Costanilla: Ceacorp to hold a BENEFIT CONCERT

CLUB. If there’s a club of local talents that I truly admire, it is the Cebu Entertainers’ Association Corp. (Ceacorp) Inc., led by veteran songbird Baby Condeno.

Since the group’s creation a few years back, Ceacorp has already staged a number of shows and initiated barangay-based singing competitions to help discover budding talents. The club did the Search for Singing Idol and the Search for Cebu’s Best Pop Sensation. Every December, it does a free concert during the Pasko sa Sugbo at Fuente Osmeña. While other local artists have tried to form their own groups, they have miserably failed for reasons known only to their organizers. But when Condeno invited a bunch of her fellow singers to help her form Ceacorp Inc., they readily accepted it and started to move. When the rest of the homegrown artists knew about the effort, they approached Condeno and signified their intention to join her group.

Credibility. I think it all boils down to credibility that Condeno and her co-officers have carefully nurtured all these years. Being in the entertainment business puts one in the world of intrigues, so when he/she is careless and tactless, you can just imagine the great damage he/she has to face. I have known Condeno even when she was still performing as a teen singer for the old dyRC—and up to this day, her popularity as a performer has never gone to her head. Condeno is singing regularly at an uptown jazz bar.

Show. Now, she and her co-officers and members are busy preparing for another show, this time a fund-raising concert for the benefit of their less fortunate fellow singers. Who doesn’t know Archie Marcial, former member of the very popular Zee Band?

Remember him, Eva Santos, Bernie Uy and Chad Borja? Marcial, whether alone or with the three others, can very well carry a show with his unique or distinct style of mesmerizing the audience. He had also performed in some Manila nightspots, like Alan K’s Comedy Bar and was grand champion in Eat Bulaga’s Kahit Sino Pwede singing competition. But as fate would have it, the four of them had to disband to pursue individual singing engagements here and abroad. Anyway, Ceacorp Inc. is coming up with “A Song For You” with Marcial as the main artist on Oct. 20, 6 p.m., at the auditorium of the College Assurance Plan Bldg. on Jones Ave. this city. It’s a must-see musical event that I am personally endorsing to the general public. Tickets are reasonably priced and those who want to buy some may call or text cell phone number 0932 325 4720.

Performers. To ensure a memorable evening of our favorite love songs and even contemporary hits, Condeno herself will be singing in the show. Not only that.

Her co-officers, veteran and neophyte performers, will also showcase their talent so you can just imagine an evening of powerful singing voices coming from Ben Roque, Angelie Roque, Fe Maningo, Dionne Ybañez, Dr. Marlon Montecillo, Rommel Roseque, Ruth Daguan, Lita Labus, Dodong Cabatingan, Boyet Lim, Samantha Abadilla, Merlin Roque, Myrna Daguan, Cristy Deiparine and Carla Roque. The show’s creative consultant is Mark Tenebro while Bryan Cabase is the director and they all promised to come up with a show that all of us will be talking about after its staging.

Film. Here’s the latest update coming from director Dandin Ranillo. His debut movie Palad Ta Ang Nagbuot will no longer have a premiere showing due to time constraints but he assured that its regular run will start on Oct. 31 in local cinemas. It is possible that lead actor Nonito Donaire and veteran actress Gloria Sevilla will attend the first-day screening.