What is RENT and why all the buzz since 9 Works Theatrical’s new production announced it as 2010’s opening salvo in the local musical theatre scene?

RENT is set in New York City’s gritty East Village, and this revolutionary rock musical is an imaginative retelling of the classic Puccini opera, La Boheme. This unforgettable and timeless story of a group of starving artists, who, despite poverty and illness, learn to fall in love and find their voices, brings a universal message of hope for everyone.

Winner of the Tony Award for Best Musical and the Pulitzer Prize, RENT with Book, Music and Lyrics by the late Jonathan Larson, has made a lasting mark on Broadway with songs that rock and a story that really resonates.

To bring this important piece of musical theatre to the local Filipino community is a commitment of 9 Works Theatrical to deliver only the best plays and musicals — either originally written or from both Broadway and the West End.

Here’s a quick look at the road to RENT… Continue Reading »

The Sunday Times says the couple have already signed legal papers to pave the way for a separation involving £205 million, as well as joint custody of their six children.

Rumours have been circulating for months, if not years, that all has not been well in the Brangelina camp. Pitt and Jolie will keep all the money they have earned, which Forbes estimates at more than US$100 million each. Continue Reading »

The winners of the Screen Actors Guild Awards held last January 24 in Los Angeles were not surprising. I root and rave for Sandra Bullock and her chances for an Academy Award gold and maybe an Oscar this March. 

For Bridges of “Crazy Heart,” Bullock of “The Blind Side” and for SAG supporting-acting honorees Mo’Nique of “Precious” and Christoph Waltz of “Inglourious Basterds,” there’s reason to suspect the Oscar ceremony will be a happy rerun of Saturday’s SAG Awards and last Sunday’s Golden Globes.

All four were recognized at the Globes, as well, while “Avatar” was named best drama and Cameron won as best director.

So here’s the complete list..enjoy! Continue Reading »

On Thursday, January 28, the Sundance Film Festival dispatches eight filmmakers with their films from Park City to eight cities across the country to screen and discuss direct-from-Festival films with audiences. Tickets will be available through each theatre’s individual box office. Continue Reading »

First prize SM Hypermarket, Makati made of rugs

SM Hypermarket will showcase the winners of its “Jazz Up Your Green Bag” contest through a series of exhibits this January in various branches to instill awareness on environment preservation among its shoppers.

First prize SM Hypermarket, Muntinlupa made of laces

The competition, which attracted almost 300 entries from 19 SM Hypermarket branches, encouraged shoppers to creatively design with a holiday theme their SM Green Bags using environment-friendly or recyclable materials such as paper scraps, bottle caps, old newspapers, leaves, and rattan. Continue Reading »