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A look back: Nick Joaquin’s N.Y. ‘Portrait’ in 1997
By Tony Joaquin Nick Joaquin loved to read The New Yorker magazine and even imitated Broadway musicals that featured Fred Astaire and Ginger Rogers. Nick would have enjoyed New York City — Manhattan particularly. But when he was awarded a travel grant by the Rockefeller Foundation Fellowship, he had no time but just a brief […]
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TOFA-NY welcomes new board members, now open for nominations
The Outstanding Filipino Americans in New York (TOFA-NY) recently launched to a show of support from the Philippine Consulate and a musical extravaganza topbilled by PopOpera artist Jonathan Badon. On its second year, TOFA-NY made two important announcements. One, that it is now accepting nominations for different award categories. Deadline for submission of nominations is […]
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To be Filipino on Broadway
By Cristina DC Pastor Getting a role on Broadway is like reading the tea leaves. Sometimes, it comes easy, other times you have to go to a hundred auditions and callbacks until you land it. Sometimes, the culprit is an unmotivated agent, other times it’s the casting director with blinders. Race is one of the […]
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She’d rather be known for her Voice than her ethnicity
By Elton Lugay Count Cheesa Laureta among the many Filipinos whose career paths are generally paved in two directions: music and health care. Confident of her singing talent, she chose music over the more stable prospects of becoming a nurse. The Hawaii-born couldn’t be happier when she became a finalist in “The Voice,” a new […]
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Filipinos, Mexicans rooting for Jessica Sanchez
By Elton Lugay Another Filipina is gunning for the “American Idol” title. Jessica Sanchez’s powerful vocals had FilAms and the judges gushing and raving about the resurrection of Whitney Houston. “Jessica, you blew us away and made us all speechless for the win,” Aimee Pabilona, a physical therapy aide from Manhattan, posted on Facebook. When […]
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Utterly mesmerizing
By Elton Lugay Rising singing star Kirby Asunto epitomized grace under pressure at her intimate show with co-headliner Jonathan Badon March 2 in Queens. When the wrong instrumental for her tribute to the legendary Etta James was played, the 14-year-old put on her trouper hat and offered to sing “At Last” a cappella to a […]
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A peek into Manny Pacquiao’s world; Mayweather ‘on the horizon’
By Elton Lugay It wasn’t fight day, but Chelsea Pier’s The Lighthouse on February 23 was throbbing with energy. Hordes of Filipino fans were there for a glimpse of Congressman Manny Pacquiao who was promoting the Pacquiao-Bradley bout of June 9 in Las Vegas. When the boxing icon emerged on stage, the crowd went wild […]
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Soprano turns 40 with birthday concert at Carnegie Hall
By Elton Lugay On March 1, Bituin Escarcha will be celebrating her 40th birthday with 268 of her closest friends at Carnegie Hall’s Weill Recital Hall. It will be a birthday party on a high note. This coloratura soprano will be holding a concert with her former voice teacher from UP, Fides Cuyugan-Asensio; former classmates […]
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New England student clubs to host March 9 comedy tour
For the first time on the East Coast, three FilAm funnymen will bring a mixed bag of ethnic and mainstream comedy to college campuses via the Pacific Punchlines Comedy Tour. The show to benefit Sendong Typhoon victims in the Philippines is being organized by FilAm student clubs from Harvard, MIT and Boston University and throughout […]