living my life...

I'm Singing Again...

After over a year of not having sung onstage in a performance, I am once again returning to my first love and will be singing my heart out. Yes. I'm excited.

So if you love me, please watch:

Monday Night's New Voices
Monday (duh), May 12, 8:00 PM
Mag:Net Cafe High Street, the Fort
.
It will feature the voices of Nicolas Atienza (me!), Amos Francia, Pamela Imperial, Cinderella Mayo and Monica Reynoso.

Moreover, it will also feature the music of Mr. Vince De Jesus, the composer of musicals such as Himala, Zsa Zsa Zaturnnah Ze Muzikal and most recently Skin Deep.

It will be hosted by none other than Ms. Bituin Escalante and Mr. Rem Zamora.

Just a little reminder: the show begins at 8:00 PM with a 150 peso door fee, inclusive of 1 iced tea of beer. Please watch!

posted by nicolas @ 8:07 PM Comments: 1

i've always wanted to do this...

Can you name 30 people you can think of right off the top of your head? Dont read the questions underneath until you write the names of all 30 people.*NO CHEATING*

1. mikel
2. pipo
3. mako
4. jio
5. bambi
6. ivan
7. mian
8. oli
9. sab
10. bea
11. andrei
12. kyla
13. toff
14. didang
15. emjo
16. mike
17. je
18. mahar
19. raffy
20. pom
21. gabs
22. marvin
23. jay
24. isis
25. tricia
26. jeric
27. lawrence
28. madel
29. jorja
30. marc peter baluyan

THE QUESTIONS:

• How did you meet 10?
I first met bea through my bestfriend mikel when he brought me to one of the block r parties.

• What would you do if you had never met 6?
i don't know. feeling siya eh.

• What would you do if 20 and 15 dated?
pom and emjo? ewan. they can do what they want. but i don't think it's ever gonna happen.

• If you could marry between 6 and 14 who will it be?
either ivan or didang? didang na lang. babae siya at hindi feeling.

• Did you ever like 9?
sab? i still like sab. but sab likes me more than i like her.

• Have you ever seen 4 cry?
does teary eyed count?

• Would 4 and 17 make a good couple?
hahaha... siguro. maraming magagalit though. pero bading ata si jio eh. anong say mo bro? je... any complaints?

• Would number 1 and 2 make a good couple?
they already are. have been since... hmmm... forever?

• Describe 8
well she's self-admittedly sensitive. oli wag magalit. pero trip ko boses niya. at magaling siyang logan schwarzandgrubeniere.

• Do you like 12?
kyla? sure. why not... anything's possible naman diba? hahahaha... pero baka mag away lang kami eh. baka di niya matake na mas magaling akong kumanta kesa sa kanya.

• Tell me something about 17:
je is rumored to have topped our bath's acet. enough said.

• What's 7's favorite color?
mian? what else... eh di black!

• What would you do if 1 just confessed he/she liked you?
that's never gonna happen. but just in case it does... tatakbo ako. hindi niya ako mahahabol... chicken legs siya eh.

• When was the last time you talked to number 15?:
kanina lang. about four hours ago? batboy stuff...

• How do you think 19 feels about you?
raffy thinks i'm the shiznit.

• What language does 13 speak?
toff has a language all on his own.

• Who is 2 going out with?
mikel garcia. sorry les... hahaha...

• What grade is 16 in?
mike? well, he acts like he's in grade 4.

• What is 5's favorite music?:
bambi likes listening to the music of his heart. sabaw? ganon talaga si bambi

• Would you ever date 13?:
uh. no. and i think he wouldn't date me either. hahahaha...

• Is 11 single?:
i think so... :P

• What is 10's last name?
garcia.

• Would you ever want to be in a serious relationship with 7?
been there. done that. i left her. she's been crying ever since...

• Where does 18 live?:
grand villas.

• What do you think about 20?:
i used to be afraid of him. mukha siyang maangas at masungit eh. pero mabait pala siya. :)

• What is the best thing about 30?
he is marc peter baluyan, orsem host, ateneo idol...

• What would you like to tell 14 right now?:
stop being selfish. i need alone time with my roommate too you know?

• How did you meet 9?
we first became classmates at botany class, second sem of first year.

• What is the best and worst thing about 2?
he's the best... and he's the best... or at least he thinks he is. :P

• Are you going to know 3 forever?
how long is forever anyway? hahaha... malamang. i'll probably die first though.

• How long have you known 26?
about a year now, i guess.

• Who is 24?
isis is isis. double trouble.

• Are you or did you ever date 2?
that would be incestuous.

• Do you have a crush on 27?
oo. sobra. hot niya kasi eh.

• Would you kiss 25?
my hija? i guess. sa cheeks.

• Have you hugged/kissed 22?
hugged yes. kiss... magagalit si 25. pero kung sa cheeks. okay lang. hahaha...

• Would you like to hug/kiss 21?
hug? i might have already. not sure. kiss? if it's in an al pacino, godfather, sicillian type of manly kiss... why not? hahahaha...

• Is 29 your gff?
What's a gff? girlfriend forever? she's not my girlfriend.

• What do you hate about 23?
hindi na siya nagpapakita at nagpaparamdam.

• What's your relationship with 30?
he is marc peter baluyan, orsem host, ateneo idol... at com theory orals partner ko rin siya.

posted by nicolas @ 8:19 PM Comments: 1

twenty things i want to say to certain people...

twenty things i want to say to certain people...

i got this idea while surfing around multiply. i think i need this. the people to which these are aimed at will remain nameless. and don't try to guess...

1. i can’t get you out of my mind. it’s driving me crazy… i like it.

2. i tell everyone I’m over you… but i’m not… i don’t want to be.

3. my life would have been a whole lot better if i hadn’t met you.

4. i want to be with you… right now.

5. grow some balls, why don’t you.

6. i'm letting go.

7. just the thought that i just might see you today brightens up my day.

8. i hate it that you lied straight to my face. yes, i know…

9. i lied to you. i’m sorry.

10. just stay out of my room…

11. you’re a bitch. stay out of my life.

12. i hate it that you would choose to spend your time with someone else.

13. why’d you have to leave?

14. you are a deceiving, little, social-climbing, psycho bitch. karma’s gonna get the best of you…

15. i hate you for making me feel so bad about myself.

16. just smelling your scent turns me on.

17. i hate it that you have so much control over me and don't even know it.

18. i’m sorry for using you. but you’re just so easy to manipulate.

19. i know i don’t show it, but i really don’t know what i’d do if you weren’t in my life.

20. everytime i’m with you, i just wanna grab you and… god knows what. hahaha. i’m so serious, it's scary.

posted by nicolas @ 2:59 PM Comments: 1

fluid review...

fluid review



This is a review written by Ren Robles, professional theater actor and BlueRep alumnus. He was able to catch the 7pm show last September 1. It's very heartwarming. Read on...

September 3, 2007

RATING: 5 STARS.

The debate between Art and Commerce - and all that it entails - has always been a popular topic for artists to tackle in their works. What good is artistic integrity if one is hungry all the time? What good is "selling out" if it means compromising your beliefs? These are questions that have been asked by artists across place and time. This time, the place is the Philippines, the time is now, and the play is FLUID, as presented by the graduating class of the Ateneo Theater Arts Department.

Written and directed by Floy Quintos, the play opens with Amir (played by Jio Javier in the show I got to see), a young, talented, yet anonymous painter contemplating his artistic future. Just as he is about to make a very final decision, in comes Mira (Jasmine Mendiola) with a tantalizing offer: A large sum of cash as well as the promise of a solo exhibit, but only if he alters his style to please rich patrons. Next, we meet two young thespians, Alben (Nikko Atienza) and Jom (Gerauld Rivera). A generally happy and loving couple, the two have a brief spat over Jom's "controversial" plan: To audition for the Philippine production of "Rent." Jom thinks it'll be an exciting step in a new direction; Alben thinks it's needless selling-out. Finally, we encounter Simone (Diega Villanueva), an events coordinator tackling a huge wedding. Her best-laid plans go awry, though, when Renata (Trency Caga-anan), the coordinator for the Philharmonic, does a few last-minute changes to the repertoire. Much to Simone's dismay, all her "perfect" choices for music have been switched to classical music. All three stories come to a head two years later at Amir's one-man show. The events come quick, the pace is frenetic, and when the dust finally clears, everyone comes out of it more enlightened, if not a little bruised. (Obviously, I'm not spoiling it for all of you).

It would have been easy to write this play with an obvious bias towards Art, but as the title suggests (and as many artists can attest to), the debate is never an easy one, and there are rarely any absolute answers. The play accurately depicts the internal (and, at times, external) struggle without oversimplifying it. (Admittedly, the play DOES lean towards Art, but it can't be helped; it was written by an artist, after all.) None of the characters are absolute representations or metaphors for Art or Commerce. Each one presents a facet of both; the artistic have economic needs, the rich have aesthetic aspirations. The action is paced well, and there are no dull moments. There's also a good balance between gravitas and the frivolous; it's never too serious to be depressing, and never too slapstick to be disposable. The material is clever and witty, and there's a lot of unexpected humor (which, I suspect, only the well-read or those exposed to theater will understand and appreciate).

I must admit, I've never seen this play with the "older" cast mentioned in the program, so I wouldn't know how different this play is from the original. However, the younger cast definitely makes it work. It's easy to make Amir your typical Angry Young Man, but Jio adds some subtlety and sadness in his take of the character. There's one brilliant moment in the play where Jio quickly flinches, then says more with his eyes in one brief moment than he does with any lengthy monologue. Jasmine is appropriately composed and elegant as the "rich bitch" Mira, but thankfully, you also see glimpses of her humanity when she interacts with Amir, particularly at the start of the play. Gerauld's innocent look definitely works for his character, and he succeeds in pulling off his character's "growth" in the second act. Meanwhile, Nikko successfully expresses his character's insecurities amidst his cocky facade; indeed, Nikko shines in one of the play's most poignant monologues, one which any theater actor can probably relate to. Finally, Diega and Trency steal the show with their more obvious humor. Diega's ditzy Simone earns her huge laughs in pretty much every scene she's in, while Trency gets to be hilarious one moment then thoughful the next, without the shift being too jarring.

On the creative side of things, the production design made use of its limited space, and the use of white curtains was very, well, "artsy." It was an effective means of creating an additional back-"space" in the theater (if you've ever been to or worked in the Fine Arts Theater, you know what I mean), and it had another purpose of changing the settings quickly and effectively. The costumes captured each character accurately, whether it's Amir's paint-soiled outfit or Diega's flirty ensembles. The choice of music was also good, drawing attention to itself only when necessary.

In the end, FLUID makes a good argument about Art, Commerce, and the spectrum of decisions one has to make about the two. The play (and the playwright, by extension) definitely has its own stance on the debate, but by no means does it force you to accept it as the only choice. Everyone who watches will identify with a different character, or at least different facets of different characters. (For my part, I identify most with Alben, even if our backgrounds are almost complete opposites.)

I definitely recommend watching this play. It is entertaining, yes, but it also brings to life the dilemmas of every artist. Plus, if you watch, you also help a talented bunch of artists take a step closer to realizing their goals and dreams (the play also serves as a fund raiser for their thesis).

The play runs from Tuesday until Sunday at the Ateneo Fine Arts Theater, 3rd Floor Gonzaga Building. Shows are at 7pm on weekdays and Saturdays, and 2pm on weekends. Tickets are 150 pesos each.

(I'm selling tickets for the September 15, Saturday, 2pm show. If you want to watch, you know how to contact me.)

posted by nicolas @ 2:44 PM Comments: 2

schroeder...

schroeder...


2000-2007

schroeder just died. my dog just died. the dog that i've loved for seven years just died. and i really am sad...

frankly, i feel a bit stupid and silly for actually feeling this bad about the death of an animal. whenever i would see steve irwin sobbing over the death of one of his crocs on the animal planet, i always found him to be a bit over the top. but now that i'm actually the one who's in that kind of situation... i can't help but feel really bad as well. no, i'm not sobbing, crying or going hysterical. i haven't cried about anything in the longest time. maybe i should. i dunno...

anyway... i really will miss that big golden ball of fur. he was a really good dog. he was really smart. extemely playful. and he was the sweetest dog ever. he would even make tampo with me everytime i would forget to greet or play with him whenever i would get home. why? cuz he'd always be there faithfully and eagerly waiting for my arrival.

i will miss him pouncing on me leaving paw marks and fur all over my clean clothes. i will miss him barking up a storm whenever i would give him his food. i will miss him hiding under my bed (or at least trying to since he really didn't fit) during thunder storms. i will miss him running and barking freely at the ateneo high school football fields. i will miss him going hysterical over tennis balls. i will miss hugging him whenever i'm sad and him making me happy because of it. i will miss him... i miss him already... i wish i could hug him now...

although he was already quite old at the age of seven, it never really occurred to me exactly that he was indeed old. he always had this puppy aura with him that never went away. he was always ready for playtime... even to the point of waking me up in the middle of the night just to play fetch. i would get annoyed, of course, but i really didn't mind. he even woke me up for my birthday by slobbering all over my hand a few days back...

sigh...

"ano ka ba nikko... aso lang yan..." my mind keeps telling me, inducing some sort of shame within me for being overly affected by his death. but it doesn't matter. i really don't care. i loved schroeder... and i will most definitely be missing him...

posted by nicolas @ 7:33 PM Comments: 11

don't you dare miss it...

don't you dare miss it...



blue repertory presents...

high school musical live!

playdates are on february 23 at 8pm, february 24 and 25 and 1030am and 3pm, march 2 at 8pm, march 3 at 1030am, 3pm and 8pm, and march 4 at 1030am and 3pm.

it's gonna be a great show. don't miss it!

posted by nicolas @ 11:59 AM Comments: 0

high school musical live extended...

high school musical live extended...

due to our shows being sold out more than a month before show time... and thanks to the insistence of thousands of other people... highschool musical live is being extended on to the next weekend! yipee! from having just five shows originally, we're gonna have six more!

here's the official "extended" poster! feel free to grab it and post it wherever you can! oh... and don't forget to watch it yourselves as well!



ps... here's another one of our press release pics! feel free to grab this one as well, print it out... and ask for my autograph after the shows! hahaha... wala lang... enjoy!


karel marquez (gabriella) with the boys of high school musical. clockwise left to right: nicolas atienza (chad), jamie barcelon (ryan), reb atadero (zeke) and shark alonso (troy).

posted by nicolas @ 10:29 PM Comments: 0