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June 25, 2010
Beware of the promoter of your shows in the United States.
This in gist maybe the warning of sexy actress and singer Ara Mina to her fellow artists after her ordeal and that of her sister Cristine Reyes in their latest engagement in the US.
Ara said she and her sister were treated shabbily by their promoter who also did not pay their talent fee and expenses as agreed.
Ara and Cristine were contracted by her latest US concert promoter for a six-city tour for their show dubbed “Sister Act.”
She said in fairness, the promoter, identified as Guia Natividad, was true to her words during her first show last year with her with Toni Gonzaga and Vice Ganda. Natividad later denied allegations that she was fully paid by her show producers.
Their show started in Chicago, Illinois then moved to Sacramento, California and in Monterey also in California. Then it went to Oxford. Their last show in Las Vegas was cancelled at the last minute, she said.
She disclosed in interview at “Showbiz Central” that their ordeal started when they reached Monterey. “Hindi, totoong nag-show kami kahit hindi pa kami bayad like [sa] Monterey. Doon nag-start kasi sa Chicago, okay pa. Sa Sacramento, okay pa. Pagdating namin sa Monterey, doon na nag-start na magkaproblema,” she said.
“Actually, ike-clear ko lang, bayad lahat ng producer sa kanya. Siguro ang mga balance ng producer kokonti na lang para ma-fully-paid siya. And siya dapat ang magbabayad sa amin,” she added.
“Kausap ako ng parang line-producer naman doon sa Oxford. ‘Bayad na kami, bayad na ‘yung mga producer dito, bakit hindi ka lalabas?’ Sabi ko, ‘’Wag ho ako ang sisihin n’yo. Hindi pa ako bayad, eh. Bayad kayo sa kanya, siya ang hindi bayad sa akin. Kausapin n’yo po.’”
Ara narrated how she was made to fend for herself while in the US. She said some friends later helped and made their stay comfortable given the situation. She said: “Ilang days akong sumagot ng hotel ko.
Meron tayong mga kaibigang producers doon and nalaman nila, so nagsponsor sila (ng hotel)… two days sa kanya, three days sa kanya. ‘Yung ganyan. May mga kaibigan tayo na ano, na tumulong. Pero ang fault kasi doon, nabigay na sa kanya ng producer ang payment. Sana naitago na niya, nai-save na niya ‘yung mga payment sa artists.”