Sights and Sounds: Mula sa Buwan Press Conference
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With writer and director Pat Valera and musical composer William Elvin Manzano at the helm, Mula sa Buwan is looking to be the next original Filipino musical masterpiece.
cast and creative team of Mula sa Buwan
Background
Based on Edmond Rostand’s Cyrano de Bergerac, Mula sa Buwan was first staged in 2010 under the title ‘Cyrano Isang Sarsuwela’ at the University of the Asia and the Pacific (UA&P). Since then, the artistic team has reworked the material and has made significant changes in the arrangement of the music, in the way the scenes have been re-written, and in the casting. The only cast member reprising his original role is leading man Nicco Manalo, who alternates with Boo Gabunada as Cyrano. Manalo is also the assistant director for this run.
L-R: Nicco Manalo and Boo Gabunada
About the Show
This prolific writing team has replaced Rostand’s poetry with our own Filipino music, our own haranas, and our own kundiman, infusing it with a modern rock sound that can easily resonate with the youth.
(READ: Mula sa Buwan: A New Musical about Love and Defiance)
Pat Valera: “With Mula sa Buwan, we felt that we cannot present a musical adaptation to a Filipino audience. We adapted it to a more familiar story. Our story.”
L-R: Nicco Manalo and Boo Gabunada (Cyrano), director Pat Valera, KL Dizon (Roxane), Fred Lo (Christian)
“Mula sa Buwan is now set in the 1940’s era, in the grand times when Escolta was still grand, and Intramuros had 7 churches, and we were at the cusp of our liberty.”
KL Dizon (Roxane) and Fred Lo (Christian)
Act 1 is only set in 3 days, from December 5-8, 1941 in the beautiful landscape that is Old Manila. Young, idealistic ROTC cadets aged 18-20 are at the forefront of this musical, inspired by a real-life guerilla group called Hunters ROTC. As we know from history, December 7 was the day the Japanese bombed Pearl Harbor, which quickly led to their invasion of Manila. This 2016 commemorates the 75th year since this painful time in our history.
L-R: Fred Lo (Christian), KL Dizon (Roxane), Nicco Manalo and Boo Gabunada (Cyrano)
Performance Excerpts
Last November 22, the press was given the privilege of seeing 5 performance excerpts from the musical. Here’s a look at what you can expect come December 2.
1. Manifesto, performed by Ronah Rostata and company. The song talks about the identity and the virtues of the youth back in the 40’s.
2. Ikaw, performed by Nicco Manalo, Boo Gabunada, and KL Dizon. Cyrano sings a song from behind the shadows while Roxane is looking for him.
3. Awit ni Roxane, performed by KL Dizon. Roxane confides to her best friend Cyrano about her feelings for Christian, but Cyrano thinks that she’s talking about him.
4. Matatapos din, performed by Fred Lo and company. It is the song of the wide-eyed Christian who’s at a loss for words. He gets the message across with the simplest of words because of his pure heart.
5. Ang Sabi Nila, performed by KL Dizon. It is known to be the most painful song of the musical, especially for those who don’t want to move on and forget
You can purchase tickets here!
Photo Coverage by Erickson dela Cruz
