Rocky Salumbides sings half naked while Wilma Doesnt tries to strip Prince Stefan of his clothes during an excerpt of Zsa Zsa Zaturnnah. Photo by Jude Bautista

Written and photographed

By Jude Bautista

Wilma Doesnt was stripping Prince Stefan for an excerpt of  Zsa Zsa Zaturnnah because Ze musical is Vack with a Vengeance! The excerpt was at Bed Space during the press launch. Show dates start from Feb 18 to 27 and March 4 to 13, 2011 at the Cultural Center of the Philippines. The most successful locally written and produced musical is again being run by the Tanghalang Pilipino for the seventh time. The musical is based on a graphic novel by TLS (The La Sallian) Alumnus Carlo Vergara who is both writer and illustrator of “Ang Kagilasgilas  na Pagsasapalaran ni Zsa Zsa Zaturnnah.”

from left Rocky Salumbides, Kalila Aguilos, Prince Stefan, Wilma Doesnt and Red Anderson during an excerpt of Zsa Zsa Zaturnnah. Photo by Jude Bautista

Wilma Doesnt is currently in the TV5 hit show “Party On 5”. She has been cast as an Amazonista in all of the Zsa Zsa Zaturnnah’s restaging except for 2006. She missed that year because she was pregnant with her second child. She’s been in the production for so many times she has also memorized the lines of the main characters.

Wilma also recently modeled for a fashion show at Shangri-la Plaza called The 5th Power. The dress she’s wearing is from the brand PEOPLE ARE PEOPLE. Photo by Jude Bautista

Wilma said, “We have this fan who has been to every production his name is Penny. He comes all the way from Pampanga just to watch. He enjoys the improvements and changes that we make. So he tells us it’s a different experience each time.” Wilma also recently modeled for a fashion show at Shangri-la Plaza called The 5^th Power. She added, “I never left fashion shows because it’s my first love.”

from left, Manila Bulletin Student Campuses & Universities reporter Jaser Marasigan with Zsa Zsa Zaturnnah herself Eula Valdez. Photo by Jude Bautista

Eula Valdez reprises her role as the red haired heroine. She will be joined by new cast members Gabe Mecado (alternating with Joey Paras) as Didi, Pinky Amador (alternating with Laila Aguilos) as Queen Femina Suarestella Baroux, Rocky Salumbides (alternating with Arnold Reyes and Red Anderson) as the hunk with a heart Dodong.

Pinky Amador as Queen Femina

Tanghalang Pilipino Artistic Director Fernando Josef said, “I want to thank Carlo Vergara for helping TP and making Zsa zsa Zaturnnah. Admittedly we do need fund raising for Tanghalan. This is our 25^th season. We really need money so we can come up with other plays like ‘Noli Me Tangere’. That’s why we chose Zsa zsa because it’s so popular and award winning.”

from left clockwise: Kalila Aguilos, Gabe Mercado, Wilma Doesnt and director Chris Millado (seated) will be in Zsa Zsa Zaturnnah. The hit musical will be restaged Feb 18-20, 25-27, March 4-6, 11-13 at the CCP Little Theater. Photo by Jude Bautista.

Director Chris Millado shared, “We will have a new set design by Gino Gonzalez. Back in 2006 fans appreciated the intimacy of the Huseng Batute. Now what we’ve done is to restore that intimacy and bring the action to the audience. We’ve also brought in leading lighting designer Katsch Catoy. We also have new choreographers who were members of the prestigious Ballet Phil. Carlon Matobato and Christine Flores- Crame. We’re excited with the new cast members too. Zsa Zsa Zaturnnah doesn’t only save her small town from rampaging zombies and giant frogs but saves the day for Tanghalang Pilipino once again. She’s a super heroine in her true form.”

Other events in the CCP Calendar include:

Giuseppe Verdi’s monumental work “REQUIEM” will be the PPO’s main program on March 18.

On April 15, the PPO 28^th season 2010-2011 finale features the 2010 Isidor Bajic International Piano Competition grand prize winner Thai pianist POOM PROMMACHART performing Rachmaninoff Concerto No. 3

Artists, cultural workers, environmentalists join hands with millions all over the world to celebrate EARTH DAY on April 17, Sunday at the CCP Complex.

TV5 stars Wilma Doesn’t of Party of 5 and Aksyon and Sapul reporter MJ Marfori

In June, the 150^th birth anniversary of Dr. Jose Rizal will be celebrated in a production presented by CCP and the National Historical Commission of the Philippines. Likewise, the VIRGIN LABFEST, a festival of new plays (untried, untested, unpublished, unstaged) by emerging and well-known playwrights, directors and actors will also be shown at the Tanghalang Huseng Batute (Experimental Theater) from June 28-July 10.

From July 15-24, the finalists to the 7^th CINEMALAYA INDEPENDENT FILM FESTIVAL AND COMPETITION will be shown in various CCP theaters and venues.  Top prizes at stake are films under the New Breed Full-Length Feature category, the Short Feature Competition category and the Directors’ Showcase.

In July, August and September, eminent pianist REYNALDO REYES will perform a Festival of Beethoven sonatas at the CCP.

For jazz enthusiasts, a JAZZ FESTIVAL will be held from August 23-26 at the CCP with leading local ensembles plus invited musicians from abroad.

For inquiries and tickets, please call the CCP Marketing Department (832-1125 loc. 1806), the CCP Box Office (832-3704) or Ticketworld at National Bookstore (891-9999) or visit the CCP website: http://www.culturalcenter.gov.ph or the CCP facebook. ##

From left: Manila Bulletin Lifestyle reporter Glaiza De Castro and Pinky Amador as Queen Femina. Photo by Jude Bautista