PASSERBY:

He says, she says. Months after their canceled wedding, Bea Alonzo and Dominic Roque continue to confuse the public about what really happened to their love story.

In a recent quip, Bea said she didn’t initiate the break-up contrary to the perception of many. Caught by media at a recent event, Dominic remained silent about the issue. He said close friends like Judy Ann Santos and family members helped him cope with the difficult situation.  

Meanwhile, Bea is priming for her new TV series, Widow’s War, opening July 1 on GMA evenings.

Outside of MMFF, what can bring back Filipino movie audiences to the cinema?

Half a year has passed and yet it seems only foreign films are making a killing at the box office. During a recent visit to a mall, I saw for myself how local movies have been lacking in patronage.

I also noticed that foreign movies are dominating ticket sales. And what movies do people watch these days? Mostly horror films. Bookers prefer showing titles like The Exorcism, Watchers, A Quiet Place: Day One,  Tarot, etc.

The most recent exception, a big, big hit, has been Inside Out 2, an animated film that attracted crowds of young people. At Robinsons Magnolia alone, it was showing in at least three or four outlets. The film reportedly raked in 88.8 million pesos in ticket sales on its opening day.

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He admits he’s nervous, not having acted in a play for a long time. The fact that the new play in question tackles a sensitive subject, choosing love and gender over fear and that he and his partner originated it adds up to the nervous tension.

Then again, Ice Seguerra says life is a game of choices. And he and Liza Dino have boldly made theirs and are encouraging other people in similar or different situations to do the same.

They are calling their first collaborative work together on stage just that, "Choosing (Not A Straight Play)" in celebration of Pride Month (June).

“Choosing” aims to break barriers and foster deeper discussions about the issues the LGBT community faces.

“Our aspiration is for this play to pave the way to a better understanding of the individual experiences within the LGBTQIA+ community,” according to Liza, who wrote the play with additional monologues by Ice.

"Choosing" is set to take place from June 29 to July 7, 2024, at the Power Mac Spotlight Blackbox Theater, Circuit, Makati. This groundbreaking play is directed by Dr. Anton Juan, with music by Vince de Jesus.

Ice says the play draws from their personal journeys and a collection of LGBTQIA+ stories gathered over the years. In capsule, the play is a bold narrative on love beyond gender. To purchase tickets, please visit Ticket2Me