Gerald Santos plays Pedro Calungsod again in new musical
Ever since Pedro Calungsod was canonized in 2012, the life of the country’s second Filipino saint (after Lorenzo Ruiz) has been turned into a movie, two musicals and a TV docudrama.
The latest is “San Pedro Calungsod The Musical,” which premiered recently at the Skydome, SM North Edsa in Quezon City.
The P3 million stage show stars singer-actor Gerald Santos, who also played the teen saint in an unrelated production two years earlier.
Stunning stage design
With such a budget, the fear of losing out on the investment must have weighed heavily on the minds of the producer.
“I truly believe in this project, with Gerald really capable enough to carrying the torch with accuracy and pride,” said Loven Red, main man of Redlife Entertainment Productions, Inc. which bankrolled the show.
At the premiere, it was easy to see where the money went: the stage design was stunning, the videos well-produced and the singing was superb.
Provincial tour
The musical will also go on the road and play in schools nationwide.
It is set to be staged tomorrow (December 2), 7 p.m. at St. Francis Xavier Major Seminary in Mindanao Gymnasium, Davao City.
Then it will have a three-day run at the Notre Dame of Cotabato City, from December 10-12. Bacolod is being negotiated as another stop.
15 songs
Fifteen original songs by Rommel Ramilo and Elmer Blancaflor, including "The Journey," were created in a few weeks of inspired writing, according to Ramilo who also happens to be Santos’s manager.
“Magaganda ang mga songs and the production is really pinaghirapan,” Santos said of the musical.
He also called the role “physically demanding” and added, “This is a big blessing and I’m looking forward to keeping myself busy in the next months going around the country and spreading good word about San Pedro Calungsod through this musical.”
This is Gerald’s third stage play in three years. He got nominated as Best Actor in a musical at the 2011 Aliw Awards.
Underwater scenes
“We’re hoping people to really see the play and see for themselves the kind of effort we pulled off in coming up with something special like this,” Ramilo said, citing the climactic underwater scene which was directed separately by Jess Lapid Jr.
“San Pedro Calungsod The Musical” also features character actor John Achaval as Father Diego San Vitores and Shyr Valdez as the mother of Pedro Calungsod.
Her moment with Pedro right before he leaves for the mission of his life was well applauded.
