Parokya ni Edgar is now a musical

What is Buruguduystunstugudunstuy? I do not know although I hope I got the spelling right. The song is now several years old, but I am still stumped by the spelling and worst, the meaning. I wonder what was going on in the heads of the members of Ang Parokya ni Edgar when they thought of that title. Maybe more than what was going on when they named themselves Parokya ni Edgar. Come to think of it, who was Edgar and what on earth is Buruguduystunstugudunstuy?

Given that, it can be said that the PNE was a band that never pretended to be profound or even a tad serious when they presented their music to the listeners of 1996 with the first album Khangkhungkhernitz. They were in fact, daring enough to be the first cross-dressers in the local music scene.

After the sleek pop hits of the ‘80s, the ‘90s turned out to be a great time for Pinoy bands. Remember that back then there was the Eraserheads, a group on an exploration kick, alternately daring with Pare Ko and poignant with Ang Huling El Bimbo. There was also Rivermaya that went for love songs, Hinahanap-hanap Kita and the big  anthemic moments, Liwanang sa Dilim and Kisap-mata.

Parokya ni Edgar though was different. Members Chito Miranda, Gab Chee Kee, Buwi Meneses, Darius Semana, Dindin Moreno and Vinci Montaner just wanted to be crazy and have fun, albeit sometimes of the satiric kind.

The story of ‘Buruguduystunstugudunstuy’ centers on four women in search of themselves and what the world has to offer them. 

After the title of that debut and tunes like Buloy and Maniwala Ka Sana, the naughtier Buruguduystunstugudunstuy, came as no surprise at all. Besides, the album included hits like Harana, Please Don’t Touch My Birdie, Sampip, Silvertoes and others. Those songs made it easy for listeners to accept whatever nonsense PNE offered because the guys made alt-rock crazy and loads of fun.

More fun then, and of course, memories of that goofy time are what we can expect from, here goes that title again, “Buruguduystunstugudunstuy, the Parokya ni Edgar Musical.” Writer Rody Vera took on the task of making head and tail of the wacky output of PNE to turn it into something for the stage.

The others out for the ride are Newport World Resort’s Full House Theater Company, the same group which gave the local stage the successful Eraserheads musical, “Ang Huling El Bimbo.” Aside from Vera, the creative team consists of director Dexter Santos, and Full House artistic directors Menchu Lauchengo-Yulo and Michael Williams. Ejay Yatco is musical director and Stephen Vinas is choreographer.

Then there are the characters, which interestingly are all based and named after those that Parokya ni Edgar created in their songs. Kyle Napuli, Marynor Madamesila, Tex Ordonez-De Leon and Natasha Cabrera play the roles of Aiza, Jen, Norma and Girlie. Noel Comia is Tikmol, Nicco Manalo is Mang Jose, Jasper Jimenez is Tito Ralph and the one expected to be a true showstopper Pepe Herrera as Mr. Suave.

The story of “Buruguduystunstugudunstuy” centers on four women in search of themselves and what the world has to offer them. Though from diverse origins, fate brings them together and they help each other find acceptance, love and happiness with the music of PNE as the soundtrack of their search.

And among these songs are Harana, Bagsakan, Gitara, Halaga, Buloy, Inuman Na, Silvertoes, Sorry Na, This Guy’s in Love with You Pare, The Yes Yes Show, Mr. Suave, One Hit Combo, Please Don’t Touch My Birdie, The Ordertaker, Pangarap Lang Kita, Pogi Years Old and Lutong Bahay.

“Buruguduystunstugudunstuy: The Parokya ni Edgar Musical” opens at the Newport Performing Arts Theater on April 26. Tickets are available at TicketWorld and SM Tickets outlets, HelixPay and at the Newport box office. — Baby A. Gil