C2
Entertainment
THURSDAY, JULY 11, 2019
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Shiela Valderrama-Martinez marks 25th illustrious year
Shiela Valderrama-Martinez with ‘Binondo’ co-star Arman Ferrer
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HE toast of Philippine musical theater, Shiela ValderramaMartinez, marks her 25th year in the industry with several projects lined up for her. She has never been less busy for the latter half of the year, even as she has performed in over 30 productions in the local front and also in the international scene throughout her career. She is presently headlining Resorts World Manila’s Disco Glam concert that opened last April at the new Grand Wing. Direction is by Dan Cabrera. This month, Shiela will reprise her role as Lily Dela Rosa in Binondo: A Tsinoy Musical at the Theater at Solaire. At Theater actress Shiela Valderrama-Martinez marks her 25th year in the industry with a lineup of projects including the highly anticipated ‘Binondo: A Tsinoy Musical.’
Laguna native wins Mrs. Eco International 2019 By Eton Concepcion SHEILA Teodoro DeForest, a native of Pagsanjan, Laguna, was crowned Mrs. Eco International 2019 in the finals held in Las Vegas, Nevada, USA on July 1. A former flight attendant, the 45-year-old Tourism graduate of the University of the Philippines, has been based in Colorado, USA after she got married to Timothy DeForest, an American pilot. Mrs. Norway finished as first runner-up, while Mrs. USA and Mrs. Costa Rica were 2nd and 3rd runners up, respectively. DeForest was also awarded Best Eco Video, Best Charitable Giver and Best Eco Costume, which was designed by Edwin Uy. DeForest’s win followed the recent title-conquest of Avon Morales in Mrs. Asia-Pacific Global 2019 pageant. DeForest, who also worked at the British Embassy in Manila as public affairs officer, also vied in Mrs. Globe 2018 in Shenszhen, China. The statuesque, former commercial ads model, joined Supermodel Philippines in 1992 and Bodyshots search in 1998.
the helm is Joel Lamangan. The musical will release an original cast recording for its re-run. Performances are on July 12, 13 and 14. In August, Shiela will revisit her role as Katherine Lyons in the critically acclaimed musical, Dani Girl, as Sandbox Collective’s fifth anniversary offering. Toff de Venecia directs. The show will be staged Aug. 10 to Sept. 1 at the Carlos P. Romulo Theater, RCBC Makati. Come September, Shiela will portray Fosca, one of the most coveted roles in musical theater, in Stephen Sondheim’s musical, Passion, mounted by Philippine Opera Company, which is celebrating its 20th anniversary and mounting its first musical theater (non opera) production at the RCBC Theater, Sept. 13 to 29. Robbie Guevarra directs. Later this year, Shiela will also make her Repertory Philippines comeback in the title role of Adarna in Repertory Children’s Theater’s first original musical, megged by Joy Virata. The show will run starting this September until January 2020 at Onstage Theater in Greenbelt, Makati. Shiela has enviably notched a number of awards and citations through the years. She has been cited as Best Actress in a Musical, Best Supporting Actress in a Musical and won Best New Female Recording Artist in the prestigious Awit Awards. Most recently, Shiela was nominated in BroadwayWorld for her work in Guadalupe: The Musical, where she played Lady of Guadalupe. The musical will be restaged next year. Shiela also received double nominations in Aliw Awards for Best Actress in a Musical (Binondo: A Tsinoy Musical) and Best Crossover Performer category. Shiela started this year with several projects in her performing calendar. She lent her voice to the prestigious Ballet Philippines’ rock opera, Tales of the Manuvu, as the “First Woman.” National Artist for Dance Alice Reyes directed. Last May, Shiela was blessed to have participated in the National Artist tribute at the Cultural Center of the Philippines (CCP), doing a stage reading in Hiligaynon dialect of Margo sa Tubig, the work of writer Ramon Larupay Muzones, National Artist for Literature. Aside from her performances onstage, Shiela recently renewed her contract as Facial Care ambassador. She is also handling Marby Food Ventures and working as export head. She has schedules of events year round under Stages Management and Rank One, with David Cosico as her talent manager.
Sheila Teodoro DeForest wearing an Edwin Uy creation during the National Costume competition
With the contestants required to submit a video on their environmental advocacy, DeForest competed on a platform focusing on the reduction of plastic wastes and non-use and proper disposal of singleuse plastics. She’s been a spokesperson on proper waste segregation and proper garbage disposal. Founded and presented by Earth Pageants, Inc., which also includes Ms. ECO and Ms. Teen ECO International, Mrs. ECO International aims to provide a platform that allows women around the world to have a larger voice to share their passion and goals to protect and educate others on global environmental issues.
HOLLYWOOD
‘Spider-Man’ weaves box office lead ONCE again Spider-Man seems to be trapping everything that flies by: Spider-Man: Far From Home took in an impressive $93.6 million in North America over the US holiday weekend and has passed the half-billion-dollar mark worldwide, industry watcher Exhibitor Relations estimated Sunday. This latest in the SpiderMan franchise, made by Sony and Disney-owned Marvel, set a record sixday total for a Tuesday release of $185.1 million, according to the Hollywood Reporter. Its storyline follows on blockbuster Avengers: Endgame to focus on how Spider-Man (Tom Holland) and Nick Fury (Samuel L. Jackson) confront a world without Iron Man. Also starring are Zendaya, Jake Gyllenhaal, and J.B. Smoove. Coming in second in its third week out was Disney/Pixar collaboration Toy Story 4, at $34.3 million. The film again features the voices of Tom Hanks as Woody, the eager but empty-holstered cowboy doll, and Tim Allen as space toy Buzz Lightyear. In third, at $10.8 million, was Universal’s alternate-universe romantic comedy Yesterday. Himesh Patel stars as a struggling musician who, after a mysterious global blackout, is the only person in the world to remember the
Beatles and their music -- and takes full advantage of it. Patel does his own singing; Danny Boyle, of Trainspotting and Slumdog Millionaire fame, directs. Fourth spot went to Warner Bros. horror film Annabelle Comes Home, at $9.8 million. In fifth was Disney’s liveaction remake of Aladdin, taking in $7.6 million in its seventh week out.AFP
Tom Holland and Zendaya on the set of the latest Spider-Man movie
ABS-CBN was recognized once again as a preferred organization to work for in the Philippines at the recent Philippine Best Employer Brand Awards. This is the second straight year that the country’s leading media and entertainment company was cited by the Employer Branding Institute for its ability to attract applicants, and for providing its people competitive salaries and benefits, opportunities for learning and development, and other
factors essential to a good working environment. This Best Employer Award adds to the recognitions received by ABSCBN as a respected and sought after employer. In 2018, ABS-CBN was also cited as one of the Philippines’ best companies to work for in Asia by HR Asia, a premiere publication for human resources professionals. Earlier in 2011, the network also won in the Asia’s Best Employer Awards in
Singapore. It also made Jobstreet’s Top Companies that Employees Aspire to Work For list multiple times. Paulo Tatad, head of recruitment marketing and sourcing of ABS-CBN, accepted the award in the ceremony held in Dusit Thani Manila in Makati City, alongside other companies that are exemplary in Human Relations and used marketing communications effectively for Human Resources Development.
ABS-CBN recruitment marketing and sourcing head Paulo Tatad (3rd from right) receives the award from the Employer Branding Ins.