PARIAN FIESTA NIGHT WITH THE DIVETTES, Cebu

Parian Fiesta Night with the Divettes (Cebu)


I would have missed their performance if they hadn’t stood in front of the Yap-Sandiego House, in their hot pants and skimpy outfits, faces glowing with paint, and looking flashy, happy, and flirtatious. “Good evening, Ma'am,” they said as our group of ladies walked by. “Good evening,” we answered, then I thought to ask, “Are you performing tonight?” I had known that Val Sandiego hosted a fiesta performance in the Parian Plaza late fiesta night. I’d always missed it, not knowing what to expect, and had left fiesta celebrations with the stream of the well-heeled folks who’d eaten their fill and were ready to hit the sack.

“Yes, we are, 9:30,” one replied, eyelashes batting

“I’ll be back,” I said.

So at 9:30 I did return and sat in the Parian outdoor plaza near the Heritage Monument. Was I in for a treat!

First, I must make it clear that the evening performance was not all by cross-dresser performers. There were other singers, rap dancers, young dancers doing cool steps, even a fire dance number; but the performances of the Divettes (as in small Divas) made me laugh harder than I have in a long time.

I’d only seen one live performance of men dressed as women on stage, and that was in in San Francisco where one of the performers was a Filipino who was pretty it was impossible to imagine that he was a he.

Fiesta night in Parian showcased a number of cross-dressing divas, including: Cassandra Madrigal, Alvin (the comedian), Baby Sue (Lloyd in the daytime and Q-rator of the Yap-Sandiego House, Mamaru (Roger in the daytime, Ruth when she was younger, and now Mamru), and four others whose names I didn’t catch.

These women --- er, men, did an excellent job rendering Chicago’s He Had It Coming, and a number from La Cage Folles. They were for the most part, so pretty it was mind-boggling to think they were men in drag. Cassandra Madrigal had the loveliest face, long flowing hair, hips, belly button showing, voice, soft and feminine. The story I later heard is that Cassandra’s boyfriend had left his wife for him/her. Whatever. That night Cassandra had several dance numbers, numerous changes of clothes that made the women in the audience drool at how lovely his/her gowns were.

I don’t know if Cassandra was part of the Divettes, but there was a group of five in daring outfits who did the Chicago, La Cage a Folles numbers, and more. While the guys were doing their dance and mime (the music), Alvin did comic antics that sent people into uncontrollable laughter. Or maybe it was me laughing uncontrollably. I didn’t know slapstick could be so funny. Alvin is as thin as a tapeworm, and he could do things with his body and his face, so that physically he just looked funny. His mouth, for instance was painted white, which stood out when he made incredible faces.


Val Sandiego was emcee (aside from diretor and producer) was hilarious. He had so much energy directing the audience to clap, and saying borderline vulgar stuff that sent us rollicking with laughter. Mamaru, alias Ruth, alias Roger, was called on stage to do a fire dance, and Val Sandiego went something like (in Cebuano but I’m doing this in English): Ladies and Gentlemen, look at Mamaru, 65 years old and he can still dance, lower, lower, Mamaru, look at that, 65 years old, children, he’s as old as your grandparents. Etc.

And about the chubby lady fire dancer, “Look at that body, ladies and gentlemen, that’s from dancing." The young woman continued smiling and twirling her sticks with balls of fire.

I sat there at 9:30 and when I left at midnight, the show was still on.

Now, ladies and gentlemen of Cebu, next year,June 24, at night, I’m certain there will a free performance in the Parian plaza once again. So here’s what you should do: watch the 7 o’clock religious procession, eat dinner at Café Elyssa, then find a seat on the benches facing the stage near the fire station and chapel. You’ll be safe, you’ll have fun. And the performance is all free, courtesy of Val Sandiego, owner of the Pride of Parian the Yap-Sandiego House. All you have to do is laugh and clap.

(I'll post a few pictures of the fiesta later on, so check back in late July.)