Dominic plays his cards right

Young actor Dominic Ochoa may as well be proof that patience is a virtue each showbiz wannabe should have. Introduced four years ago by the ABS-CBN Talent Center via the Star Circle Batch 4, Dominic stayed in the wings, patiently waiting for his turn on centerstage.

And while waiting for the big breaks, he gained good reviews from showbiz observers. He bagged the 2001 Star Awards Best Actor in a Drama Series and he acquitted himself wonderfully in Star Cinema’s Tanging Yaman. His fans have seen him through his early TV stints (Esperanza, Gimik, Kaybol, Labs Ko Si Babes) to his current outings as a host on Magandang Tanghali Bayan and the TV comedy Whattamen. His last movies Got To Believe and Forevermore proved the adage, "There are not small roles, only small actors" because while he wasn’t the lead actor of these films, Dominic shone splendidly.

Dominic says, "Of course, we all want to enjoy long and successful careers in showbusiness. But that doesn’t necessarily mean you have to pursue it with doggedness at the expense of prudence and propriety. Patience has always been regarded as a virtue, and things will happen if you supplement that with hard work."

After good friend Rico Yan’s death, Dominic reveals he learned to live his life to the fullest. "I want to make the most of my life. You never now what the future has in store for you. This is the reason why I make it a point to surround myself with the positive and do away with the negative. Kasi pag masyado kang negative, it will pull you down and you’ll end up bitter and not enjoying life."

That’s what Dominic does everyday. So far, he has been playing his cards right. And God has been showering him with so much blessings. He’s got a wonderful family who supports him, and a stable showbiz career. Dominic is busy with two regular shows, constant TV guestings, road shows, a high-profile endorsement with Talk N’ Text and was recently cast in Star Cinema’s Jologs directed by Gilbert Perez. He plays Iñigo, Assunta de Rossi’s object of fantasy. On Aug. 4, Dominic will celebrate his birthday. Knowing him, he might sneak out of town for a day or two just to catch a breather.

To Dominic, happy birthday!

Mitch Valdes Rocks!

Mitch Valdes will again captivate fans in an evening that highlights her versatility as a singer and comedian. Expect an evening loaded with humor and songs in this one-night performance titled Mitch Valdes Rocks! on Aug. 29, 9 p.m. at Onstage Greenbelt.

Catch Mitch as she charms her audience with her awesome performance. Joining her onstage is musical director Mel Villena. Cocoy Jimenez directs.

Tickets to Mitch Valdes Rocks are priced at P800 and P600 and are available at Ticketworld outlets in major National Bookstore branches, Robinsons Department Stores (Malate and Galleria), Tower Records (Makati and Alabang), Music Museum (Virra Mall, Greenhills), Ayala Center Glorietta 1 ticket booth cinema lobby, Onstage Greenbelt ticketron and online at www.ticketworld.com.ph. For ticket inquiries, call 891-5610.

Awit ni Balagtas

Kulturang Aming Minana (KAMI) mounts Awit ni Balagtas, a new version of Florante at Laura by Francisco Baltazar set in new music at the UP theater starting Aug. 7.

Awit ni Balagtas features Arnold Reyes as Florante and Princess Rivera as Laura. Other members of the cast are Vincent Gealogo, Iol Trasmonte, Lorenz Gealogo, Bench Cruz, Mike Lloren and Joel Saracho.

Awit ni Balagtas is directed by Frank Rivera (KAMI founder) with songs by Desi Rivera and arranged by Nonong Buencamino.

Call 416-3496 for inquiries.