As if 26 shows weren't enough, Zsazsa Zaturnnah: Ze Muzikal leaps back to its homebase--CCP's Tanghalang Huseng Batute--for five more shows this June 16 to 18, as part of the International Theater Festival to be hosted this year by the Philippines. The festival will stage productions from the Asia-Pacific and ASEAN regions.

Then there's rumors a-buzzing that the musical will make overseas curtain calls in Japan and the US. Again, these are still rumors. For the past how many weeks, I've been getting texts asking me to confirm a few rumors to which I'm near-oblivious to, but I guess that's all part of the deal.

One of those rumors involves Jennylyn Mercado playing Zaturnnah in the film adaptation. However, the most recent development has Rufa Mae Quinto and Ogie Alcasid as all-systems-go to play Zaturnnah and Ada, respectively. In a television interview, Zsazsa Padilla had expressed desire to play Zaturnnah, though I'm not privy to the whole casting background story. Mark Meilly (Crying Ladies, La Visa Loca) will be helming the project, and I'm currently reviewing the screenplay penned by Dinno Erece.

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Last night during the show, director Chris Millado asked me if I was open to having them set up a table so I could sign books. A part of me wasn't really comfy with that; I was really content just standing at the corner of the lobby and observing the audience attack the cast for sutographs and photos. But apparently the sales level of the books was directly proportional to how visible I was, so I agreed. (I wore the mask of the giant frog for a while, but it was hard to talk to people.) I swear, I've never been photographed that many times in a span of thirty minutes.

It's weird. When the buzz about Zaturnnah was beginning to spread more than I had expected, I would tell friends that I've created a monster, albeit a booby "babaeng bakla" bombshell. (That's four B's for you.) And until now I wonder if there was some kind of formula to it. I have some idea, but it hasn't taken a definite shape. Maybe someone can study it in some kind of academic fashion, I don't know.

I'm trying not to be bothered by the pressure about the graphic novel sequel, though I admit that it's rapping at a window in my brain, like a visitor I want to let in but can't. There were times when I've been tempted to say there WON't be a sequel just to get the issue out of the way, but I know of people who'll lovingly rake my eyes out. Though the chores that have kept me tied down all April have been substantially dealt with, they're not fully done. And there's more coming in still. *sigh* One at a time, Carlo. One at a time. You just have to keep going.

And keep breathing.

Photo courtesy of Paolo Manalo.

Comments

Anonymous said…
sunday night was a CROWD.

how come i didn't see you wearing the frog's head?!?... tsk, sayang! ;p

after the show, david and i were getting dizzy looking for you... we're quite sure you're being mobbed by that time, pero... SAAN? i was used to finding you at the merchandise table or somewhere near it, pero wala! we were joking na nilamon ka na ng madla... hehehe...

late na when we though of the side lobby... and there you are :D sa dami ng nakapila, we just joined the queue at baka masaktan kami ng wala sa oras pag dumiretso sa unahan... hehehe...
Anonymous said…
Congratulations for the success of the 2nd run! May 3rd run pa. sana makapagpahinga ka naman! :)

goodluck with Ze Movie!

tc, Carl!
tsop said…
Nakakalokang palakang Carlo, sinusuyod ang bayan natin...
Slvrdlphn said…
Hi Carl,
I've reposted this blog entry into http://zsazsazaturnnah.multiply.com with complete credits and references.

Congrats on the success of the 2nd run. Eagerly awaiting the 3rd run. :)
Anonymous said…
Nida... Ikaw talaga...heheheh. Okey sana yung frog's head, kaya lang nao-obstruct yung view ko. Napansin mo ba na maraming audience members who're in their 40s and 50s? Kakagulat.

Zee... Naku, zee. Thanks! Wala akong masabi kundi magaling yung adaptation ng TP. Strange nga--it was during the last song na naramdaman kong namamasa-masa na yung mata ko. First time nangyari yun. Siyempre pinigilan ko kase nakakahiya. hihihi...

Paolo...Ninakaw ko pic, ha? :-) May utang ka nga pala sa akin na revelation. hwek hwek hwek
Anonymous said…
Penny...at zalamt din za yo. :-D
Anonymous said…
oh well, it only means one thing: ALL OF YOUR HARDWORK IS FINALLY PAYING OFF! actually matagal nang paid eh, nanalo pa lang yung book, winner ka na. you deserve it naman kasi no. enjoy mo lang!

saka remember yung binuko ako ni Jermyn, last run, sabi ko "Si Carlo Vergara ay isang BUHAY na ALAMAT!" hahaha! :)

konti na lang mas sikat ka na kay Piolo! :) lol!
Anonymous said…
bakit ang galing-galing niyo? :)
congratulations! :)

sayang, you weren't able to sign my book.. huhu! sa 3rd run na lang kaya, hehe! :P
Yang said…
This comment has been removed by a blog administrator.
Yang said…
bro... green looks good on you! LOL
vincedejesus said…
hi carlo.

hay... time for me to move on. gawa na naman ng ibang project. but i've blocked off my third week of june for the possible re-rerun. hehe. tapos re-re-rerun daw. kaloka di ba?

thanks again carlo for the trust. it was a blast doing zsazsa. would love to 'muzikalize' another one of your creations again in the near future.

mwah :)
ie said…
goodluck. i think you can handle your, eherm, growing popularity well. :]
Anonymous said…
hi sir carlo!
if you need a photographer to take pictures of the play, you can hire me! :D hehehehe! :)
-Henson :D
j said…
Wow galing! I'll link you up ha?
. said…
Layo na ng narating mo Kuya Carlo ah. I still remember that friday night in a bar in Makati where I first talked 2 u together with Suki and the SNAGG guys. I'm so happy for you. You make us all proud.
Anonymous said…
delski... Hindi naman masyadong magaling, pero thanks for believing. :-) It's all about faith and knowing one's place in the scheme of things.

ate... sige, pagawa ako ng frog's head. :-)

zee...anubanamanyan. heheheh. Laking pasasalamat ko na nung nanalo yung book, everything else has been a bonus and a great blessing. Ibigay na lang natin kay God ang susunod na mangyayari. :-)

Vince!!! Your work on the musical is fantastic!Alam mo naman 'yun, di ba? Heheheh.

ie...Growing popularity??? Kung may nude pictures na ako sa internet, sikat na ako. Pero huwag naman sana. Super yaks!

Henson...may official photog na yung TP, eh. :-( Uy, super thanks uli sa suporta mo. :-)

jairam...surely!

Joms...nami-miss ko na kayo. Sana okey ka ngayon. :-) Minsan nakakabunggo ko si Marvin sa Gold's. Halos wala na akong kilala sa thread niyo! :-)
. said…
Carver: Honga eh, dami na kasing bagong faces. Pero yeah, Marvs will always be our Tatay. Hehehe. And the new guys know you, siguro dahil palagi namin ikaw binabanggit ni Roy everytime pinag-uusapan nila yung contingent namin for Zaturnah. =)
decorator said…
daddy, yes pinipressure kita sa sequel! i can't wait. hihihihihihi!!!!

siempre my halong personal interest yun! wink! wink!


ziryusly,zuper proud ako zayo! az in!

don't you forget, ten years from now, we will set the sulu sea in flames when we visit cuyo islands.

iz gona be a blazt!
Anonymous said…
to mr. vergara..ang galing niyo..:D

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