Workshop talents perform

THE culminating activity of the Musical Theater Skills summer workshop at the Fo Guang Shan Chu’Un Temple recently revealed how the training team led by Daisy Ba-ad successfully taught a new breed of artists, aged four to 20 years old, through acting, singing and dancing.

The students interpreted original compositions of young artists from Cebu, Bacolod and Manila who joined the harmony songwriting workshop by Siddhartha musical director Jude Gitamondoc last year.

Paula Joy Puerto, a 16-year-old Cebuana composer of the National Science High School, witnessed the show and was delighted by the way the Children’s Musical Theater students sang and choreographed her song entitled “Like a Lotus Flower.”

The show also featured an interactive portion where the audience bathed the Buddha, a ritual symbolizing a person’s intent to cleanse the self from negativity and pave the way to think good thoughts, speak good words and do good deeds.

Ba-ad pointed out that the new breed of artists are those well trained in heart, body, mind and spirit; endowed with values of professionalism and humanism; and equipped with knowledge and skills on specialized fields of musical theater.

More workshops and seminars have been planned from July to September as part of the vision-mission of Buddha’s Light International Association Cebu Chapter and Fo Guang Shan Philippines to promote the performing arts.

Enrollment is going on for courses on the Children’s Musical Theater, Basic Musical Theater, Advanced Musical Theater, Dance, Voice, Poi Dancing and Visual Arts and Craft.

Classes will run from July 8 to Sept. 10. The culminating show will be on Sept. 17. For further information, call  2538144 or text (0922) 8357109.