Update Feb. 5, 2012: Congratulations to the Lasalle PBA Green Dream Team for winning 117 over Ateneo PBA Blue Team 104 🙂 Animo La Salle!
RIVALRY (Ateneo-La Salle The Musical) is a brilliant portrayal of the competitive spirit between archrivals La Salle and Ateneo in an all-original, all-Filipino musical.
I was pleasantly surprised with the quality of the lyrics and the witty and romantic songs throughout the two-hour production. It’s like Ateneo-La Salle jokes rolled into one entertaining show.
It’s the story of the love triangle of a Maryknoller with a Lasallian and an Atenean set in 1968, during the NCAA days of the Ateneo-La Salle Basketball Rivalry.
La Salle leads in head-to-head basketball games against Ateneo, with 35 wins vs. 32 of Ateneo. (Ok, if you consider the seven forfeited games in the official UAAP Records from 2003 to 2005, Ateneo would lead with 39 vs 28.)
I must disclose that I’m a biased Green Archer fanatic. I’ve been blogging about the basketball rivalry until La Salle’s last championship in 2007 — (see: OAP | Never Shall We Fail)
Here is what you can expect from RIVALRY (Ateneo-La Salle The Musical)…
A Love Story
Reena San Jose is at the center of the love story.
I enjoyed listening to the Maryknollers’ song about winning the Lasallian man of their dreams. 🙂
The torpe Atenean Quito, adequately played by Red Concepcion, is content with falling in love silently with Reena. (Typical Atenean–all talk, no action? :P)
Quito’s cousin, the conyo Lasallian basketball star player Tommy Basilio, smooth-talks his way easily into Reena’s heart.
Reena is torn between the smart and handsome Lasallian and the sweet, kind, and nerdy Atenean.
The love story is an emotional rollercoaster ride of infatuation, betrayal, living up to one’s honor and true love. A perfect musical to watch this Valentine’s!
If you were in Reena’s shoes, who would you choose — the Lasallian or the Atenean?
A Basketball Rivalry
The Rivalry starts with the families…
Green-blooded Demetrio Basilio, wife Dolores, and son Tommy (star player of the La Salle Senior Basketball Team)
VS.
Blue-blooded Papa Anton Valencia, wife Andrea, and sons Paco (star player of the Ateneo Senior Basketball Team) and Quito (active member of the Social Order Club).
The play attempts to explain why Lasallians hate and, at the same time, respect the Ateneans not only in basketball but also in academics–and in all aspects where the two meet.
It accurately depicts the Atenean yabang and stubbornness.
A lot of hirits are included in the play. Here, Joel Trinidad jokingly commented that Lasallians cannot read signs properly. (Well, Ateneans don’t know how to count. :P)
Throughout the show, everytime a hirit, comment or moment favors La Salle, the Lasallian crowd would cheer.
I was amazed at how they were able to integrate the basketball court and snippets of a basketball game in the musical.
Of course, the Ateneans (who created the show, by the way) also have their share of glory and jokes made at La Salle’s expense.
If not for the occasional technical difficulties with the wireless mics and sound system, we would’ve been laughing and more engaged with the entire show.
How I wish they could have done a mash-up of the La Salle and Ateneo Cheers.
Or, maybe, invite the La Salle Animo Squad and the Blue Babble Battalion to do a half-time show battle royale.
I was dying to shout, “Beat Ateneo, Animo La Salle!” throughout the musical, but I was able to hold it in…
The best part for me was the solo performance of Noel Trinidad with his take on the Ateneo-La Salle Rivalry. This was just brilliant!
Related Post: An UPinion on RIVALRY: Ateneo-Lasalle the Musical
It would have been nice also if they had a live orchestra during the show. Maybe they can release a soundtrack and sell a souvenir program with lyrics.
The play ends with the 1968 NCAA Basketball Game between Ateneo and La Salle, where La Salle won 49 vs. Ateneo 48. ANIMO LA SALLE!
About RIVALRY: Ateneo-La Salle The Musical
“Rivalry” Ateneo-La Salle The Musical
Date: January 27, 2012 – March 11, 2012
Time: Wednesday-Saturday, 8 p.m., Saturday and Sunday, 3 p.m. matinee show
Venue: Meralco Theater, Ortigas
Ticket Prices:
Orchestra Center – P1,699.50
Orchestra Side – P1,339.00
Loge-A – P1,030.00
Loge-B – P978.50
Balcony-A – P824.00
Balcony-B – P618.00
Sypnopsis:
The setting is 1968, when Ateneo and La Salle were still part of the NCAA with other schools such as Letran, San Beda, Mapua and Jose Rizal.
The story revolves around two families.
The Basilio family, headed by Green-blooded Demetrio and his wife, Dolores. They have a son, Tommy, who is the star basketball player of the La Salle Senior Basketball Team.
The other family is the Valencia family, led by Blue-blooded Papa Anton and his wife Andrea. By the way, Andrea and Dolores are sisters. There are two children in the Valencia family; Paco, who is the star player of the Ateneo Senior Basketball Team, and Quito, a very passionate and active member of the Social Order Club, consistent Honor Student, Class President.
Despite belonging to opposing schools, Tommy Basilio and his cousins, Paco and Quito Valencia are the best of friends. And faced with the possibility of playing against each other for the NCAA Basketball Championship, Tommy and Paco seem to be unmindful of this complication.
On the girl issue, Quito has a silent love for a Maryknoller, Reena San Jose. This very natural emotion attracts a very complicated situation, which we would like you to know when you come and watch the musical when it formally opens.
The closeness of the cousins is not shared by their fathers. It seems on the surface that their long-standing personal feud is on account of their respective school loyalties. But towards the latter part of Act Two, the real issue was on account of how they dealt with a serious conflict in their professional careers. Realizing the futility of prolonging the feud, they decide to bury their hatchets.
In Act Two, academics continues to seem to be a rivalry issue. Social issues also awaken the sensitivities of both the Atenean and the La Sallite.
At the end, the rivalry is clear…..the Atenean and the La Sallite have a mutual silent respect for his rival, who he considers worthy enough to be a threat and win the girl he loves, the basketball championship that he longs for, the future job that he will desire….
In effect, the cause of the rivalry resulted in the Atenean and the La Sallite to excel in every field. The neutral group then brings up the question: “If, as rivals, you pursued excellence and became successful, what more if you were allies?”
This thought intrigues both camps. As they start to move towards each other in an attempt for a handshake, they quickly stop and say, “No…this cannot be. Without rivalry, there can be no Ateneo…no La Salle! The rivalry goes on!!!” But what they really mean is that without rivalry, the future Atenean and La Sallite will not be as good, as excellent, as successful!
Performing in this musical are seasoned stage actors and actresses, including Felix Rivera, Red Concepcion, Jeremy Aguado, Mako Alonzo, Athena Tibi, OJ Mariano, Raymund Concepcion, Sheila Francisco, Juliene Mendoza, Caisa Borromeo, Mica Pineda, Chinnie Nepomuceno, Chino Veguillas, Raul Montesa, Kevin Concepcion, Jay Pangilinan, Gabs Santos, Mark Tayag, Meynard Penalosa and with a special appearance of seasoned Theatre/Film/TV Actor Noel Trinidad as Eliseo Genaro.
Jaime del Mundo directs, Joel Trinidad is the lyricist and Nancy Crowe choreographs.
For a behind-the-scenes look, watch The Making of Rivalry: The Ateneo-La Salle Musical
Watch “Rivalry” Our Awesome Planet Show!
Date: February 12, 2012, Sunday
Time: 3 p.m. Matinee show (Perfect for a romantic Valentine’s dinner afterwards!)
For Tickets, please call Anson Tan +63 917 530-0498 or Dennis Chan +63 917 522-2778
Live an Awesome Life,
Founder, www.OurAwesomePlanet.com
Contact me: anton@diaz.ph 
Full Disclosure: We got complimentary press tickets to watch the show from the producers of the musical.
P.P.S. Here’s a nice song from Rivalry… No More
Hi Anton,
Do you know if the show would be played here in the U.S.A? There are many graduates of both schools that have migrated to American and would love to watch this kind of musical. Thank you.
Audrey
Hi,
Just want to point out that Feb 12 is not a Saturday, but a Sunday.:)
Thanks Sab for the correction!
Hi Audrey, I’m not aware of any plan for now. Hopefully the producers are reading your comments and they would consider it.
Thanks for the link Anton! 🙂 awesome post and pictures!
For your info, Knollers do not tuck in today’s white college blouses. It looks tacky.
– A Knoller Alumni for 9 years.
Show for today FEB 15 was cancelled. And i was informed less than 12 hours before performance. Its a complete disregard for consumers’ time. This production group should learn a thing or two about professionalism. So much for “THE SHOW MUST GO ON.”… Unbelievable.
I saw this last week and I enjoyed it. Being an alumna of both Miriam College and DLSU. And you’re right Anton, it was hard to keep the urge to yell and cheer for La Salle while watching. 😀
*The Knoller uniform Reena and the other girls were wearing was from the 60’s that’s why their blouses are tucked-in to their skirts. These production team really did their research! *Kudos*
Thought I’d watch this one before leaving once again for the green pastures abroad. It didn’t disappoint me. I see the best versions of this musical ahead. I was only a 3rd grader at Taft in ’68 but I’ve seen it all from Taft to Loyola. La Salle and Ateneo are but two sides of the same coin. Quarreling siblings. Two diamonds needing to polish one another from time to time and one cannot be without the other. Thanks for the memories!