Monday, September 17, 2018

63. First Filipino Broadway Star: CELY CARRILLO

FIRST FILIPINA BROADWAY STAR, as MEI-LI, LEAD ACTRESS, FLOWER DRUM SONG

 Cely Ocampo Carillo (born 18 Feb. 1934/d. 2017) was the daughter of  Dr.Tomas Carlos Carrillo Sr.from Binan, who once served as a medical officer in the U.S. Medical Corps during World War II. Her mother, Carmen Casas Ocampo, was a Spanish language teacher at the University of the Philippines. The school opened doors to the the child musical prodigy who often performed in presentations staged by the U.P. Dramatic Club.

CELY CARRILLO, press picture, 1960.

One of Carrillo’s  earliest performances was playing Gilda at age 13, in the Verdi’s opera “Rigoletto”, where she was hailed and billed as the world’s youngest coloratura soprano. To prove that her success was no fluke, she next appeared in another play directed by Wilfrido Ma. Guerrero—“Give the Kid a Break”(written by Mely Landicho). When the play opened at the Little Theater in Diliman, Cely--who was only in a minor role as the younger sister of the lead character Roberting—earned the highest kudos of the evening.

NEW YORK GIRL. Cely refreshes for a shake and  burger .

Her stage achievements that included starring roles in “Kismet” and “Firefly”, paved the way for the young artist to compete against other budding international talents for a slot at the famed Juilliard School of Music. Her efforts were rewarded with a 6-year scholarship at the school in New York. Moving to the U.S., and quickly immersed herself in getting a complete Western-style theater and performance arts education.

CELY TAKES MANHATTAN.

Carrillo, bent on pursuing her Broadway dream,  lingered on and rented a West Avenue apartment in upper Manhattan. With her was brother Tomas Jr., who was starting college at Fordham University, and her unmarried maternal aunt, Miss Ocampo (her mother and 2 sisters Cory and Cecille, were living in Tennessee).

CELY CARRILLO answering an audition call, NY. April 1960

Like all aspiring artists, she went on countless auditions, snagging TV roles on and playing alongside Raymond Massey and Lee Tracy. She was also a featured singer in the ABC-Paramount produced record, “Hi-Fi in an Oriental Garden”, where she sang 3 folk songs: Leron, Leron Sinta, the Pearls of Mindanao, and Bahay Kubo.


LISTEN TO CELY CARRILLO SING
"The Pearls of Mindanao" Here:

In 1958, a casting call was sounded out for a new Broadway musical created by Richard Rodgers and Oscar Hammerstein II, based on the 1957 novel, The Flower Drum Song, by Chinese-American author C. Y. Lee.

FLOWER DRUM SONG PROGRAM, 1960S.

The story is about a rich Chinese refugee,  Wang Chi-yang, who clings to traditional values in San Francisco's Chinatown.  The musical shifted its focus to his son, Wang Ta, who is caught between two clashing East-West cultures, including the practice of arranged marriages. Rodgers and Hammerstein, with stage director Gene Kelly, then scoured the country for Asians or Asian-looking talents to form the mainly Oriental cast.

FLOWER DRUM SONG, Road Tour Program, 1960

Carrillo joined the casting call  for the new musical, and was taken in as part of the ensemble. Also passing the audition was a compatriot, Patrick Adiarte, originally from Manila, best known for appearing as the young Prince Chulalongkorn in the 1956 film version of the Rodgers and Hammerstein musical, “The King and I”.

SCENES FROM FLOWER DRUM SONG, 1960

The lead female role, however, was won by the Japanese-American actress and former nightclub singer, Miyoshi Umeki.  Umeki had won a supporting role Oscar for the 1957 film, "Sayonara", headlined by Marlon Brando. Carrillo, later became her understudy, a fortuitous role. She also understudied Pat Suzuki, who was cast as the first Linda Low, Ta's nightclub love interest.

SCENES FROM FLOWER DRUM SONG, 1960

“Flower Drum Song” opened  in New York at the St. James Theatre on 1 Dec. 1958, and was met with enthusiastic reception, generating significant advance sales. There were many sold-out performances and the original cast album which included Carrillo, also did very well too. Some of the memorable songs included: “I Enjoy Being a Girl” (later popularized by Doris Day), “A Hundred Million Miracles” , “Love, Look Away”, “The Other Generation”, and “Chop Suey”.  Come awards season, “Flower Drum Song” received six Tony Award nominations.

THE NEW MEI-LI. Cely takes over Umeki's lead role in 1960.

After over a year of headlining the musical, Umeki left and it was Carrillo who stepped into shoes her in 1960, a milestone in her career. Suddenly, she was thrust in the spotlight as the lead actress in a popular musical, a first for a Filipino. 

CELY CARRILLO featured in a trade card.

Her moment of Broadway fame would be brief, lasting until May 7, 1960 only, as by then, plans were afoot for a film version of the hugely-popular musical. The movie would be released in 1961 topbilled by Miyoshi Umeki, who reprised her stage role, and James Shigeta. Unfortunately, Carrillo was not included in the film adaptation (Adiarte was retained), but when “Flower Drum Song” closed on Broadway after 2 years, she joined a road tour of the musical that opened in Los Angeles in June 1960, and which then played in San Francisco, Dallas, Denver and other key U.S. cities.

CELY WITH ROBERT MITCHUM, in the movie, "Rampage", 1963.

Surprisingly, “Flower Drum Song” would be Carrillo’s  first and last Broadway credit. She would foray into television and films, which by then was burgeoning business. She was seen in The Corruptors (1961, TV series) , rampage (1963, with Robert Mitchum), The Virginian (1964) and Coronet Blue (1967, TV series).



During her stay in New York in the 1960s, Carrillo was squired by a number of suitors. One of them was George Strattan, a classmate at the American Theater Wing who has also appeared in  off-Broadway revues. He would be seen in TV shows such as “The Monkees” and “The Waltons”. But it was to Filipino Antonio M. Onrubia that she would spend her life with.

CELY WITH CYNTHIA. 1977. Pix; flickr.com, by gottogodisco

A daughter, Cynthia Onrubia (b. 27 Jan, 1962, inherited her artistisc genes. She gained national attention, when, as a 15 year old,  was cast in the musical, “A Chorus Line”–the youngest dancer in the blockbuster production that premiered at the Shubert Theater in 1977.  She stayed with the musical until 1985, and then was seen in other hit musicals---"Cats" ( 1982-83); "Song and Dance", "Jerome Robbins’ Broadway" (Asst. choreographer, 1989-90); "The Goodbye Girl"(Dance Captain, 1992); "Damn Yankees" (1993-95); "Victor/Victoria" (1995-97);  "Dame Edna: The Royal Tour"(1999),  “Cabaret” (2014-15),

CELY CARRILLO & DAUGHTER CYNTHIS, Pix: Broadway World.

“Flower Drum Song” enjoyed a short revival in 2001, using a script rewritten by playwright David Henry Hwang. It opened on October 14, 2001 at the Mark Taper Forum with Filipina Broadway star Lea Salonga  in the title role. The sold-out show had an extended run, which ended in January 13, 2002. 

CELY MEETS LEA.  Opening of Flower Drum Song the Virginia Theater.Pix: Getty Images

Because of its success, “Flower Drum Song” was moved to Broadway on October 17, 2002. At  the opening night at the Virginia Theatre, Cely Carrillo was on hand to meet Lea Salonga—the musical’s newest Mei-Li.  It was a trailblazing role that once was hers, which she played to so many standing ovations, and which made it possible for an Asian—a Filipina, to be exact—to conquer the Great White Way and pave the way for other incredible Filipino talents  to follow.


SOURCES:
My thanks to Mr. Rufi Carrillo for Cely Carrillo's personal background.
Aguila, Dan D’umuk, “Cely Carrillo in Broadway”, The Sunday Times Magazine, 10 April 1960 issue, pp. 6-8.
Cely Carrillo & Cynthia Onrubia:
Broadway World: www.broadwayorld.com

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