contact details:  Claudia Wilson-Tambunting 0917-817-7889

An elaborate retelling of one of the most touching and enduring Christmas stories of all time. There are many adaptations of A Christmas Carol out there, but only one Broadway version! Based on the beloved Charles Dickens novel, A Christmas Carol, of course, tells the story of Ebenezer Scrooge, a bad-tempered miser who learns the value of love and family after he is visited by the ghosts of Christmas past, present, and future. The inspiring, delightful tale and the engaging music are sure to prove to be a family favorite. Its message that there’s good in everyone is a timeless moral of hope, perfect for the Christmas season’s commitment to peace, joy, hope, and love.STELLAR CAST FOR “A CHRISTMAS CAROL”

Some of Manila’s most popular theater actors will appear together in Repertory Philippines’  year-ending grand musical  “A CHRISTMAS CAROL”.   Michael Williams, Audie Gemora, Miguel Faustmann, Joy Virata, Pinky Marquez, Rem Zamora, Oliver Usison, and Liesl Batucan,  bring to life Charles Dickens’ immortal characters – the penny-pinching Mr. Scrooge, the generous and fun-loving Mr. and Mrs. Fezziwig, and the Ghosts of the Christmas -Past, Christmas -Present and Christmas-Yet-To-Come.

TV Host JM Rodriguez and Felix Rivera, a relative newcomer to the stage who has impressed Manila audiences since his appearance in last year’s “Avenue Q” and in  “Fiddler on the Roof,  alternate in the role of the young Ebenezer Scrooge opposite Christine Escudero and Cara Barredo who play his sweetheart.  Jejie Esguerra and Anna Santamaria play Mr. and Mrs Crachit—the poor but happy parents of a brood of children including the little cripple with the pure heart—Tiny Tim.  Tiny Tim is played alternately by Mac-mac Esteva  and Ethan Paras.  Other  talented child actors include Nacho Tambunting , Daniel Delgado,   Basti Paras, Dustin Delgado, Alessa Zialcita, Liezl Nieto, Vea Salvador,  Rocio Tambunting,  Pao-pao Esteva, Crystal  Paras,  Arielle Guevara, Raizel Yu, and Luis Nieto appear in featured roles .   They are supported by a large cast who play villagers, carolers and ghosts.

Baby Barredo, REP’s President and Artistic Director, co-directs with Robbie Guevara.  Her artistic team is composed of Mio Infante  for costume design,  Miguel  Faustmann for set design;  Lito Borromeo for lights design  assisted by Martin Esteva;  Gidget Tolentino for sound design;  and Deana Aquino as choreographer.  Maestro Toti  Molina  will conduct the  Manila Symphony Orchestra.

“A Christmas Carol”  is a musical based on Charles Dickens’ story of an ill-tempered miser who  mistreats his employees, will not help the poor, and who considers Christmas a “humbug”.  He is taught a lesson by the Ghosts of the Christmas Past, Present and Yet-To-Come and is touched by the goodness of Tiny Tim and his family.  REP has done several other musical versions of this story– all of which turned out to be family favorites. This version, by the Broadway team of Alan Menken (Little Shop of Horrors, Aladdin, Little Mermaid) and  Lynn Ahrens, with book by Mike Ockrent , played for ten successive Christmas seasons in New York’s Madison Square Garden. 

 MANILA, SEPTEMBER 22, 2008– Lovely Villar, 4, lives in Western Bicutan, in a district with more than 5,000 informal settlers who live in shanties consisting of one room for a family with at least 5 members. Most families here live on a monthly salary of P5, 000- P7-000 which they earn through vending, driving and other low-paying jobs. When asked what she wants to be when she grows up, Lovely smiled brightly and said, “a doctor, or a doctor AND a teacher.” For many of those living in the impoverished area, this idea may seem far-fetched; but Lovely’s parents are confident that her scholarship in Mano Amiga Academy has helped make this dream within her reach.

Mano Amiga Academy, a private school that provides high quality education and Catholic formation to children from low-income families, opened its doors last September 22 to kindergarten students in Taguig City.

It is the latest addition to over 30 Mano Amiga schools distributed around eight countries (Argentina, Brazil, Chile, Colombia, El Salvador, Mexico & Venezuela), with more than 17,000 students and parents undergoing formation. It was founded in 1963, when families from Instituto Cumbres, a private Legionaries of Christ school in Mexico City, lent a helping hand – hence the name Mano Amiga – to the residents of San Antonio Zomeyucan, a poor community about 30 minutes away.

The 60 Filipino scholars were chosen from poor communities surrounding the Habitat for Humanity Housing at the FTI complex where the school is temporarily holding classes. Mano Amiga Academy aims to grow one grade level per year and will eventually accommodate students from kindergarten until twelfth grade. The project is being actively supported by the Taguig City government who has provided the organization with a 5,000-square meter lot where a permanent campus will be erected.

Mano Amiga Academy is run by Altius Foundation, an international NGO founded by the Legionaries of Christ, that provides education, health and development services in over thirteen countries. They follow an integrated approach in community development. The international curriculum is always complemented by a formation program that targets the whole family, school staff and the surrounding community.  

Mano Amiga schools are known for producing alumni who are outstanding academic achievers with national scores on par with the best schools of their country.  Over 90% of the students complete their high school education and go on to University or technical school. The students are also formed to become socially responsible citizens, capable of seeing and responding to the needs of others.

Altius Foundation President Rene Lankenau attributed the success to Mano Amiga´s approach, which demands that families not only contribute financially towards their children´s education – usually P100-P200 for Filipinos– but that parents also participate in personal and economic development programs sponsored by the schools.

“The Mano Amiga model is not just a school, but a system for radically transforming the life of a family in poverty,” he said. Truly, with the help of Mano Amiga Academy, Lovely’s dreams do not seem impossible anymore. 

 For more information on Mano Amiga Academy, you may contact Lynn Pinugu at lpinugu@altius.org or visit the website at www.altius.org.    

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