Hercules and the Partyphile

It has been said that there are only a few activities that are more “cultured” than watching a musicale or a live stage production. Unfortunately, this notion has somewhat kept the art of stage plays and musicales out of the reach of the masses, and out of reach of the general audience. Thus, stage plays and musicales are a rarity in Davao City; and it is pretty understandable why.

Stage plays have not managed to pique the interest of a market that is large enough to actually support a whole theatre industry in the city. How come? Well, I do not know for sure, but my take is that somewhere along the way, stage plays have become somewhat superfluous and kind of backwards. It has ceased to be entertaining for the general public because it has stopped giving them what they really want to see and hear.

I am not in any way an institution when it comes to theatre. But I am sharing my views on theatre as part of the Davaoeno youth. The closest thing we get to a musicale is Glee, and that has been packaged to be eaten up by the masses. Is this a bad thing? Not really. But it does veer away from the actual experience of watching a live play. And that, in my opinion, is interest wasted. Because watching a stage presentation is in itself a magical experience; something that is awe-inspiring. In this day and age when people are lining up for the best viewing experience (3D theatres and iMax), it still remains a mystery to me why people still do not take the same interest in watching live productions. Is there really a better viewing experience than actually seeing actors in the flesh?

Of course there are other factors to consider; the biggest one being the genre of the production. As far as I am concerned, over-singing and classical arias do not excite. What I am looking for is a production that speaks to me in a way I understand. The good news is there are a few plays that actually give that to me. These exceptions include Rent and the Rocky Horror Show. Recently, I added a new production to this very short list of musicales that manage to feel modern and up-with-the-times while dealing with the classic themes of love, hate, and heroism: Hercules 12.

Hercules 12 is a pop-emo musicale that tells the classic tale of Hercules’ 12 Labors. We are all familiar with the myth of Hercules because it is one of the most popular parts of Greek mythology and has been the basis for one of the more popular Disney movies. However, Hercules 12, the musicale takes the story right into 2011.

Hercules 12 was staged last February 23 at the Cap Auditorium and was brought to the Davaoeno public by The University of Southeastern Philippines; a project that was spearheaded by the Dean of the College of Education, Mr. Dennis Alonzo. Obviously, the audience was filled with students from the said university during both showings of the play, though I really wished that more schools would have made it to the production as I was curious to see how college students reacted to a play.

But according to my experience, the students from USEP reacted quite positively. Of course, there were the understandable shrieks brought about by teenage infatuation with the male leads; but other than that, they acted quite maturely. The students….the whole audience… were engrossed with this unique telling of the classical tale. Again, Hercules 12 is a pop-emo musicale. What does that mean? It means that they used music, language, and expressions that this generation understands, enjoys, and uses. Hercules 12 made the (medium of a) musicale accessible to a generation whose interest for the said art is waning, or totally absent. The staging was interesting, to say the least, as it featured a great storyline, an attention-grabbing opening, and a heart-warming end.

The cast was lead by one of the more familiar faces in Philippine television, Geoff Taylor, for his first leading role in a stage production. The rest of the cast included Aandrei David, Leo Ponsesca, Ron Ryan Alfonso, Sherwin Marquez, Carlo Morris Galang, Ruth Alferez, Irene Delarmente, Sheryl Maala, Jean Louise Lapus, and Pipay Era and was directed by George de Jesus III. The director was credible, as the production seemed seamless and interesting from top to bottom. The cast was believable, and they seemed to fit the roles of angsty, emo, characters. Their voices blended well, the provided the proper emotion, and they knew how to act to fill the whole stadium with the feelings they wanted to evoke. All in all, Hercules 12 was a wonderful play. I just wish that the production company behind it, Young Artists Production, would create more plays that are up-with-the-times and exciting for the youth of today, and for the youth of Davao.

Catch Confessions of a Partyphile (the radio show) every Wednesday evenings from 6 to 9 on 105.9 Mix FM or www.mixfm1059.com. Follow the columnist on twitter.com/zhaun or add facebook.com/confessionsofapartyphile on Facebook. For comments, suggestions, and more confessions from this partyphile, log on to http://party.i.ph

Party Tracks Reviewed

Music is one of the most important elements to any party. It sets the mood, and to some extent, dictates how the crowd should behave. If you are looking for new songs to play on your next party, here is a rundown of some of the latest party tracks to climb the international charts.

Hello by Martin Solveig and Dragonette. Although neither of the artists featured in this upbeat track are well-known in this country, the song still managed to receive its fair share of radio play because of the merits of the song. For a song that was obviously created to target the club-going market, “Hello” is actually quite radio friendly. The vocals are simple and straight-forward and the vocalist does not have a very distinctive voice. In fact, the voice on this record lacks “power”, but that is something you’d expect from a party-track. However, I would not go as far as to say that the voice lacks character because it actually does have some; the voice sounds impish and childish…and this carries the song well. The fast, repetitive beat gives off a very playful and carefree vibe; perfect for a chillaxed night-out. Would I dance to this inside the club? Probably not. It’s too “light” for me. However, I will play this in the car before I step into the club to get me into a fun, friendly mood.

A Year Without Rain by Selena Gomez and The Scene. Selena Gomez is a Disney star who is currently making headlines for being the rumoured girl friend of Justin Bieber. The Scene is her backing band; but this is not a collaboration. The name of the whole band (including the lead vocalist) is Selena Gomez and The Scene. What does the track sound like? Like most Disney records, it is pretty radio-friendly, and child-friendly, but it is not juvenile. The topic, of course, is love and longing. As Gomez sings about the woes of living without her loved one, the beat takes over, and the song takes you directly to the club. The beat is actually pretty legitimate. It is a pretty good track, and sure makes for a fun night of dancing. Plus, it reveals some level of maturity for Gomez. Take that Bieber!

Barbra Streisand by Duck Sauce. Alright, so here is the deal. The track’s vocals is nothing more than a few “oohs” and a male voice flatly saying Miss Streisand’s voice. Does it work? Heck yeah. Everybody knows Barbra as a snooty, perfectionist, uber-diva and the fact that the song features a voice saying her name which is preceded by “oohs” that actually sound like a mockery makes the song fun. And that is probably the best way to describe the track. It is sarcastic, it is fun, and it does not take itself too seriously. The beat though, is where it shines the most. It is one of those beats that is instantly recognizable after a couple of listens, and will inspire you to bob your head and sway your hips. It is an instant dance hit that is bound to hit the clubs and stay there for a very long time.

Party Rock Anthem by LMFAO feat Lauren Bennett and Goon Rock. The title of this track actually makes a lot of sense. It kind of sounds like a party song, it kinda sounds like a rock song, and it kinda sounds like it has the makings of a club anthem. It starts off with a steady beat peppered with vocals, then builds up to a crescendo until all the vocals layer over each other and the beats get louder, faster, and stronger, and then it stops (for emphasis I guess). And then the song resumes with a riff that sounds very Dutch-House (that is “budots” for Davaoenos) and then starts all over again until it reaches its climax of thick vocals, overwhelming beats and sounds, and then it slows down to what seems like a “fade”, but the it ends abruptly. The song is not very typical. Although it sounds familiar, the way they built the song is very peculiar. Is this bad? Not really. It makes the song sound young, festive, fun, and very danceable.

For your dose of new party tracks, listen to Confessions of a Partyphile (the radio show) on 105.9 Mix FM every Wednesday evenings, from six to nine. Follow the columnist on twitter.com/zhaun or add facebook.com/confessionsofapartyphile on Facebook. For comments, suggestions, and more confessions from this partyphile, log on to http://party.i.ph

Celebrity Birthdays March 9

Bow Wow (24)

Chingy (31)

Advance Happy Birthday

Emily Osment (18)

Carrie Underwood (27)

Tiimbaland (39)

Sharon Stone (52)

Osama Bin Laden (53)

Chuck Norris (70)

Happy Birthday to my friends Martin Samson

Drink of the Week: Mojito

1.5 oz rum

3 mint leaves

2 tablespoons simple syrup

.5 oz lime juice

2 oz soda water

Tear the mint leaves and place in the glass. Top with crushed ice and the rest of the ingredients. Garnish with a wedge of lime and serve.

Things to do in Summer

Top Ten Things to Do During Summer

10 Go on a road trip around Mindanao

9 Find some fun activity to do like wakeboarding or zorbing

8 Pig out on ice cream

7 Learn how to bartend (whether enroll in a class or practice with the help of the internet)

6 repaint your room. Gather some friend to help you repaint your room, and maybe even repaint each other’s rooms. It will be heaps of fun

5 Hit the beach, wear your favorite bikini, wear white sun glasses, and have a cocktail in hand

4 Throw a Summer party complete with fire dancers and chill out music

3 Drink Frozen Margaritas, Mojitos, or any other cool cocktail

2 Get a tan, which still remains to be the hottest summer accessory

1 Find a summer fling

Maria Aragon Performance with Lady Gaga

So here is Lady Gaga's performance with Filipina Youtube sensation Maria Aragon

Your Favorite Sobering Holes

Your Favorite Sobering Holes

Drinking and Eating. These seem to be two of the most pleasurable things in life. Often, they go hand in hand, and the only decision left to make is whether we eat while we drink, before we drink, or after we drink. Obviously, in the past, when liquor bans did not exist, or were not as strictly implemented, the usual Saturday itinerary would have been to eat, drink, party, then go home. Nobody seemed to want to eat much after hard partying, mostly because the thought of hurling out Sausage McMuffin with Egg across the Taxi cab’s floor was not very pretty. These days, however, we do not get as drunk as we used to thanks to the liquor ban. Thus, we still manage to hold food in our stomachs instead of spitting it out via a rainbow shower. More importantly, two in the morning is just too early for a partyphile; dining out simply kills time and convinces us that our Saturdays have been extended.

Now, what piques my curiosity is where everybody dines after partying. So, I took an informal poll among all my friends and followers on several different social networking sites, and got some pretty interesting answers. Here are the top five spots you dine in after a hard night of partying:

5. Boyongs - This new stall along Torres seems to be getting more and more popular. With hearty Balbacua that is affordable enough to fit anyone's budget (about twenty-five pesos), and a no-frills menu (they serve Balbacua and ONLY Balbacua), this place seems to be the safe haven for drunks who just want their fill of hot-soup. Plus, it is a stone’s throw away from the drunkard’s preferred watering hole: Prime Square.

4. Bankerohan and Goyongs (tie) - There is nothing better than a bowl of good old Bulalo after a hard night of partying. Unless of course, it is a 40 peso bowl of good old bulalo after a hard night of partying! And that is exactly what you get at Bankerohan. Ask anyone at Bankerohan where the Bulaluhan is, and they will direct you to a quaint stall at the back end of the market. Prepare to be shocked as they serve you a HUGE serving of beef shank with extra soup.

On the other side of the city is Goyongs; Mami House that opens in the evening and is located by the Rotonda in Ponciano, right under the billboards. They serve Lugaw (rice porridge), Mami (noodle soup), and instant noodles for below twenty pesos. Note: You have to make sure that you visit the store right before the call center agents from a nearby call center take their lunch break. They will wipe out Goyongs lugaw in 2 minutes flat. If you want to try it (and trust me, you would) drop by a little earlier than everybody else.

3. McDonalds Bajada - McDonalds Bajada is near most of the party spots in the metro so it is no wonder why people flock this branch between 3am to 4am. We all know what to expect from McDonalds, and no-frills eating is probably what we need after some really hard partying. More importantly, their breakfast menu is THE BOMB!

2. Bulca Chong- Although there aren't many food choices in Bulca Chong; sometimes all you really need is a bowl of hot soup. Of course, it helps that their soup tastes really, really good and is very hearty. The soup is actually made with Carabao meat, so it’s kind of novel. A bowl costs around 75 to 90 pesos and is satisfying even without rice. Heads up: the place is filled to the brim at around 2:30 am. You might want to visit a little earlier, or a little later. Oh, and tourists looove Bulca Chong. Take your out-of-towner friends to this spot after partying.

1. Dimsum Diner Guerrero: Dimsum diner seems to have everything for everybody. They have cold drinks, hot soup, rice meals, dim sum, and other light snacks. Thus, they have an answer for whatever it is you are craving for, after partying. More importantly, they have good service, wonderful interiors, and filling food. And they are open twenty-four hours a day.

Catch Confessions of a Partyphile (the radio show) every Wedn