A night of laughter, music and memories
by Malou Liwanag-Bledsoe | AJPress San Francisco
Last Saturday, August 14, the stage at Serramonte Del Rey High School Theatre in Daly City came alive when New Yorker in Tondo came onstage.
A delightful fast-paced comedy, the five-member cast of New Yorker in Tondo fitted well in their roles and kept the audience entertained throughout the one-act play.
Louella Albornoz set the tone as Aling Atang, the mother of Kikay, her daughter who had just come back to Tondo after a year of studying in New York. Albonrnoz’ comedic timing, along with the Tagalog to English mispronounciations that are a staple of Fil-Am comedy, had the audience laughing from the start.
Robin Lee Salazar played Tony, the centerpiece of an odd-ball love triangle, who is engaged to two women, his singing voice and good looks worked well for his part.
Joji Isla was hilarious as Totoy, a lifelong friend who has a crush on one of Tony’s fiancee, Nena, played by Jackie Castillejo-Guingona.Castillejo’s Nena was reminiscent of Lucille Ball, as she worked the stage with a wonderful sense of slapstick and facial expression

Richgail Enriquez, rounded out the cast as Kikay, the girl who’s friends all came to welcome back home to Tondo, only to find that Tondo had become to small for a big city girl with attitude.