The M. BUTTERFLY National Tour 2019 is all set to spread its wings even wider
to reach major cities namely Iloilo, Dumaguete, Cebu, Davao, Manila and Baguio.
Presented by Tony and Grammy award winning producer Jhett Tolentino and
FRONTROW Entertainment (producer of highly-acclaimed independent films Bhoy
Intsik and Bwaya), the M. BUTTERFLY National Tour 2019 was decided upon by the
producers to bring this world-class masterpiece to those who did not have the
opportunity to catch its 2018 Manila run. After all, location should not limit
one’s exposure to the arts and culture.
Most theater companies in our country whose successful productions in Manila
are often hindered from bringing their projects to other key cities because of
the many challenges and technical details involved. And this is why Jhett
Tolentino and FRONTROW Entertainment are taking this bolder step to carry on
their mission and advocacy in the performing arts and to further enhance
audience development throughout the Philippine archipelago.
This revival production of David Henry Hwang’s M. BUTTERFLY is the winner of
the 2018 ALIW AWARDS for Best Play, Best Actor and Best Director. It was also
nominated for two Best Featured Actresses in a Play and Best Ensemble.
M. Butterfly, which tells the story originally premiered on Broadway in 1998
and won 3 Tony Awards for Best Play, Best Feature Actor and Best Director.
Synopsis: René Gallimard is a member of the French embassy in China. René is
mild mannered and considers himself to be poor with women. He meets and falls
in love with Chinese opera star Song Liling, a woman whom he considers to be
the embodiment of the perfect woman, Madame Butterfly. But when West meets
East, everything is not what it seems…
Targeting audiences between ages 18 and beyond, the producers are hoping that
this classic drama, inspired by Giaccomo Puccini's opera Madame Butterfly’,
will likewise resonate to theater audiences from Luzon, Visayas and Mindanao
that “ love, power and deception holds no boundaries – whether this be in a
rural or urban setting.”
RS
FRANCISCO, the 2018 Aliw Awards Best Actor for M. Butterfly shall reprise his
iconic portrayal of Song Liling, the Chinese opera singer who is Gallimard’s
object of affection and seduces him through his biases of the East then
exploits their intimacy to collect classified information for agents of the
Chinese Communist Party.
RS
first essayed this role in May 1990 for Dulaang UP, opposite veteran actor,
writer and critic Behn Cervantes. On its debut, M. Butterfly immediately rose
to critical acclaim with packed houses and box office success in over 100
performances throughout the Philippines.
In
the many years thereafter, RS Francisco’s theater credits in numerous
productions and variety of roles continued to hone his craft as a compleat
artist. In films, his most recent awards include the SINAG MAYNILA Best Actor,
the STAR AWARDS Movie Actor of the Year and the SUBIC BAY INTERNATIONAL FILM
FESTIVAL Best Actor.
When M. BUTTERFLY was revived recently on Broadway, RS had thought of bringing
it to life once again to the new theater audiences of today. After all, this is
the only ‘one’ role that continues to remain as closest to his heart.
To
add a diverse twist to the M. Butterfly National Tour 2019, young actor AIRA
IGARTA will step into the role of Song Liling as alternate in certain
performances. As an original member of the Kurogo ensemble of the play’s 2018
Manila run, Aira is a stage and film actor from the Theatre Arts Program of UP
Diliman where he took part in several Dulaang UP and Dulaang Labortoryo
productions. Trained by the likes of Tony Fabella and Luther Perez, Aira was
originally a dance and voice scholar at Quezon City Performing Arts Foundation
(QCPADFI).
French actor OLIVIER BORTEN shall essay the role of Rene Gallimard, a former
French diplomat, who relates the story of his passionate, disastrous affair
with Song Liling from his cell in a Paris prison, where he is serving a long
sentence for treason.
Philippine theater royalty JENINE DESIDERIO, who among many other theater,
film, television and recording credits, assumed the lead role as Kim in the
West End’s original Miss Saigon, will portray Gallimard’s wife – Helga. The
pair married as a matter of convenience; Helga’s father had diplomatic connections
that helped Gallimard ascend in his career.
After
25 years of stage acting experience in the United Kingdom, Scottish NORM MCLEOD
has stepped in the Philippine stage as Manuel Toulon, the French Ambassador to
China who also happens to be the dominant and strong-willed superior of
Gallimard at the embassy in Beijing. Toulon promotes Gallimard to vice-consul
and charges him with collecting information to aid the American war in Vietnam.
Trilingual American actor LEE O’BRIAN will once more personify Marc, the
sexually unapologetic best friend of Gallimard. He encourages Gallimard to take
sexual advantage of the women around him without regard for their feelings or
even their consent. Although M. Butterfly was Lee’s first theatrical endeavor,
his acting skills have already been tried and tested in international films
Edsa Woolworth and Forgive Me Father. O’Brian also portrays Sharpless in M.
Butterfly for a brief while.
Portraying the different roles of Suzuki, Comrade Chin and Shu Fang is powerful
and well-rounded artist MAYEN ESTAÑERO. Her impressive performance in the 2018
run of M. Butterfly landed her an Aliw Awards nomination for Best Featured
Actress. Mayen’s previous theater credits include Dalanghita Production’s
Corazon Negro, An Operetta as Maestra, Virgin Labfest’s Mula sa Kulimliman as
Leila and Sugid Production’s Buwan at Baril as Asawa. Comrade Chin is a member
of the Red Guards, a paramilitary arm of the Communist Party in China. Song
communicates with Comrade Chin often, to pass on the classified information he
gathers from Gallimard.
Twice
a finalist as Best Actress for the Aliw Awards, MAYA ENCILA receives her third
nomination as Best Featured Actress for her unique characterization of Renee
and Pin-Up Girl in M. Butterfly. The stunning Arizona native plays a young,
sexually liberated Danish woman with whom Gallimard has an affair. Renee’s
boldness presents a stark contrast to Song’s modesty, which Gallimard finds
both exciting and obnoxious. A true expert in performing arts, Maya has taken
the stage countless times as Mary Lennox for The Secret Garden, as Belle for
Repertory Philippines’ Beauty and the Beast musical and as Lara for Philippine
Stagers’ KATIPS, to name a few.
Rising soprano star JASMIN SALVO will be the new Opera Singer for the national
tour. The members of the ensemble playing the role of Kurogo are as follows: PHEITH
IENA BALLUG, ULLYSES BASA, SASA CABALQUINTO, FRANCO FERRER and JOHN PAUL
ORTENERO.
The artistic team of M. Butterfly are as follows: Jhett Tolentino and RS
Francisco (Producers), Ohm David (Set), Eric Pineda (Costume), John Batalla
(Lighting), Jethro Joaquin (Sound), Joed Balsamo (Music) and Carissa Adea
(Choreography).
The
M. BUTTERFLY NATIONAL TOUR 2019 will benefit 10 charitable institutions namely:
Iloilo Prima Galaw, Philippine National Red Cross Iloilo Chapter, The Children
of Cebu Foundation, Silliman University Culture and Arts Council, the Arts Council of Cebu
Foundation, Love the Children Foundation, House of Hope Foundation, Halfway
Home for the Boys and St. Louis University Culture and Arts Center.
Ticket
merchants per area:
ILOILO,
DAVAO, CEBU, BAGUIO – SM Tickets at any SM Mall nationwide or online at
SMTickets.com
DUMAGUETE – Culture and Arts Council Office, Silliman University through
contact nos. (035) 422-4365, (0917) 300-0346, (0999) 797-7825
MANILA – TicketWorld through contact no. (02) 891-9999 or ticketworld.comThe
ticket prices vary per city between P500 to P2,000 plus taxes and fees.
Check
out M. Butterfly at the following social media:
Facebook:
/MButterflyPH
Twitter:
@MButterflyPH
Instagram:@MButterflyPH
YouTube:
MButterflyPH
For further inquiries, please contact JHETT TOLENTINO at (0906) 576-6914.
