Lea Salonga 'Backstory' 8-06-2008
Mich
http://showbizandstyle.inquirer.net/entertainment/entertainment/view/20080806-153088/Welcome-to-Thats-Entertainment
BACKSTORY
Backstory : Welcome to ‘That’s Entertainment!’
By Lea Salonga
Philippine Daily Inquirer
Posted date: August 06, 2008
MANILA, Philippines—Of course, there has to be an article about this
huge part of my earlier career… I mean, what would my back-story be
without it?
In 1986, 16 of show biz’s younger denizens were called to duty by
Master Showman German Moreno (more affectionately, “Kuya Germs”) to
join a new program that would be named “That’s Entertainment.”
We would be divided into groups of four, each group hosting a
different day of the week. All of us would then come together every
Friday, to sing, dance, host, do duets with other artists from another
day, or just hang out.
The original 16 included: Kristina Paner, Jestoni Alarcon, Manilyn
Reynes, Lovely Rivero, Gigi dela Riva (now Bautista), Mon Alvir,
Sheryl Cruz, Francis Magalona, Jon Hernandez (+), JC Bonnin, and Mags
Bonnin. I was part of the Thursday group with the Bonnins and Jon.
Later that first year, and every year that followed, more young
performers joined in— Richard Bonnin, Ian Veneracion, Fatima Alvir,
Melissa Silvano, Rachel Alejandro, Dennis da Silva, Dranreb Belleza,
Nadia Montenegro, Bing Loyzaga, Janno Gibbs, Ricky Rivero, Lilet, Niño
Muhlach, Marco Polo Garcia, Jennylyn, Tanya Montenegro, Jean Garcia,
Romnick Sarmenta, Isabel Granada, Chuckie Dreyfus… The list reads like
a young show biz who’s who.
Let’s see… how did it go?
Kuya Germs always opened the show and introduced each host for the
day. One by one we would then run (and I mean run) to a microphone on
a stand set up in the middle of the floor, say a quick welcome and get
seated in the back. After a commercial break, we would then sit on the
floor for some impromptu (read: unscripted, unprompted, unrehearsed)
repartee or conversation… I can’t remember the topics of those talks,
save for one, when Juan Bonnin spoke about a car accident scene he saw
on his way to the studio. He told the audience to be careful. We all
agreed. After another commercial break, there would be some songs or
dances… and then probably another break, after which it was time to
say goodbye.
The hosts were the primary source of entertainment on the show and not
outside guests, although there probably were a few visitors in the
course of its run. Which meant that, at any given evening, there would
be dance rehearsals at any of the active dance studios around town and
recording sessions at Cinema Audio Recording Studios.
I remember heading over to Cinema Audio one fine evening, and finding
myself in a queue, since quite a few other “That’s” members had gotten
there before me. It was so lovely to find other very supportive
colleagues in the control booth, providing much needed feedback or
inspiration to get you through a difficult song (Gigi’s face, in
particular, was my rock while I recorded “Almost Over You”). I’d try
to finish as many songs as I could in one go, so that I would have a
nice stash from which to choose on any given Thursday.
On the show’s first anniversary, we had a huge extravaganza at the
Araneta Coliseum… as well as a competition. Hormonally charged,
adrenaline pumped, fierce competition. Each group had to perform a
song-and-dance number, and each number would then be judged (heading
the panel was Armida Siguion-Reyna). Group by group, the song-and-
dance numbers came, each group feeling that its number was the best of
the night. Of course. We had all put in many hours of dance rehearsals
and painstakingly created the medleys we would sing. Mind you, not
everyone could really sing or really dance, but the effort put forth
was absolutely admirable.
During final rehearsals the day before the show, each group went up on
the Big Dome’s stage to practice. I watched from the sidelines sizing
each number up, figuring out who our group’s closest competitors were
(yes, I’m competitive… sue me). In my mind, if we were to win, we had
to outdo whatever everyone else was doing.
Anyway… back to the show. Each group went up and performed… after our
number, I retreated to the dressing room, where I overheard snippets
of conversations among members of the other groups with this same
theme: “Of course we’re going to win, we’re the best!”
So, which group won, as announced enthusiastically by Tita Midz
herself? The Thursday Group! My group!!! Jon Hernandez was screaming
at the top of his lungs, thanking every single person who had helped
us out, particularly Ed, our tireless choreographer. The rest of us
were running around like crazy people all over the stage. It was such
an amazing experience performing with these people… one enormous high.
That evening, during the anniversary party at the Vera-Perez compound,
I announced that I would be leaving the show to concentrate on my
studies. I was entering my senior year of high school and wanted to
focus on college applications and entrance exams. Sure, it was
bittersweet, but Kuya Germs completely understood. Jean Garcia was my
replacement.
The show has long gone off the air, and many of its past members have
moved on to incredible careers… others have returned to private life,
after having experienced a very public existence as members of this
show. Personally, I’m grateful to Kuya Germs for the opportunity to
improve whatever skills I had… I was a host… I sang almost every week…
I danced quite a few times with some really great groups… I did duets
with some really fantastic vocalists… and made some wonderful life-
long friends.
Call me corny, even baduy, but I shall always remember with fondness
my days as a member of “That’s.”
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