Liza Magtoto's Rated PG: for the young and old alike

To kick off PETA's 43rd Theater Season, they have staged Liza Magtoto's Rated PG.



This is the story of Joselle, a mother struggling to make their lives better and raising up her two kids: Ton-ton, age 6 and Rosalie, a teenager.  When the opportunity to work abroad knocked, she is torn between the decision to enable her to provide more for her family and to be able to stay at home and see to it that her children grow up well, which she is still unsure if she is doing it the right way.  Her husband, Romy could have taken the sole responsibility of taking care of the children, but he also has a job to tend to.  She also have second thoughts on leaving her little child in her own mother's care since she herself was traumatized in her upbringing.  Should she go and leave and paint a better picture of her children's future or should she stay and personally hold the hands of her children to the right path, which she herself is unsure on which door to enter?



This is every parent's dilemma and every child's confusion.  As I have heard once before, "If the family fails, the society suffers."  This play is for the young and old alike.  The young to understand what their parents are going through.  The old for them to hear what goes on in the minds of their children.  There is no handbook on how to raise up a child, besides, in the end they would be the ones to choose which path to go, but you would need to present them with what is right and what is wrong.  Liza Magtoto was able to capture this in the script, in the story and Mae Quesada-Medina was able to stage it in a fun, definitely not a preachy kind of way.


May Bayot as Joselle is amazing!  Her singing voice is very powerful and I was falling off my seat when she started singing.  She made me cry and showed me how difficult it is to be a mother.  Difficult and challenging, but she has no intentions of relieving herself with that task.  Just like most loving mothers.


Arthur Castro is sooo cute as Ton-tonJoan Bugcat was able to play the role of Rosalie quite well, and even if it's younger than her true age, she was able to portray it in a very convincing way.  And Jack Yabut is such a dad in this play, gotta love him!


They have a very strong ensemble!  Everyone was in character and aside from the main cast, they are the ones you should also watch out for.  Their lines and characterizations are very well played.

Aside from the acting and the script, what really touched my heart are the music and lyrics of Vince de Jesus in this musical.  He really knows how to aim for the right emotions and hit the bull's eye.


I sooo love their set!  It's so versatile.  It's nice how the set change goes very well with the story, the actors and all!  I also like the graphic animation coming from the back stage.  Cool!

Although, there are short scenes that are too short for the longer lights out before and after.  But, very much forgivable.  This is just their means of showing snapshots of other people's way of discipline in the family that could and would not be found in Joselle's.

We watched last July 11, 10:00 AM at the PETA Theater.  And it's sooo worth the early morning wake-up call!  I would be watching Rated: PG  again this weekend to see how the other set of cast would interpret the play.  See you there!

You can still catch Rated: PG at the PETA Theater Center (5 Eymard Drive New Manila, Quezon City) on July 17 and 18 at 10:00 AM and 3:00 PM.

For inquiries, contact PETA’s Marketing and Public Relations Office at 7256244, 4100821 to 22 or SMS 0917-8044428, e-mail petampro@yahoo.com.

Special thanks to Meann Espinosa for making this post possible. 

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Laarni Lopez

Your oblivious but observing blogger.

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