BARE, the musical

Staged by ADMU'S Blue Repertory, I have only praises and admiration for the cast and crew who brought this production to stage. BARE the musical tackles the issues of homosexuality, religion, and love - three ingredients that contribute a lot to the success of the play.

I watched the musical last Saturday (Feb. 21, 2009) with my sister, her friend, and my cousin. I think my cousin, who is around 3 or 4 years my junior, was shocked out of her wits with the play. She's currently a high school student in a pretty conservative school, so imagine her horror when she had two guys and a couple making out on the stage in front of her. It was definitely an eye opener for her, at least she won't be as shocked as she was when she enters college. :)

To summarize the musical, the story revolved around Jason and Peter. Jason was the guy in school who was most likely to snag the "Most Popular" award while Peter was the quiet, intelligent, and boy-next-door guy whom everyone adored. The two main characters deal with their emotions- their love for one another, - their sexuality - if they were gay and why they were feeling that way towards one another, - and their religion - if it was a sin to God that they were feeling that way.

To help them deal with a really confusing state of their lives would be Sister Chantelle, the church priest, and of course, their friends. However, as much help as the people mentioned give, they also become part of the issue and generate their own problems with the boys, adding more chaos to the already chaotic world of Jason and Peter.

BARE the musical is certainly a must-watch. The production not only entertains you, but it also serves as an eye-opener to the realities of the world we live in.

Personally, my favorite character would be Peter - the naive A-student who battles with his emotions and sexuality. He has this innocence and sincerity that make people want to reach out to him. The audience witness his emotions as he, the altar boy of the school of St. Cecilia, is battling with his sexuality. It doesn't help the situation that his significant other, Jason, is the star of the school and the heart throb of the girls. He tries to confess his realizations to his mom, but his mom shuts him out. Unsure of everything, he asks God for guidance. The most heartfelt performance that Peter gives out in this production is his love for Jason - pure, innocent, and unharming.

I bow down to Bibbo Reyes, the actor who has done a splendid job portraying the character of Peter. And he is truly one gifted actor, having the voice and face of an angel. With his singing voice alone, he can catch the attention of all the viewers and leave them wanting for more.

Another favorite of mine would be the actor who was casted as Matt. Not only was he good, but he certainly topped my 1-10 scale of "guys who are cute." :)

My one and only comment for this production was that some lines and words weren't that clear to the audience. A few funny lines were not heard clearly; thus, making the comedic intent sayang.

But overall, kudos to ADMU's Blue Rep for staging such a controversial play. I admire the cast and crew for their bravery, artistry, and open-mindedness.

Kudos. Blue Rep's hard work paid off real well. :)

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Just something to share:

INT. MALL ELEVATOR. NIGHT.

Girl 1: Gusto ko panoorin yung Push. Alam mo ba kung tungkol saan yun?
Girl 2: Ah yung Push. Parang Twilight.
Girl 1: Twilight? So madami din siyang BamFires?

( -_- ')