KAYCEE, THE MERMAID ATTRACTION
by Ricky F. Lo, The Philippine Star, June 27, 2001

Everybody is all agog over the restaging of Little Mermaid by Trumpets in August and Sept. at the Meralco Theater, all because of the newest (among many) addition to its cast ñ Kaycee Concepcion, the Most Sensational Theater Discovery of the Hour, no doubt about it. Very Gabby, very Sharon (Cuneta), isnít she? The sum total of her parentsí best qualities.

For sure, people (this one included... Iíll be first in the queue) will flock to the Meralco Theater to find out for themselves, with their own eyes (and ears), how good an actress Kaycee is. Looks-wise, Kaycee is undoubtedly a sensation, a smashing beauty (worth P5 million as Human/Bench image model, her first endorsement). But whether or not she has also inherited her parentsí immense thespic talents remain to be seen, so I guess Kaycee is pressure a bit into proving that she deserves to play the role of Princess Sapphire which was portrayed last year by another Child of Showbiz, Karylle (Zsa Zsa Padillaís daughter) that is.

No, Kaycee didnít replace Karylle as initial reports (in this corner, blush!) had it. She auditioned like the other new additions to the cast and she did pass with satisfactory (flying?) colors, along with Cathy Azanza whoís the alternate for the role. (Reprising the role as Jewel are Carol Banawa and Dianne de la Fuente).

Sharon said that she gave Kaycee the go-signal to try theater (for the time being, the movies soon?) not so much because Kaycee also loves to to sing ñ and act ñ but because itís off-school season, with classes at I.S. opening in September yet, so Kaycee can make use of her time profitably with the rehearsals and the staging of Little Mermaid (8 p.m. on Aug. 3, 4, 11, 17, 18, 24, 25 and 31; and Sept. 1, 7 and 8... and 3 p.m. on Aug. 4, 5, 11, 12, 18, 19, 25 and 26; and on Sept. 1, 2, 8 and 9).

But you know, once the "genie" is out of the bottle, itís hard to put it back in. Iím sure Mama Sharon is now in a dilemma whether or not to let Kaycee go on to conquer other fields ñ that is, recording and movies/television.

(My guess is that Mama Sharon will eventually say... Yes!)