RIYADH, 30 April 2003 ? The Riyadh Artists Guild International (RAGI) will stage ?RAGI One In Concert? for the benefit of the Philippine National Red Cross (PNRC) tomorrow and on Friday at the Philippine Embassy.
Guild president Elmer Aquino said this will be RAGI?s first major concert after its executive council decided to hold its own cultural project after supporting most of the cultural and entertainment shows of the Unified Council of Community Leaders (UNCLE).
?This is a must-see musical show. A rare musical treat that all our kababayan will truly enjoy. But what makes it more meaningful is that we are staging this show for the benefit of PNRC,? Aquino said.
RAGI is the latest Filipino organization in the Kingdom to respond to the PNRC?s call for help.
The guild is one of the cultural groups under UNCLE, an umbrella organization with 45-member associations and headed by Cesar Saavedra, who is supervising the concert?s production team as scriptwriter, director, and project consultant.
?This is the best organized production team I ever had in my 10 years as director of various cultural and entertainment shows here in Riyadh. Everybody contributed his share, from project conceptualization to the smallest production detail,? Saavedra told Arab News.
?I am very proud of this show despite of the numerous problems we encountered. If not for the noble cause of raising funds for the PNRC, I would have not accepted this directorial job,? he said.
Some highlights of the show include Tribute to Filipina Divas, Love Songs of Barry Manilow, Clash Dance featuring Haidee Laya and Rose Santos, and Mystical Love Songs.
It will also feature the launching of ?Cheeka Girls? ? an all-female dance group; launching of RAGI Junior Male Dance Company; ballroom dance, swing and reggae, by founding members of the guild; Top 3 Most Requested Dance Hits; Top 3 Most Requested Duet Songs; launching of the ?Flavors of the Month? Mary Jean Sarahan and Dino Sobrepe?a; and a tribute to the most outstanding artists of RAGI who won in the previous Tinig OFW kingdomwide singing contests, Virgie Ciocson and Norlito Adalla.
Saavedra said he received from PNRC a video tape showcasing its basic services, which is also to be shown on the event.
?We are aiming to raise one hundred thousand pesos for the PNRC,? he added.
On Friday, booths will be installed at the parking area for other donations such as old clothes, cash, and other items, intended to send to the residents of Pikit, Cotabato in Southern Philippines, organizers said.
Major advertisers include Al Jazeerah Supermarket, Millennium International School, Philippine Air Lines, Euromarche, JRF/Hero Air and Sea Cargo, Diginet, Compaq, Philippine Overseas Labor Office (POLO), Krua Thai Restaurant, and Pinoy Supermarket.
The minor advertisers are LBC Sea and Air Cargo, Ajaji Dental Center, Coraderm Facial Center, Philippine National Bank, Mocha International, Nour Al Maaref International School, Skyfreight Forwarders, Pag-ibig Fund, Best Saloon, and Land Bank of the Philippines.
Organizers said various community organizations are also supporting the show. Among them are the Computer Society of Filipinos (ComSoFil), Philippine Guardians Brotherhood Inc., Dragon Force International Martial Arts Group, Institute of Computer Engineers-Riyadh (ICE-R), Calabarzon, STAGE, and SAMAFIL.
Individuals who have given their support include Joel Joaquin, Julou Augustine Saavedra Medrano, Claire Marie Saavedra Medrano, Don Johnson Saavedra, the Alivio Family, the founding members and singing department of RAGI.
Jun Muga, production manager, said the show will be hitting two birds with one stone ? providing entertainment and helping the less fortunate at home via the PNRC.
The members of the production team are Joey Benitag and Rey Manahan, assistant directors; Jun Rasca, Jun Muga, Rex Paredes, Archie Garcia, choreographers; Haidee Laya, George Bautista, Mervin Alivio, Yvonne Alivio, Joseph Marcelo, Lulu Badillo, production assistants; Ferdie Urrutia, photographer; Raymond Dupet, sounds director; Jun Quimson, lighting director; Alfer Asmara, creative Director; Jun Rasca and Yvonne Alivio, costume designers; and Jun Muga, production manager.
Proving that the show is well-prepared, lead dancer Haidee Laya pointed to her injuries during the rehearsals.
?But those (injuries) won?t stop me from performing those daring dance sequences. This is all for the PNRC,? she said.
