Best Supporting Actress - Musical 2011 Nominees: MyFABE Theater Awards

I started watching local theater, seriously again this year.  I saw thirteen different plays and musicals this year and from those, I have come out with my own MyFABE Theater Awards for 2011. 

I have mulled over this list for the past 11 months and in my opinion, these are the five best performances by an actress in a supporting role in a musical for 2011.

BEST SUPPORTING ACTRESS MUSICAL

Pinky Amador - Zsa Zsa Zaturnnah

Wilma Doesnt - Zsa Zsa Zaturnnah

Bea Garcia - Next to Normal

Jay Glorioso - In The Heights

Tex Ordonez - In The Heights

The winner will be announced on December 31, 2011.

Theatre Review: Grief Cuts You Like A Knife in 'Next to Normal'

Well, I think this will be the last Atlantis Production I'll be watching this year. I'm not so sure about catching Little Mermaid since I'm not really into "kids material" although I love the songs of that movie.

Anyhow, it's not easy to watch Next to Normal, since it deals with death and grief and a woman on the verge of a nervous breakdown! However, the cast led by Menchu Lauchengco-Yulo makes the grief so palpable, you'd hear sniffles around you especially in the last few dramatic scenes! Menchu, in my opinion, has given the best performance by an actress among all the musicals I've seen this year. Everyone in the cast was great! I didn't know The Dawn's Jett Pangan could act! Well, his singing was clear and full of emotion! The daughter, played by Bea Garcia is cute as a button and she did fine as well! My favorite theater actor, Felix Rivera is on top of his game here, as he always is, and since I was near the stage, I could really hear how nice and high his voice was since he did a lot of second voice and high notes! It was so beautiful to hear! Well, easily the cutest among an already goodlooking cast is Markki Stroem, and it didn't show that he was a neophyte in theater acting amidst a very talented cast! He could act and sing at the same time! I don't know why they don't give him more projects on that channel!

Anyhow, except for Jett Pangan, I got pictures again with the very affable cast! Aside from PETA, the Atlantis Production cast are the most approachable among the theater groups in the city. Well, include the Dulaang CCP also in that list! They were also quite kwela! It just makes theater watching more interesting since you get to interact with the cast just right after the play