Christopher de Leon returns to theater

MANILA, Philippines – Christopher de Leon’s next project is not a teleserye but a rock opera, based on the life of St. Lorenzo Ruiz.

This project actually marks Boyet’s comeback in theater. But the multiawarded actor returns as a producer for the musical, on behalf of his Green Wings Entertainment Network.

Boyet had this project in mind for a long time.

“I wanted to produce this for the big screen,” he said. 

“Kaso malaking pera ang kailangan para magawa mong maayos ang ganitong klaseng pelikula.”

(You need a lot of money to make a really good film version.)

“So I kept the project on hold for a long time until I decided na ito na ang tamang panahon [that this is the right time].

“People today are enjoying musical theater. Recently naging big hit ang ‘Katy!'”

“So I prayed for the right time and I received a sign na ito na ‘yung panahon na iyon [that this is it]. Let’s do it.”

The best people

Boyet recruited the services of Professor Paul Dumol as writer, Nonon Padilla as director, and Ryan Cayabyab as musical director.

“If you want the best, hire the best people, right?” he smiles.

“‘Lorenzo’ will be an entertaining musical — medyo rock siya but people of all ages will relate to it.

“What’s important is that we send the audience the right message. Yung maiintindihan nila [That they understand], through music, ang mga pinagdaanan ni Lorenzo Ruiz [what Lorenzo Ruiz went through].”

The lead actor to play the part of Lorenzo Ruiz is Lorenz Martinez, the son of veteran stage and screen actor Leo Martinez.

Boyet may yet perform in the musical, which would mean this would be a real comeback in theater.

Among this esteemed actor’s theater works are his role as Jesus in the musical “Godspell,” back in the Eighties, and, a decade earlier, his impressive turn as Randle McMurphy in a Filipino adaptation of “One Flew over the Cuckoo’s Nest,” the Ken Kesey novel immortalized in film by Milos Forman and Jack Nicholson. 

Minor part

This time, Boyet wishes to limit himself to a minor part.

“Small role lang naman ang gusto ko. Ako na nga ang producer, ‘di ba?”

(I just want a small role. I’m already the producer.)

“I want someone else to take center stage in this dream musical of mine.

“If this musical becomes a success, we might bring it to a national tour. We pray for its success.”

Boyet’s last serye, to date, is the super-sexy soap “Misibis Bay” on TV5.

He will soon do a new serye for ABS-CBN titled, “Hanggang Kailan Kita Mamahalin?,” with Angel Locsin, Maja Salvador, and Jericho Rosales.

Besides his versatile work in acting, Boyet is also an established singer, with a body of recordings that almost equals his prolific work in cinema. – Rappler.com

 

‘Lorenzo’ will be staged at the College of Saint Benilde of De La Salle University on September 5, 6, 7, 12, 13, and 14.

Here’s Boyet de Leon with his wife, Sandy Andolong, and old friend, the late great Jay Ilagan, in a clip from Mike de Leon’s now-classic musical/thriller,  “Kakabakaba ka ba? (1980),” performing Jim Paredes’ ‘Sisikat Din Ako’: