#william elvin manzano

[reallyhardy]

🌙 MULA SA BUWAN 🌙

new theatre proshot livestream alert! mula sa buwan (translation: from the moon.) book & lyrics by pat valera, music & lyrics by william elvin manzano.

the production will be livestreamed INTERNATIONALLY with optional english subtitles from march 24th - 26th 2023.

Mula sa Buwan is an original Filipino musical based on Edmond Rostand's timeless classic Cyrano de Bergerac. However, this is not your usual Cyrano. Although it retains the plot of unrequited love, question of beauty, and the relentless battle against compromise, the beloved story has been reimagined to tell a more familiar story: OURS. 

Now set in 1940’s Manila, the musical now features wide-eyed dreamers, fools, and misfits where harana, kundiman, together with passion and genuine friendships, abound! Through wit, stories, and music, they dream and fight for their place in an ever-changing city. However, when war strikes, love, ideals, and truth are all tested–the young are now suddenly forced to “grow up”.

The musical moves to a time after the war, to a field of rubble, of forgotten memories, of heroes lost in a country struggling to survive. At the center of it all is the unrequited and heartbreaking love story between the poet Cyrano, his beloved Roxane, and the kind-hearted Christian.

livestream tickets are available via mulasabuwan.com/tickets ✨

(non-PH credit card holders can start buying tickets on March 3, 2023, 12 NN GMT+8. tickets will only grant access to one (1) 24-hour streaming window, which will open at 10:00 AM (GMT+8 / PHT) of your chosen date and close at 10:00 AM (GMT+8) the next day.)

[maitaponce]

After almost a decade of dormant activity, the ol' hipster "Bebe and the Golden Mouse" releases a song, "Tram" More than a decade of friendship, conversations about pop rock music, theatre, films and relatioships, we are still talking about the same things only this time they're mostly about work, pop rock music, family, theatre, films, marriage and divorce.

[porcupinestrongwill]

Interview with ‘Mula Sa Buwan’ Composer, William Elvin Manzano

Last March I got the chance to see one of the shows for the rerun of Mula sa Buwan: A New Musical about Love and Defiance. I’d been wanting to see a musical for so long (last one I saw was Matilda, which I believe was two years ago?) and the show satisfied my live musical cravings so much that I obsessed over it for some days and tracked down the creators and the full cast on the internet. (I’m freaky the like that, yes.)

During my said online journey, I [virtually] met the composer behind the beloved tunes like “Ang Sabi Nila,” Sir William Elvin Manzano. Ya’ll know na makapal mukha ko online, so I promptly asked him if I can interview him for my blog. He said, sure!

Can you tell me a bit about your background in music?

I first became interested in the art of songwriting when I was a very young boy. My mother used to write some songs for Viva records in the early 90s, and I became fascinated with it ever since. I play and write my songs with a guitar, and I'm planning to write with the keyboard soon. I think I wrote my first proper song when I was 12 years old. I studied music for 3 years in the UST Conservatory of Music but didn't finish the course, then I went to UP Diliman to study Theatre Arts. So I have an understanding of music theory, however I don't think about it that much when writing the songs. 

 How did “Mula sa Buwan” come about?

“Mula Sa Buwan" really is a product of my friendship with Pat Valera. We were batchmates in the Theatre Arts program of UP Diliman, and he was writing the first version of it (then-called "Cyrano: Isang Sarswela") for his thesis. He's familiar with my indie music work, so he approached me to write the songs for it. I was excited to really do it, because both of us actually are not fans of traditional stage musicals, so we were not bound by conventions and were willing to break known formula. Of course, knowing that, we really didn't know how it will be received by the theater goers.

 What was your procedure in writing the music for MSB?

When Pat told me about it, I read the original Cyrano de Bergerac to make myself familiar with the material. I instantly fell in love with it, so it wasn't hard at all to be on the same page with Pat in terms of vision. He gave me his script, with notes on where the songs go. We agreed on the content before I started writing lyrics out of his original drafts, and meet once again to zero in on lyrical details. "Ang Sabi Nila" was written in 2003, when I was 17 years old. I kept the song and did not perform or record it until I worked on a demo to submit to a songwriting contest. It was rejected, but Pat heard the demo and convinced me to let him use the song for the musical. The lead-in to the last number, the lullaby tribute after Cyrano's death, is also an old song of mine, written in 2002. We just found it interesting to include it as an emotional bookend for the scene. 

Did you do some kind of research on the musical styles of Filipinos during the setting of the play? What inspired the kundimans?

I was always a fan of the kundiman, so it's only natural to put elements of it in the musical because it felt so natural for the material. But we didn't want it to be time-specific. In fact we agreed for it to be anachronistic.

What is your most favorite track from MSB? The most memorable?

"Awit ng mga Naiwan" is my personal favorite lyrically and musically. Though I understand that it's not a crowd favorite, and is not included in the CD they recorded. Most memorable track would be "Ikaw", as it was the first song I wrote for the musical. I wrote it 30 minutes before going to Pat's house, the exact day he was expecting me to deliver one song.

How did you feel when you heard the demoes for the songs? Specifically Nicco Manalo’s and KL Dizon’s?

I wrote the songs for Nicco, and I worked on the songs specifically for his voice when we did the original run of MSB in 2010. I remember being ecstatic everytime I was teaching him new songs. He delivered the songs exactly like how I heard them in my head.As for KL, we knew each other since 2003, and I have worked with her in 2014 for the recording of Maxie The Musical's album. So I always knew how talented she is.The short answer is: I haven't heard demos from them. I just trusted that they will be doing great. The first time I heard KL sing the MSB songs, they were already sending me clips from rehearsals. And Nicco, he will always be great. He will never give a bad performance. 

What was working with your arrangers like?

TJ And Dana were submitting their work to me as it was being made, but after quite some time I was already so impressed and secure with their work that I just gave them full creative freedom. I just gave them notes on my intentions, and just let them do their work. In collaborations like these, it's so important to have respect and trust to the people you're working with. I couldn't ask for better arrangers and collaborators for my material than TJ Ramos and Dana Marquez. 

 Where do you do most of your writing? What time of the day? Any writing habits?

When I was in the Philippines, I had a habit of isolating myself and cutting off contact with everyone when I am working on something. I used to book myself in a motel room alone with only packs of cigarettes and my guitar as companion, with my phone turned off. Of course, I can't do it that way anymore because I have responsibilities to my wife and family here in Hong Kong. But I find myself really creatively stimulated late at night. 

 Would you like to work on something like MSB again?

Yes. In fact we're already discussing what to do next. 

Can we have a hint as to what it’s gonna be?

Pat has an idea of another adaptation, but no concrete plans have been made yet. As for me, I'm working on a number of projects now. One is a musical for a playwright friend in Canada, the other is a set of original instrumentals for a straight play to be staged later in the year. I'm also working on a script for a film.

 Can you tell us a bit about your personal project, “William Elvin and the Circus Tour”?

I'm currently recording an album with Filipino musicians here in Hong Kong. We will release the album on November this year, and I will hold some shows in Manila too. I hope to see you and other fans of Mula sa Buwan in my show on July, because I'll be performing songs from it with MSB cast members!

 ***

Connect with William Elvin by visiting his website: www.williamelvinmusic.com. Links to his other social sites like Facebook and Instagram are there! Also, details on his upcoming events will be posted there, so don’t forget to subscribe to his mailing list.

[vincabinvincible]

Mula sa Buwan: A Filipino Musical about unrequited love and defiance.

I watched 'Mula sa Buwan' in 2016 and I felt it really hard and it so so good that I promised to myself right after the show, "I will definitely watch this play again if ever they will have a re-run.

Last night, we watched Mula sa Buwan's very first show and still felt the same amount of excitement and actually, I didn't expect that I will laugh that hard again and that I found myself feeling all the emotions; trully love is sweeter the second time around — sa buwan.

'Mula sa Buwan' is a Filipino Musical adaptation of French poet Edmond Rostand's "Cyrano de Bergerac" directed by Pat Valera and with songs by William Elvin Manzano. A colorful Zarzuela with beautiful scenes in Kundiman and Harana filled with humor, love, and bravery.

The actors were excellent beyond compare! They had successfully given life to the play and able to let their words, songs, and drama flew from their hearts to ours.

The stage, the effects, props, and costumes are superb! Ang sarap bumalik sa buwan!

"Mula sa Buwan is for all the dreamers and fighters – for all those who loved and lost... but still continue to hope."

"Maiingit ang bukang liwayway, ang ganda n'ya'y nawalan ng saysay, sa kulay mong tinataglay sa mundo'y ibinibigay."

Nov. 9, 2018 (Nov. 9-25, 2018)

Hyundai Hall, Arete, Ateneo de Manila University, Katipunan, Q.C.

Photo credits to: Gargar 🤣

[theaterati-blog]

The Woman in Black returns to Manila!!!!!

I have been meaning to catch this play since forever, since I first heard about it from colleagues when I first joined theater. There is a film version of it starring Daniel Radcliffe. Sadly, I didn't get to catch it. Neither did I see its theatrical staging at the RCBC many years back (Trivia: there is a poster of it amongst the ones hanging in RCBC at the moment).

Thankfully, I needn't wait any longer as a college theater org is bringing it to Manila by the end of next month! Woot woot =) Stellar cast of two too, my dear friends Reb Atadero (who is also Musical Director for 13) and Jeremy Domingo. Below is the press release! 

COLLEGE STUDENTS DARE TO STAGE HORROR PLAY

Dulaang Kalay, the student theatre organization of Kalayaan College, brings one of London's longest-running plays to Manila: Stephen Mallatratt's The Woman In Black, a ghost play based on the novel by Susan Hill.

As one of the world's very few horror stories told on stage, The Woman In Black tells the tragic story of Arthur Kipps through a performance with his hired Actor. As they re-enact the strange occurrences during Kipps' short stay in Eel Marsh House, they soon discover that a malevolent figure refuses to be exorcised— and has returned to haunt them.

This chilling tale will be presented by stage veteran Jeremy Domingo and Reb Atadero (Dulaang UP's Rizal X, blueREP's Bare), with direction by William Elvin Manzano.

Performances will be in T.E.A.T.R.I.N.O., Greenhills Promenade, on August 31, 2012.

If you dare to see this play, contact Gabe Ongkiko at 09054283371 for booking inquiries.

To learn more head on over to the official page on FaceBook: www.facebook.com/DKTheWomanInBlack

The Woman In Black

adapted by

Stephen Mallatratt

from the book by

Susan Hill

Dulaang Kalay

Production Managers: Gabe Ongkiko and Nicole Nequinto

Stage Manager: Pao Cantiller

Stage Hand: Tim Villa Real

Cast:

Jeremy Domingo as Actor

Reb Atadero as Kipps

Artistic Staff:

Director: William Elvin Manzano

Original Music: Janine Santos

Lighting Design: Meliton Roxas

Sound Design: Alden Acosta

Technical Direction: Nina Bedruz

Set Decoration: Nissi Gatan

[cyranoisangsarsuwela-blog-blog]

DULAANG LABORATORYO

GSIS THEATRE

Excerpt

MGA DAHONG LANTA

—-

Direction, Adaptation & Book II Pat Valera Original Songs II William Elvin Manzano Musical Arrangement II Happy Days Ahead Featuring CYRANO II Nicco Manalo ROXANE II Ava Santos & Martha Sta. Barbara CHRISTIAN II DJ Cuasay TATO II Alchris Galura & Paul Jake Paule GABRIELLE II Charley Magalit & Krisan Jacomina MAXIMO II Arvin Trinidad ROSANNA II Nikka Angeles, Janine Santos & Roxy Aldiosa ENSEMBLE II Fitz Bitana, Gelo Conferido, Harry David, Kelzo del Rosario, Jules dela Paz, Charlene Elechi, Leah Galisa, Aljay Jabian, JR Macanas, Simon Tiukinhoy, Zara Turingan & Teetin Villanueva

[maitaponce]

My daughter amazes me everyday. She babbles a lot now and her first was "dad". This song is specially for her. A huge thank you to my friend, William Elvin Manzano, who helped me mix the song all the way from Hong Kong.

that's my mom carrying me when I was a baby, and me carrying my baby

[maitaponce]

Merry Christmas from Bebe and the Golden Mouse circa 2011!

[cyranoisangsarsuwela-blog-blog]

MULA SA BUWAN

Lyrics II Pat Valera

Musical Arrangement II Happy Days Ahead

Cyrano & Ensemble

Kami'y naglayag kung saan walang sakit o hapdi

Lahat ng tao ay nakangiti,

Sa buwan, sa buwan,

Kami'y mula sa buwan

Cyrano

Magpagawa ng sasakyan

Lagyan ng pulbura sa hulihan

Minsa'y ngayon ay sindihan

Ika'y lilipad patungong buwan

Isupot ang hamog ng dapit umaga't

Isabit sa iyong katawan

Pagsikat ng araw sa silangan

Ika'y lilipad patungong buwan

Cyrano & Ensemble

Kami'y naglayag kung saan walang pusong nabibiyak

Kailanma'y hindi ka iiyak

Sa buwan, sa buwan,

Kami'y mula sa buwan

Cyrano

Ang hangin mainit umaakyat

Hayangin ika'y kabagin

Tapat sa apoy ay painitin

Ika'y lolobo't lilipad pa buwan

Humuli ng isang libong ibon

At isabit sa iyong katawan

Sabay-sabay pakawalan

Igabay papunta sa buwan

Cyrano & Ensemble

Kami'y naglayag kung saan walang maganda o pangit

Puso lamang ang mapangakit

Sa buwan, sa buwan

Kami'y mula sa buwan

Cyrano

Kami'y naglayag kalaro ang ulap

Kaibigan ng bituin

Sa kariktan ng buwan

Sa kanyang puti at itim

Cyrano & Ensemble

Balang araw ako ay babalik sa buwan

Sa buwan~~~~~~~~~~~

[cyranoisangsarsuwela-blog-blog]

CYRANO Isang Sarsuwela

February 20, 2011

GSIS THEATRE

Excerpt

ANG ILONG

---

Direction, Adaptation & Book II Pat Valera Original Songs II William Elvin Manzano Musical Arrangement II Happy Days Ahead Featuring CYRANO II Nicco Manalo ROXANE II Ava Santos & Martha Sta. Barbara CHRISTIAN II DJ Cuasay TATO II Alchris Galura & Paul Jake Paule GABRIELLE II Charley Magalit & Krisan Jacomina MAXIMO II Arvin Trinidad ROSANNA II Nikka Angeles, Janine Santos & Roxy Aldiosa ENSEMBLE II Fitz Bitana, Gelo Conferido, Harry David, Kelzo del Rosario, Jules dela Paz, Charlene Elechi, Leah Galisa, Aljay Jabian, JR Macanas, Simon Tiukinhoy, Zara Turingan & Teetin Villanueva

[cyranoisangsarsuwela-blog-blog]

IKAW

Lyrics II William Elvin Manzano and Pat Valera

Musical Arrangement II Happy Days Ahead

Cyrano

Ikaw ay isang rosas

Na humahalimuyak

at wala nang katulad

Sa hardin ng mga bulaklak

Ang ngiti sa iyong labi

Ay nakakahalina

Nanunukso at tila

Ang oras ay tumitigil pa

Maiinggit ang bukang liwayway

Ang ganda niya'y na wala nang saysay

Sa kulay mo tinataglay

At sa mundo'y ibinibigay

Roxane

Ahhhh~

Cyrano

Maiinggit ang bukang liwayway

Ang ganda niya'y na wala nang saysay

Sa kulay mo tinataglay

At sa mundo'y ibinibigay

[cyranoisangsarsuwela-blog-blog]

AWIT NI ROXANE

Lyrics II William Elvin Manzano & Pat Valera

Musical Arrangement II Happy Days Ahead

Roxane

Halika dito ka sa aking tabi

Maari bang makausap ka kahit sandali

Alam mo ba tila ay nahuhulog na

Sa tuwing nakikita siya'y napapaawit pa

Ahhhh~

Roxane & Girls

Ang kanyang mga mata ay nagniningning

Puso ko'y sumasayaw sa pagtitig niya sa 'kin

Ito na ba ang nadarama ng isang umiibig?

Umaawit sa musika ng pusong pumipintig

Ahhhh~

Sabihin sa kin ang layunin ng pagtitig niya

Tila ako ay nahihila ng kanyang mga mata

Ahhhh~

[cyranoisangsarsuwela-blog-blog]

  CYRANO Isang Sarsuwela

"AWIT NI ROXANE"

Lyrics II WILLIAM ELVIN MANZANO & PAT VALERA

Musical Arrangement II HAPPY DAYS AHEAD

Featuring II AVA SANTOS & FEMALE ENSEMBLE

[cyranoisangsarsuwela-blog-blog]

 CYRANO Isang Sarsuwela

"IKAW"

Lyrics II WILLIAM ELVIN MANZANO

Musical Arrangement II HAPPY DAYS AHEAD

Violin II KEIFER CABUGAO

Featuring II NICCO MANALO & MARTHA STA. BARBARA