Theater Down South: Promoting theater habit in the South Metro ~ My Opinion

July 21, Makati City – Master Class Philippines director and veteran stage actor Michael Willians formally re-introduce his team Theater Down South at the California Pizza Kitchen in Glorietta to present their line ups for this year including one original musical play that they created. Williams is the president and the creative and artistic director of the company and the primary aim of having theater performance in the suburbs and south metro is to encourage the theater habit among the families and the youth in the south who sometimes experience difficulties in watching plays in Makati and Ortigas because it’s far from where they live.

(A Funny Thing Happened on the Way to the Forum starring Jacob Gayanelo as Hero)

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(The Princess and the Red Carp starring Kahna Cortez-Velasco as Yeh Hsien)

This year, Theater Down South will be doing A Funny Thing Happened on the Way to the Forum (Book by Burt Shevelove and Larry Gelbart with music and lyrics by Stephen Sondheim) which will be performed at the Insular Life Theater, Filinvest Corporate City, Alabang on October 2, 3, 8, 9, 24, 30 (8PM). They will be also doing a William Shakespeare masterpiece entitled A Midsummer Night’s Dream which will be open for school purchase, but according to Williams they will be opening it soon to the public, where they added a touch of Asian approach on the performance to make it more appealing to the Filipino audience. Lastly, Theater Down South will be doing an original piece created by Williams and the company’s vice president and musical director Joonee Garcia entitles The Princess and the Red Carp on August 22, 29 - September 5, 12, 19 (3PM) at the Insular Life Theater, Filinvest Corporate City, Alabang. The story of the original piece created by Williams and Garcia is about Cinderella like story where the red carp provides Yeh Hsien, a young girl with clothes, jewelry, and the pair of tiny golden slippers. Unfortunately, her step mother eats the red carp and the only thing that will help the handsome Your Emperor remember her is through the golden slippers.

(William Shakespeare's A Midsummer Night’s Dream starring Chino Viguillas as Puck)

Aside from the foreign stories that the company will be doing on their performances, Williams shares that they are now studying local based folktales and zarzuelas to encourage the youth from the south to engage themselves with the Philippine culture. Among their pass performances includes Rapunzel and Treasure Island and for those who wanted to watch their three presentations and for sponsorships Theater Down South at (02)5056380, E-mail: info@theaterdownsouth.com, or visit www.theaterdownsouth.com, tickets are also available at Ticketworld outlets just call (02)8919999 or visit www.ticketworld.com.ph.