Artist Playground Opens Season with Happiness is a Pearl

Artist Playground Opens Season with Happiness is a Pearl

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What Can You Do For Love ?

“Happiness is a Pearl,” an original play penned by Carlos Palanca Memorial Awards for Literature Hall of Famer Rody Vera is all set to open on June 9 at the 1701 The Little Room Upstairs located at Landsdale Tower, Mother Ignacia St. corner Timog Avenue, Quezon City.

The play shall run until July 3, 2016 with 7 pm shows from Wednesday – Friday; 3 pm and 7 pm shows every Saturday and Sunday.

As the opening production for the second season of Artist Playground, “Happiness is a Pearl” revolves around three characters —Kenji, a male courtesan; Maria, a poor Pinay Japayuki; and Mari, a wife who falls in love with Kenji.

Synopsis

Before becoming a prostitute in a club in Kabukicho, Tokyo, Mari was married to a wealthy businessman. But Mari’s billionaire husband soon leaves her when she becomes attached to a male gigolo named Kenji, who has a pearl stitched under the skin of his penis. However, Kenji sets his eyes on a poverty-stricken Filipina entertainer named Maria. Intertwined by fate and struggles, how will Kenji, Maria, and Mari find the true meaning of love and happiness ?

“Happiness is a Pearl” will be directed by Paul Jake Paule, an esteemed actor, director and Aliw Awards nominee.

Cast

The cast shall feature guest artists Ruth Alferez (Mari); indie film actor Tomas Miranda (Kenji); together with The Players, Artist Playground’s very own group of artists namely Cath Go (Mari, alternate), Jerome Rosalin (Kenji, alternate); Shiela Espina and Irra Ruzz (Maria).

The Players are young budding professional group of artists, discovered by Artist Playground through its series of workshops. As in-house members of the company, they can write, direct or act in the year-long season of plays. They are also given the opportunity to hone their skills by mounting fresh and well-thought of productions that are entertaining, mind boggling, and socially relevant. through the professional guidance by some of the most respected artists in the industry.

In so doing, The Players are able to cultivate their talents and skills by engaging in powerful artistic explorations, and even act as mentors amongst each other as one family. Driven by the love for theater, The Players shall continue develop enjoyable theater masterpieces for its audiences regardless of age, gender, and class, in the entire Philippines, if not in the world.

Artistic and Production Team

The artistic team of “Happiness is a Pearl” are as follows: Paul Jake Paule (Director); Roeder Camanag (Artistic Director), Rody Vera (Playwright); Jesse Lucas (Playwright); Sharon Perlas (Sound Designer);

Rowena Jarito (Sound Designer Apprentice); Melvin Sumalinog and Erick Jonathan Sumalinog (Guitarists); Joseph Navarro (Lights Designer and Board Operator); Lezlie Dailisan (Choreographer); Reynoso Mercado (Production Designer); Sem Pabion (Dramaturg); Mailes Kanapi (Creative Consultant); and John Mark Yap (Lay-out Designer).

The production team is composed of the following: Kimberly Claire R. Somoza (Production Manager); Dayana Dancel (Stage Manager); Jacelle Escanan and Princess April Tuason (Assistant Stage Managers); Reynoso Mercado (Set Head); Coleen Lanit (Costume Head0; Christian James Tiongson (Props Head); and John Paul Racho (Spinner).

For tickets and inquiries, visit Artist Playground’s FB Page or contact 0926 932 3179.

For more details about what’s happening in the Manila theater scene, please view our Theater Calendar.