Another Filipino is currently making waves in the international scene. Fil-Canadian Mikey Bustos is in Manila for a series of appearances and radio tours, plus engagements related to his endorsements for Nescafe, Jack & Jill and Samsung but most especially to promote his latest accomplishment, PRISON DANCER.We have recently done radio tours with Jam 88.3, 99.5RT and Boyz Night Out on Magic 89.9. Other radio tours scheduled are The Morning Rush on RX 93.1 and Disenchanted Kingdom on 99.5RT. He has just finished taping as a guest VJ for MYX and interviews with Jessica Sojo, Mornings on ANC and other programs are lined-up.
Mikey is in Manila fresh from the completion of the very first Canadian produced Inter-Active Web Musical Prison Dancer, an original interactive musical web series inspired by the viral Youtube phenomenon, the “Dancing Inmates of Cebu” created to showcase the Filipino talent and culture, and to elevate the platform of entertainment and digital storytelling, to make people everywhere sing and dance!
Featuring a cast of Youtube stars and some of the most exciting Filipino musical talent emerging in North America, Prison Dancer is “Glee meets Miss Saigon” wrapped in a “choose your own” adventure. Filled with catchy pop tunes, star-crossed lovers, and engaging interactive elements, Prison Dancer brings together the best of Broadway and Youtube entertainment and takes transmedia storytelling to the next level.
Elements that are already in the mass consciousness, and PRISON DANCER: THE MUSICAL has all the ingredients of a new viral hit:
Filipino dancing inmates + Michael Jackson dance moves + B-boy/America’s Best Dance Crew choreography (e.g. the Jabbawockees)+ Youtube viral video culture + Multi-platform musical theatre + Manny Pacquiao pride+ Original music, lyrics and script (written by two former castmembers of that other musical that made Filipinos famous) = Prison Dancer: The Musical
This is a 12 episode web series launching in March 2012! Music and Lyrics by Romeo Candido, written by Romeo Candido and Carmen De Jesus, and directed by Romeo Candido. Produced by Ana Serrano. Starring Mikey Bustos, Jeigh Madjus, Catherine Ricafort, Matt Wells, Ron Josol, Nicco Lorenzo, Norman Alconcel, Pierre Bayuga and Joseph Sevillo.
The Plot
Prison Dancer is the story of 6 Filipino prisoners whose lives are forever changed by the dancing rehabilitation program that became a worldwide viral sensation on Youtube. Using surveillance footage, interviews with inmates inside the prison, and good old fashioned investigative journalism, pop culture journalist Matt Wells uncovers the personal, poignant, hilarious and universal stories of 6 prison dancers whose group dancing turned a maximum security jailhouse into a world stage.
Behind the prison walls, we meet inmates Ruperto Poblador aka LOLA (who along with his gay minions OO OO and NANA, choreographs the first prison dance routines), HOOKAPS, (the prison hustler), SHAKESPEARE (the prison’s resident poet) and CHRISTIAN, (the prison’s newest inmate) and discovers a tale of life, death, dreams, fears and ultimately, redemption.
NEWS (July 15, 2010)
Prison Dancer: The Musical will be presented on August 8, 2010 at Lower Ossington Theatre, as part of the inaugural “Musical Works in Concert” program of Toronto’s Summerworks Theatre Festival.
Prison Dancer: The Musical was created by 5 time Dora award-nominee Romeo Candido, who wrote the music and lyrics, and co-written by Carmen De Jesus.
The Summerworks presentation of Prison Dancer: The Musical will feature many of Canada’s most talented Filipino performers: Universal recording artist and Canadian Idol Mikey Bustos, Dora-award winner Nicco Lorenzo, and Dora-nominee and internet sensation Jeigh Madjus. Prison Dancer also reunites cast members of the original Canadian production of Miss Saigon – including creators Romeo Candido and Carmen De Jesus, as well as Pierre Bayuga and Emilio Zarris.
Follow PRISON DANCER on:
This is a 12 episode web series launching in March 2012! Music and Lyrics by Romeo Candido, written by Romeo Candido and Carmen De Jesus, and directed by Romeo Candido. Produced by Ana Serrano. Starring Mikey Bustos, Jeigh Madjus, Catherine Ricafort, Matt Wells, Ron Josol, Nicco Lorenzo, Norman Alconcel, Pierre Bayuga and Joseph Sevillo.