Return to Spring Awakening.

Went to RCBC to watch Spring Awakening again last night (technically Friday) as I had only seen its final DTR before it's first preview show. This time, as per Hilary's suggestion, we purchased the onstage seats.

Arrived at RCBC way too early yesterday just so I can hang around and chat with whoever was there. Hung out with Mae and Dein in the lobby, just sitting on the stairs leading to the loge area. A little later, Teena and Enzo sat with us as well. When Lawyn finally arrived after a meeting with Bobby, Chari and Ms Liza, I tagged along with them while they had dinner at Kitaro, as I was still waiting for Tin and Hilary to arrive. On the way there, we ran into Ting. Surprise, she was watching the show as well along with Camille and Lye.

Hehe, ang bait ko naman masyado by the time we went back to the lobby. I immediately went straight to the spot where the onstage audience members were supposed to line up. First in line, naks, hehehe. Plus we had easy access to the teeny cupcake samples that were also in the lobby. Yummy. Anyway, while the onstage ticket holders were in line in the lobby, Charo briefed everyone on basic rules, then she handed out little plastic bags for our cellphones, which we were to surrender to her. Yes, for those sitting onstage, you have to surrender your cellphones to the usher-in-charge, and it has to be switched off.

We were finally ushered into the theater around 5-10 minutes before the show, and thank goodness we were at the front of the line for stage left, because I already had my eye on the 2nd row seats that were more downstage, so we get a better view. So now you know why the onstage seats are cheaper, it has a really limited view, plus the sounds are different. Obviously, from where we're sitting, mas malakas ang band than the actors themselves.

I have to say, it was a good thing that there were TV screens both on downstage left and right, so we also get to see close-ups of the actors during the song numbers. It was alright if there was only one actor singing, or even two, as they swivel it back and forth between the singers. But because there was only one camera view, it got really annoying when it was the entire cast singing, so the camera kept panning and tilting all over the place just so it can capture all the actors singing. Sana na lang they just zoomed out a little so everyone can be seen.

Considering that Spring Awakening is considered a rock opera, it did have a concert feel, complete with moving lights and with the band upstage directly behind the set. It's amusing to find the cast suddenly pulling out microphones concealed in their pockets, and even from cleverly hidden pockets on the set pieces (which are mostly just wooden benches and a table). The talented cast was such a delight to watch as they executed the sharp choreography while at the same time singing without letting their voices waver.

It seemed that Joaqui as Melchior made quite an effort to speak his lines with a distinct speech pattern that I hear from my friend when speaking in German. Unfortunately, he was the only one doing so, so it sort of sounded out of place, even though the play was set in 1891 Germany. I have had a few brief discussions with Nicco about Moritz, and I knew that most people think that his character was sort of queer, but I noticed that if you didn't box yourself in with that idea, you'll find that he was only very very repressed, haha. Other than that, without bias, Nicco gave quite an awesome performance. And this is a guy who used to claim that he was a bass, yet he pulled off all those songs as a tenor. Kelly pulled off a convincing innocent Wendla, with her wide bright eyes and sheltered outlook, but her speaking voice was a little too shaky for me, even with her given circumstances throughout the play. I have to say that Bea's Ilse was my favorite among the girls. You can see a lot going on in her eyes, especially during that scene between Ilse and Moritz. During the song "Left Behind," she was the one that was pretty difficult to watch, and Jett as well in that same scene as Moritz's dad. Hahaha, nakakahawa sila. Nar and JC were quite the comic relief in their "Word of Your Body" reprise, and I can hear half the audience react (and squeal and squirm) to their scene together. Thank goodness Nar's vocal prowess wasn't put to waste in this production, as I could clearly hear his voice above the rest despite the acoustics in our seating area.

Congrats again to the Spring Awakening cast and crew!

After the show, the theater lobby was super crowded. It took a while to for us to claim our surrendered cellphones, but as we did, Hilary's quick hands managed to snatch a couple of those bigger cupcakes for Tin and me, hahaha.

Yay, Hilary and Nicco finally meet officially! Super funny talaga. After introductions, Hil bluntly said, "This is an awkward moment..." Hahahaha! Oh the crushes.

Hilary, Tin and I immediately left afterward, as Hil's brother Erik and their friend Iya have been waiting at Starbucks across the street ever since the movie they've been watching had ended up a couple of hours earlier. Hung around with them, chika galore, until we all decided to call it a night.