“Rivalry: Ateneo-La Salle The Musical, 2nd Round”–Why it speaks volumes
When “High School Musical” first made its way to the consciousness of the viewing public back in 2006, it was deemed as an undertaking whose timing was perfect. The Disney television-movie earned over $200M in total sales and is easily among the most successful ventures of the company in recent years. The plot blended sports and music. The subsequent sequels paled in comparison to the initial endeavor’s popularity, but “High School Musical” became a rare case of seemingly opposite worlds coming together.
A little over six years later, another ambitious project—almost forty years in the making—came to the forefront in the Philippines as grade school classmates Ed Gatchalian and Noel Trinidad followed up on an idea that was borne out of both gentlemen’s passion for sports and music. Gatchalian, a renowned composer and musical director along with Trinidad, an icon in the local theatre and movie industries cooked up a plan to produce a musical that would marry the two most distinguished Filipino loves: basketball and singing. Initially, it was entitled “Crispa-Toyota, May Araw Ka Rin”, highlighting one of the most heated rivalries in all of Philippine professional sports. Both Gatchalian and Trinidad were students of the Ateneo de Manila University at the time and after both had immersed themselves in their respective fields, the idea had all but been forgotten.
In 2010, Gatchalian formed The 4th Wall Theater Company and produced the hit musical “100: A Musical Journey in C Major” which enjoyed a modest run until February 2011. Now armed with resources, manpower, and wisdom, Gatchalian hooked up with his old friend Trinidad to rekindle the brainstorm that began decades prior. With the heyday of the Crispa-Toyota wars buried in the not-so-ancient past, the pair placed their focus on a rivalry they both were a part of and one that is still prevalent today: The Ateneo-La Salle enmity. Why not? It’s still current, it’s always fresh and even those not keen to the heated battles in the sporting arena are well aware that these two universities have always been quarrelling with each other.
Gatchalian then tapped the expertise of the veritable legends of the theatre world to help make the vision a reality: veteran stage director and librettist Jaime del Mundo, Trinidad’s son Joel, a tremendous stage actor and gifted lyricist and a cast of some of the best performers in the country. Gatchalian provided the music and handled the Executive Producer duties. It was a union of creative forces so powerful that it could push the present Los Angeles Lakers even further down the team standings.”Rivalry: Ateneo-La Salle The Musical” premiered in early 2012 and was greeted with positive reviews for its brilliant staging, casting and staying true to the actual animosity between the two protagonist educational institutions.
On January 25, 2013, the SECOND ROUND of “Rivalry” launches at the Meralco Theater in Pasig City. It’s not a sequel, but a more streamlined version of the original run (which was estimated to have lasted about three hours per show).
The plot is still the same: set in fictitious 1968 (coz neither squad advanced to the finals that year—Jose Rizal College won) against the backdrop of the ongoing NCAA men’s basketball season (yes, for those who don’t recall, Ateneo and La Salle first began their rivalry there and not the UAAP).
Quito (played by Red Concepcion), an Atenean, is the younger brother of Paco (OJ Mariano) who happens to be the star player of the Blue Eagles. Their cousin Tommy (Mako Alonso) is the king Green Archer. Quito confides to Tommy that he has a love interest in Mary Knoll student (yes, Miriam College now) Reena (Athena Tibi) and asks his cousin to help him “get the girl”.
While the story unfolds, Tommy begins developing feelings for Reena leading to a secret love triangle. Meanwhile, La Salle and Ateneo also find themselves meeting in the championship game, further fuelling the rift between Tommy and Paco as their fathers “Lasalite” Demi (Raymond Concepcion) and Atenean Anton (Julienne Mendoza) continue upholding their respective school’s credo by showing unabashed repugnance to each other. Caught in between are their wives Dolores (Sheila Francisco) and Andrea (Mayen Bustamante-Cadd), who happen to be sisters. The conflicts mount and culminate in an unfortunate incident where Quito gets shot while joining a protest rally (a common activity at the time). With everyone realizing that the rivalry that drove a wedge between their families to be miniscule compared to the true realities of life, issues resolve and the game plays out.
This is a case where “High School Musical” meets the Superbowl; the intensity of the rivalry—seemingly watered-down nowadays—as well as the accurate capturing of the time by ways of the jargon used in the musical interpretations.
I relate to the character of Noel Trinidad (who had a meaningful cameo as the father of Dolores and Andrea, and told the real beginnings of the rivalry). I’m from UP. Although I have been immersed in sports for a long time, I still don’t feel personally attached to why these two schools want to tear each other up so much. But witnessing the drama unfold and taking in all of the beautiful musical numbers, it made me realize how much a rivalry such as this could change the outlook of many of its students and alumni. The value that competition brings out even in blood-relatives and how “just being from the other school” can instantly make enemies out of people who co-exist struck a chord that makes one realize that in life—like in sports—discrimination without due cause is so very prevalent.
Gatchalian and Joel Trinidad weaved their talents together so seamlessly that it’s as if the songs were done by only one creative genius. Del Mundo—a self-confessed basketball ignorant—did a masterful job making the rivalry of all aspects of the story comes out. The choreography (including some basketball sequences) of movement guru Nancy Crowe made the tale more vivid and the new “tighter” version made every moment of the play significant to the audience.
But more than the clarity of the story that was being told in the play was how all of these irreproachable talents came together to convey that central message; in their acting, their singing and in their conviction that they are part of something bigger than themselves.
“Rivalry” was acclaimed by the theatre website broadwayworld.com for Best Music for a Filipino Musical (New/Revival) in 2012. It deserves it. Not since “Magsimula Ka” by Gines Tan in 1983 has a musical captured the essence of a point. The play’s present run ends on February 17.
I encourage all Ateneo and La Salle students and alumni to watch this—especially the athletes. If these guys can turn a Fighting Maroon like myself into a captive fan of this age-old feud (which, according to Noel Trinidad’s musical number started with dead chickens in 1939), then everyone will definitely be entertained, educated and uplifted by this lifelong odium between these two rival schools. It’s definitely for the sports fan.
I can’t imagine anyone doing push-ups while belting a tune, though…
(Follow Noel Zarate on Twitter: @NoelZarate)
Editor's note: The blogger's views do not represent Yahoo! Southeast Asia's position on the topic or issue being discussed in this post.
