Wicked road to Oz

Thank goodness the Manila run of Wicked has been extended for one more week!

The producers behind the West End and Broadway musical phenomenon announced that due to huge demand for tickets, they are adding one final week of shows at The Theatre at Solaire until March 19.

After kicking off the season with a successful gala night, Wicked continues to play to packed houses and standing ovations night after night. The blockbuster show first premiered in Manila in 2014, where it opened to rave reviews and went on to enjoy a highly successful seven-week run.

Based on the bestselling novel by Gregory Maguire that ingeniously re-imagined the stories and characters created by L. Frank Baum in The Wonderful Wizard of Oz, the musical tells the untold story of an unlikely friendship between a popular blonde girl called Glinda and a misunderstood, green-skinned girl named Elphaba. Their extraordinary adventures in Oz will ultimately see them fulfill their destinies as Glinda the Good and the Wicked Witch of the West.

Wicked features music and lyrics by multi-Grammy and Academy Award winner Stephen Schwartz (Godspell, Disney’s Pocahontas and The Hunchback of Notre Dame) and is adapted for the stage by Winnie Holzman. Musical staging is by Tony Award winner Wayne Cilento and the production is directed by two-time Tony Award winner Joe Mantello.

Wicked is produced around the world by Marc Platt, Universal Stage Productions, The Araca Group, Jon B. Platt and David Stone. Executive producer (UK/International Tour) is Michael McCabe. The Manila engagement is presented by Lunchbox Theatrical Productions and Concertus Manila.

Wicked is presented in Manila by Globe Live. Major sponsor is Novuhair in cooperation with Solaire Resort and Casino. Special thanks to OOCL and Diamond Hotel Philippines. Makeup is provided by MAC. Media partners include ETC, 2nd Avenue, Jack TV, Solar Sports, CNN Philippines, ABS-CBN, BusinessWorld, The Philippine STAR, Philstar.com, RX 93.1, Mellow 94.7, Ayala Malls and Ayala Malls Cinemas.

A decade of excellence

Atransition to new leadership to further strengthen its legacy marked the start of the 10th anniversary celebration of KPMG R.G. Manabat & Co.  (KPMG RGM & Co.) held at the Tower Club in Makati. The company is a member firm of KPMG International, which deals with legal, financial and management services.

Top executives of the company traced the beginning of the KPMG RGM & Co. story, which began in 2007 when its chairman and chief executive officer Roberto Manabat, together with vice chairman and chief operating officer Emmanuel Bonoan, embarked on building what would become one of the strongest professional services firms in the country.

As with any pioneering endeavor, however, the early years of the firm saw its share of challenges. “We had to prove to our international partner, KPMG, that our governance processes met the highest standards,” Manabat recalled.

The past 10 years made an interesting journey for the growing band of resilient professionals as they have developed into one cohesive team, each day affirming their commitment to be relevant to the firm’s clients and the Philippine business community.

Bonoan noted that the firm’s current leaders have since been followed by a succession of young and bright partners who have established new service lines. From 250 people, KPMG RGM & Co. now boasts of 1,000 employees housed in its own building, the KPMG Center.

The firm announced that this year is a transition year as Sharon Dayoan assumes chairmanship starting Jan. 1, 2018 with the support of Bonoan, as well as the company’s chairman emeritus Manabat, and vice chairman and head of advisory Henry Antonio.

Even as it stands as one of the top-tier tax firms in the Philippines and the fastest growing practice within the KPMG network in the Asia Pacific, KPMG RGM & Co. refuses to rest on its laurels, forging ahead through constant innovation and the relentless desire to better serve its clients and its own people.

Turning five

“ O ur brand is strong. Our reputation is strong,” said Ricky Delgado Jr., chairman of the executive committee of ISLA Petroleum and Gas, as he summed up the last five years of ISLA LPG Inc. (ILC), the company behind leading LPG brand Solane, when it recently celebrated its anniversary.

He added, “Solane has only been running for five years but we’ve already done so much. This company is respected for what it does well, and I think that if you look at how far we have come, it’s really because of the same strategy we have kept from the start — reliable, safe and we take what we say seriously.”

Awards were also given to the employees who have been part of this milestone. The Team ACE Awards were given to the Bulk and Commercial Team consisting of Marvin Castor, Kaiza Yu, Miguel Estrada, Raph Carbonell, John Cort, Rey Enriquez and headed by Elma Revillame for exceeding the sales target compared to the previous year. The Account Manager of the Year was awarded to Haidee Alverne of the VisMin Team. Further, the Eagle Awards were given to Ricky Estolas Jr., first place; Regie Reyes, second place; and Gigi Indangan, third place.

(Visit www.solane.com.ph.)

‘Cheetofied’

Guests were treated to a fun afternoon of games and freebies when Taters Cheetos Snack Fest was recently launched at Glorietta 2 in Makati City.

“The festival is a celebration of snack innovation coming from two snack giants — Taters and Cheetos,” said Taters marketing head Brian Tanchanco. “Cheetos has always been the go-to cheese snack so when we found out that Pepsi Philippines was bringing the product to the country, we simply couldn’t let the opportunity pass. This is the first snack fest of its kind in Asia because we’re not only featuring one, but five ‘Cheetofied’ snacks,” he added.

Five “Cheetofied” products will be available in all Taters stores nationwide until May 17. These products are Cheetos Chik-A-Chips, a cheesy mix of chicken fingers; Cheetos Crunchy; Cheetos Tater Chips, which comes with Cheetos Dip; Cheetos Fish ‘N Chips, a “cheesified” version of the signature snack classic; and Cheetos BBQ Crunch Dog, a beef hotdog on a bun topped with Coney Island sauce, BBQ sauce, Cheetos dressing, Cheetos-flavored Tater Chips and topped off with Cheetos.

(For more information, visit @taters.snackleague on Instagram.)

(Follow me on Instagram @pepperteehankee.)