ONCE the dust settles down from the flurry of activities of Kadayawan sa Dabaw, Dabawenyos can relax and watch local talents perform LCB Performing Arts Center Foundation's full-scale production: "Broadway Our Way.”
Set on September 1-2, at 7 p.m. at the CAP Grand Auditorium, the production will feature more than a hundred of LCB's students, the youngest being just four years old and the eldest at 68.
Putting some order and top-rate performance from the smallest cast member is Miguel C. Braganza II, a theatre artists who hails from Tagum City but who honed his craft first as faculty member of Julie Borromeo’s Dance Arts Foundation from 1981-83 and then artist-in-residence at La Mama ETC in New York City.
His years abroad had all the ingredients of an artist trying to make it big; complete with watering stints and doing the hungry artist route, preferring the independent theatre as against Broadway.
"We hated Broadway, it was too commercial, artista kuno kamu, pero gutom kami lahat," he recalled in amusement.
He did end up in Broadway with M Butterfly by David Henry Hwang where he was a production assistant and assisted the director in its pre-Broadway and Broadway runs.
He has since racked up a long list of experience both on, off and "off-off" Broadway, including Miss Saigon until 2006 as well as being in the first US National Tour between 1992-1996, in Suttgart, Germany from 1997-99 and the North American Tour.
Now he's going around sharing his art with children, through the MB2 NY Art Earthique in New York and in series of workshops with children in Alaminos, Pangasinan, his parents' hometown.
He's here to try out the talents in Davao with the intent of replicating his works in Pangasinan.
So far, he has only good words for the students of LCB.
"I'm so touched by the commitment of the parents and the children. With this, there is no reason for you not to be able to develop your own talents," he said.
Chin Bon Lu, the man behind LCB believes in the local talents thus the continuance of the performing arts school even with the horrendous cost of putting up productions.
It's among the reason for the school, he said. At least, their production already has a captive audience. It would be more difficult to put up independent productions.
But he's not regretting anything as he has seen some of his students making a career out of theatre and dance.
"We only serve as springboard. Those really interested will go to a conservatory or a ballet school," he said.
The cast of Broadway our way are:
KIDS: Arcamo, Krizzle Siemonnette; Arceo, Therese; De Mendoza, Iya; Espino, Ymari; Fernandez, Ara Romelle; Gempesaw, Chloe Ysabelle; Jeng, Claire; Lam, Ngaki; Lee, Kirby; Lee, Sasha Ashley; Lu, Chloe; Kong, Sophie; Mendoza, Jaeda; Pacheco, Isabel Aaliyah; Sabit, Kirsten Andrea; Samonte, Aiyanna Eliza; Siao, Alexandria; Trono, Asia; Trono, Theo Santino; Ubas, Grant; Uy, Lili; Velasco, Elijah Peter; and Velasco, Eunice Tessa
TEENS: Adao, Alexis Julia; Ambrosio, Rica Amaris; Buenaflor, Salve Andrea; Chua, Charisse Ayn; De Chavez, Alyssa; Espino, Yves Angelo; Guerra, Samuel John; Jeng, Regina; Ocampo, Patricia Therese; Paz, Meurisse Trina; Regino, Veronica Marie; Ulat, Ana Mikaela; and Wang, Babe Ann
ADULTS: Abella, Blesilda; Alegado, Kristoffer; Bacus, Daniel Napoleon; Canusa, Christine Marie; Chua, Gina; Balibay, Monica; Basoc, Ma. Luisa; Batchar, Jaycee; Bonguyan, Teresita; Kong, Loreto; Kong, Violeta; Lapined, Andrew; Lu, Cely; Lu, Chin Bon; Lu, Clarice; Miedes, Jeffrey; Haynes, Malou; Muego, Mary; Nacionales, Crissa Marie; Reuyan, Wilcon; Tejada, Josie; Tionko, Josie; Yuzon, Judy Anne; and Yuzon, Romeo Jr.
SCHOLARS: Ababon, Marc Faith; Alves, Audrey Zoe Layanne; Bacalla, Kim Fong; Basoc, Alexandrea Nicole; Bitte, Allan Robert; Cabarroguis, Alexa; Crisostomo, Chyn Ira; Delos Santos, Paolo Jae; Elemino, Carl Kristoffer; Fernandez, Alyanna Louise; Guerra, Rowi Anne; Guerra, Rowi Mae; Hidalgo, Noelle; Jugador, Chelsea Trenchy; Muego, Rona Mae; Sabit, Joshua Angelo; Tabaco, Francesca Elaina; Tolentino, Ma. Theresa; Trono, Christine Noel; and Verga, Claudine Alyssandra
COMPANY DANCERS: Lu, Harvey Nichol; Lu, Jasper Jan; Lu- Alcaraz, Karen Diane; and Young, Marlou.
Special guest performer is Kirby Asunto who sang the Pambansang Awit in the most recent fight of Manny Pacquiao.
Associate director and choreographer for the tap dance numbers is Bing Locsin.
Associate Choreographers are Karen Diane Lu- Alcaraz, Harvey Nichol Lu, Joshua Sabit, and Marc Faith Ababon.
Voice Teacher is Ma. Teresa Tolentino, Executive Director is Karen Diane Lu- Alcaraz, and producer is Chin Bon Lu.