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2 win Pinoy Idol
Mass communications graduate Criselda Bernardo from Bacolod, and Michelle Semana, a civil engineer from Zambales were proclaimed winners of the worldwide search for the Pinoy Singing Idol, now on its second year. The two New Yorkers won $1,000 each and a round-trip ticket to Manila to join other finalists from Australia, Canada, Dubai, Hong Kong, […]
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Job hunting – on Broadway
By Elton Lugay Backed by her solid stage musical experience in the Philippines, Rachel Alejandro is bracing for Broadway. She and husband Carlos Santamaria are newlyweds who decided to make Manhattan their second home. “We both thought New York is a good place to start our life together,” Rachel who has been a longtime U.S. […]
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All-Filipino cast in Sondheim tribute
The Philippine Development Foundation USA will hold a fundraising gala on November 7 at the Alice Tully Hall, Lincoln Center with a concert tribute to Stephen Sondheim headlined by Tony winner Lea Salonga. Lea (“Miss Saigon,” “Les Miserables,” Disney’s “Mulan” and “Aladdin”) is joined by an impressive cast of Filipino American Broadway stars: Joan Almedilla […]
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A Rockstar on and off Broadway
By Elton Lugay When Mig Ayesa snagged the role of 1980s rocker Stacee Jaxx in the Broadway musical “Rock of Ages,” no one would have thought that this Fil-Australian singer suffered a bad stutter as a kid. “When I spoke, I couldn’t say the Rs or Ws, Ts or Ds,” he revealed to The FilAm […]
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Which Streep are you?
By Elton Lugay “Streep Tease” debuted recently at Joe’s Pub on Lafayette Street to sold-out performances. Roy Cruz, the producer and creator of the show, said he felt bad turning away “so many people” unable to get tickets. The show is a testament to Roy’s fixation with the greatest actress of her generation, the phenomenal […]
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A month of indie gay films
There’s still time to catch the July-long Filipino Indie Gay Film Festival at the Producers Club Indiehouse Theaters on 358 West 44, two blocks from the 42nd Street subway. The series, which began July 14 with the screening of “Pulupot” (Clingy), will feature the following films: July 21: “Laruang Lalake” (Boytoy aka Censored Dreams) July […]
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So long, Harry
By Daniel de la Rosa Life goes around in a circle, and watching the Harry Potter movies over the last bakers’ dozen years with my daughter brought the saga home for me. I watched the earlier movies with my pre-teen daughter all those years ago, and the trio of main actors were all around the […]
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SOM at 3: An album in progress
By Elton Lugay OPM band Sounds of Manila is celebrating its third anniversary this month with a series of concerts and the start of production for its first album. Known for its repertoire of Original Pilipino Music, the group is thrilled about its work in progress, an album featuring the music of Cecile Azarcon. Azarcon, […]
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• ‘Amigo’ comes to U.S. theaters • 3 days of Philippines in America • Storming Times Square for Bastille Festival
“Amigo,” the much-anticipated independent feature by acclaimed filmmaker John Sayles, will be distributed in theaters across the United States by Variance Films. Set during the Philippine-American War at the turn of the previous century and filmed entirely in The Philippines, “Amigo” — the 17th feature film from Academy Award-nominated writer-director Sayles — features a stellar […]