BY NESTOR CUARTERO
JUST A THOUGHT: Manners are love in a cool climate. – Quentin Crisp
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TATLONG BAGYO: This TV production has withstood three storms, three signals Number 3, three directors, within a span of (on-off) three weeks of lock-in shoot?
That’s precisely the experience of cast and crew of a new TV5 Christmas-themed teleserye, “Paano ang Pasko.”
Producer-director Perci Intalan of The IdeaFirst Company told an online conference recently that filming under strict pandemic safety protocols with matching storms left, middle, and center isn’t exactly the most ideal.
Yet, a promise to come up with the first Chrismaserye for Cignal TV kept them up and running. There was a lull in production, which sent staff members back home, only to undergo another round of preventive swab tests later.
It helped, says Perci, that they had been blessed with a beautiful location, a grand old house with nice amenities in the middle of an orchard in San Pablo, Laguna.
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FAMILY FEUD: “Paano ang Pasko” is a star-studded nightly series that premiered Nov. 23, at 9 p.m.
Writer and creator Jun Robles Lana says the series is tailor-made for the times. It revolves around a family’s holiday gathering and how old wounds dampen the joyous occasion.
The series assembles a powerhouse cast that marks the return to television drama of Maricel Laxa. The veteran actress plays Faith, the loving matriarch.
Playing her daughters are Julia Clarete, Beauty Gonzalez, and Devon Seron.
Young actor Elijah Canlas also stars in his first teleserye after winning Best Actor at the 43rd Urian Awards.
The series also stars Allan Paule, Ejay Falcon, John Sweet Lapus, Matt Evans, Danita Paner, Devon Seron, Justine Buenaflor, as directed by Enrico Quizon, Ricky Davao and Perci Intalan.