BroadwayWorld Philippines' 'Summer Picks' 2024
Have you bought your ticket yet?
By: Jude Cartalaba Jun. 24, 2024
Manila, Philippines—Although the summer season in the Philippines has officially ended this year, we’re still thrilled to join the rest of the global theater community in rounding out our top picks of must-see shows running this month and the next few months.
Three highly-anticipated titles have made it to our list: (1) “Hook Up,” an original musical by talented creatives based in Cebu City; (2) “Bawat Bonggang Bagay,” a Filipino translation of Duncan MacMillan’s “Every Brilliant Thing”; and (3) Howard Ashman and Alan Menken’s Off-Broadway hit “Little Shop of Horrors.”
Let’s get to know a little more about these exciting productions.
“Hook Up” (Kadasig)
“Hook Up” is a new musical written and directed by award-winning songwriter Jude Gitamondoc, who wrote songs for OPM icons Regine Velasquez, Gary Valenciano, and Eric Santos, and co-founded the Visayan Pop Songwriting Campaign (VisPop).
The musical, starring Cebuano actor-singers Jan Echavarria and Ralph Mallapre, explores the universal themes of HIV/AIDS, mental health, and dating apps.
Besides “Hook Up,” Gitamondoc wrote the musicals “You’ve Been Facebooked,” “Gugmang Giatay,” and “Siddharta,” commissioned by the Buddha’s Light International Association. “Siddharta,” in particular, toured Taiwan, Malaysia, Singapore, the USA, Japan, Hong Kong, Macau, China, Indonesia, Australia, New Zealand, Brazil, Argentina, and South Africa.
“Hook Up” makes its first public staged reading at the Quest Hotel, Cebu City, on June 28, 2024.
Follow “Hook Up” on Facebook.
“Bawat Bonggang Bagay” (The Sandbox Collective)
“Bawat Bonggang Bagay,” a Filipino translation of “Every Brilliant Thing,” is a one-act interactive play that follows the story of a young child growing up with a parent suffering from mental illness.
Translated in Filipino by Guelan Luarca and directed by Jenny Jamora, the play once again stars comedian Jon Santos in this limited run.
“Every Brilliant Thing” has been staged in multiple countries and was [also] translated into different languages, such as Mandarin, Arabic, Spanish, and Hebrew.
The play runs at the Samsung Performing Arts Theatre until June 30, 2024.
“Little Shop of Horrors” (The Sandbox Collective)
Opening this July as a part of its 10th anniversary season, The Sandbox Collective promises an unforgettable theatrical experience like never you’ve seen before, said “Little Shop of Horrors” director Toff De Venecia in a recent press event.
At the heart of the production is the beloved music of composer Alan Menken and lyrics by Howard Ashman. They’ve earned numerous accolades, including several Academy Awards and Grammy Awards.
Mainstream TV film actresses Karylle Tatlonghari and Sue Ramirez, making her professional theater debut, will star as the heroine, Audrey.
“Little Shop of Horrors” plays at the Globe Auditorium, Maybank Performing Arts Theatre from July 6 to 28, 2024.
--additional reporting by Oliver Oliveros
Photos: Kadasig, The Sandbox Collective, Samsung Performing Arts Theatre
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