He bared everything as Dave Bukatinsky in “The Full Monty”; he was Dennis Dupree in the rerun of “Rock of Ages”; and he was equally memorable as Mr. Stephens and Reverend Bliss in “Carrie The Musical.”
The New York Times theater critic Ben Brantley, in a 2009 article titled “Want to Applaud a Broadway Show? Don’t Get Up. Really,” lamented the fact that standing ovations these days have become a “reflexive social gesture, like shaking hands with the host at the end of the party,” instead of a genuine postshow manifestation of roaring approval. Plus, “a standing ovation,” he continued, “seems to help confirm that the money wasn’t wasted.”
Towards the climax of Act II of “Disney’s Tarzan,” the short-lived Broadway musical running until Saturday at the Meralco Theater as Viva Atlantis Theatricals’ second offering of the year, its titular ape-man, torn between remaining with his adoptive gorilla family and following his newfound human friends back to England, frustratingly exclaims, “I’m so confused!”
Singer-actress Vina Morales auditioned for “Rock of Ages,” hoping to get a lead role. When she was cast as Sherrie, the female protagonist-waitress-singer, Vina gave her trainer, Keena Mabiog, less than three months to get her washboard abs back.
It is hard to imagine a Hollywood movie that didn’t use any makeup. Sure, most of the time we take it for granted, and don’t really think about it when we’re watching a blockbuster film.
The single, most remarkable thing that made the Manila staging of “Rock of Ages” (directed by Chari Arespacochaga) unique is that it’s a veritable concert by a cast almost entirely composed of celebrated local recording artists. And the best part was that it was perfectly all right for the audience to sing along with them. How’s that for a good time?
Remember the time when you fought with your mother over why she would turn off your glam metal-baring radio so she could listen to her Paul Anka, Carpenters, or ABBA on the gramophone?
