ATLANTIS PRODUCTIONS BRINGS the musical Aida by Elton John and Tim Rice to Manila with a stellar cast na kinabibilangan ng mag-amang Hajji at Rachel Alejandro, Myke Salomon, Josh Santana, Alys Serdenia at Ima Castro.
Aida is a timeless love story about an enslaved Nubian Princess and her captor, the Captain of the Egyptian Army who fell in love with each other kahit na siya ay nakatakdang ikasal sa isang Egyptian Princess at ang kanilang mga bansa ay mortal na magkaaway.
Most of the cast are no strangers to theater. Si Ima who plays the lead role Aida ay gumanap bilang Kim sa Miss Saigon in Australia, Asia and the United Kingdom; si Myke (Radames, captain of the Egyptian army) ay nasa Care Divas; si Alys (Nehebka, the Nubian slave) ay humakot naman ng mga papuri sa kanyang mahusay na pagganap bi-lang Petra sa A Little Night Music.
Rachel returns onstage as Amneris, the Egyptian Princess, after appearing as Mimi in Rent, Kate Monster / Lucy the Slut in Avenue Q and Kira / Clio in Xanadu while her dad, Hajji (Zoser, Chief Minister of Egypt and father of Radames) was in The Wiz, The Fantasticks, Larawan and Kapinangan.
Sinabi ni Hajji sa presscon ng Aida sa Astoria Plaza na napanood nila ni Rachel ang Aida sa Broadway noong 2002 while they were on a concert tour. “Gusto ko ang music ni Elton John so I was curious about the musical. Rachel and I watched it together. I had no idea that years later we will do it together.”
“Even from when I watched this show on Broadway years ago, I knew it was this role that I wanted to play. Her transformation is critical to the story’s tragic yet somehow satisfying resolution,” says Rachel.
Ito naman ang unang pagsabak ni Josh sa isang musical kung saan gaganap siya bilang Mereb. Josh says that he feels blessed to have his stage debut in the company of talented people.
Kasama rin sa cast ng Aida sina Delphine Buencamino, Sonjia Calit, Carlos Canlas, Raymund Concepcion, Johann dela Fuente, Jenny Jamora, Jimmy Marquez, Felix Rivera, Kakki Teodoro at Japs Treopaldo.
Chari Arespacochaga directs Aida which runs from June 24 to July 10 at the Carlos Romulo Theater, RCBC Plaza, Makati. For tickets, call Atlantis Productions at 8927078.
Kaibigan, usap tayo muli!
Points of Boy
by Boy Abunda
