Veteran Filipina actress and comedienne Mitch Valdes will be bringing to life a “groovier” and “more hip” Lola Basyang in the 26th performance season of the ballet “Tatlong Kuwento ni Lola Basyang.”

Ballet Manila set to restage 'Tatlong Kuwento ni Lola Basyang'

Valdes said she felt honored to be introducing a fresh take of the iconic character to a new generation. 

“Lola Basyang of this time. Not the Lola Basyang before. She is now modern, wearing a daster. They don’t want to make me too old. They also gave me a song. I will also try to dance. It is more fun and up the alley of Mitch Valdes. I embraced being a lola,” Valdes explained.

She added: “This is my 53rd year in showbiz, I am excited for a new audience: the ballet audience, the theater, and the young people. They opened this up for the young people, for education and cultural enrichment. I am excited for a new phase in my career. I am very fortunate I have seen 3-4 generations of performers and in different mediums: TV, movie, theater, and now ballet."

According to Artistic Director Lisa Macuja Elizalde, Valdes was a quintessential choice to play “Lola Basyang,” for the now Taglish script they re-wrote to include trendier phrases.

“It just clicked. It was a great choice because we want our Lolas to be a little groovy. I told her, I know you are used to being ‘mataray’ but now you are a lola, you are loving and supportive,” she shared.

Macuja-Elizalde said “Tatlong Kuwento ni Lola Basyang,” which will run on May 11, 12, and 18, is the “perfect way to celebrate Mother’s Day.”

“It is ballet for  the whole family. There is singing, dancing, storytelling, drama, romance, comedy, everything. There is action everything. It is a whole complete package,” she said.

“I will spend Mother’s Day here. I am overall artistic director and I choreographed a lot of the dances here too,” she added.

With her children all grown up and residing abroad, the award-winning ballerina, revealed she now has more time to spend with her company.

“I have a lot more time to spend choreographing, traveling to do workshops, it is basically how I give back,” she reasoned. 

Macuja-Elizalde, however, shared she will be skipping the second week of the ballet as motherhood is still her priority.

“My daughter is in law school and she is graduating next week. I am going to attend her graduation,” she enthused.