The curtains were raised one last time for the all-Filipino production BituingWalang Ningning: The Musical and as the cast returned onstage for the curtain call, another shining star seated in the audience was in tears of joy.
This was the scene during the final show of Resorts World Manila’s (RWM) breakthrough production of the Filipino classic with no less than Sharon Cuneta and husband Francis Pangilinan in the audience.The Megastar immortalized the role of Dorina Pineda in the 1985 VIVA Films movie.
Sharon commended the performance of lead star Monica Cuenco, who recently won Best New Female Artist in the ALIW Awards in December. “I love Monica’s performance,” Sharon shared backstage. “Now that I have seen her onstage doing theater, I can now say that she has evolved into a true star and I’m very proud of her. I hope she continues to do well in her career,” she added noting that Monica was one of the finalists in her former show Star Power.
The iconic Filipina actress was evidently moved by the new take on her classic film as she wiped her eyes in numerous scenes. “The show was truly impressive. The whole cast was really great,” Sharon said. “I used to have reservations about watching the musical because I am truly possessive of my work. But after watching the show, I can now say that I am not the only Dorina, just the first Dorina.