Singular sensation

I have the greatest respect and admiration for artists; they see things, hear things, imagine things beyond what we mere mortals see, hear and imagine. They bring us beyond the realm of what is to what can be. A brush stroke grows into a forest or an unknown world; a step becomes a pas de deux; a note leads to a symphony; a word becomes poetry. The arts uplift us to become truly human.

Over the years I’ve had the privilege of meeting, learning from and working with artists in different art forms – painting and sculpture, architecture, dance, music, literature, theater and film. For one who cannot carry a tune, complete a pirouette or draw a passable stickman, such encounters stretch the boundaries of the very literal world that we journalists inhabit; from the cold facts of the news that we report, it’s a big leap to the creative universe that the artist thrives in.

I got to thinking about the life of the artist after watching the preview of “A Chorus Line” last Wednesday, sponsored by the Asian Cultural Council-Philippines (the show runs until March 29 at the Samsung Performing Arts Theater). It is one of the most popular musicals of all time, and for good reason. The songs are memorable (coming out of the theater, you will catch people singing “One, singular sensation…”), the storyline compelling, giving us a peek backstage, at what goes on before the curtains go up on opening night. “A Chorus Line” opened on Broadway in 1975 and went on to run for over 6,000 performances, winning nine Tony Awards and a Pulitzer for Drama. There have been numerous successful restagings worldwide, as well as a film.

It’s fitting that the Asian Cultural Council-Philippines chose “A Chorus Line” as one of its fundraisers, for it is a musical about artists, specifically dancers, as they audition for a part in the chorus line of an upcoming production. From a stage crowded with hopefuls, the director (the only non-dancing, non-singing part) trims the number down to 17. As they compete to make the final cut of eight, their stories are laid bare – their struggles, their frustrations, their secrets, as well as their hopes and dreams.

ACC-Philippines has proven to be, in 26 years, an invaluable partner for Filipino artists and arts practitioners (including arts managers and culture researchers). The indefatigable Board of Trustees – a formidable lineup, for sure, led by Josie Natori and Ernest Escaler – tirelessly raises funds through art auctions (their partnership with Leon Gallery has become an institution event in the local visual arts scene), gala dinners and events like the “A Chorus Line” premiere. The grants given to artists are comprehensive and significant, allowing artists during the period of their grant to take full advantage of studying, training and immersing with their peers, mentors and leading figures in their field.

Among the crowd that packed the theater that evening were 30 former ACC grantees, including National Artist for Dance Alice Reyes and John D. Rockefeller III awardee Nes Jardin. Likewise, 75 students and teachers from Quezon province (Lucena and Tiaong), Manila, Pasay and Parañaque cities watched the show – quite an experience for them, the kids were all smiles and at a loss for words beyond “Ang ganda po!” – thanks to ACC-Phl and Pagcor.

As we struggle with sky-rocketing oil prices and the consequent increase in the prices of everything else, especially food, the question may be asked – are the arts still relevant? Does it still matter, or was actor Timothée Chalamet (nominated for Oscar Best Actor for “Marty Supreme” but lost) right when he said “no one cares about this anymore?”

Many in the arts – filmmakers (especially Steven Spielberg), performers, etc. – have called him out for that statement. Brushing aside ballet and opera is downright unfair to those who work in these fiercely demanding arts. Artists of today are no longer recipients of grants and favors from royalty or moneyed patrons; they are workers too, part of the economy, an industry that affects not just artists but many others whose livelihoods depend on productions of ballet and opera, theater and concerts.

In the Philippines, the creative economy contributed 7.3 percent of GDP in 2024, valued at P1.78 trillion. Making up over 15.4 percent of the country’s employment, over 7.5 million people work in the industry (PNA data).

But beyond the numbers, in such trying times, when our material world has been upended and things are spiralling out of our control, we need to find a center, find meaning in something greater than circumstances, to seek reassurance that life is more than oil at $100 a barrel.

But perhaps the best argument for the arts is the reaction of those kids that night, and the reactions of many, many students and teachers and out of school youth who were given the chance to watch a ballet, a concert or a play, the possibilities and the worlds that these opened up to them – that’s why we need the arts.