Philippine Daily Inquirer

AMAZING SHOWS, EXCITING YULETIDE TREATS FOR MALLGOERS

- By Vaughn Alviar @INQ_Property

The mall is one place Filipinos never miss over the holidays. While we visit malls throughout the year to buy essentials, shop, or hang out somewhere cool, Christmas, however, transforms malls into wonderland­s all decked out with sparkly, grandiose Yuletide decor.

Expect that and more from Sta. Lucia East Grand Mall, which has become a Christmas destinatio­n on the eastern corridor of Mega Manila. For decades now, this beloved mall in Cainta, Rizal, built and managed by the Sta. Lucia Group, has glistened with props and throbbed with excitement for Filipinos’ most anticipate­d celebratio­n. And this year will certainly be no different.

Sta. Lucia East Grand Mall will explode once more with events, promos and gimmicks. A highlight that has been bringing joy to visitors of all ages this year is the special Christmas Mall Show, which kicked off last Dec. 3. This hour-long dance presentati­on, featuring classic Christmas tunes, opens with the 1957 hit, “Jingle Bell Rock,” a song that gets the old-timers nostalgic and the younger generation­s bobbing their heads to the beat. Another anthem wraps up the show: “All I Want for Christmas is You,” by Mariah Carey. It’s an inescapabl­e modern classic that, we bet, will get the audience singing—and whistling—along.

While the performers rest up or prepare between sets, a string quartet and a soprano take over the stage and serenade shoppers with Christmas carols.

The show makes use of motifs and symbolisms associated with Christmas both in the Philippine­s and across the globe, from Christmas trees and lights to wreaths and lanterns. Upping the ante and making the experience more fun and unique is the integratio­n of an underwater theme—what, with the musical drama, “Part of The World-Treasures Untold” sharing the stage with the production.

A musical performanc­e would not be complete without singers, dancers and actors. For this Christmas gig, Sta. Lucia East Grand Mall cast the best local talents. Let the performers charm you with their talents, together with the costume and set designs that fully commit to the storylines.

Watch the cast perform elegantly in their cozy winter outfits while you envision a frosty “white Christmas.” Let the kids see the royal regalia, and make those fairy tale stories come alive. The cast will also play Santa’s little helpers to get everyone cheery about Kris Kringles.

The whole mall will be a feast for the senses. Aside from the performanc­e, delighting guests will be lighted drummer boys parading around to greet shoppers and gamely pose for photo-ops.

As noted earlier, there’s also “Part of The World-Treasures Untold.” It is a spectacle through which parents can awe their children. This production is inspired by the popular Disney movie, “The Little Mermaid.”

Just before Disney updates this title with a 2023 reboot, get the kids up to speed by meeting Ariel. Hear her sing, “Part of Your World.” She is accompanie­d by characters both adored and rued, from Prince Eric and Sebastian to Ursula. The villain even sings, “Poor Unfortunat­e Souls.”

The show runs all Fridays, Saturdays and Sundays of December at 3 p.m., 5 p.m., and 7 p.m., with special screenings on Dec. 24, 25 and 30. Admission is free.

No wonder Sta. Lucia East Grand Mall has remained a Yuletide must-visit in the east over the years. It’s “a mall about you” that unfailingl­y lights up and transforms for you this season to give you good vibes, good cheer.

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 ?? ?? “Part of The World-Treasures Untold” is a spectacle through which parents can awe their children.
“Part of The World-Treasures Untold” is a spectacle through which parents can awe their children.

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