Creating magic with ‘Beauty and the Beast’
July 28, 2003 | 12:00am
As a director, I’m a good actress – which means I admit to being a better actress than a director – which is probably why I enjoy acting more. Except for the Rep Children’s Theater. When I started directing productions for children, I discovered I could let others create the theater magic on stage that I could only envision in my mind. This is like having your cake and eating it, too.
For example, I can discuss a concept with Liz Batoctoy and know that she will come up with set and costume designs far beyond what I could ever imagine. If the props and effects I want are beyond her she will always say, "I‘ll ask Benny." Benny Batoctoy can solve practically any problem concerning props.
I can plot (move the actors) a play but I lean heavily on Jaime del Prado not only to choreograph the musical numbers but to help me choreograph comic and chase scenes, in which children’s theater productions abound.
I know I do not have to worry about lighting a production because come production week I will gasp at the beauty and effectiveness of Naomi "Shoko" Matsumoto’s lights.
When Liz delivers her final set model, I am confident that I can turn it over the Ben Zacarias, Rep’s set constructor, who has done Rep’s sets for the last 20 years, and to Adul Lasin, who has the artistic talent and skill to rival many Filipino exhibitors, to faithfully reproduce it on stage.
Then, there is Gidget Tolentino whose right side of the brain tells me what I can and cannot spend but whose left side makes sure my actors can be understood and that their voices sound the best they can be and who "conducts" the "orchestra" that Pipo Cifra has brilliantly created electronically. She is assisted by Jhun Valeda who gives me the sound effects I ask for and by Pablito Salvador who flicks the switches for Shoko’s hundreds of light cues.
And finally there is Bibot Amador who points out flaws and irons out kinks and helps me turn stumbling neophytes into professional actors so that the Rep stamp of excellence can be put on the production. Then I sit back and take the credit.
It took me six months of pre-prod work to put on a production. For Beauty and The Beast, it started in January with preliminary discussions with Liz. I had to try to get Liz when she was between a million jobs, so great is the demand for her creativity both for stage and screen. I once was told by a set designer, whom I was trying to engage, that he didn’t want to work for me because I had my own ideas about the set. No such problem with Liz. She listened to my concept and then created her own design but continued to be open to revisions, necessitated by budget limitations, ease of set change and storage, lighting requirements, and some of my not-so-easy staging ideas. Luckily, our personalities are in sync because each meeting was conducted in harmony, and with openness and humor.
About the same time, I got hold of Pipo. I gave him the script and score, explained the concept of the whole production, and we went over each song where I suggested tempos and pointed out sections I wanted shortened or lengthened. As promised, a few weeks later he came up with a recorded piano version and a few weeks after that with an orchestra arrangement of the music that would tug at the heart or tickle the funny-bone and that would inspire Jaime’s brilliant choreography.
Then I managed to get hold of Shoko, another person who is very hard to pin down so great is the demand for her services. She said she would be busy with other productions but would squeeze me in if I was willing to have her assistant Tricia Zarate fill in for her at rehearsals. What I admire so much about Shoko (besides her genius with lights) is her complete professionalism. Her designs are professionally executed and she is up front from the beginning and lets you know the score right away. Then she keeps absolutely true to her commitment.
Production meetings were always fun. They were mostly held at my apartment since the Rep premises at Karivin Plaza were being inundated by summer work-shoppers at the time. Liz and Benny, Shoko and Tricia, Ben and his crew, Adul, my assistants Liesl Batucan and Ayam Barredo and my stage manager Jojo Amboy. Center of the discussions was Liz’s model of the set. Possible problems were pointed out and solutions suggested. Discussions were always free flowing and heavily spiced with humor. Timetables were set and by the end of April I could leave for a vacation confident that all the work would be done.
We have been in rehearsal since the first week of June. The choreography has been completed and we are doing run-through for three different cast combinations every day. The neophytes have caught up with the veterans. The set is ready to be put up. We will be ready to move into the Onstage Theater by the end of this month.
I have no illusions that there will be no problems before the first performance on Aug. 2. It seems every time one problem is solved, another one pops up. Production week (the week we move into the theater before opening) will probably be a nightmare. Working in a theater for the first time, limited technical rehearsal time, and trying out effects for the first time will not be easy. But I am confident that when the curtains opens on the Repertory Children’s Theater musical production of Beauty and the Beast, the audience – children, parents and other relatives, teachers, and anyone wanting to experience again the simplicity and sweetness of childhood – will see a magical production into which so much passion, good-will and talent has been poured.
Beauty and the Beast will open at the Onstage Theater in Greenbelt I on Aug. 2.
Tickets are still available for Aug. 2 at 10:30 a.m., Aug. 17 at 2:30 p.m. and Aug. 23 at 1:30 p.m. For other performance dates and times and inquiries about single and group ticket sales, call the Rep Box Office at 887-0710. Special weekday, and a limited number of weekend, dates are available for booking.
Rep offices are located at C2-A Bldg. C., Karrivin Plaza, 2316 Pasong Tamo Ext., Makati City.
For example, I can discuss a concept with Liz Batoctoy and know that she will come up with set and costume designs far beyond what I could ever imagine. If the props and effects I want are beyond her she will always say, "I‘ll ask Benny." Benny Batoctoy can solve practically any problem concerning props.
I can plot (move the actors) a play but I lean heavily on Jaime del Prado not only to choreograph the musical numbers but to help me choreograph comic and chase scenes, in which children’s theater productions abound.
I know I do not have to worry about lighting a production because come production week I will gasp at the beauty and effectiveness of Naomi "Shoko" Matsumoto’s lights.
When Liz delivers her final set model, I am confident that I can turn it over the Ben Zacarias, Rep’s set constructor, who has done Rep’s sets for the last 20 years, and to Adul Lasin, who has the artistic talent and skill to rival many Filipino exhibitors, to faithfully reproduce it on stage.
Then, there is Gidget Tolentino whose right side of the brain tells me what I can and cannot spend but whose left side makes sure my actors can be understood and that their voices sound the best they can be and who "conducts" the "orchestra" that Pipo Cifra has brilliantly created electronically. She is assisted by Jhun Valeda who gives me the sound effects I ask for and by Pablito Salvador who flicks the switches for Shoko’s hundreds of light cues.
And finally there is Bibot Amador who points out flaws and irons out kinks and helps me turn stumbling neophytes into professional actors so that the Rep stamp of excellence can be put on the production. Then I sit back and take the credit.
It took me six months of pre-prod work to put on a production. For Beauty and The Beast, it started in January with preliminary discussions with Liz. I had to try to get Liz when she was between a million jobs, so great is the demand for her creativity both for stage and screen. I once was told by a set designer, whom I was trying to engage, that he didn’t want to work for me because I had my own ideas about the set. No such problem with Liz. She listened to my concept and then created her own design but continued to be open to revisions, necessitated by budget limitations, ease of set change and storage, lighting requirements, and some of my not-so-easy staging ideas. Luckily, our personalities are in sync because each meeting was conducted in harmony, and with openness and humor.
About the same time, I got hold of Pipo. I gave him the script and score, explained the concept of the whole production, and we went over each song where I suggested tempos and pointed out sections I wanted shortened or lengthened. As promised, a few weeks later he came up with a recorded piano version and a few weeks after that with an orchestra arrangement of the music that would tug at the heart or tickle the funny-bone and that would inspire Jaime’s brilliant choreography.
Then I managed to get hold of Shoko, another person who is very hard to pin down so great is the demand for her services. She said she would be busy with other productions but would squeeze me in if I was willing to have her assistant Tricia Zarate fill in for her at rehearsals. What I admire so much about Shoko (besides her genius with lights) is her complete professionalism. Her designs are professionally executed and she is up front from the beginning and lets you know the score right away. Then she keeps absolutely true to her commitment.
Production meetings were always fun. They were mostly held at my apartment since the Rep premises at Karivin Plaza were being inundated by summer work-shoppers at the time. Liz and Benny, Shoko and Tricia, Ben and his crew, Adul, my assistants Liesl Batucan and Ayam Barredo and my stage manager Jojo Amboy. Center of the discussions was Liz’s model of the set. Possible problems were pointed out and solutions suggested. Discussions were always free flowing and heavily spiced with humor. Timetables were set and by the end of April I could leave for a vacation confident that all the work would be done.
We have been in rehearsal since the first week of June. The choreography has been completed and we are doing run-through for three different cast combinations every day. The neophytes have caught up with the veterans. The set is ready to be put up. We will be ready to move into the Onstage Theater by the end of this month.
I have no illusions that there will be no problems before the first performance on Aug. 2. It seems every time one problem is solved, another one pops up. Production week (the week we move into the theater before opening) will probably be a nightmare. Working in a theater for the first time, limited technical rehearsal time, and trying out effects for the first time will not be easy. But I am confident that when the curtains opens on the Repertory Children’s Theater musical production of Beauty and the Beast, the audience – children, parents and other relatives, teachers, and anyone wanting to experience again the simplicity and sweetness of childhood – will see a magical production into which so much passion, good-will and talent has been poured.
Tickets are still available for Aug. 2 at 10:30 a.m., Aug. 17 at 2:30 p.m. and Aug. 23 at 1:30 p.m. For other performance dates and times and inquiries about single and group ticket sales, call the Rep Box Office at 887-0710. Special weekday, and a limited number of weekend, dates are available for booking.
Rep offices are located at C2-A Bldg. C., Karrivin Plaza, 2316 Pasong Tamo Ext., Makati City.
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