Congratulations on Sound of Music Manila's 100th Show!

Wow, how time flies!

I still remember the day I found out that my aunt Joanna Ampil was going to be in The Sound of Music Manila. It was the night I went to Resorts World for the Mango F/W 2011 fashion show - which was, coincidentally, my first official fashion event and where my entire blogging world turned upside down, as well. That's when I saw all of the posters of my Tita all over the place. I was ecstatic!

My first glimpses of Sound of Music Manila. Who would've predicted that it was to become the longest-running Filipino production of a Broadway musical to date?

Ran into Tita Jo outside of Starbucks right after the Mango F/W 2011 fashion show. What a coincidence!

I also remember the night of the press preview. It wasn't just the first night I got to watch the show. It was also the first night I got to hang out and bond with fellow Candy girl Ana Gonzales of The Fashionista Commuter and it was also the day I first set my eyes on - and got a schoolgirl crush on - Marvin Ong who plays Rolf. (I try to erase my first tweet to him from my memory, to be honest, but it's just too good to delete and forget. :p)

Ana and me! Nagkakahiyaan pa ng konti! :p

I still remember that I was too shy to ask for a picture that I had to breathe in and out for about 15 minutes first. :p

Since then, I've watched the show... God knows how many times. I've seen it from every angle and seat possible, actually. I've even seen it from the box seats and from various places backstage.

With my brother and my favorite sisters in our special box.

Backstage shots: at Jacob's mirror and in Rolf's uniform. :p

With my family, Tita Jo, designer JC Buendia, and the sisters. 

Watching Do-Re-Mi on the lil screen, eagerly awaiting the next scene, which happens to be my favorite one. :p

With Ms Sheila Amora of Funky Plum Vintage, Marvin and Tita Jo on Bianca's 9th birthday.

As irony would have it, Sound of Music Manila's 100th show happened on March 11, 2012 and, as luck would have it, most of the actors who were onstage during that time were also the ones who were onstage during the very first time that I watched the show. And boy, did it take me back.

So how much has happened since I first saw the show in October and watching it for the nth time (not the 100th time, though! lol) made me realize that it has been with me every step of the way. As the original 1965 movie had been with me during my entire childhood, the 2011-2012 run of Sound of Music Manila was with me during my entire newbie-blogger stage.

The first time we saw my Tita's Maria standee.

Because of this, Sound of Music Manila has become more than just "a show my Tita is in" for me. I've reconnected with a lot dear friends that I had lost touch with because of it. I have made a lot of new friends because of it. And I have even become friends with some of my blog readers and some of my Tita's fans because of it. I am extremely thankful for this (special thanks, of course, to Marvin who introduced me to his amazing cast members - you know who you are!) and I simply cannot imagine what life would have been like if it hadn't been staged anymore.

One of my mom's paparazzi shots. With Rachel Coates - the only Liesl I never got to watch onstage. :(

Now, to make things a bit more upbeat, I would like to congratulate Resorts World Manila and the entire cast of Sound of Music Manila for such a wonderful job. The casting is simply impeccable - take it from me, I've seen all of the cast members, except the Bryan-and-Rachel tandem :p - and you just keep getting better and better!

Thank you so much for touching all of our hearts and for making so many people happy. Thank you also to Khaeiycee who shared one of the tickets that she won for the 100th show with me. Extend na until July? ;p