Livin high and takin it easy

First of all, I arrived late. It was a Friday afternoon and as in all Friday afternoons, traffic was busier than at any day of the week. I hailed a taxi and after seeing how bad the traffic was at Katipunan Avenue, asked the cab driver to take a longer route via Anonas, through Sikatuna and U.P. Villages and upon emerging at C.P. Garcia saw that traffic was bumper to bumper there, ended up taking University Avenue to get to the campus. I thought, if I had endured the traffic in Katipunan Avenue, I probably would have arrived sooner – but then I thought, and this was like some sort of inspired thought mind you, “Some days you make a wrong decision and you just have to live with it.”  No sense in being angry at myself or at anything else for that matter. An inspired thought that would echo itself all throughout the day or night… or perhaps even days or weeks or months to come.

At any other day I would be cursing myself and saying FML too, but I realized negative thoughts and feelings like that do not do much good.

Anyway, I ended up taking a seat somewhere near what was considered another backstage in the in-the-round blocking that Mara chose and realized that it was the worst possible seat to take – proven true by the photos I took.

These three were the best shots I managed to take. Yes, just three. No offense to anyone.. but myself perhaps. Some of them have the faces of the actors over-exposed and I couldn’t do anything about them, post-processing wise. Hohum.

Anna and Dan

Zaf Masahud as Dan

Olive Nieto as Anna

Anyway, I’m wondering right now if I ever get to post that blog about friendship that I came up with after that fateful Friday? Maybe not. It was not such a nice one.

All I remember from that day was that I stood around like a wallflower for maybe an hour. Then, not by choice, I took a jeep to Katipunan Avenue, hoping to hail a cab that would take me to Eastwood. When I got there, I found myself just one among the very many trying to do the same. (Hail a cab that is, though I’m sure not all of them were trying to get to Eastwood.) I walked from Starbucks to Bo’s – where at that point I finally accepted that hailing a cab would have to wait and got into the coffee shop to sit out almost two hours – just waiting for traffic to improve.

Suffice it to say that some friendships are not worth all the effort. Perhaps those are not real friendships at all.

Hello Philippines CMC Media Center, U.P. Diliman, August 21-23, 2009 3pm and 7pm

The UP Repertory Company Alumni Association and the UP Repertory Company proudly present its first joint offering for 2009: Hello Philippines!

Hello Philippines, a one act musical, is a humorous take on call center culture. Team leader Tiffany tells five agents from his team that one of them is going to get axed. The twist, however, is that he will leave that decision to the five agents. So now, it’s up to ex-tibak Anton, clueless rich girl Berni, the slutty Toni, the probinsyanong Brichi, and the overly religious Elsa to do whatever it takes to keep their jobs. Whatever it takes.

Hello Philippines is viciously funny and holds nothing sacred as it skewers the “call center lifestyle”, a life cycle born out of fast money and desperation, shifting body clocks, and too much coffee, beer, and cigarettes. It attempts to put into perspective all the sacrifices one makes to stay in such an environment, albeit in an entertaining manner.

The College of Mass Communications Media Center is close to the College of Music building which is next to the U.P. Theater. It is also close to Quezon Hall where the Oblation is. For a map, click here.

The play will run August 21-23, 2009 with 3pm and 7pm shows.

For inquiries and tickets, text Jill at 0906-400-3279

You may also view more information on Facebook and Multiply.

LULU by Frank Wedekind

LULU is a story of a person who has no qualms about the body and it’s sexual needs. Lulu, who is the alluring woman in the English version and the captivating transsexual in Filipino, is a being able to explore and express her desires without compromise or guilt. Adored and lusted by men, women and creatures of the world, she takes them to a dance of bodily freedom, of the mind’s liberation and of utter ecstasy. But like any other person, Lulu searches for the other that could accept and understand her seemingly deviant nature.

In her hunt, Lulu meets a myriad of “civilized beasts”: painters, writers, the educated and the ignorant, the rich and poor men, the young and the dying who are upright and honorable by day but transform to hungry animals in the dark. Lulu embraces each person only to find him or her weak and forever trapped by man’s idea of propriety.

Che Ramos and Tuxqs Rutaquio topbills the play as LULU.

Acey Aguilar, Angeli Bayani, Alexander Cortez, Jules de la Paz, Ian Lomongo, Jojit Lorenzo, Missy Maramara, Paolo O’hara, Meynard Penalosa, Andoy Ranay,Gabs Santos, JC Santos and Randy Villarama are included in the star studded cast.

Direction and Choreography: Dexter M. Santos

Filipino Translation: Joel Saracho

Production Design: Tuxqs Rutaquio

Lights Design: John Batalla

Dramaturgy and Additional Text: Patrick Valera

Sounds Design: J Victor Villareal

Photography and Poster Design: Jojit Lorenzo

Wilfrido Ma. Guerrero Theater, Palma Hall, UP Diliman.

English:
16 August 7pm
19 August 7pm
21 August 7pm
23 August 10am

Filipino:
12 August 7pm – Opening
13 August 7pm
14 August 7pm – Gala
15 August 10am, 3pm
16 August 10am, 3pm
20 August 7pm
22 August 10am, 3pm
23 August 3pm

THIS PRODUCTION CONTAINS SCENES AND MATERIAL STRICTLY FOR MATURE AUDIENCES.