Working Lunch

*inspired by Tita Mike's Facebook status
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Oh and add "Sunday" to that too.
Sunday working lunch.

(Around) This Time, Last Year

Sunday, January 25, 2009
About A Boy Crossing The Border
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For the first time in his current journey, the road seemed bleak and uncertain.

For the first time, he felt his arrogance -- the arrogance that he always depended on to conceal his weak, vulnerable, human self -- abandon him as the rest of his defenses melt away and disappear in a heartbeat.

For the first time in his current journey, he wasn't too proud to admit what he was feeling. He wasn't scared or ashamed to say, "Please forgive me. Give me one more chance. And the only reason that I need that one more chance is that I love you."

The boy was, for the first time in so long, at that point where something ends and something bigger begins. He knew what lay ahead beyond that point. And with much hope and faith, he decided to do what felt right for him. What felt good for him.

It was past midnight. Just a few minutes before that, he was on a cab racing against time, crossing the tunnel that connected Lantau and Hong Kong Islands. Then without him noticing, in just a few minutes, half the world transitioned from Jan. 22 to Jan. 23 --- from Thursday to Friday. At about the same time, he crossed another border: that where fascination ends and love begins.

It was the beginning of a new journey.
------

AUMULU, t!

Not A Whore

Katy: Where have you been?

Rye: Audition.

Katy: Oh Rye! You are the ultimate theatre whore! You just don't stop, do you? (laughs)

Rye: (laughs) Hahahaha! Yes. Yes, I am a whore.

---

And just this morning, I woke up and realized that i am NOT a whore, because I don't even do it for the money. Slut. I am a slut.

And it's not a bad thing.

It's Not Another Manic Monday

Dear readers, please help spread the word! The more, the many-er. ;-)

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Today can't be manic. The week ahead is gonna be very, very hectic, and I need to pace myself so that I may be able to sustain this whole stretch, and still live to see my next day off, which, hopefully, will happen before April starts.


Tuesday & Thursday, Saturday & Sunday--
Auditions: Oliver!, for HK Singers
(will be performed in June 2010 at the Hong Kong City Hall Theatre)

Audition dates:

Childrens Workshop - Saturday 23rd January and Sunday 24th January - (3 sessions each day at 3:15pm, 4:15pm, and 5:15pm)

Adults Audition - Tuesday 26th January and Thursday 28th of January - 7:00pm - 10pm

Visit our website for more information about roles, dates, and to sign up!

http://www.hksingers.com/


Thursday, Friday & Saturday--
Auditions: Six Characters In Search Of An Author

A Play By Luigi Pirandello
(Adapted by Rupert Goold and Ben Power in 2008)

Directed by: Ahmed El-Alfy

Produced by: The Italian Chamber of Commerce (ICC) - HK

Auditions Venue: TBA

Audition Dates:

Thursday, January 28th (7:00- 10pm)
Friday, January 29th (7:00-10pm)
Callbacks - Saturday, Jan 30th (6:00 - 10pm)

Performance dates: June 22 - 26, 2010

Performance Venue: McAulay Studio Theatre - Hong Kong Arts Center

For more information, and copies of the audition pieces/Character Description, please don't hesitate to contact Alfy at (+852-9197-5028) or send an email to ahmed.elalfy@gmail.com, Subject "Six Characters Auditions".


Friday & Saturday--
Auditions: Sir Topham Hatt

Thomas and Friends is a timeless television series that follows the adventures of Thomas, a cheeky little Tank Engine, and his engine friends.

Be a part of a much beloved adventure by playing Sir Topham Hatt in various live events throughout Asia. HIT ENTERTAINMENT HONG KONG are holding auditions for Sir Topham Hatt – The Fat Controller, for various live events throughout Asia, with both singing and non-singing artists required.

Looking for English speaking Caucasian males. Singing Artists need to prepare one Music Theatre piece plus another of their choice.(Please provide sheet music in the correct key.) Non-Singing artists need to show strong character skills and acting ability. All Artists will be asked to read a small section of dialogue provided at the audition.

Auditions will be held at the KATTERWALL Rehearsal Studio, Room 806 Arion Commercial Centre, 2-12 Queen’s Road West, Sheung Wan, Hong Kong on the 30th & 31st of January 2010 (Sat & Sun. All artists are required to pre-register to obtain an allocated audition time. Successful candidates may be required for further auditioning from 2pm – 5pm.Please send details including CV with previous performance experience and recent photo to auditions@xsystem.com.au

For enquiries, please contact James Gannaban at 97725792 or email James.Gannaban@xsystem.com.au


Saturday---
Party: The DS 7th Anniversary Party

Oh yes DS Magazine has reached the wonderful age of 7 years old and with all the efforts of all involved we thought we should throw a party to celebrate in style and what better place than the newly opened KOLOURS on Arbuthnot road in Central. So come and join in the fun and games with a nod to the King of Queers of 2009 – Adam Lambert – as Sony music have kindly sponsored our event with plenty of giveaways! Plus some great prizes for the best ‘glam rock’ costume, lots more prizes, show and surprises during the evening.

Plus special guests La Chiquitta, Fabiola Asustadiza and DJ Angus Wong.

* Free entrance and one complimentary drink with glam rock outfit, make up or in drag. The best outfit wins $1000 cash + $1000 drink coupon from Kolours. Many more prizes.

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It does look (and feel) overwhelming. Thank God for a person called, Mai, who happened to be my brother, my Monday started bright and happy. On my Facebook page, he wrote:

Things I miss doin with you:
1. Pigging out
2. Singing na lagi mo ako kino-coach
3. Arguing
4. You opening up to me
5. Mga 1-liner mong statements after a long litany of my emotions
6. Pag palit mo ng password sa pc pag nauubos ko yung isp bonanza mo
7. Pagsama mo sa akin with you whom I adore so much
8. Pagiging makalat mo. Dedma sa clutter
9. Pag kinokontra mo pagkain ko ng kanin
10. Dedma ka lang pag nahuhuli mo akong may booking
11. Pag di mo kinakausap for a month kapag kumukupit ako pera sa wallet mo
12. Pag n-neutralize mo sa amin ni mama
13. Pag a-assert mo magluto whenever I feel like cooking something
14. Pag away mo kay jonas
15. You smoking inside the house.
16. Pag nakikita ko yung kadiri mong diet na fresh egg whites atop youe steamed rice
17. Your ex na super love ko, ni rems, and tutit
18. Your performances with BP and souvenir programs
19. Pagtulog mo na parang never ka ng gigising.
20. Pagkwento mo sa friends mo na masama ugali ko.

Not (Entirely) About Me

Even Dan, and all the best and closest friends I have ever had, who are almost obliged to deal with my self-indulgence, sometimes get sick of always dealing with me and my being the center of the universe. I know, 'cause I get tired of my own self too, sometimes.

So today, for a change, I decided to write an entry that is not about me. This is about the 5 blogs that I have always been fascinated with, because they are more than just whining, and bitching, and stories of failed relationships, and sex fantasies. Very different from my blog. Still personal, as their authors talk about their passions, but in a manner that's not as self-indulgent as I do mine.

I had long wanted (and promised their respective authors) to feature them in my blog, and direct readers to them. That was back when I had a decent number of readers still, and my blog would get at least 50 hits a day. My blog popularity has already waned and I still haven't featured them. I have been waiting for the perfect opportunity. But what really is the perfect opportunity? I realized that...

Oh damn! This is not about me nga pala.

So, in no particular order:

Cooking In Small Spaces by Mike Rivera

First of all, Mike Rivera is a woman. Tita Mike, as she is fondly referred to by her friends, I included (not about you, Rye! not about you!), takes us to the relatively small but ever-so-prolific kitchen of their lovely dark wood and antique-adorned apartment in Cubao and shares with us, generously, her recipes-- some tried & tested, some passed on from the roots of her family tree, and some new & just-concocted.

What makes the recipes even more interesting, is knowing that Tita Mike is a career woman. She is a professional whose day job has something to do with marketing, advertising, and memorizing all the versions of the Caronia that ever came to life. She also writes for events and co-authors (with her longtime partner, Palanca awardee Augie Rivera) children's books, and designs costumes for theater. It's amazing how she still finds the time to even crush some garlic. But she's a superwoman. She does find time to do that, and create palatable masterpieces with them and a few other ingredients.

Tita Mike has recently been featured in Inquirer.net's "What's Cookin' With AHA" with her heirloom recipe entitled, "Ang Laswa ni Lola Pasing".


Riccichan by Ricci Chan

Some people may know Ricci as "Angel" in the Philippine Production of Rent. Others may know him as the original and incomparable "Didi" in Zsazsa Zaturnah Ze Muzical, or as "Joshua" in the stage version of Temptation Island; or as a singer, composer, musical arranger, record producer; or as a stylist, or makeup artist. Well, he is also a blogger. And all his learnings and theories in his craft-- his every craft-- he shares here. Including his innate wit and sarcasm.


Money Me by Steve de Castro

A Magna Cum Laude graduate from the University of the Philippines, Steve has always been regarded by his peers and the corporations that he has worked for, as a gem, except for his coldness in the workplace and his being unapproachable. But can you blame him? Can you really blame him? On his computer, and at the tip of his fingers are billions of dollars-- the flow of which, he has to closely monitor to make sure that the giant corporation doesn't sink even in the worst of times. He struggles, day in and day out to make sure every single cent that makes its way in and out of the company is accounted for and you complain about him not noticing how good you look today? Duh!

Well, Money Me is his escape from all that stress. Was. It talks about money, still, but in a way that would help the uninitiated (such as me. again!) understand the basics of finance, as opposed to in a way that would cause finance people's eyes to atrophy sooner than most others, and their guts to grow a few inches inexplicably over the period of six months. Just like what happened to him while he was in that situation.

Steve is now on sabbatical, enjoying life, and spending the enormous amount of money he has saved from his previous jib. He is also taking a break from updating this blog.


A Practical Magician's Post by Lawrence Villegas

Lawrence's professional blog is for the technorati, and for any person who aspires, or pretends to be one.

"Practical Magician's" talks about stuff that range from microblogging to social media strategy.

Lawrence, being trained in his youth in theater and being exposed for 2 years in HK to friends who think they are God's gift to mankind, is a critical thinker. In his blog, he analyzes why & how some media online campaigns work, and why & how some don't. That was back then-- when I was still a follower of his blog. I don't know anymore how it has evolved. I have stopped following it. Some of it is nothing more than gibberish to me. To me. But he has his own niche that is ever growing and that religiously follows the blog.

So again, it is not for me. But if you are a technorati, or you are a person who aspires, or pretends to be one, this is for you.

I wear HK by Jethro Pioquinto

Besides being one of the few Filipino young choreographers in our generation who has earned credibility in the local dance world and in the international contemporary scene, Jethro is also a fashion person.

Back in the day when dance was something he needed, at all costs, to do because it fed his soul, but which didn't feed his stomach, he designed clothes for a posh but affordable, almost-very gay retail brand in Manila. Doing so fed that little part of his soul, and the huge part of his stomach that dance didn't.

Jethro is now in HK, and although he is now well-fed in all areas of his life, he still hasn't forgotten his penchant for style and fashion. He no longer has the need to be married to fashion, he is now doing it leisurely. "I Wear HK" is the output for that hobby. Passion, I meant.

In his blog, Jethro observes through his Filipino eyes the fast-paced, cultural melting pot that is HK, and identifies what its peoples wear. And how it defines them. And us, our generation. And us-- the Filipino diaspora that has somehow mixed and blended with the colorful, pattern-filled Hong Kong populace but is still striving to keep our own cultural identity.

He is cooking up a project for his blog, where he will feature fashion-forward styles that he sees on the streets. A project that he will endeavour with up-and-coming photographer, Van Castillo. A project that may also blossom into something outside of fashion. Fingers crossed.

For The Record

1) Adam West, during post-show drinks at Delaney's on opening night of Romeo & Juliet, officially offered me the choreographer post for his late-2010 production. What it is, I am not sure I am allowed to disclose this early. But I am ecstatic to be part of the project. So excited, I am stepping left and right and doing pelvic thrusts! Wootwoo! And I am putting it in writing and tagging my "Sister Mary best friend", Nicole, so that Adam doesn't forget.

2) I am blacklisting people I don't ever wanna work with. I have long been doing this, but only now did I start to actually list them down. Most of them fall under the "BEST" category. Big Ego, Small Talent. I mean, it's ok to have egos. We all do. Small talent is ok, too. With determination, adequate training and proper guidance, that's workable-- it will become big eventually. But Big ego and Small talent together? Not good.

3) Andy Burt is officially on-board my dream project. Watch out, Hong Kong! Spring of 2011. Jamesy, are you ready? On that same note, another person has expressed interest to produce it, and another one to help us organize a few charity performances for a particular NGO. I am not sure I am allowed to divulge who they are, so I will conceal their identities under the names Jason Clark and Rey Asis, respectively.

4) Romeo and Juliet is over. Congratulations, peeps! I am proud to have been part of this undertaking. And thank you all for trusting my own little vision.

Big thanks to Jowzshua for my side-swept fringe.

I am posting here, my bio, for the people I thanked there but didn't get to see it or the programme. Here it goes--

RYE is a professional dancer, choriste, and stage actor. He was an apprentice for the Philippine Educational Theater Association, and for Ballet Philippines, and, briefly, a company scholar of Actors' Company in Manila, Philippines. He moved to Hong Kong in 2005 from his hometown to join the Opening Cast of HK Disneyland's Festival Of The Lion King. In September of 2008, he left the Mouse House and started exploring the arts scene in HK, but it wasn't until September of last year that he got immersed into it. Over the past 4 months, he has performed with the HK Singers (Throroughly Modern Millie), the American Community Theater (Sister Mary Ignatius Explains It All For You), and Multus Productions (Sistah Speak). His last theatrical involvement, Sistah Speak, was his first choreographic project in Hong Kong. He wishes to thank the studly T, his faghag mom, Rems, his spoiled brother, Mai La Sahara, and his perennial hero, Oca, for the inspiration; and Mandy Petty and Arvin Robles for opening doors for him. Rye also has an alter ego who appears occasionally in short skirts and sequined underpants named La Chiquitta, HK's first recording drag artiste.

5) up next: Footloose! Rehearsals start today. Start warming up, kids. Oh, and there's another one that's "for my country, my people". Verna & Jethro, we need to talk.

6) I will really take a break in March after Footloose. Promise!

7) A quick note to the newlyweds--

Belle & Jojo, I am utterly sorry that I missed a milestone in your life as a couple. That doesn't change the fact that I love you both. Super. Kisses! I am very, very happy for you. Congratulations, and the bestest wishes from your Ryeness.

Appreciating Shakespeare

I am sure a lot of people-- scholars, theater practitioners and aficionados, literatis-- will agree with me when I say that one of the best things about Shakespeare is the language.

Now, please don't ask me a thing about iambic pentameter or anything like that, because I will end up looking like a pathetic, pretentious pseudo-artist. I know nothing about that, to be very honest. What I am referring to, is its wordiness.

Shakespearean plays are wordy (and lengthy), that we are often given enough chance to Facebook and blog, while in rehearsal.

Rehearsing at the fabulous black box of the Chinese Int'l. School

Some of us actually pay attention.
Not everyone's like me.

The Nurse, Romeo, and Mercutio
-------------

Orpheus Theatre's
Romeo & Juliet
Shouson Theater, Wan Chai
13th-17th January 2010


Directed by Andy Burt (Arcadia, Educating Rita), Romeo and Juliet features a young and vibrant cast supported by contemporary music and stunning choreography.

Produced by Ed Rowe
Musical Direction Ronald Wan Pak-Hang
Choreography Rye Bautista

Tickets are available from URBTIX at www.urbtix.hk or from branches of Tom Lee Music, priced HK$250 for adults and HK$200 for students. Group bookings attract a discount depending on the group size: please contact our Producer, Ed Rowe, at rowe.ed@gmail.com for details of group or schools bookings. Please browse around our site for further information about the play, links to other resources about Shakespeare's works, and images of the production and rehearsal process.

Postponing New Year's

The post. Postponing the New Year's post. Not the arrival of the new year, it's inevitable. Not the festivities, either. It's a sin to postpone any activity that involves consumption of alcohol in large quantities.

I was gonna post something more apt for the occasion, like a review of the year that had just closed or a promise to make the one that had just opened, a lot better than the previous ones, but I decided I'll save that for when all New Year's celebrations have finished.

For today, the first day of 2010, I decided to write about two anniversaries that took place just recently, but which I hadn't written of. And since I am a person who is big on anniversaries (I am bigger on anniversaries than on birthdays or national holidays), it is but just that I write about them, albeit late. You know what they say, better late than never.

December 18, 2008--- I went over to T's after a night of drinking. Loaded with a huge dose of liquid courage, I said to him. "Are we a couple? We have to make this official. Tonight." I was adamant. I made sure he had no way out. Shotgun marriage-- almost like that. And then quickly, I kissed him good night and dozed off; I didn't wake up the following morning until I was sure he had gone to work. I made sure he had no chance of taking it back.

A year, and way too many happy moments together, he still hasn't taken it back, thank God!

I AUMULU, T, here's hoping for many, many more wonderful anniversaries which I won't mind you forgetting, but which I will never, ever get tired reminding you and celebrating. (Next time, hopefully, not over breakfast.)

December 28, 2004--- Out of need of a venue to let it out, Can't You Read?, was born.


Five years; 36, 332 views since its resurrection on May 19, 2007; 510 posts; thousands of hours on end; countless emotions, people, events & life experiences; 3 blog awards & a few reviews and citations here and there; and dozens of new friends later, Can't You Read? is still alive. Not as busy as before, but somehow still serving the same purpose.

This is the very first time that I am celebrating my blog anniversary, and that shouldn't be the case, because my blog is way more abused than any of my best friends-- always there when I need it. Just when I need it.

Thank you, Can't You Read?. And I continue my relationship with you, knowing that somewhere, sometime, one person will stumble upon you and you will change his life, for the better. Oh, and thank you, Dan, for motivating me to blog again.

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I once read a love quote that said something like, "Someday, someone will come and make you thank God that all the others in the past didn't work out." To that someone in my past who is now a good friend--- for pushing me to be where I am now, which made my meeting with T possible; and for that wrinkle in our history that made me start "Can't You Read"--- my deepest, sincerest thanks to you.