A big shout-out: Try to catch the Manila staging of Tennessee Williams’s Pulitzer-winning play “A Streetcar Named Desire/Flores Para Los Muertos” at the CCP Little Theatre this weekend (or next). There are actually two versions – the first is in English with lead performers Ana Abad Santos and Reuben Uy (more popular to some as DJ Rayu of Mellow 94.7’s Wake-Up Show) and the second is in Pilipino headed by Eula Valdes and Neil Ryan Sese. These two pairs play the roles of Stanley Kowalski and Blanche Dubois, respectively. If you can spare the time to watch both, that would be really cool.

Here are some pictures from opening night earlier this month.

Director Floy Quintos with lead performers Ana Abad Santos and Reuben Uy

Others in the cast are Mailes Kanapi (Stella Kowalski in English), Meryll Soriano (Stella Kowalski in Pilipino), Paolo O’Hara, Jonathan Tadioan, Marjorie Lorico, Paolo Cabañero, Jerald Napoles, and Tara Cabaero.

This is the poster (with specific playdates) of the Pilipino version with Eula Valdes and Neil Ryan Sese playing Blanche Dubois and Stanley Kowalski, respectively.

A STREETCAR NAMED DESIRE/FLORES PARA LOS MUERTOS in Manila will be performed in English from October 10 to 11, 2009 and in Filipino (with Eula Valdes as Dubois) from October 16 to 25, 2009; Fridays at 8:00 pm, Saturdays at 3:00 pm and 8:00 pm, and Sundays at 3:00 pm. Special shows are available upon reservation. For ticket inquiries, call CCP Tanghalang Pilipino at (632) 832-3661, Ticketworld at (632) 891-9999 or the CCP Box Office at (632) 832-3704.

Images above (except the poster) are courtesy of Ulysses Manuel.