'If La Sallites Can't Read, Ateneans Can't Count'

That's the joke the venerable Larry Henares lobbed at the post-show Q&A of Rivalry: Ateneo-La Salle The Musical, the new musical production (music by Ed Gatchalian, lyrics by Joel Trinidad, book and direction by Jaime del Mundo) on the long-standing girian between the two schools that had its press preview last night at the Meralco Theater. (They're now called La Sallians, said Ed Gatchalian, but in 1968, which is the setting of the musical, the guys from Taft were still called La Sallites. And the girls they ran after, in competition with the Ateneans, were usually from Maryknoll, now Miriam College.)
My own first impressions of the show? These two tweets for now: 1) fun and quite inspired, a cause for revelry and good old-fashioned cheering in the theater. Mamma Mia? try the new homegrown musical, RIVALRY. 2) dear god, please keep NOEL TRINIDAD spry, healthy and able to do theater for many, many more years. what a joy he is in it. The bonhomie achieved by the show carried over to the Q&A. Here, a peek at that aftermath:

"Rivalry" runs January 27-March 11 at the Meralco Theater, with 8 p.m. shows every Wednesday, Thursday, Friday and Saturday, and 3 p.m. shows on Saturdays and Sundays. Tickets are available from TicketWorld (8919999) or Meralco Theater.