Crazy Women

The aunt and the help have gone crazy. When they start laughing, there's no stopping them. To our very own Mrs. Lovett, Norma Desmond, Mama Rose, Diana Goodman, here's your version of "Pretty Women" from Sondheim's "Sweeney Todd."

 Johnny Depp and Alan Rickman in that scene from that film.

Crazy women,
fascinating,
making dinner,
laughing.
Crazy women
are a wonder.
Crazy women!

Sitting by the window or
standing by the chair,
something that they say or wear.

Crazy women,
so demented,
staring at you,
glancing

right beside you.
Breathing lightly,
crazy women,
crazy women!

Blowing unlit candles or
pulling out their hair.
Even when they sleep,
they still are there
right there.

Ah! Crazy women, 

wiping mirrors
in the kitchen,
laundry-washing,
Flower-planting,
household-cleaning.
How they get you reeling!

Proof of madness

while they're living,
crazy women!

Yes, crazy women!
Here's to crazy women!

The 30-Day Musical Theater Song Challenge, Part 7

I came across this challenge on Facebook and thought I'd give it a try. By now, it should be no secret that I'm an avid fan of musical theater, which is not the case for many people in this country (and it's easy to understand why). If you're a Broadway junkie like myself, then my 'repertoire' is yours to sample. Otherwise, you're in for some 'new' music to... add to your playlist, perhaps?

Note: The instructions say to post this on your 'Wall', one song per day, but since we're in Blogger, I'm having it my way.

A song from your 'guilty pleasure' musical.

"TOUCH MY SOUL" from Bare

by Jenna Leigh Green and James Snyder

I read online that Bare has developed a cult following worldwide, so it got me all excited thinking that I'm actually part of a cult. But that's beside the point. Here's a musical that's nearly a decade due on Broadway (it had an Off-Broadway outing in 2004, but failed to make it to Broadway itself). Instead, it's received numerous productions worldwide and has become a favorite for amateur and regional theaters. For all I know, the youth's a huge part of its fanbase (or cult membership) - and really, there is something about this musical that appeals to young people. 

Perhaps it's because, like Spring Awakening (but without the global fame), Bare is about teenagers struggling to find their place in society. There's contemporary music - and it's quite good, I should say. Combine these two elements and you have the perfect recipe to get young people hooked to a piece of musical theater.

The main story arc in Bare is a love triangle, between Peter, Jason, and Ivy. The pairings are as follows: Peter and Jason, Jason and Ivy. Peter's gay, Jason's confused as to whether he's gay or straight, and Ivy is straight, flirty, and female all the way. In Touch My Soul, Ivy tells Jason about her feelings and her two cents on the world she runs, and Jason sings back to her (though it's hardly welcome).

P.S. The above clip is from the Off-Broadway Production with Jenna Leigh Green as Ivy and John Hill as Jason, dubbed with the 2007 Studio Cast Recording by Green and James Snyder as Jason.

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A song from the musical which you think everyone should see performed live.

"MAYBE" from Next to Normal

by Alice Ripley and Jennifer Damiano

Watch Next to Normal. I say that to everyone out there who lives with a functional and happy family, and to those who'd rather stay away from home because home's such a terrible place. Maybe, after watching this, you'll realize that your problems aren't that major at all. You'll be able to appreciate and love your moms better. You'll realize how lucky you are to have a dad who's not a punching bag for your mom. You'll realize that in the future, it'll just be you and your siblings together. The moral of Next to Normal goes something like this: Treasure your family, for how fortunate you are that you're not a Goodman.

I watched the musical twice in March 2011, and for both times, you could hear the sobs and sniffles during Maybe. Here, Diana and Natalie (mother and daughter) reconcile their differences and resign themselves to the fact that maybe, a normal life's never meant for them. "I don't need a life that's normal," Natalie sings, "but something next to normal would be okay."

Menchu Lauchengco-Yulo and Bea Garcia return in October for a rerun of the Manila production of this musical. Any theater fan out there would be crazy to miss this. The emotions that Lauchengco-Yulo and Garcia evoke in this scene are of the highest and purest level.

The 30-Day Musical Theater Song Challenge, Part 6

I came across this challenge on Facebook and thought I'd give it a try. By now, it should be no secret that I'm an avid fan of musical theater, which is not the case for many people in this country (and it's easy to understand why). If you're a Broadway junkie like myself, then my 'repertoire' is yours to sample. Otherwise, you're in for some 'new' music to... add to your playlist, perhaps?

Note: The instructions say to post this on your 'Wall', one song per day, but since we're in Blogger, I'm having it my way.

A song from the musical with the best music.

"ALL I ASK OF YOU" from The Phantom of the Opera

a concert cover by Brad Little and Joanna Ampil

When it comes to Andrew Lloyd Webber, there are only two ways a musical theater lover may go: You either love his music or abhor it with your life. For the longest-running Broadway show, at least, I'm a fan. Phantom, after all, is the very first musical recording that I listened to and actually got... 'addicted' to. It was the summer before high school, and our living room was constantly filled with Gerard Butler and Emmy Rossum's voices (which at that time were quite perfect for me already). Half a decade and many Phantom covers later, I'm still no fan of Michael Crawford.

The category here is best music, and it dawned on me when I was still choosing an answer that I actually like every song there is in Phantom. Of course, there are other musicals that I'd easily give this category to, but for the sheer beauty of the music, ALW wins. I couldn't find a good enough cover for The Point of No Return, which is my most favorite song from the musical, so I had to settle with this one instead. Joanna Ampil for Christine in a Manila engagement ala Cats, anyone? 

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A song from the musical with the best lyrics.

"I WISH I COULD GO BACK TO COLLEGE" from Avenue Q

by the Original Broadway Cast

Yes, friends, Avenue Q again for this one. Why? It's ridiculously funny, it's witty, and it's very sincere all at the same time. It's an ingenious juxtaposition of R-rated hilarity and in-your-face facts of life, a comedy or dramedy or I-don't-know-how-to-categorize-it with a really huge heart and a very human soul. At least once, every urbanite with the money must see the show, and so should college students and fresh college graduates, and the married couples as well.

Right now, I'd rename this song "I Wish I Could Go Back to PreMed" and somehow, it'd fit.

The 30-Day Musical Theater Song Challenge, Part 5

I came across this challenge on Facebook and thought I'd give it a try. By now, it should be no secret that I'm an avid fan of musical theater, which is not the case for many people in this country (and it's easy to understand why). If you're a Broadway junkie like myself, then my 'repertoire' is yours to sample. Otherwise, you're in for some 'new' music to... add to your playlist, perhaps?

Note: The instructions say to post this on your 'Wall', one song per day, but since we're in Blogger, I'm having it my way.

A song by your favorite musical composer.

"SO MANY PEOPLE" from Saturday Night
a concert cover by Laura Benanti 

First of all, pardon the video if the audiovisuals aren't that good; it's my first creation using Windows Movie Maker - and dear Lord, did the entire process of extracting that clip give me one heck of a headache. But I guess the headache's worth it, for here, in a clip that Youtube does not have or refuses to hand over to me, is Tony winner Laura Benanti in one of the best numbers of the night during Stephen Sondheim's 80th Birthday Concert more than a year ago.

It took nearly a half-century before Saturday Night, probably one of Sondheim's least known creations, made it to the West End, and Broadway's yet to get a taste of it. In this musical, however, is what I deem to be Sondheim's most beautiful (love) song - in fact, one of the most beautiful songs I've ever encountered. It's something I'd really like to hear at a or my wedding. Laura Benanti, in just concert form, is dazzlingly romantic here.

My favorite lyrics: So many people in the world/ and what can they do?/ They'll never know love/ like my love for you/.../ And if they tell us/ it's a thing we'll outgrow/ they're jealous as they could be/ that with so many people in the world/ you love me. 

The 30-Day Musical Theater Song Challenge, Part 4

I came across this challenge on Facebook and thought I'd give it a try. By now, it should be no secret that I'm an avid fan of musical theater, which is not the case for many people in this country (and it's easy to understand why). If you're a Broadway junkie like myself, then my 'repertoire' is yours to sample. Otherwise, you're in for some 'new' music to... add to your playlist, perhaps?

Note: The instructions say to post this on your 'Wall', one song per day, but since we're in Blogger, I'm having it my way.

A song sung by your favorite male singer in a musical.

"I'M ALIVE" from Next to Normal

by Aaron Tveit

Before anything else, I'd just like to say that this is not a definitive answer for me, since I actually have a lot of favorite male singers. But here is Tveit showing off the beautiful tenor that he is in a song that Broadway first heard him sing, the anthem of Gabe Goodman (who's existence is highly questionable, if you know what I mean) in Next to Normal. I once read online that in choosing the actor for Gabe, the casting directors looked for someone who possessed the voice of a 'child', and that Tveit's vocal comfort zone actually lies in that stratospheric zone.

Felix Rivera was a 'creeptastic oedipal weirdo', as a reviewer described his performance, in the March 2011 Manila staging of the musical, a thrilling supporting performance that stood on its own without overshadowing the leads. Although I did find his singing and acting voice weirdly smaller than usual at times (whether its him or the sound system's anybody's guess).

The 30-Day Musical Theater Song Challenge, Part 3

I came across this challenge on Facebook and thought I'd give it a try. By now, it should be no secret that I'm an avid fan of musical theater, which is not the case for many people in this country (and it's easy to understand why). If you're a Broadway junkie like myself, then my 'repertoire' is yours to sample. Otherwise, you're in for some 'new' music to... add to your playlist, perhaps?

Note: The instructions say to post this on your 'Wall', one song per day, but since we're in Blogger, I'm having it my way.

A song which makes you happy.

"EVERYONE'S A LITTLE BIT RACIST" from Avenue Q

by the Original Broadway Cast

This is a song about racism, and it makes me happy. Not enlightened-, proud-, or teary-eyed-happy, just sort of sitting-back-with-a-smile-happy. But really, it's a work of comedic genius - basically what Avenue Q's made of. It pokes fun at a very sensitive issue yet does not fail to deliver an all-important message: That it is all right to be racist because it's natural.

I saw the fourth Manila run of Atlantis Productions' Avenue Q more than a year ago, and I was laughing my heart out through both acts. The show made me a devotee of Felix Rivera and quelled any doubts I had over whether Rachel Alejandro's any good (in singing, acting, or both). And who could ever forget Joel Trinidad in the comedic performance of the night as the sex-starved Trekkie Monster? Theater people of Manila are shouting: Repeat!

The 30-Day Musical Theater Song Challenge, Part 2

I came across this challenge on Facebook and thought I'd give it a try. By now, it should be no secret that I'm an avid fan of musical theater, which is not the case for many people in this country (and it's easy to understand why). If you're a Broadway junkie like myself, then my 'repertoire' is yours to sample. Otherwise, you're in for some 'new' music to... add to your playlist, perhaps?

Note: The instructions say to post this on your 'Wall', one song per day, but since we're in Blogger, I'm having it my way.

A song demonstrating how underrated you think a musical is.

"HAPPINESS" from Passion

by Marin Mazzie and Jere Shea

Not many people would say Passion when the subject of Sondheim is brought up. Not many people know about it, see. It's only been staged here in the Philippines once, way back in the late 90s, and on Broadway, there's not much sign of a revival. The thing with this musical is that it's actually a story set into song, a tragic romantic drama with quite a few songs that can stand on their own, and lots of dialogue set to music. 

Happiness opens this Tony Award-winning musical with the two lovers Clara and Giorgio in bed, singing of all their happiness (so much happiness, so much love). The video above is actually a snippet from the live recording of the musical back in the 90s with Marin Mazzie and Jere Shea in the roles they originated, in the not-exactly conservative opening scene. Someone upload a torrent file of the video quick!

The 30-Day Musical Theater Song Challenge, Part 1

I came across this challenge on Facebook and thought I'd give it a try. By now, it should be no secret that I'm an avid fan of musical theater, which is not the case for many people in this country (and it's easy to understand why). If you're a Broadway junkie like myself, then my 'repertoire' is yours to sample. Otherwise, you're in for some 'new' music to... add to your playlist, perhaps? 

Note: The instructions say to post this on your 'Wall', one song per day, but since we're in Blogger, I'm having it my way.

A song from you latest musical obsession.

"ANOTHER HUNDRED PEOPLE" from Company

a concert cover by Lea Salonga

Lately, I've been sort of obsessed with Stephen Sondheim, otherwise known as the American god of musical theater. In Company, we have the commitment-phobic bachelor Bobby celebrating his 35th birthday, and throughout the musical we are introduced to his girlfriends and married friends. Another Hundred People is sung by his latest flame Marta, a wild-spirited New Yorker, in a number that juxtaposes song with scenes of Bobby and his women. In the barest sense, its about the seemingly ephemeral lives that people run in the big city, about fleeting loves and one-night flings, about a city of strangers where people seem to just come and go, where you meet someone one second and say goodbye the next. The tempo illustrates just that - making the song a tongue-twister as well as a breathing-technique challenge for the singer.

In January 2008, Lea Salonga opened her Iloilo City concert debut with this song; I was still in 3rd year high school, ignorant of Sondheim but quite enthralled by the repetitive nature of the song, the mention of trains most especially.

American Idol 10 - Top 3

How our TV looked like last night.

Sky Cable (our TV cable network) went berserk last night, so I wasn't able to watch American Idol again. This morning, I decided to take a peek at the results in Yahoo! News and was totally saddened by what I read.

I therefore declare that there is no longer any point watching the finale next week, since we are left with Scotty and Lauren - the former, a satisfactory performer though not exactly worthy of a spot in the top three; the latter, a wildly immature girl suddenly thrust into the limelight she's obviously quite not ready for. Although Scotty's become more appealing (in terms of talent) to me in the recent weeks, and Lauren's somehow shown a wee bit more potential, the two of them bringing the house down - individually or as a combined effort - is still a Martian notion.

Let's take seasons 7 and 8, for example. When Carly Smithson was eliminated at Top 6 week, we still had Jason Castro to hate, Brooke White to pity, and the Davids and Syesha Mercado to root for for the Top 3. When Syesha was eliminated, we had one heck of a David showdown for a finale. And when Danny Gokey was eliminated (I still rue that day), we had Adam Lambert and Kris Allen vying for the top spot, which was quite exciting, considering how different the two are.

Now we're given Lauren and Scotty, so maybe I'll just skip the Finale and continue with my Oscars marathon. Or maybe I'd drop by the borefest. We'll see.

American Idol 10 - Top 4... sorta.

First Pia. Then Casey. Now James. How fun!

So Blogger sort of died yesterday.

Which means that I couldn't post my American Idol review for this week. Oh, I forgot I actually didn't write one since I was out 'til one in the morning last Thursday night. So I had to catch the 11AM Friday rerun, by which time the results were already out. So I thought it kind of irrelevant to still write a review.

Just kidding. Here's what really happened. I finished watching, had lunch, and then thought I'd write. Thing is, I write directly here in Blogger (not in MS Word, which was what I used to do). So when the website revealed itself to be down, all thought of writing simply dissipated into thin intestinal air within me.

Anyway, what do I need to tell you that you still do not know? Probably nothing.

You saw how good Haley was, how she delivered one of the season's best and most unmatchable performances with her second number. You saw how Randy was so mean to her in commenting on her first number, which really got her angry and led her to pour out all emotions into the second song. You saw how stupid the judges could really get (I was really turned off by the entire Haley fiasco, because most of it didn't make sense). You saw how cocky and arrogant Haley is, despite the fact that she's now my bet for the title (as I'm basing on performance and talent alone). You saw how stupid Lauren is, when she initially refused to sing the word 'evil' because her fans might think she's evil (That was just BS, Lauren). You saw how Scotty kissed his cross out of I-don't-know-what, and yes, he was good that night. Most of all, you saw how James got booted out. I was actually starting to lose interest in James, but his second number was 'the bomb'.

So, bests of the night: HALEY II and JAMES II.

In a perfect world, the top 3 would be James, Pia, and Casey - and James would be eliminated next week. But no, this ain't utopia, boys. So, Scotty, Haley, or Lauren? Though I've mentioned that I want Haley to win, I certainly won't be one of those who'll be utterly dismayed if the results don't go my way.

American Idol, it's quite understandable why you're losing your viewers.

American Idol 10 - Top 5

So this week, the contestants sang one song from the 21st century and one from not too long ago, if 'long' equates to a century or more. Not surprisingly, many of the numbers were again headache-inducing, but there were a few that did catch my attention. The Finals are in three weeks and with last night's performances, I'm starting to lose interest in who's really going to win. It's more likely the game will turn towards 'who's going to give the better performances'. Casey's gone, Pia's gone, James is all about the screaming, and neither Haley nor Scotty seems likable enough to be really worth rooting for. Seasons 7 and 8, please come back.

Top 7: Songs from Now and Then

JAMES I: So he sang this 30 Seconds to Mars song, and - guess what - screamed his way to the end. I'm seriously asking it now: Why does James feel the urge to scream through every song he does onstage? I wasn't jumping up and down with this; it almost gave me a headache, in fact. Which brings forth the second question: Is he really the best in this Idol?

JACOB I:  He sang No Air, and yeah, I was pretty much under the impression that he was running out of air. His vocals seemed coated in some sort of goo or something because believe me, even Lea Salonga with coughs and colds would have sounded better. J-Lo's comments just didn't make sense. Randy said most of (his singing) was sharp, and yes, the whole number felt like some sort of dagger was being driven through Jacob's weirdly gyrating body. Most concise description: a failed diva number.

LAUREN I: Vocally, that was fairly spot-on. I think I could listen to that number a few more times. But man, those eyes: so beautiful, and yet so blank. It's like she's going, "Ok, what's my next lyric?... what's my next note?..." Push a little more, Lauren, because yes, you're getting there (perhaps in time for the Finals?).

Can Scotty convince me that he's worth the Finals?

SCOTTY I: That number was the definition of performance. I wasn't going up and down with the vocals (because with Scotty, there's not much to jump for), but I agree with Randy: It was like Scotty in a concert. Gone? Probably not for another week.

HALEY I: Singing an unreleased Lady Gaga song, and sort of nailing it? Not bad. The judges (because Steven is not a judge, just a mere clown) didn't like the number because they wanted her to do something famous at this stage of the competition? Well, yes, agree... if it's about winning. But by performance alone, that was the best of the five, I believe.

JAMES II: That. was. Clay. Aiken's. song. Was it good? Fair. Was it better than Clay's? HELL NO. Emotionally perfect, Randy? Yes. I loved the first half, then the second half just blew it: On one hand, it was so beautifully emotional; on the other - guess freakin' what? - he chose to shriek through the song to the end again. That pause in "I can't (pause) liiiiive" just destroyed it for me. It's like in one second, all the sincerity and truth in that song just vanished into thin air. On the brighter side, miles better than that screamfest that's his first performance. Had he toned this down a bit more, I'd have given it to him for best of the night already.

JACOB II: The emotionally sincere first half just said: Jacob totally deserves another chance. The shouty-wailing second half said: Jacob, please go home. You can't control your emotions? That's the result right there, that second half. Not at all impressive, Jacob. If one wants to be a real diva, one needs to get a grip, because not everything is about belting and screaming and high notes that one can't really manage. 

Yeah, Jacob, scream some more.

LAUREN II: So maybe Lauren was deep down really connecting with the song, but as a viewer, I was absolutely not connecting. She came off as like, "Hey, look at me, I'm singing, I like singing, I'm a good singer." I expected a vulnerable and emotionally naked moment, but instead got some sort of artificial number. Ok, so maybe she really was trying to reach out, but her grasp was just too short. Lauren, this was you're one big chance to pull us in, and you blew it. Sad.

SCOTTY II: There's actually a beauty to Scotty's voice, because when he sings a soft number like that one, the story-telling becomes crystal-clear. That said, he gave half-of-James II and Haley I a run for their money.

HALEY II: Vocally, the best of the night. And the performance wasn't bad, either.

Bests of the night: For the second week in a row, I can't believe I'm finally saying something like this, but overall, it's SCOTTY. And yep, HALEY comes a close second.

Who should go: JACOB. Please go home, Jacob. Please.

Who went: JACOB. In the words of Chicago, coincidentally a musical about two divas, "He had it coming..."

American Idol 10 - Top 6

I meant to write this post yesterday, but my tonsils made that quite impossible. Right now, both are currently covered in pus. Yes folks, this is tonsillitis like I've never had it before - and it's driving me mad. But on to business: Last night, the contestants sang the songs of Carole King - someone I'm quite unfamiliar with - so I really didn't know what to expect from the performances. Rest assured, not having high expectations was a good thing, because last night wasn't exactly the best of nights.

Surprisingly, Haley delivered.

TOP 6: Carole King

JACOB: I'm becoming tired of seeing this guy. It's like he's now at this stage where no matter how much effort he puts into his performance, he can't avoid ending up as just plain old Jacob. You have a great voice, but based on that performance, we wouldn't want to see you in the Finals (or say, even next week). 

LAUREN: Last week, she was pretty lame. This week, she finally soared (though not as high as we would've preferred). Holding back her vocals might just cost Lauren her stay in the competition, after all.

SCOTTY: This was the best Scotty number so far, and it came at a really crucial point in the competition. Although we would've wanted it a bit more toned down, and the Scotty-isms are just unavoidable, that performance was definitely driven by effort put to good use. Was it sincere? Not as much as we would've liked. Was it surprisingly good? Yes. 

JAMES: James, you have heaven-sent vocals. But please, the screaming and belting and shrieking can get old. That was a fine performance, but we're asking for variety this time. Of course, not that we didn't like you last night.

CASEY: We all know he wanted to take us by surprise again this week, but for all the 'uniqueness' that that number exuded, it lacked one thing: finesse. It started out smooth and jazzy, then transformed into angry, made a turn for the theatrical, and ended with a messy aftertaste. We get it Casey: You really deserve to win this. But please - though I'm not saying last night wasn't entertaining - a cleaner performance next time. We all saw you having fun, but at some point, you seemed to have lost it.

HALEY: Outstanding vocals. Outstanding performance. Save the best for last, indeed. This was actually the best Haley number I've seen, and based on that alone, she might just deserve a slot in the Finals.

THE DUETS: I'm not going to talk about this in detail anymore, because all three numbers were quite fine. Casey and Haley did the best number, in my opinion - their voices blended really well, the number just smelled of creativity, and there was chemistry all over. Jacob and James surprisingly didn't sound bad shrieking together as much as I'd expected, and Scotty and Lauren actually sounded really good together.

Bests of the night: I can't believe I'm finally saying this, but it's HALEY.

Who should go: JACOB (spell boring).

This was your choice, America. Well done (insert sarcastic clapping).

Who went: CASEY. Oh man. Ooooh maaaan. It's quite unfair that (perhaps) America chose to vote the guy off based on one  incoherent performance, when others have churned out lousy number after number for weeks on end. No wait, why am I downplaying the outrage here?! America, you got it all wrong again! DAMN IT. So probably you'd prefer a James-Scotty match-up in the end? That was just lousy, America. Just plain LOUSY. 

That said, I'm gearing towards a JAMES-(one of the girls) Finals now.  

American Idol 10 - Top 7

If you ask me when I started really watching American Idol, I'd say Season 7: the Davids, Carly and Syesha, that idiot Jason Castro. I remember having watched an episode of Season 3 (Fantasia singing "I believe the children are the future...") and then the finals of seasons 5 and 6 (Taylor Hicks; McPhee's Over the Rainbow and My Destiny; Jordin Sparks singing This is My Now; Blake Lewis getting squashed by Jordin). But it was during Season 7 that I actually developed a sort of attachment to the show and its contestants, actually rooting for some of them to be in the finals. Season 8's even closer to my heart: I watched it from the Top 13 all the way to the Finals, where I secretly wanted Kris Allen to win after Danny Gokey came in third the previous episode.

So this week, I'm starting my American Idol Season 10 review and forecast, though I've actually been watching since the Top 9 (the same time I began Season 7, where they did Dolly Parton). Unfortunately, I found myself too lazy to summon my thoughts into a single organized body the past two weeks. So, for history's sake, here's my forecast for the past two episodes.

Pia's last number in competition, River Deep, Mountain High.

TOP 9: Rock and Roll Hall of Fame

Bests of the night: JAMES (It reminded me of Adam Lambert's live performance of The Tracks of My Tears: perfectly toned down, emotionally powerful, beautifully sung); then PIA (Some problems with diction and with her awkward stand-dance, but otherwise a powerhouse number); then CASEY (He has this really, to channel Steven Tyler, beautiful non-mainstream voice, and he shimmers with creativity).

Who should go: PAUL (totally forgettable); STEFANO (incomprehensible belting and over-the-place vocals); or HALEY (I thought it was just shouty).

Who went: PIA. That was a moment when America deserved one big (expletive).

Paul's suit was glaring; his Top 8 performance was messy.

TOP 8: Songs from the Movies

Best of the night: CASEY (There was 'artistry' boldly spelled across his performance, and he perfectly sang it like he was telling a story, which is, in cases like this, an undeniable mark of good singing).

Who should go: PAUL (All the world's a stage, and he was all over it like pieces of trash scattered in a dump site).

Who went: PAUL. Told ya'.

TOP 7: Songs from the 21st Century

SCOTTY: Vocally, it was nice (I like that deep, rolling quality of his voice), and the diction wasn't half-bad either. His performance, however, was a double-edged sword: It was very, very Scotty (if you know what I mean) that no doubt got his fans all jumping up and down in their seats; it also said something else: This may all be nice, but it's just a Scotty performance, nothing more. It's like what Joe of MasterChef said to that girl who made a mandarin orange salad during the Chinese-themed challenge in Season 1: It's blah blah blah, but it's still just a salad.

JAMES: I totally agreed with Jennifer: theatrically, the best of the night. Those notes were simply insane. But, to every high-note streak that you pull off, there's always the danger of your diction going down the drain. That's what happened to him. For the first time in three episodes, I actually had a problem understanding what he was singing. Of course, as if that caused him any trouble.

HALEY: I actually liked Haley for the first time. Liked - not loved. The song was a perfect fit to her voice, thus vocally, she was more than okay. However, it seems, as she has shown these past three episodes, that she has trouble connecting with lyrics in general, with putting songs in their proper contexts. She did sort of project the unhappy world of Rolling in the Deep, but it wasn't enough. She just can't help smiling when she sings a chorus, can she? And please work on the diction.

JACOB: I disagreed with the judges. I thought it was sung as it should have been sung, because I would've been totally turned off if he turned Dance with My Father into another diva-ish, belty piece. Emotionally, it was the best of the night (although it was already an emotional song for him to begin with). And I still have a problem with his diction.  

CASEY: If I'd just watched him for the first time, I'd say he's a madman. But no, Casey's a genius indeed. It was, again, so original, so creative that I'd hand it to him based on those two grounds alone.

Stefano did Ne-yo's Closer and indeed got closer - to home.

STEFANO: Like Haley, this was actually the first time that I liked a Stefano performance. The past weeks had been a whirling dervish of unintelligible lyrics from him; last night, he actually did a satisfactory job. The latter half of his number, though, came off jerky and unstable. But - this was his best, so far.

LAUREN: She has the voice. But that performance was just lame. Lame, lame, lame.

Bests of the night: CASEY, followed not-so-closely by HALEY, then JAMES.

Who should go: SCOTTY, then LAUREN.

Who went: STEFANO. Well I can't say I'll miss him, and he's been in the bottom something for quite sometime now, so that was bound to happen. It's just sad that he got booted out for his best performance since I began watching. 

Happy Easter in advance, dear reader!

And I Am Telling You (I'm Not Going)

The reign of the cat skeleton and musculature has ended. So instead of typing down all the mistakes that I made in the exams earlier – and I don’t wish to know just how many they are – I’ve decided to post the results of a game I played. And the name of the game is (cue ABBA music) Put-your-songs-in-shuffle-mode-and-answer-these-questions. It’s been around for a long time already, I know. I just found it in some random person’s Multiply account and thought it’s cool.

The rule, as mentioned a few lines back, is to put your music player in shuffle mode and click ‘next’ or whatever button it is for every question. The answers, of course, will be in the form of a song title, no matter how silly they may sound. Ready, set, shuffle!

Oh, being a big Broadway baby, most of the songs from my player come from one musical or another, so forgive the possible unfamiliarity. Also, no reflectory blahblah follows each song (I’m too lazy to write them). Search for the lyrics if you don’t know the song; answers are pretty much open for interpretation (since a lot of them hardly make any sense).

1. If someone says, “Is this okay?” you say?

“Disturbia” by Rihanna.

2. What would best describe your personality?

“Written in the Stars” from Aida.

3. What do you like in a guy/girl?

“February Song” by Josh Groban.

4. How do you feel today?

“Show Me the Meaning of Being Lonely” by the Backstreet Boys.

5. What is your life’s purpose?

“Mama, I’m a Big Girl Now” from Hairspray.

6. What is your motto?

“Without You” by Mariah Carey, sung by Clay Aiken.

7. What do your friends think of you?

“No Good Deed” from Wicked.

8. What do you think of your parents?

“Think of Me” from The Phantom of the Opera.

9. What do you think about very often?

“Serious” from Legally Blonde the Musical.

10. What do you think of your best friend?

“Letterbomb” by Green Day, sung by the cast of American Idiot the Musical.

11. What do you think of the person you like?

“Flying Home” from Songs for a New World.

12. What is your life story?

“Tonight” from West Side Story.

13. What do you want to be when you grow up?

“Heaven” by Bryan Adams, sung by John Barrowman.

14. What do you think when you see the person you like?

“Taylor, the Latte Boy” by Kristin Chenoweth.

15. What do your parents think of you?

“A Hundred Million Miracles” from Flower Drum Song.

16. What will you dance to at your wedding?

“Touch My Hand” by David Archuleta.

17. What will they play at your funeral?

“Popular” from Wicked.

18. What is your favorite hobby/interest?

“Michael Jackson Medley” by Sam Tsui.

19. What is your biggest fear?

“The Tracks of My Tears” by MoTown, sung by Adam Lambert.

20. What is your biggest secret?

“Mad World” by Tears for Fears, sung by Adam Lambert.

21. What song will be the title when you repost this?

“And I Am Telling You (I’m Not Going)” from Dreamgirls.

Postcard from Hellmonth

It’s the middle of Intarmed LU I hellmonth a.k.a. March of the 2nd semester. So far, things have not been as rocky as expected – not that I want them to be. There are two weeks left before all of this is done, not counting the final exams in Comm III and Math 100 (and possibly, Soc Sci I).

As of tonight, this is what’s left for me: Bio Lec 3rd exam (Wed), Comm Extempo (Thu), Chem Lab formal and oral reports (Thu), Bio Lab 4th exam (Fri), Comm Interview (Sat), Avenue Q (Sat... *grin*), Chem Lab 2nd exam (next Wed), Hum critical paper (next Thu), Math 4th exam (next Thu), Bio Lec 4th exam (next Fri), Chem Lec 4th exam (next Sat).

Let’s make this a fun ride, shall we?

* * *

I’m now into Love Never Dies. I think the music’s pretty good (standouts: Beneath a Moonless Sky, Devil Take the Hindmost, ‘Til I Hear You Sing). The story, though, is another story.

I love Greenday, by the way.

Avenue Q is coming up this Saturday evening. So excited.

* * *

I seriously have a movie backlog. Which is not a good thing. Out of the ten Oscar Best Picture contenders this year, I’ve so far watched only four: Avatar, Inglourious Basterds, The Blind Side, and Up. Not counting all other pictures that are must-watches: war flicks (Schindler’s List, Saving Private Ryan), comedies (The Hangover, 500 Days of Summer), musicals (Nine, Once), visuals (Alice in Wonderland, The Imaginarium of Dr. Parnassus), dramas (Sophie’s Choice, A Beautiful Mind), foreigns (A Prophet, The Counterfeiters).

Seriously, this is. Not. Good.

* * *

Because of the superiority complex of the Department of Physical Sciences and Mathematics, I will be spending Holy Week here in Manila.

* * *

I firmly believe that Lady Gaga is a blessing to humanity from above. She is the very epitome of standing up for and being proud of being different. And her music rocks, too.

When she dies, mark my words: I will mourn for her.

* * *

The other day, there were less than ten of us in the jeepney. Along Mabini, a vertically challenged woman (dwarfism, I think) joined us. Upon reaching the corner of Kalaw and Orosa, she asked to be dropped off.

Now, you know majority of Filipino drivers: They are idiots. The woman clearly requested to be dropped off by the sidewalk. And what did the driver do? Stop in the middle of the freakin’ road. Which, of course, the woman simply did not find acceptable. So she voiced out her request again, and the driver had no choice but to comply.

The woman got off. We continued the journey.

But what happened after the woman left really pissed me off. The driver and some of the passengers (not all of them male, mind you) started poking fun at the woman and her height. In some sort of self-gratification, the driver spearheaded a ‘let’s make fun of her height’ campaign.

All the time, I felt like I could melt with disgust. It wasn’t so much because of the fact that those backbiting vipers were enjoying all the self-gratification, or the driver trying to regain his pride after having been told by that woman where to stop the car.

It was the fact that people – supposedly cultured, urbanized Filipinos – found it fun to laugh at someone’s physical defect!

Now that’s just pure evil. To laugh at someone because he or she’s not as tall as you? I tell you, it was all simply disgusting. With people like these, how can we expect to have a better country at all? So much for being Filipino.

* * *

Manny Villar should be accused of poverty exploitation. If he’s so proud of having swum in a sea of garbage, why doesn’t he show it to us now?

* * *

“Before I answer your question, I’d first like to comment on…”

Dear, dear, you almost had me laughing.

Best and Worst of Season 8

Don’t you just love an upset? Especially after Danny Gokey's unlawful eviction.

Congratulations to Kris Allen for:

1. winning some big title that, in the first place, shouldn't be his;

2. winning some big singing tilt which, in the first place, shouldn't have seen him in the finals; and

3. winning something for the sake of not-winning’s sake, just as I'd wanted.

But I’m not wasting any more time talking about Mr. Conway 2009. He does not deserve my freakin’ adoration.

Now let’s wind the clocks back to two months ago. American Idol 8 was already at a stage where who got evicted already mattered (to me). Fast-forward to a week and a few days ago: Idol was down to its Final Three. And so, my best and worst performances of Season 8:

THE BEST PERFORMANCES OF IDOL SEASON 8

12. Matt Giraud, “Part-time Lover”

Let us remind ourselves that he's only a wildcard, a tie with the equally crappy Anoop Desai. That the judges saved him instead of the terribly underused, underexposed Alexis Grace was - still is - unthinkable. And then there's this: suave moves and voice rolled into one.

11. Kris Allen, “She Works Hard for the Money”

Boy-next-door totally made this Donna Summer his own headbob-worthy ditty.

10. Danny Gokey, “You Are So Beautiful”

The biggest casualty of Season 8 – this year's Daughtry or Jennifer Hudson. But in his trademark husky voice, this song became a protestation of love oozing with simple honesty.

9. Kris Allen, “Ain’t No Sunshine”

Oh the soul - and sadness - that he poured into this number. At its finest points, heartbreaking.

8. Danny Gokey, “Come Rain or Come Shine”

Started out soft and ended wondrously grand, like the sun finally breaking through layers upon layers of storm clouds. Was this Gokey in a 1920s New York City club?

7. Allison Iraheta, “Papa Was a Rollin’ Stone”

Honestly, I never liked Allison that much. Her voice was too rough for my liking, like Annie Lennox. But the roughness was here justly imbued with mystery that the song asks for.

6. Danny Gokey, “What Hurts the Most”

Simon called this Danny’s “best performance ever.” Not in my opinion - just the man's gloriously sung second best.

5. Adam Lambert, “Feeling Good”

The compelling theatricality of it all, the way he descended those stairs like a god coming down from beyond, was only proof that the man's master of his craft. Don't like his Fiyero much, though.

4. Danny Gokey, “Jesus, Take the Wheel”

This was Danny's best performance. Carrie Underwood covered this or something, right?

3. Kris Allen, “Falling Slowly”

Randy showed how utterly stupid he was when he said, after this number, “I’m not so sure, man.” Kris Allen's best performance of the season was an elegant portrait of gently falling in love.

2. Adam Lambert, “Mad World”

After Adam finished this song, thousands undoubtedly converted to his cause. Many call this his towering achievement, but...

1. Adam Lambert, “The Tracks of My Tears”

Like how David Archuleta’s “Imagine” was hailed by many as his best, when it was actually his other Beatles number, “The Long and Winding Road." Lambert's crystalline falsetto and the surrounding silence simultaneously sculpted tears on our faces.

THE WORST PERFORMANCES OF IDOL SEASON 8

10. Danny Gokey, “Dream On”

Danny's not a rocker, and when he tried to be one, he was a screaming nightmare.

9. Anoop Desai, “Caught Up”

Groovy dancing and misplaced energy do not a passable number make. Complete misfire from Desai.

8. Kris Allen, “All She Wants to Do Is Dance”

Even the piano wasn't large enough to hide the gaping hole at the heart of this mess.

7. Danny Gokey, “Get Ready”

Another one where Danny goes jumping all over the stage. Will never be ready to see this again.

6. Kris Allen, “Apologize”

Hands down, the worst existing version of "Apologize."

5. Megan Joy, “Turn the Lights Down Low”

There was absolutely nothing sexy with this number. It was like a sexless maniac's empty call for a drunken quickie.

4. Lil Rounds, “I’m Every Woman”

Lil Rounds screamed - and screamed some more, even though it was all too obvious that she's a woman. Just not good enough to represent every woman.

3. Matt Giraud, “Have You Ever Really Loved a Woman?”

Unintelligible shit from Giraud.

2. Michael Sarver, “Ain’t Goin’ Down”

Unintelligible shit from Sarver.

1. Megan Joy, “For Once in My Life”

For once in her life, Megan Joy made a complete fool of herself on international television.

Allen, Kris

I’m secretly wishing Kris Allen would win Idol 8. Now, it’s no secret anymore.

Because it’s so darn obvious that Adam’s headed in that direction. Which is why I’m rooting for Kris; there just no point rooting for Adam, simply because doing so wouldn’t be doing anymore. It’s become the norm, the obvious behavior; it’s so clear he’s bound to win. He’s gonna win. He has to win. He must win.

You can call me nonconformist, I guess; but hey, Idol pretty much deserves an Allen surprise win. Whatever happened to Danny Gokey’s fan base? Maybe… just maybe, blame Paula Abdul’s stinking song choice?

Danny deserves to be in the finals. Danny should be in the finals. But Danny ain’t in the finals.

I want Kris Allen to win. Because I don’t want him to win. Because he doesn’t deserve to win. Because HE MUST WIN for not-winning’s sake.

The Popular Song

For the third grading period, one of our projects in Physics class with the divine and elfin Ms. Emelou Lacanaria is to compose a song about Physics--anything goes. My song is based on a solo from Wicked, the 2003 hit musical by Stephen Schwartz: "Popular," sung by Glinda the Good to Elphaba (the Wicked Witch of the West) as a sort of self-adoration cum friendship code. Here’s my version – and it's only about a third of the real song.

*     *     *     *     *

Whenever she sees Physics rejected and denied,
And let’s face it, it does get rejected and denied,
My teacher's heart tends to start to bleed.
Now I’m starting on a makeover and simply have to take over
The handling of the Physics class you need.
And even if, in case,
It’s the toughest case I have to face,
Don’t worry, I’m determined to succeed.
Follow my lead, and yes, indeed, it will be...

Popular!
Physics’s gonna be pop-pu-u-lar!
It’s all about quantities, about entities, about electricity,
About stability and velocity.
Wait and see, and follow me, shout out:
Popular!
Physics’s gonna be pop-pu-u-lar!
It’s all about gravity, about energy, about relativity.
So let’s start, and learn Physics all the way we go!

Don’t be astounded by mechanics and dynamics.
Think of motion in the study of kinematics.
Now that I’m teaching you essential Physics,
You’re growing wiser, really, really wiser,
Follow me in shouting out:
Popular!
Physics’s gonna be pop-pu-u-lar!
It’s all about gravity, about energy, about relativity.
So just start, and learn Physics all the way you go!