“ RIVALRY - ATENEO LA SALLE THE MUSICAL – SECOND ROUND ” SET TO OPEN JANUARY 25!

  The rivalry between Ateneo and La Salle, or between La Salle and Ateneo has been going on as far as everyone can remember. How this all began, no one can really say. In any field of competition, the electricity of this rivalry sizzles, permeates and explodes. This is most evident in every basketball game between the two schools during the NCAA days and now, in the UAAP Tournaments.

This rivalry has spread to include every area of competition.

And now…..a group of very talented, professional stage group will stage a daring musical depicting this glorious rivalry and hopes to hold the audience’s interest throughout the 2-hour show.

This idea germinated in the mind of Ed Gatchalian, who is the show’s Executive Producer, Musical Director/Composer/Arranger/Orchestrator. Ed is also co-writing the book and libretto with seasoned Director Jaime del Mundo.

   Ed, being a true blue-blooded Atenean from Grade School to High School through 2 years of College, knew what it was (and is) to live the rivalry. But Ed wanted to be accurate, true and unbiased in his creation. So, he called on his friends from the rival school to sit down with him and share with Ed what it meant to be a La Sallite (as they were called during Ed’s Time). Three of Ed’s old La Sallite friends (Juan Miguel Llamas, Tony Cervantes and Jimmy Morelos) provided what Ed needed to progress in his story development.

    Among the many rivalry issues, the one that stand out are as follows:

1.         Girls

2.         Basketball

3.         Girls again

4.         Basketball again

5.         Social Issues

6.         Girls once more

7.         Academics

8.         Basketball

9.         More Girls

10.       And finally, Basketball championship

    The setting is 1968, when Ateneo and La Salle were still part of the NCAA with other schools such as Letran, San Beda, Mapua and Jose Rizal.

The story revolves around two families.

The Basilio family, headed by Green-blooded Demetrio and his wife, Dolores. They have a son, Tommy, who is the star basketball player of the La Salle Senior Basketball Team.

The other family is the Valencia family, led by Blue-blooded Papa Anton and his wife Andrea. By the way, Andrea and Dolores are sisters. There are two children in the Valencia family; Paco, who is the star player of the Ateneo Senior Basketball Team and Quito, a very passionate and active member of the Social Order Club, consistent Honor Student, Class President.

Despite belonging to opposing schools, Tommy Basilio and his cousins, Paco and Quito Valencia are the best of friends. And faced with the possibility of playing against each other for the NCAA Basketball Championship, Tommy and Paco seem to be unmindful of this complication.

On the girl issue, Quito has a silent love for a Maryknoller, Reena San Jose. This very natural emotion attracts a very complicated situation, which we would like you to know when you come and watch the musical when it formally opens.

The closeness of the cousins is not shared by their fathers. It seems on the surface that their long-standing personal feud is on account of their respective school loyalties. But towards the latter part of Act Two, the real issue was on account of how they dealt with a serious conflict in their professional careers. Realizing the futility of prolonging the feud, they decide to bury their hatchets.

In Act Two, academics continues to seem to be a rivalry issue. Social issues also awaken the sensitivities of both the Atenean and the La Sallite.

At the end, the rivalry is clear…..the Atenean and the La Sallite have a mutual silent respect for his rival, who he considers worthy enough to be a threat and win the girl he loves, the basketball championship that he longs for, the future job that he will desire….

In effect, the cause of the rivalry resulted in the Atenean and the La Sallite to excel in every field. The neutral group then brings up the question: “If as rivals, you pursued excellence and became successful, what more if your were allies?”

This thought intrigues both camps. As they start to move towards each other in an attempt for a hand shake, they quickly stop and say “No…this cannot be. Without rivalry, there can no Ateneo…no La Salle! The rivalry goes on!!!” But what they really mean is that without rivalry, the future Atenean and La Sallite will not be as good, as excellent, as successful !

Winner of the 2012 Broadway World (Philippines) for Best Music for a Filipino Musical,  “ RIVALRY:  Ateneo-La Salle The Musical – The Second Round ” is set to open on January 25, 2013 at the Meralco Theater, Ortigas Center at 8 p.m.

The much-anticipated return of 4^th Wall Theater Company’s “ Rivalry: Ateneo La Salle The Musical – The Second Round ” was written with 1968 as its setting --- an appropriate time when Ateneo and La Salle were still part of the NCAA together with San Sebastian, Letran, San Beda, Mapua and Jose Rizal competing for the annual coveted title as ‘champions’ of the varsity league.  Different issues were tackled like the parent vs. child, the teenage boys vs. teenage girls, varsity games specifically ‘basketball’, love and courtship, academic excellence and sports, and other related conflicts among family members.

The lead roles taking the centerstage are OJ Mariano as Paco Valencia, the Ateneo star player together with Mako Alonso as Tommy Basilio, the La Salle Star; Athena Tibi as Reena San Jose, the Maryknoller who captures the attention and affection of an Atenean and a La Sallite; and Red Concpecion as QuitoValencia.

Cara Barredo (Reena San Jose - understudy), Altair Alonso (Tommy Basilio - understudy), Fred Lo (Quito Valencia – understudy) and Mayen Cadd (Andrea Valencia) are the four new faces who will surely infuse an all-new chemistry and onstage energy with the original and fellow Rivalry cast members.

                   

The supporting cast includes Juliene Mendoza as Anton Valencia,  Raymund Concepcion as Demetrio Basilio, Sheila Francisco as Dolores Basilio; Joel Trinidad as the Ateneo coach and Chino Veguillas as the La Salle coach, and a special appearance of Noel Trinidad as Eliseo Genaro

Also featured are veteran theatre artists Caisa Borromeo, Kyla Rivera, Kakki Teodoro, Robbie Zialcita, Jun Ofrasio, Steve Conde, Will Angeles, Jenny Villegas, Diana Alferez,  Angela Padilla. Bulinggit Delgado, Nelsito Gomez, Bym Buhain, Mark Tayag, Kevin Concepcion, Andre Calixto,  Fran Jose. Jay Pangilinan, Francis Jovina, Harold Cruz and Anthony Tarossa Ong .

          Rivalry: The Musical was first presented last January 2012 and received unanimous praise from the audiences and the press for putting up  a phenomenal original Filipino production about the real lives of students and how they cope up with day-to-day family rules and chores, school norms and academic proficiency.

The artistic and creative team of  “ RIVALRY Ateneo- La Salle The Musical – Second Round ” is led by Ed Gatchalian  (Musical Director, Composer, Arranger and Orchestrator), Jaime Del Mundo (Book and Director), Joel Trinidad (Lyricist), Nancy Crowe (Choreographer), Johnsy Reyes (Lighting Designer), and Lex Marcos (Set Designer).

The production staff is composed of Leah Reyes (Production Manager), Ems Bolanos (Company Manager), Ed Lacson (Stage Manager), Ace Urieta (Technical Director) Roan Cornejo (Deputy Stage Manager); Jeremy Aguado (Executive Asst); Toots Tolentino (Publicist); JC Inocian (Photography) and Meynard Penalosa (Videography).

A musical feast for every member of the family, “ RIVALRY:  Ateneo-La Salle The Musical – The Second Round runs from Fridays to Sundays starting January 25, 2013 until  February 17, 2013. (Friday – Saturday at 8 p.m.; Saturday – Sunday at 3 p.m.)

 Tickets are now available at all Ticketworld outlets. For tickets and show information, call 891-9999 or visit www.ticketworld.com.ph.