IS Elvis invading Pasil? It looks like it in the musical comedy New Yorker In Pasil directed by playwright Crispin Poynter Ramos Jr.
The 55-minute play, set in the 1950s introduces rock ‘n’ roll to the fun-loving Cebuanos. The 11 original songs that will be performed by local actors were written exclusively for the musical by Dan Marcus, a US-based musical scorer. This will be Bantawan Sugbu’s rare offering for this year.
The cast is composed of Jennifer Yu (Kikay), Brian Barbon (Tony), Rhea Bautista (Nena), Jon Ybanez (Totoy) and and Shiela Gemperoa (Nang Atang).
Kikay’s homecoming rocks Pasil. She believes she’s important because she came from New York even though she only stayed there for 11 months.
As soon as the girl comes home, she thinks and behaves as if she’s still in New York, thereby causing some problems to family and friends. Tony plays the role of a famous local rock ‘n’ roll singer. And there’s the neighborhood tomboy, Nena; Totoy, a local patisoy who speaks Bisdak English; and the never-too-old or too-late rockstar Nang Atang.
The stage will feature authentic ‘50s vintage props such as a 1958 Vespa scooter. A translation from the original into Cebuano, done by Ramos, will give a new dimension to the comedy play that recalls fiesta dramas of yesteryears.
The play will run for four weeks in Cebu, then it will be toured to Ozamis, Pagadian, Iligan and Cagayan de Oro. New Yorker In Pasil runs from Monday to Friday at the Bantawan Sugbu on Visitacion Street., an artery just off Osmena Boulevard. The show starts at 7:30 p.m.
