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version of her now well-loved red gown in a Grecian cut, Joyce Pilarsky was Candidate 10 of Toastmaster International District 75 Annual Convention Next Top Model, held last April 29, 2017. Come decision time, the audience applauded for her and shouted “Number 10,” declaring her winner out of 16 candidates as she stood out and looked like a champion. The six-panel jury concurred!
MUST-READ FOR APRIL. It is excellent that major American publishing house Penguin has published The Woman Who Had Two Navels and Tales of the Tropical Gothic by Nick Joaquin, who was lovingly called “Dahling Nick” by the culturati set. It is the Filipino author’s 100th birth anniversary in 2017. Also, the publishing house’s editorial director is Filipino-American Elda Rotor.
Penguin Classics is an imprint published by Penguin Books, a subsidiary of Penguin Random House. They are published in varying editions throughout the world. Having published Jose Rizal’s Noli Me Tangere and Jose Garcia Villa’s Doveglion, the titles are not included in its 100 Essential Penguin Classics.
Joaquin is considered one of the country’s finest writers. “His work meditates on the questions and challenges of the Filipino individual’s new freedom after centuries of colonialism, exploring folklore, centuries-old Catholic rites, the Spanish colonial past, magical realism, and baroque splendor and excess,” said Penguin on its website.
With foreword by novelist Gina Apostol and an introduction by historian Vicente Rafael, the Penguin Classics edition is exclusively available at National Book Store and will be published in paperback form and as an e-book.
The book was welcomed positively by US public radio network NPR, reviewed by “Persona” series writer Genevieve Valentine. She praises Joaquin as a “ruthless observer of human frailty” whose writing is “beautifully dense.” BBC warmly met the book, with writer Jane Ciabattari including it in its list of “Ten Books to Read in April.”
ELIMINATION ROUND STARTS. I Can Do That, ABS-CBN’s competition show that upped viewers’ adrenaline rushes every weeknights, has entered elimination rounds. The last contest competiting will determine The Greatest Entertainer who will win the grand prize of a whopping P1 million!
‘GARY V PRESENTS...’ ENCORES AT THEATRE AT SOLAIRE. “Gary V Presents…” could very be last Valentine’s highest-grossing show, but since it was staged in a five-star hotel sold on a per 10-person table basis, the comparison could not be on an apple-to-apple basis. This made it exempt from the overall rankings. The rest of the Valentine shows were held in big concert halls that told tickets per seat basis.
Gary opens the second quarter of the year with the highly anticipated encore serving of his critically acclaimed “Gary V Presents…” concert franchise series on May 12, 13, 19 and 20 at Theatre at Solaire.
The encore performances of “Gary V Presents…” are in line with Gary’s 34th anniversary in the industry, which is happening this 2017. “Gary V Presents…” first had a two-night run in November 2015 at Newport Performing Arts Theater at Resorts World Manila and its immense commercial success spawned a one-night repeat at Resorts World, a special run in Dipolog City, and a two-night show at Kia Theater in Cubao.
“Gary V Presents…” is conceptualized by Gary with son Paolo Valenciano as a means to showcase a diverse sampling of artists whose styles represent different musical genres. The series aims to provide these artists a creative and mainstream platform to showcase their individual talents and as Gary puts it: just have fun and enjoy each other’s talent on stage.
The 2017 encore run of “Gary V Presents…” will once again assemble its amazing cast which include Allan Silonga, Bullet Dumas, Carla Guevara-Laforteza, Janice Javier, Jimmy Marquez, Katrina Velarde, Kiana Valenciano, Lara Maigue, Mitoy Yonting, Timmy Pavino, and RJ de la Fuente. This run will have an added feature — the Zamora Brothers: Jason and Joshua of the Manoeuvres.
This encore run is co-directed by Paolo Valenciano with his father who is set to do many solo songs and production numbers that will blow the audiences away. Gary received standing ovations for this concert and stunned the public with his amazing dancing skills and vocal gymnastics which have continue to prove that he indeed is a living miracle despite 39 years of having Type 1 diabetes.
The artists, that Gary himself handpicked, are all known for their exceptional artistry and the respective musical genres they each represent. It was heartwarming to see audiences cheer for Bullet Dumas whose unique musicality endeared him to the crowd and his co-performers.
Most of them were catapulted to mainstream recognition after they became part of different talent competitions on national TV. Gary chose them to be part of the concert on the basis of their individual achievements as solo artists as they are rapidly conquering the fields of recording, live shows and local bar circuits, theater, and television.
“We are calling this run of ‘Gary V Presents…’ an encore or a season finale because the series will feature a different set of artists when it returns in the future,” says Gary. “I would like to continue my advocacy to provide artists with a bigger platform to showcase their music to a wider audience and I’ll be on the look out for a new set of artists. But of course, the original cast of Gary V Presents… will always have a special place in my heart.”
ABS-CBN president Carlo Katigbak loved the production and congratulated the Genesis team after the event. Other celebrities who came were Kuh Ledesma, Regine Vlesquez, Ogie Alcasid, Rey-An Fuentes, Arnell Ignacio, Jonathan Manalo, Rox Santos, Roxy Liquigan and Gabriel Valenciano among many others.
The concert’s repertoire includes Gary’s chart topping hits as well as songs that have been identified with him for past 34 years. With Mon Faustino as musical director, each of the songs will be re-arranged to highlight each of the guest artist’s respective genres in their spot numbers as well as in their production numbers with Gary. Since this is the finale, fans could look forward to an additional bunch of surprises that will surely ignite severe excitement that only Mr. Pure Energy could deliver.
It should be noted that “Gary V Presents…” is the opening salvo of Gary’s year-long 34th anniversary celebration. Soon after the season finale of “Gary V Presents…,” Gary will gear up for his very first North American concert tour this 2017 as he is set to perform in M Resort, Las Vegas on May 27, in Pechanga Resort And Casino on June 3 with special guest Kiana Valenciano, and in Pasadena Civic Auditorium on June 10 with special guests Sam Concepcion and Kiana Valenciano.
The season finale of “Gary V Presents…” is for the benefit of the diabetes and scholarship programs of Shining Light Foundation. For tickets call TikcetWorld (891-9999) or check visit www.ticketworld.com.ph. For more information like Gary Valenciano Official on Facebook and follow @GaryValenciano1 on Twitter, and follow @garyvalenciano on Instgram.