Rama at Sita, a Filipinized musical rendition of the Hindu epic Ramayana, will once more be staged in the upcoming theatre season. In the Greater Manila Area, that is.

Auditions for all roles will open tomorrow and will wrap up on Wednesday. The basic requirements are pretty straightforward: to sing two songs (one Filipino pop/rock and the other a song from the musical, both with “personalized” sheet music) and to submit two pictures (one close-up and another full body).

I have long since wanted to be in the Rama at Sita cast, since it first opened in 1999, as topbilled by Ariel Rivera, Lani Misalucha, Jaya Ramsay, Franco Laurel and others.

The catch? I would not be able to make it to Manila on time,even if I put everything off until Thursday. I am working on a presentation scheduled for Saturday and the data, kilometers long, still needs digital formatting. If I make it back Thursday, there are still design sessions with the presenters and a dry-run early Friday and a polishing in the afternoon immediately following.

If by some miracle I could wriggle myself out of digital work, there is still the matter of the sheet music and their arranger to contend with. I would still need someone to look over sheet music and come up with fairly new, improvised ones to suit my vocal range. These things cannot be done overnight.

Yes, I was only informed about the audition yesterday. Funny when I think that the information came from three different sources: a theatre-enthusiast friend from Manila, an old friend with whom I used to work backstage for a Hindu play called Shakuntala, and the local paper, the lattermost in the form of a plain, rather nondescript ad.

*sighs*

Maybe someone wants to save me up for The Lion, The Witch and the Wardrobe.