Photo Flash: SWEENEY TODD Manila Meets The Press 2009/10/31

REPERTORY PHILIPPINES’ Associate Artistic Director Joy Virata, SWEENEY TODD director Michael Williams, and cast members Audie Gemora (Benjamin Barker/Sweeney Todd), Menchu Lauchengco-Yulo (Mrs. Lovett), Franco Laurel (Anthony), Lena Mckenzie (Johanna), Marvin Ong (Tobias), and Rem Zamora (press conference host/chorus) met the press, including BroadwayWorld.com Philippines, on October 28, 2009 at The Roxy along Tomas Morato in Quezon City.

Bag of Beans meat pies were served while Gemora and Yulo were performing “A Little Priest” from the Stephen Sondheim/Hugh Wheeler musical thriller.

Repertory Philippines’ new production of SWEENEY TODD opens November 14, 2009 at the Onstage, 2/F Greenbelt 1, Paseo de Roxas, Makati City.

Lending musical support is Gerard Salonga conducting the FILharmoniKA, while Repertory Philippines’ Artistic Director Baby Barredo and Williams co-direct. The musical, considered as Sondheim’s magnum opus, has been dubbed as one of the 20^th century’s more brilliant creations in musical theatre. The show opened on Broadway at the Uris Theatre in March 1979, and ran for 557 performances.

SWEENEY TODD Manila play dates are from November 14 to December 13, 2009, with Fridays and Saturdays at 8:00 p.m., and Saturday and Sunday matinees at 3:30 p.m. For tickets and inquiries, call (632) 887-0710, 888-0887 or log on to www.repertory.ph or Ticketworld (632) 891-9999 or log on to www.ticketworld.com.ph.

Photos by Ulysses Manuel

Lena McKenzie (Johanna) and Marvin Ong (Tobias)

Menchu Lauchengco-Yulo (Mrs. Lovett) and Marvin Ong (Tobias)

Lena McKenzie (Johanna) and Franco Laurel (Anthony)

Menchu Lauchengco-Yulo (Mrs. Lovett) and Audie Gemora (Sweeney Todd)

Marvin Ong, Lena McKenzie, Menchu Lauchengco-Yulo, Audie Gemora, Michael Williams (co-director) and Joy Virata (Repertory Philippines Associate Artistic Director)

Audie Gemora, Franco Laurel, Lena McKenzie, Michael Williams, Joy Virata, Menchu Lauchengco-Yulo and Marvin Ong

Oliver Oliveros is one of Manila's top publicists in the fields of arts, music, culture and entertainment. A self-confessed Broadway baby, he drools over publicity projects that are Broadway-related. Practicing and teaching public relations for over 15 years now, he handles accounts for the Manila productions of "Death and the Maiden," "The Last Five Years," "Godspell," "Footloose," 'Once On This Island," "Oleanna," "Art," "The Sound of Music," "Children's Letters to God," "High School Musical On Stage," "West Side Story," �Sweeney Todd,� projects with Broadway and West End stars Lea Salonga, Joanna Ampil, and Stephanie Reese among others. He also heads publicity for STAGES Manila, the Philippines' top recording and concert artists, award-winning independent films, original musicals, operas, Filipino-American finalists on "American Idol," and the World Championships of Performing Arts (WCOPA) in Hollywood, California. He is set to pursue Graduate studies at New York University School of Continuing and Professional Studies (NYU SCPS � M.S. in Public Relations and Corporate Communications) in 2010.

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