TWO years after it was shown as the 22nd anniversary show of the longest-running and top-rated comedy show of GMA7, the live-musical play “Parokya Nato’: A Laugh Story” was brought to Cebu a day after Valentine’s Day this year at the Waterfront Cebu City Hotel and Casino. The musical play had the comedy show’s cast revealing additional facets to their usual routines.
The show starts off when Buloy (Michael V.) had to disguise himself as a lady driver—after he failed in an audition conducted by a television network—just to be with a female star (Kim Domingo) whom he was so enamored with. Incidentally, the star is maltreated by his on- and off-screen sweetheart (Paolo Contis) which made their relationship come to an end.
Buloy’s identity was uncovered and he was forced to go back to his normal life, helping his mother (Betong Sumaya) run a carenderia. Meanwhile, the competing network, under Ms. VIP (Valeen Montenegro), was desperate to regain ratings supremacy and resorted to evil tactics to achieve its objective.
The ensuing scenes exposed the plot, giving Buloy’s ambition the chance to materialize, and the whole play wrapped up with a happy ending.
Providing able support performances were Chariz Solomon, Antonio Aquitania, Jackie Rice, Boy2 Quizon, Denise Barbacena, Lovely Abella, Sef Cadayona, Mikael Daez, Archie Alemania, Mikoy Morales, Analyn Barro, James Macasero, Roadfill Obeso, Myka Flores, Diego Llorico and a few Cebuano artists.
Set against the familiar music of OPM icon Parokya ni Edgar—with the collaboration of Rem Zamora (stage director), Vince de Jesus (musical director and playwright), Myke Salomon (musical arranger) and Dan Cabrera (choreographer)—the live-musical play had the audience glued to their seats till the final bow. Some spectators went up the stage after the show for selfies with the cast.
Manila and neighboring provinces play host to musical plays both by local and foreign productions every now and then. Cebu, on the other hand, does not enjoy that privilege as much. Will the success of Bubble Gang’s “Parokya Nato’: A Laugh Story” change the whole scenario? (S)