While looking for a site where I could watch Pacquio VS Clottey fight, I saw in my Facebook wall a post by PinayAds about The Manila production of “The Wedding Singer” Audition. Just by seeing the title I quickly post a comment and like it (I obviously love the wedding Singer since the first time I heard the soundtrack specially the new songs way back 2006). Upon reading the blog I saw the first comment of eRLyN. it stimulated me to respond to her comment. By then my Broadway Baby blood resurrected from deep-freeze and made me awake the whole night. In short, I’m so inspired to write this blog.

Over the last month or so, I have noticed that Broadway Musical led to a steep ascend in demand for theater industry in Manila. They constantly produce some of the remarkable Broadway and West End productions and these sounds good for a Musical enthusiast like me.

Most of my friends and relatives are just familiar with traditional Broadway production like “Miss Saigon” and “Les Miserables” where Lea Salongga known for, and “The Sound of Music” which is being shown on TV during the holidays and our neighbor is about to perform that in their School stage play that annoys me a lot because of repeatedly playing the “DO-RE-MI” in deafening sound volume.

It makes me feel like an alien tattering with strange language when I talk to them about some of amazing innovative, edgy and contemporary musicals. I started to appreciate these Contemporary Musicals when I saw one. I’m not talking about seeing it on broadway or in London I am talking about an original contemporary Filipino musical called “Darna” (or should I say VALENTINA? Since she’s the speaking/singing character and most of the story runs on her). It was produced by the Ballet Philippines in 2003 and staged in the main theater of Cultural Center of the Philippines starring Chin Chin Guttierez/ Tex Ordones as the funny villain character Valentina and Tim Yap / JM Rodriguez as the groovy fashion freak story teller DJ Dalang.
The story is so different from what we saw on TV or in movie, it is actually comedy. What makes me appreciate this musical is that I didn’t see it in a traditional way like the Broadway magic does. Here are things I do remember after 7 years.

Comics-Scenic stage design

All rigging, colorful flashy framings, the visual effects, the handling of props were done in full view of the audience to create “frames” imitating the comic book illustration.
It is the busiest stage I’ve seen. The audience sees the scene being set up and the visual effects being created as the comic book situations come to life within the frames.
The wall climbing riggers in front of your eyes doing counterweight system to make ground to air flying movements of Darna all over the CCP Theater. And also they blend into some scene like the scene where Valentina utilize her electrifying power to knock down one of the riggers.

Exaggerated props and interactive “DARNA!”

Amazingly Darna transform in front of your eyes with some little trick of switching frames. A frame went behind Narda, then turn to reveal the soaring Darna. Who will scream the famous line of transformation if Narda is not the speaking role? Who else but the audience. This treatment created an interactive environment where audience participated with the scenes by yelling what the Over-size dialogue bubbles says. “Ding ang bato?” and “Darna!” were the lines I recall. With the transformation scene Narda need to swallow the amulet but in the scene which Valentina stolen the amulet and tried to swallow, the amulet is as big as a football. The scene is very hilarious. Memorable dialoguethat I remember:

Valentina: boys, kaya ko bang lunukin itong bato?
BoyToy: Boss, dilaan mo na lang!

First attempt

Valentina: Darna!!!! (turn into Manananggal)
Boytoy: Boss ang pangit! Ulitin mo.

Second attempt

Valentina: Darna!!! (in a gay voice) Apparently she turn into Gay- Darna kuno
BoyToy: Boss ang sagwa may mali eh! Again again!

Third attempt

Valentina: Darna!!!! (turn into Magnificent flying Valentina and takes over the show)

Neighbor Influences

Wayang kulit or the puppet theater of Indonesia persuades most of the scene. Literally Darna the Musical uses shadow to create some of the establishing scene but they didn’t use puppets to achieve it. Instead they use human silhouette. Wayang kulit also influence the name of the character DJ Dalang, Darna as the wayang or the puppet and DJ Dalang as the dalang or the master puppeteer.

Chinese Dragon which we normally seen during Chinese New Year was also incorporated in the production. In the Major battle between Darna and Valentina, Valentina transform into a Giant Serpent and cover the whole stage. That was breathtaking and amazing.

Splendid Music

What I like the most in this production is the Music. Jesse Lucas, Musical Director/ composer and Arranger created the atmospheric and electronic music for the Darna production. Some of the song I remember is “We have the Powers” if im not mistaken they danced it like a taiboo style and incorporated the phenomenal Asereje dance step. my favorite, the 2nd opening act “Nasan Ka”. The stage light up with a huge VALENTINA cut out lettering hanging over the center stage.