A holiday treat for everyone
(MCS) — On Friday, Dec. 4, and Saturday, Dec. 5, Mount Carmel School’s Theatre Club will bring William Shakespeare’s classic holiday play, “Winter’s Tale,” to musical life at Fiesta Spa and Resort’s Hibiscus Hall.
“Winter’s Tale” takes place in the fairytale kingdoms of Sicilia and Bohemia, whose two respective kings, Leontes and Polixenes, are childhood friends who take turns visiting each other each Christmas. Tragedy ensues when King Leontes suspects King Polixenes and Queen Hermione are having an affair and accuses Hermione of carrying the child of Polixenes. Will Leontes and Polixenes be reconciled? What will happen to their kingdoms? What will happen to Hermione and her unborn child? These questions form the conflict for the remainder of the play, reaching a thrilling climax in the play’s final musical performance.
“Winter’s Tale”, the Theatre Club’s 25th production since its inception in 1996, is being directed by Theatre Club founder and advisor, Galvin Deleon Guerrero, known by the club as Mr. G.
According to Mr. G, “Winter’s Tale” is his personal favorite play by Shakespeare. “In my opinion, it’s Shakespeare’s best story, and it effectively blends the best elements of both comedy and tragedy. While his comedies are too light and his tragedies are too heavy, this play strikes just the right balance.”
In addition to modernizing parts of the original Elizabethan script, the Theatre Club embedded holiday music throughout the play, most of which will be played by the award-winning Saipan Southern High School Manta Band. Despite a busy schedule as it prepare for its historical performance at Carnegie Hall in the Spring of 2009, the Manta Band found time to learn the show’s music, which ranges from classic Christmas songs such as “Silent Night” to more difficult pieces such as Thomas Newman’s theme music for the 1994 film “Little Women”.
Additional music will be performed by keyboardist Andreau “Andy” Galvez and the band, The Wise Men, which is composed of several Mount Carmel School alumni.
Complementing the music will be choreography by Theatre Club veteran and Mount Carmel School alumnus, Ignacio “Iggy” Benavente (Class of 2003), who recently graduated from Eastern Oregon University with a Bachelor of Arts in Theatre.
Choreographing the show has been a homecoming of sorts for Iggy.
As he put it, “It was great to come and give back to the school of my roots. It was especially fun to put my theatrical experience to good use.”
Iggy added, “With the work that everyone has put into the show, it’s going to be wonderful!”
“Winter’s Tale” will be performed on Friday, Dec. 4, and Saturday, Dec. 5, at 7 p m. each night in Fiesta Spa and Resort’s Hibiscus Hall. Admission for Friday’s dinner show is $35 per person; admission for Saturday’s regular show is $5 per person.
Due to limited seating, advance purchase of tickets is strongly recommended. Tickets are available from cast and crew members or at the Mount Carmel School Business Office.
For more information, call 234-6184 or visit http://mcstheatreclub.blogspot.com.
“Winter’s Tale” is made possible, in part, with support from IT&E.
Distribution schedule for foreign investor, foreign student umbrella permits
(Department of Commerce) — All umbrella permits that have not been picked up, will be distributed today, Nov. 27, from 8:30 a.m. to 9 p.m. at the multi-purpose center in Susupe.
Thus far, only about 61 percent of the approximately 2,000+ previously issued umbrella permits have been picked up by investors and students.
The Department of Commerce encourages those who have not picked up their permits to do so today, which is the last day for umbrella permit distribution.
The following permits will be released today at the multi-purpose center:
• Foreign Investment Certificate Holders - Immigration category 240G and 706G
• Long Term Business Certificate Holders - Immigration category 240N and 706N.6(A)
• Foreign Retiree - Immigration category 240O and 706O
• Foreign Student - Immigration category 240H, 240R, 706H, and 706R
Umbrella permits for the immediate relatives of all Commerce permit holders will be distributed by the Department of Labor.
The permit approved by the Department of Commerce must remain in good standing — valid and not expired; otherwise the umbrella permit will be revoked.
For more information, call 664-3018.
Special marine advisory
(EMO) — Based on the information received from National Weather Service in Tiyan, Guam, large swells generated by Supertyphoon Nida will produce hazardous surf conditions and a high risk of rip currents through Sunday morning.
The high surf warning for Rota has been downgraded to a high surf advisory until 11 a.m. Sunday.
Expect hazardous surf of nine to 13 feet along southern exposures.
Surf heights have peaked as Nida moved farther away from the Marianas.
Surf heights will subside to nine to 11 feet and swell direction will veer to southwest.
Surf above advisory heights is expected to continue along southwest facing reefs until Sunday morning.
Gov. Benigno R. Fitial is strongly advising the general public to avoid venturing near exposed reefs and beaches especially along eastern exposures. Rip currents can be life threatening.
The Japanese are coming
SIX International Ballet dancers from Japan will take part in this year’s Glushko Academy’s spectacular holiday ballet performances at 7 p.m. each night on December 4, 5, and 6 at Palms Resort, a media release stated.
For three nights, Saipan audiences will be delighted to enjoy three performances including 10 of the world’s top international ballet stars, from Russia, Japan and Korea.
This year for the very first time Saipan will see the performance of a dance couple from Osaka.
An accomplished young sister and her brother, Asami and Keisuke Takai, are working together for the Swansea Ballet Russe in Ireland.
After starting their ballet training in Osaka, they each choose to continue their training at the top ballet schools in Russia.
For four years Asami trained at the Moscow Ballet Academy and Keisuke trained with the Vaganova Ballet Academy in Saint Petersburg.
Since then, they have traveled around the world dancing.
Asami Takai was a finalist at the 2005 Japan Grand Prix Ballet Competition and a finalist at the 2006 National Japanese Ballet Competition in Nagoya.
Last, but certainly not least, this year for the first time we will also have four dancers from the Takagi Ballet in Tokyo.
These dancers will round out the talent for the performances this year, as they too are exceptional ballet dancers.
All six of the Japanese dancers said it will be their first time in Saipan, and they are extremely joyful at the opportunity to bring their dance talents for our enjoyment here in this remote tropical part of the Pacific.
Tickets are available from any of Glushko’s Academy’s students, parents, Shell gas stations, and Shirley’s Restaurant in Garapan.
For more information, call Anna Glushko at 483-6271.
