Isay Alvarez News

Spotlight Artists Centre brings back the landmark Pinoy musical KATY! at the Cultural Center of the Philippines' Tanghalang Aurelio Tolentino in January 2013 with MISS SAIGON original London cast alumna Isay Alvarez as the main lead, Katy de la Cruz, the legendary bodabil star, who was one of the most illustrious, internationally-acclaimed, and highest-paid performers of her time.

The star-studded cast of the long-awaited revival of original Filipino landmark musical "Katy!," featuring Isay Alvarez, Dulce, Tirso Cruz III, Epy Quizon, Gian Magdangal, and Tricia Amper Jimenez, among others, presented excerpts from the show at the SM Malls' The Podium in Ortigas Center, Quezon City in the early evening, today.

Cameron Mackintosh and Dong Alegre, the representative of Mackintosh in the Philippines, will hold the Manila auditions for the West End revival of one of Mackintosh's late '80s mega musicals, "Miss Saigon," at Philippine Opera Company's brand-new headquarters, the Opera Haus (3657 Bautista St., Makati City), on Monday, November 19 until Thursday, November 22.

MISS SAIGON alumnus-turned-musical theater producer, director Robert Seña just confirmed with THE MANILA BULLETIN that Isay Alvarez, MISS SAIGON original London production's Gigi Van Tranh, Epy Quizon, award-winning film actor and son of the late comedian Dolphy; and Tirso Cruz III, seasoned film actor, will play the 'Queen of Philippine Jazz' Katy de la Cruz, Golay (Dolphy's first stage name), and Katy's father, respectively, in the upcoming revival of KATY!, a landmark Filipino musical, at the Cultural Center of the Philippines's Tanghalang Aurelio Tolentino on January 10 to 27, 2013.

Ryan Cayabyab (music) and Jose Javier Reyes' (book and lyrics) hugely successful original Filipino musical, KATY!, a musical based on the life and times of the "Queen of Philippine Jazz" Katy dela Cruz (1907-2004), is making its way back to the stage this year! Acclaimed theater and recording artists-cum-performance teachers Isay Alvarez, Robert Seña, and Tricia Amper Jimenez's Spotlight Artists Centre is on top of this much-anticipated theatrical event.

Repertory Philippines' acclaimed production of Stephen Sondheim's 'Sweeney Todd' earned five PHILSTAGE Awards Friday night (March 26, 2010) in Manila, Philippines taking home acting honors for its lead cast Audie Gemora (Best Male Lead Performance in a Musical), Menchu Lauchengco-Yulo (Best Female Lead Performance in a Musical), Liesl Batucan (Best Female Featured Performance in a Musical), and Marvin Ong (Best Male Featured Performance in a Musical). 'Sweeney Todd's' musical director Gerard Salonga also won the Best Musical Direction award.

Isay Alvarez, MISS SAIGON original London production's Gigi Van Trahn, dons Philippine democracy icon Cory Aquino's trademark yellow dress in the restaging of original Filipino musical CORY.