Your turn to take the spotlight

MANILA, Philippines - This year, Spotlight Artists Centre (SAC) will produce its first musical titled Magsimula Ka. A collaboration of Nestor Torre and Gines Tan and first staged in the early ’80s (the pre-cellphone/Internet era when the Metropop songwriting contest was at its best), the musical paved the way for Robert Seña and Isay Alvarez’s careers in the performing arts. The couple chose the musical because of its positive message to the youth.

In line with this, the SAC will hold a general audition for the musical’s male and female leads and chorus on Feb. 21, 1 to 5 p.m. Applicants should excel in singing, dancing and acting, and should prepare a Tagalog song. They may also pre-register by phone or at the Spotlight website.

SAC also welcomes the new year with its new workshop series for musical theater.

Conducted by Robert, Isay and theater and stage personalities, the workshop features a comprehensive syllabus that includes voice, acting and dancing — tailored and made relevant to comply with the demands of the modern-day stage.

The five-month workshop starts Feb. 6 until July 3, and runs every Saturday from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. (for kids), and 1 to 5 p.m. (for adults).

SAC also offers a more intensive acting workshop conducted by Paolo O’Hara, starting Feb. 1 to March 24, with sessions every Monday and Wednesday, 6 to 9 p.m.

Last year, 13-year-old Mayumi Morales became the school’s first representative to the World Championships of Performing Arts (WCOPA) in Hollywood. Kelly Latti, one of the students from the first batch of SAC’s Musical Theatre course, also played lead in Atlantis Products’ Spring Awakening.

Throughout the year, the school offers individual lessons for voice, guitar, piano, violin, drums, karaoke singing, scriptwriting and directing. Spotlight Kids–Creative Play through Music and Dance, is a workshop designed for toddlers to preschoolers. For its summer offering starting March, SAC also offers Musical Theatre Workshops, Street Dance/Hip-Hop and Ballroom Dance.

Spotlight Artists Centre is located at 122 Doña Consolacion Bldg., Jupiter St., Bel-Air Village, Makati City.

For details, call 899-8089 or 0922-8986644 or log on to www.spotlightartistscentre.com.