Wedding Feels

My one-act play The Wedding Planners was accepted in Virgin Labfest 11, a festival of untried, untested, and unstaged plays. It was produced as a staged reading last June 26 at the Cultural Center of the Philippines.

Synopsis: Bryan and Jane realize that their wedding would take serious planning and they would need professional help. Without him knowing, Jane invites Bryan’s close friend in college, Vic, for initial discussion. Vic is really keen on helping the couple for their Big Day but first, he wants to say ‘Hi’ to an old friend.

 I wrote the play to entertain the audience – make them laugh and relate to that feeling we call ‘love,’ or at least what we believe to be one. I also wrote it to be free from a bad experience.

Here are some reactions from the audience:

• "Witnessed The Wedding Planners the story was great, funny and full of hugots! Congratulations to the casts and kuya Tad and the writer!" – Audrey Roxette Pedrosa
• "Ganda po ng Wedding Planners! :) Makiki-FC po ako pero ang ganda ng material. Andaming pwedeng gawin. Push na po! Abangan ko yung iba niyo pang maisusulat" – Patricia SyJoven
• "Interesado na akong malaman anong kwento tungkol sa EX-penses :)" - Ces Arcilla
• "Ang witty hihi.. wafu pa ung 2 actors hahaha." – Rose Ann Estiva Tano
• "Totoo ba ang bee tart? Kasi di ba nakapunta ka na sa Bohol?" – Arianne Rodelas
• "Matutuloy ba ang kasal?" – Ariane Rodelas and Lovely Hsam Palana
• "Ang galing Ross!!! Ganda! Congrats!!!" – Cris Legaspi
• "Congrats guys...sobrang galing" - Joan Madriñan Abubo
• "Good job. Ang cute ng ending!" - Jerome Zamora, screenwriter
• "The staged reading we saw of Ross Manicad's "The Wedding Planners," starring the wonderful Topper Fabregas and Marco Viana as exes, and helmed by first-time director Jonathan Tadioan, was a way more stirring and emotionally authentic experience," Vincen Gregory Yu*
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I also received words of encouragement and compliments from industry professionals who I look up to:

• "Maraming salamat sa lahat ng nanuod kanina ng the wedding planners. Maraming salamat Rossielle Manicad sa napakagandang dula, sa mga aktor ko maraming salamat. Salamat Tuxqs Rutaquio sa tiwala. Ang saya. Deverginize na ako." – Jonathan Tadioan, my director
• "Congratulations Rossielle, Tad, Lhorvie, Topper, Marco, Toni. That was a good one. I enjoyed it. Congratulations, too, to Nikki, Rody and Tuxqs for all your hard work for VLF." – Nanding Josef, Tanghalang Pilipino artistic director
• "Congrats din sa mga bumuo ng unang Staged Reading ng taon: mula sa The Wedding Planners ni Ross Manicad: Jonathan Tad Tadioan, Marco Viaña Antonette Go, Lhorvie Ann Melendres Nuevo Topper Fabregas etc! bow!" – Rodolfo Vera, playwright and festival co-founder
• "Rossielle, magsulat muli for next year...baka makapasok ka na!!!!" – Tuxqs Rutaqio, dramaturg and festival director
• "Magsulat ulit, Rossielle Manicad for next year!" – also from Tuxqs Rutaqio

It has been a memorable experience writing The Wedding Planners and producing it alongside other creatives. I am grateful to my director Tad Tadioan of Tanghalang Pilipino for believing in the play and convincing the actors on my behalf.

My admiration for Topper Fabregas and Marco Viana as actors was affirmed when they brought Vic and Bryan to life. I was thinking of them while I was writing the play. To hear and see them play the main characters is beyond my expectations. I strongly believe they are two of the best young actors in Philippine theater now.

I also had immense fun working with my female leads Antonette Go and Lhorvie Ann Nuevo as Jane and Roxy, respectively. They are pleasant actresses with immense potential. Finally, our stage manager Bene Manaois is a highly reliable production lead.

Even though The Wedding Planners was only staged once, I could not have been more grateful to the festival organizers who selected it, my team who co-produced it, and my family and loved ones who watched it. As an aspiring writer, I simply hope that people will read my stories. For them to be published and staged is more than enough.

Going back to reality, I have to think now of what to write next. Needless to say, the only way to become a writer is to write...write...and write.  

*Virgin Labfest 11 runs from June 24- July 12. Watch awesome and affective performances from experienced and new playwrights for a minimal fee only. More information can be found here: https://www.facebook.com/thevirginlabfest?fref=ts

* Vince Gregory Yu is a contributor for Philippine Daily Inquirer - Lifestyle (Theater) column. His article appears on this link.