What Rachelle dreads most about Miss Saigon

And finally, after regaling the audience at her farewell concert, Rachelle Ann Go left for London last week to start rehearsals for the revival of Miss Saigon in May at the West End where the Cameron Mackintosh megahit musical started its journey to history back in 1989, packed full with Filipino talents in major roles including Lea Salonga as Kim (with Monique Wilson as alternate) and Isay Alvarez as Gigi.

At the concert, Rachelle kind of gave a preview of how she would perform in London when she sang selections from popular musicals such as Cats, Wicked, Les Miserables and, of course, Miss Saigon, doing the Gigi iconic song Movie In My Mind. No, Rachelle didn’t wear any sexy outfit, something that she just might (she has to!) in Miss Saigon. In one scene, bar girl Gigi is shown in bikinis, a “must,” and it will be a baptism of fire for Rachelle who has so far maintained a wholesome image.

Asked before she left how she’s preparing for that scene, Rachelle said she was not.

“But that’s the part that I’m dreading the most,” she admitted. “I guess I’m putting it away from my mind and silently hoping na may bagong outfit si Gigi ngayon,” adding, “we’ll see how it goes.”

Rachelle is a virtual newcomer on the theater scene  having done only two musicals so far, The Little Mermaid and Tarzan, both for Atlantis Productions. But she did start dreaming of doing Miss Saigon when, as a kid, she watched it in Canada. Dream come true.

As moral support, Miss Saigon graduates sent off Rachelle with encouraging messages, to wit:

• Isay Alvarez: Enjoy what Britain has to offer…the culture and the sights.

• Janine Desiderio (one-time Kim): I know she will do well because she is armed with an enormous amount of talent! Just follow your instincts, girl! We’ll be cheering you on from here!

• Robert Seña (who played Thuy): Observe, learn and keep the Light burning.

• Jamie Rivera (another Kim): Enjoy your performances and stay focused, make the most out of your stay in London. Learn, travel, make friends and always pray. Have a good one.

Shirley is now in the Temple of God

As a loving tribute to Shirley Temple who died in San Francisco at age 85 last month, election lawyer Romy Macalintal wrote a tribute to the Child Wonder credited with helping save 20th Century Fox from bankruptcy with films such as Curly Top and The Littlest Rebel.

Here it is:

I still cannot imagine that the once bouncy, cute, lovely and a real bundle of joy of the world’s movie land in the 1930s had already turned 85 and passed away.

Surely, Shirley Temple will always be remembered by all her adoring fans all over the world who had been mesmerized and captivated by her singing, dancing and acting at an early age of three and, on her maturity, as a true and dedicated public servant of her country where she served, among others, as US ambassador to Ghana and Czechoslovakia.

My wife (Mila) and I were not yet born in the ’30s, yet we enjoyed watching Shirley Temple’s classic movies. So much so that in one of our trips abroad, we bought this very rare and comprehensive DVD collection of Shirley Temple’s 18 uniquely charming and fascinating films. It’s a three-volume collection titled Little Darling Collection and each volume contains six DVDs of her outstandingly-captivating movies dating back in 1932 when she started her movie career as a child actress until 1938.

Volume I contains her movies Baby, Take a Bow; The Blue Bird; Bright Eyes; Captain January; Curly Top; and Dimples. Volume II has Heidi; Just Around the Corner; The Little Colonel; Little Miss Broadway; The Little Princess; and The Littlest Rebel. Volume III includes Rebecca of Sunnybrook Farm; Stand Up and Cheer; Stowaway; Susannah of the Mounties; Wee Willie Winkie; and Young People.

On her website, I found one of her most famous personal quotes which aptly described her talent, humor and awe-inspiring personality as she said: “I stopped believing in Santa Claus when I was six. My mother took me to see him in a department store and he asked for my autograph.”

I’m sure that with her vast contribution to the movie industry and the joy and happiness she gave to her million of fans all over the world and her genuine concern and service to her people, Shirley is now in the Temple of God. Goodbye our dear, Shirley Temple. Now you may rest in peace in the bosom of our Lord.

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