theater summer workshops by PETA and 9WT

Since classes are almost over for those taking school, take time to make your summer more productive, artistic and entertaining with two of Manila's theater companies which offered award-winning and talked about productions in the past theater seasons.

PETA Theater will be conducting theater classes for almost all ages starting April 4 and you are invited in the following courses:
Children's Theater 1 (ages 6 to 8)
Children's Theater 2 (ages 9 to 12)
Teen Theater (ages 13 to 16)
Theater Arts (ages 17 & up)
Basic Acting (ages 17 & up)
Creative Musical Theater (ages 16 & up)
Visual Arts (ages 16 & up)
Theater Arts for Seniors (ages 60 & up)

These courses will be offered in two locations:

PETA is proud home for productions like William, Rak of Aegis, Mga Kwento ni Lola Basyang and recently 3 Stars and A Sun. For more inquiries, you can call 725 6244, 0905 369 6003, or email petatheater@gmail.com to reserve a slot.

If you are way to the south of Manila, you can get involved with 9 Works Theatrical, the house of musicals like You're A Good Man, Charlie Brown, The Last 6 Years, R.E.N.T. and more. Try their Stage Camp, is a 7-week filled with theater activities and is composed of three courses:

Kiddie and Pre-Teen Camp (Ages 5 to 11 years old):
Mondays to Fridays
Weeks 1-3: April 11 to 29, 1:00pm to 3:00pm
Weeks 4-7: May 2 to 27, 12:00nn to 3:00pm
Teens Camp (Ages 12 to16 years old)
Mondays to Fridays
Weeks 1-3: April 11 to 29, 4:00pm to 6:00pm
Weeks 4-7: May 2 to 27, 3:30pm to 6:30pm
Adult Camp (Ages 17 years old and up)
Mondays to Fridays
Weeks 1-3: April 11 to 29, 7:00pm to 9:00pm
Weeks 4-7: May 2 to 27, 7:00pm to 10:00pm
Culminating Showcases will be at the RCBC Plaza:
Saturday, May 28, 8:00pm - Adult Camp
Sunday, May 29, 3:00pm - Kiddie and Pre-Teen Camp
Sunday, May 29, 5:00pm - Teens Camp

Contact 0917.554.5560 or 586.7105 or email info@9workstheatrical.com for enrollment and inquiries!

Get those vocals, footwork and acting skills prepped up and join these great summer activities to make your summer more exciting than before!

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Father saves son's destiny in MIDNIGHT SPECIAL

A father on the run from religious extremists and law enforcers to protect his son and fulfill a destiny that may change the world forever in MIDNIGHT SPECIAL - Warner Bros Pictures' new offering this summer, opening April 20 in select theaters.

In the film, a father (Michael Shannon), goes on the run to protect his young son, Alton (Jaeden Lieberher), and uncover the truth behind the boy’s special powers. What starts as a race from religious extremists and local law enforcement quickly escalates to a nationwide manhunt involving the highest levels of the Federal Government. Ultimately his father risks everything to protect Alton and help fulfill a destiny that could change the world forever, in this genre–defying film as supernatural as it is intimately human. See trailer below:

“Midnight Special” stars Oscar nominee Michael Shannon (“Revolutionary Road,” “Man of Steel”), Joel Edgerton (“Black Mass”), Kirsten Dunst (TV’s “Fargo”), Adam Driver (“Star Wars: The Force Awakens”) Jaeden Lieberher (“St. Vincent,” TV’s “Masters of Sex”) and Oscar nominee Sam Shepard (“August Osage County”). Rounding out the main cast are Bill Camp (“Lincoln”), Scott Haze (“As I Lay Dying”) and Paul Sparks (“HBO’s “Boardwalk Empire”).

Acclaimed filmmaker Jeff Nichols (“Mud,” “Take Shelter”) directed the film from his own screenplay.

“Midnight Special” will be shown exclusively at Century City Cinemas, Commercenter Cinemas, Eastwood Cinemas, Festival Mall and Shang Cineplex starting April 20. The film is distributed in the Philipines by Warner Bros. Pictures, a Warner Bros. Entertainment Company.

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50 Shades closes this weekend

It's very hard and sad to say bye-bye to my first musical for the year, 50 Shades! The Musical Parody. Definitely one of my favorites. And from March 18 to 20, 50 Shades will have 6 performances with a whole package by the riotous and amazing cast. Read my review [here].

Catch their hilarious and super-restricted show on these dates:

• Friday, March 18 at 8:00 p.m.
• Saturday, March 19 at 5:00 p.m. and 8:00 p.m.
• Sunday, March 20 at 2:00 p.m., 5:00 p.m., and 8:00 p.m.

Since its Manila debut a month ago, the hilariously cheeky spoof of the erotic blockbuster novel “Fifty Shades of Grey” has been a smash hit with Filipinos. As its acclaimed run comes to a close, this sexy, one-of-a-kind production was successfully able to draw in its share of celebrity fans. These stars could not stopraving about 50 Shades! The Musical Parody:

• “It’s very very funny, really really hilarious! One funny funny show that you guys shouldn’t miss.”- Michael de Mesa
• “The show is so fabulously rude and it’s sexy. So much fun! If you just want to have a good time, this is the show to watch.”- Joanna Ampil
• “What can I say? I’m still laughing from ear to ear.”- Pinky Marquez
• "I didn’t expect it to be that much fun.”- Mark Bautista
• “The songs are really catchy and it was really fun to watch!" – Carla Humphries
• "Please come and watch 50 Shades! The Musical Parody. It's a great laugh!” –Epi Quizon
• “You guys should watch from start to finish! You will have a good time!” –Gian Magdangal
• "I got hungry after I saw this." -Omar Itay (BAWAL KUMONTRA!)

I want to share the video below which is one of my favorite songs. There's A Hole Inside of Me as performed by Brenna Wahl as Anastasia Steele.

THERE'S A HOLE INSIDE OF ME

Feeling empty? Let your inner hole be filled by the joy brought to you by the fun, sexy, and hilarious production of 50 Shades! The Musical Parody.“There’s a Hole Inside of Me” (featuring Brenna Wahl as Anastasia Steele) is just one of the eleven original songs featured in the adults-only hit show that will surely make you laugh out loud! Don’t miss the last three days of 50 Shades! The Musical Parody happening on March 18, 19, and 20 at the RCBC Theater. Tickets are available through TicketNet, Ticketworld, and SM Tickets. For more information, visit www.50shadesmanila.com

Posted by 50 Shades Manila on Wednesday, March 16, 2016

Tickets for the final weekend run of 50 Shades! The Musical Parody are available from Ticketworld, TicketNet, and SM Tickets. VIP tickets include premium seating for the show as well as a photo opportunity with the cast onstage after the performance. For more information, visit www.50shadesmanila.com or call (02) 470 6956. This show is not associated with, endorsed, or authorized by E.L. James or Vintage Books.

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MIRACLES FROM HEAVEN movie review

Hailing from the best-selling book of the same title, Miracles from Heaven is truly highly-recommended to watch this holy season. Knowing the story of the Beam family as told by the mother, Christy Beam, this movie will touch the hearts of not just only to make you believe but to hope for second chances and hold on to family. This movie teach us a good lesson on how we can face great life challenges and make us look forward to blessings from Heaven.

You'll get touched and relate with Christy Beam, played by Jennifer Garner, as how you would react and be concerned tremendously when a member of your family is in dying pain. You will feel her sorrow and decisions and questions are understandable when such thing is happening. There's a good representation and messaging in each of the characters. You'll going to love the whole Beam family that are very tied with their values.

Outside of the family are the people that are "angels" that help us uplift our spirits. Angela (Queen Latifah) and Dr. Nurko (Eugenio Derbez) will have us look life into a positive way, that there is always hope.

There may be instances that we may forget about faith but Miracles from Heaven tells us that hard challenges are opportunities to believe and have faith. That God will answer your prayers if you believe through other people. This movie aims not to change a perception or religion but reminds us that there is God and Heaven.

Miracles from Heaven is written by Christy Beam and directed by Patricia Riggen. Opening March 16 in theaters and distributed by Columbia Pictures (Philippines), local releasing of Sony Pictures international.

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knowing the members of Team Cap and Team Ironman

You've seen the trailer and knew who sides with who. Let me just relay it for the benefits of non-geeks like me but just love the upcoming movie. It just gives us heartbreaks to see the Avengers fighting each other. But still we can't be stopped to get excited movie-after-movie and knowing what will happen on the next chapters in the Marvel Cinematic Universe.

Joining Team Captain America are: Winter Soldier / Bucky, Scarlett Witch, Hawkeye, Ant-Man, Falcon.

And for Team Iron Man: Black Widow / Agent Romanov, War Machine / Agent Rhodes, Black Panther and Vision.

And aren't we so glad about this little surprise at the end of the trailer joining Team Iron Man, played by Tom Holland:

If we follow the trailer carefully, we'll also see great team-ups with Ant-Man and Hawkeye. Awesome moves, there are.

Watch the trailer again here and catch Captain America: Civil War in theaters starting April 27. Distributed by Walt Disney Studios Motion Pictures through Columbia Pictures. Follow the official social media accounts of Marvel, namely, (FB) MarvelPhilippines, (Twitter) @marvelstudiosph and (Instagram) @marvelphilippines.

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THE PURGE: ELECTION YEAR streams first trailer

The first person I saw was the Snow Queen (Elizabeth Mitchell). This first trailer and poster expanding the universe introduced in the hit franchise that electrified the culture and earned $200 million at the worldwide box office, Universal Pictures’ “The Purge: Election Year” reveals the next terrifying chapter that occurs over 12 hours of annual lawlessness sanctioned by the New Founders of America to keep this country great.

It’s been two years since Leo Barnes (Frank Grillo) stopped himself from a regrettable act of revenge on Purge Night. Now serving as head of security for Senator Charlie Roan (Elizabeth Mitchell), his mission is to protect her in a run for president and survive the annual ritual that targets the poor and innocent.

But when a betrayal forces them onto the streets of D.C. on the one night when no help is available, they must stay alive until dawn…or both be sacrificed for their sins against the state. Watch the trailer below:

Opening across the Philippines on July 2016, “The Purge: Election Year” is distributed by United International Pictures through Columbia Pictures.

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WWF Philippines joins Earth Hour 2016 and more life-changing programs

For 20 years, World Wildlife Fund (WWF) in the Philippines has been pursuing the protection of wildlife and the conservation of the environment for the current and future generations. Thus the programs and campaigns of preserving endangered species, use of renewable resources and more has been ongoing for the past decades and continue to help in these causes. Three notable activities are up close to the Philippine culture and it has not only conserved natural resources but also uplifted the lives of the people.

First are the eco-tourism programs in Donsol, Sorsogon where visiting the endangered whaleshark (now 469) aka "butanding" has changed the attitude of Bicolanos towards the gentle giant. Before it was considered as a pest in the sea waters towing away fish which is the main source of living, it has become a major attraction in the area and the people of Donsol recognized the importance of the butanding in the marine ecosystem. They have helped conserve and improve the number of whalesharks and also protected their habitat. [see full story here]

Next is creating a renewable energy through solar powered lamps where common electricity is not reaching the remote islands in Palawan. These lamps help the students in studying during night time and be ready for school the next day. It is also currently helping fishermen in navigation while they go out to the sea at night. The lamps are very cost-efficient and functional that the Gift of Light program aims to spread the light to more areas in the Philippines. [full story]

Another is the propagation of the tamaraw in the Mindoro province when it almost became extinct. The Mangyans and the local government of Mindoro, together with WWF, has doubled the number of the local buffalo to 405. This preservation is very significant not only to the Philippines but also to the ecosystem in the area.

More and more activities have been ongoing but one of the highlights this year is the Earth Hour which will happen on March 19 2016 at 8:30-9:30PM. Manila has been a great contributor to the saved energy since this event started. Each and everyone is invited to turn off their lights and conserve energy at the said date and time and pledge to save mother earth now and for future generations. Conservation of this energy has a huge impact in slowing down global warming which we are experiencing today. This event will also take place in 170 countries around the world in more than 7000 hubs and cities.

Manila's hosting of the Earth Hour will take place in Quezon City Memorial Circle and spearheaded by WWF Philippines ambassadors Mikee Cojuangco, Rovilson Fernandez, Marc Nelson and now joined by Iza Calzado.

For more information about Earth Hour and donate to the causes of WWF Philippines, visit http://wwf.org.ph/. You can give and see updates in social media by following the following: #EarthHour2016 #RenewableIsDoable #ChangeClimateChange

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