The Market Monitor Minding the Nation's Business
By Boy Villasanta
Wonder why topnotch singers and concert queens, i.e., Asia’s Songbird Regine Velasquez, Nightingale Lani Misalucha and their ilk cannot be casted as leading ladies in the most talked about show “Triple Threats Series” of the Cultural Center of the Philippines (CCP) that helped catapulted to the top the singing careers of many big named Filipino performers?
Let Ariel Yonzon—Head of the Production and Exhibition Department of CCP—do the explanation.
“It’s not easy to be a leading performer of ‘Triple Threats.’ First, we choose the artist by virtue of the regular meaning of ‘triple treat,’ that is, he or she must have experiences in singing, dancing and acting in stage musicals,” said Ariel.
“Each ‘Triple Threats’ has a concept as well. If you remember, we had the leading men and women of Philippine musical theater presentation of Nonie Buencamino, Audie Gemora and Menchu Lauchengco-Yulo. We also had the power couple concept with the husband-and-wife team of Robert Sena and Isay Alvarez. In 2022, we had the tenors on stage like Arman Ferrer, Markki Stroem and Poppert Bernadas,” recalled Ariel.
“We are even thinking of kids to perform in the future series. There are lots of them but we want the pre-teens who have already performed in Filipino musical plays,” he added.
It is easy, therefore, to understand why the likes of Regine or Lani cannot be accommodated yet in the concept.
They should be part of a stage musical first. “We also consider the availability of the singers. Like, kung may musical na sina Regine, may time ba sila (if they already have musicals, do they have the time) for ‘Triple Threats’?” said Yonzon.
In the return of “Triple Threats” after it was deferred in 2023, the center stage is focused in the leading ladies of Philippine musical theater who primarily had tremendous experiences on singing, dancing and acting onstage, namely, Carla Guevarra Laforteza, Shiela Valderama Martinez and Tanya Manalang Atadero.
Carla, Shiela and Tanya have honed their craft in various theater companies both here and abroad.
For one, Carla, aside from appearing in Philippine Educational Theater Association (PETA), among other local stage groups has graced the international musical theatre scene with some of her most notable roles including Kim and Gigi in “Miss Saigon” at the Theatre Royal Drury Lane in London from 1995 to 1997.
Shiela has appeared in many seasons in Trumpets, 9 Works Theatrical, Repertory Philippines, to cite only a few.
More recently, she has performed in “The Dream is a Wish” with the Disney Orchestra in a concert in Genting, Malaysia.
Of course, Tanya has also carved an illustrious name in the industry as Kim in “Miss Saigon” at the West End in the United Kingdom.
Manalang Atadero has also appeared in the hit musical “Ang Huling El Bimbo” aside from other productions.
“I am also the producer of my ‘Triple Threats and it is a challenge for me as a performer as well,” confided Carla.
“This is a chance of a lifetime to perform in the concert series,” quipped Shiela whose show will be presented on October 17, 2024.
“I am excited about this solo concert,” admitted Tanya who has been very inspired by the way her singing career is doing.
Carla, Shiela and Tanya’s “Triple Threats” gigs will be on July 25 October 17 and December 12, 2024 at the Tanghalang Ignacio Gimenez.
Are they threats to each other?
“No,” exclaimed Tanya.
“We have been performing together and we have developed friendship and not rivalry,” clarified Carla.
“No more competition, Let’s just love each other,” opined Shiela.