‘Legends’ grace night of fashion and rhythm

Sunday, November 27, 2011

IT WAS a night of fun for the guests and, more especially, for the participants of Fashion 'N Rhythm, as they sashayed on stage, taking on the personalities their very able directress Dr. Mila Espina had asked them to portray.

The event, held at the Marco Polo Plaza Cebu grand ballroom on Nov. 17, started with the “Women of Legends” dressed in all their majestic finery: Consul Armi Garcia as Catherine the Great of Russia, Sylvia Paderanga as Queen Isabella, Cely Chiongbian as Queen Elizabeth I of England, Margarita Onglatco as Marie Antoinette, Lucille Colina as Catherine D’ Medici, Janice Minor as Cleopatra, Stella Bernabe as Indira Ghandi and Mariter Klepp as Eva Peron.

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The “Night of the Oscars” portion was hosted by Anne Hathaway in the person of Carol Go, and Tom Hanks, aka William Sienes. Coming down the red carpet were Desperate Housewives' Marcia Cross (Alice Woolbright), Nicolette Sheridan (Tamsin Booth), Teri Hatcher (June Alegrado) and Eva Longoria (Jackie D. Lotzof).

Other stars followed: Halley Berry (Karen Woolbright), Paris Hilton (Yvette Vass), Beyonce (Kate Dychangco-Anzani) and Lindsay Lohan (Janine Taylor). They were all tickled pink at the presence of Manny Pakuyaw in the person of Jessielito Moncada.

Charlie’s Angels also arrived: Drew Barrymore (Jane Gocuan), Lucy Liu (Bo Hauri), and Cameron Diaz (Tess Javier), followed by Jennifer Lopez (Agnes Huettel) and Steve Tyler (Gregg Huettel).

More stars arrived: Julia Roberts (Consul Emily Chioson), Demi Moore (Chabeng Garcia), Jennifer Aniston (Tess Chan), Reese Witherspoon (Pilar Puno), Meryl Streep (Carmen Campbell), Sandra Bullock (Floram Limotlimot), Marion Cotillard (Kristin Lerin), Penelope Cruz (Anna Quisumbing) and Kate Winslet (Joy Onozawa).

The stage glittered when celebrity couples came: Angelina Jolie (Dame Mariquita Yeung) and Brad Pitt (Consul John Domingo) and Michael Douglas and Catherine Zeta-Jones (Consul Michel and Amparito Lhuillier).

Oscar Hall of Famers included characters from Gone with the Wind (Aida Uy), The Godfather (Joe Ng), James Bond (Francis Monera), Superman (Bruce Winton), Wonder Woman (Iris Arcenas), Batman (Jong Fernandez) and Zorro (Chris Lebumfacil).

In the rock ‘n roll dance number were Baby Dy, Penny Carvajal, Cherry Callero and Ann Momongan. And for My Fair Lady, Aida Uy and Cely Chiongbian. The Sound of Music had Matt Baguia, Rufina Tanchan, Anita Sanchez, Lucy Segura, Pauline Deduque and Malou Mendez.

Spicing up the show were song numbers from Ed Chiongbian, Vince Colina, Ben Yapjoco, Ramon Sebastian, Sonny Espina, Willy Go and Sam Costanilla, Yntel Beltran and Dave Clark Sibonga, and Elvert Benero and Jazzie Jay Mantilla.

Other performers were the Knapsack Dancers and the Amparito Lhuillier scholars, and the Speechcom Scholars, including Francis Isidro and Michele Guillamac. If that were not enough, there was also a parade featuring the hats of Janice Minor. Wow! And to top the show, Cebu “legend” Gov. Gwen Garcia, as herself, was a special guest of the presentation.

Mila (as Sharon Osbourne), take a bow. You deserve an Oscar! Take a bow, too, Consular Corps of Cebu (headed by Consul Armi Garcia) and Zonta Club of Cebu I (headed by Stella Bernabe), event sponsors Smart Communications and Marco Polo Plaza Cebu, and all the people behind the scenes who produced an enjoyable show that will benefit the special charities of Zonta I of Cebu and the Consular Corps of Cebu.