Manhid soon at CCP

MANILA, Philippines - Manhid: The Pinoy Superhero Musical brings together not only talented actors, singers and dancers, but critically-acclaimed musicians, too. Audiences will be treated to live music in each show, care of the Radioactive Sago Project. The sought-after group is taking over where the Eraserheads left off in 1991, as the production’s live band.

Radioactive Sago Project is fronted by four-time Palanca-winning writer Lourd de Veyra, along with alumni from the UP College of Music, two-time Gawad Urian awardee for Best Music, Francis de Veyra on bass, Jay Gapasin on drums, Junji Lerma on guitars, Pards Tupas on trombone, Arwin Nava on percussions and Wowie Ansano on trumpet. Eventually, the band added Roxy Modesto (tenor and baritone saxophone) and B-boy Garcia (turntables) to the line-up.

“We’re greatly honored to be performing alongside the Radioactive Sago Project,” says Ballet Philippines artistic director Paul Alexander Morales. “We had a great experience working with them during Rock Supremo, so we are very eager to do so again.”

As the cast of Manhid will be doing the singing for the show, Lourd’s involvement in the production is limited. His brother, Francis, serves as the production’s musical director, which he did for Rock Supremo as well. As a whole, the band brings a new vitality to the musical’s songs, which were originally performed in 1991 by the Eraserheads.

Manhid: The Pinoy Superhero Musical will have a three-weekend run at the Cultural Center of the Philippines (CCP) Main Theater on Feb. 20 to 22, Feb. 27 to March 1 and March 6 to 8. Inspired from comic book superheroes from the ’60s to the ’90s, Manhid introduces a new generation of Filipino superheroes. Set in an alternate present-day Philippines where the EDSA revolution failed, the musical features heroes and villains with superpowers, and a people sick with kamanhiran (apathy). Manhid is the final production in Ballet Philippines’ 45th anniversary season.

The cast is led by Sandino Martin as Bantugan, who recently won Best Actor at the Cinema One Originals Awards Night for his role in Esprit de Corps. He alternates with Mark Anthony Grantos. The female lead, Lam-Ang, is played by UP Diliman Theater Arts graduate Teetin Villanueva and Tanghalang Pilipino Actors Company member Regina de Vera. Also starring in the production are Gold Villar, Kim Molina, Jean Judith Javier, KL Dizon, Ronah Rostata, Fredison Lo, Ricardo Magno, JV Ibesate and Mayen Estanero.

Featured Ballet Philippines dancers are Jean Marc Cordero, Katherine Trofeo, Richardson Yadao, Earl John Arisola, Cyril Aran Fallar, Emmanuelle Guillermo, Timothy Paul Cabrera, Rita Angela Winder, Denise Parungao, Kazier Policarpio, Ma. Celina Dofitas, Victor Maguad and Erl Emmanuel Sorilla.

The Pinoy Superhero Musical is led by Paul Alexander Morales (director and choreographer), Alden Lugnasin (choreographer), Francis (music director), Zard Eguia (set designer), Victor Ursabia (costume designer), Roman Cruz (lighting designer), William Moraga (pre-production designer) and the Radioactive Sago Project (live band).

For details, visit www.ballet.ph or call 551-1003. For tickets, call the CCP Box Office at 832-3704 or Ticketworld at 891-9999.