil-Spanish Friendship Day, the exhibit “Liberal Streaks” is currently presented by the Spanish Embassy, the DFA, Fundacion Kapatiran Sandugo, the Metropolitan and Lopez Museums.

The show, an incentive to re-examine collective and individual rights, liberty and independence, commemorates the bicentennial of the 1812 Spanish constitution.

Known for its liberalism, advanced concepts of separation of powers, rule of law and national sovereignty, the constitution espoused democratic rights such as press freedom, male suffrage and due process. Going beyond the borders of Spain, it had a direct effect on Latin American colonies and wielded influence over the crafting  of the Malolos constitution.

The multi-media “Liberal Streaks” explores the concept of democratic principles and institutions through the works of artists Nikki Luna, Louie Talents, Renan Ortiz, JuanBS and the artist group Sanggawa, employing references to the Cadiz constitution and focusing on the notions of democracy and liberal ideas.

The artists have, through their vision, reviewed, dissected and expressed the ideas linked to the events that led to the Cadiz constitution.

At the Lopez Museum the parallel exhibit “Beat” runs until Nov. 11, with Ambassador Jose Maria Carino and Claro Ramirez as curators. The exhibit features books on the constitution and other items, e.g., the painting  “España y Filipinas” by Juan Luna which is a dramatic visual rendering of Phl-Spanish relationship, now on its 114th year.

The exhibit is a revalidation of a shared past, and a shared culture and shared democratic aspirations between the Philippines and Spain.

“Liberal Streaks” opened at the Metropolitan Museum last July 11 and will run through Aug. 15.

For details on the exhibit, contact the Spanish Embassy 8176676, local 112.

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Frederic “Toro” Tan, son of Dr. Vic and Helen Tan, will open his first solo exhibit “Madness of Toro” on July 30, 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. at the Water Dragon Gallery of the Yuchengco Museum. The show will end on Aug. 8. (The gallery is closed on Sundays.)

A private viewing will be held today, July 28, from 6 to 8 p.m.

Part of the exhibit sales proceeds will help support the SINAG Hospital Volunteers Foundation which extends financial assistance to patients in PGH’s Cancer Ward.

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NAMCYA winner and recipient of the Gold Medal in South Korea’s 2008 International Piano Competition, Oliver Salonga, 26, will give a recital on Aug. 3 (8 p.m.) at the Santuario de San Antonio Parish Center, Forbes Park.

Salonga, who has been invited to other prestigious international competitions, has performed with the Sydney Symphony Orchestra among others, and has concertized in Taiwan, Japan, Singapore and Korea.

He gave his first solo recital at age seven, and on Aug. 3, he will play works of Beethoven, Schumann, Liszt, Chopin, Ravel and Rachmaninov.