Books On Stage

Premiere theater group Repertory Philippines will be staging a theatrical adaptation of Mitch Albom’s best-selling novel “Tuesdays With Morrie” from January 1 to January 27 2008 at OnStage, Greenbelt 1, Ayala Center, Makati City. Starring Jose Mari Avellana and Rem Zamora, “Tuesdays With Morrie” is a heart-warming play that perfectly combines comedy, drama and poignancy. In a challenging commitment of time and expense, busy sportswriter Mitch Albom makes weekly treks from Detroit to Boston so he could spend Tuesday mornings with his former professor Morrie Schwartz, who is dying of Lou Gehrig’s disease. It unfolds the story of how these visits changed Mitch’s outlook on life. The play is directed by Baby Barredo.

Cast actors Jose Mari Avellana and Rem Zamora will be reading excerpts from “Tuesdays With Morrie” in a special appearance in Powerbooks Greenbelt on December 15, 2007 (Saturday). The event will kick off with a discussion of the novel which will conducted by Read Or Die at 4:30 PM followed by the theatrical reading. There will be an open forum with the audience afterwards. Free tickets to the premiere will also be raffled off to bookstore attendees. The event is sponsored by Powerbooks and is part of Read Or Die’s Books On Stage program which aims to promote literature appreciation through the medium of theater.

Atlantis Productions is staging a theatrical adaptation of Jessica Hagedorn’s “Dogeaters” at the Carlos P. Romulo Auditorium, RCBC Plaza. Directed by Bobby Garcia, the play stars Gina Alajar, Michael de Mesa, Jon Santos, Joel Torre and Teresa Herrera.Jessica Hagedorn will be in Manila on November 16, 2007 to grace the opening night. Powerbooks is sponsoring a special book signing session–also on November 16, at the Carlos P. Romulo Auditorium Lobby–for readers who buy any of Hagedorn’s novels in their store.

Read Or Die will also be hosting a book discussion of “Dogeaters” on November 10, 2007 (Saturday) in Powerbooks Greenbelt from 4PM to 6PM. The discussion will be facilitated by Dr. Adelaida Lucero, professor of comparative literature in UP Diliman. Cast members Michael de Mesa, Jon Santos, Teresa Herrera and Ana Abad Santos will be present in the discussion and will read excerpts from the play.

The discussion is free and open to the public. Please come. There will be an open forum afterward where you can ask questions from the panel about their thoughts on the book, the play, etc.

Much thanks to Atlantis Productions and Powerbooks for helping make this possible. Thanks as well to Prof. Adelle Lucero.