EXCLUSIVE: Lunchbox Theatrical Productions' James Cundall Talks CHICAGO, What's Next for Manila

Manila, Philippines--Following Lunchbox Theatrical Productions' confirmation of CHICAGO The Musical's strictly limited run from December 3rd to the 21st in Manila--first hinted on BroadwayWorld.com (BWW) four months ago--Lunchbox CEO James Cundall reveals more mega-musical surprises for Manila audiences in a candid sit-down interview with us.

Amidst the drone of urban hippies conversing over lunch inside a plush bistro near the Taguig offices of Concertus Manila, Lunchbox's marketing and promotions partner, Cundall's hearty laughter reverberated over the din when told about the CHICAGO article attracting more than 5,000 views and 2,000 Facebook likes in the first two days of its release.

"They did? That's very naughty of them. How did they do that?" he jokes teasingly with a bemused glint of wonder in his eyes as he asked how BWW managed to procure such privileged, advanced information on CHICAGO's planned Manila staging.

Headlined by Broadway veterans Bianca Marroquin (Roxie Hart) and Terra C. MacLeod (Velma Kelly), who recently flew in from the U.S. to attend CHICAGO's press launch in SOLAIRE Resort and Casino, CHICAGO's strictly limited run in Manila will open the newest theatrical hotspot, SOLAIRE's The Theatre.

"I think the new SOLAIRE Theatre will be amazing; people will be amazed at how good it is," adds Cundall, confirming how CHICAGO would be a perfect fit for the 1,760-seater lyric theatre.

The enthusiasm from Philippine theater fanatics on CHICAGO's Manila premiere may well be counted as a direct allusion to Cundall's deep appreciation for the popular show--recognized as the longest-running American musical on Broadway, and also set to overtake Andrew Lloyd Webber's iconic CATS as the second longest-running musical in Broadway history this November.

"CHICAGO is probably in my top four musicals of all time. I've worked on CHICAGO on a number of productions. I've worked on the Australian production; I've worked on the Asian tour; so I've actually toured it for about three years. So I keep asking myself what's so clever about it and why does it work? It's got the best dancing; it's a very clever, sophisticated, sexy show," he adds.

FROM WICKED TO CHICAGO IN 2014 - A FULL YEAR OF MEGA-PRODUCTIONS

When WICKED successfully ushered in 2014 with the hotly-anticipated greenification of the Cultural Center of the Philippines (CCP), the trend became all the more apparent: mega-musicals are on the fast track to becoming the newest holiday tradition in Manila.

"Three weeks in December, perfect timing for Christmas," Cundall says on the impending three-week run of CHICAGO.

"We've seven musicals we're working on bringing to Manila," Cundall reveals, explaining how their partnership with Concertus Manila operates within a three-year schedule for the shows they are eyeing to bring to the Philippines.

"I think there's just a strong appreciation of musical theater in this market; and I think probably the combination of the economy getting better and the love of musical theater has allowed us to take the risk of bringing these very big shows to the Philippines," he says.

After STOMP's second run in Manila last June, followed by a record-breaking third limited run for POTTED POTTER, which opened on September 30, the topic of WICKED's return to Manila eventually came up.

Cundall explains, "I think most of the big musicals--after they've played in Manila or anywhere else in Asia-- need to have a rest; they don't come back. But certainly we found out in Asia that what you can have is a five or six-year gap and then bring them back again. So yes, in our calendar of shows, we're already looking at when we can bring some of the shows we've done before back here. But more importantly, we're looking at the new shows we want to bring here in the future."

"Actually, the other thing that's interesting is that it's (CHICAGO) similar to WICKED in that the two main characters are women; the difference to WICKED is the two main characters hate each other," says Cundall on the other similarities between WICKED and CHICAGO, apart from how they opened and eventually will close 2014, respectively, with a loud bang.

"As for Lunchbox, we're one of the companies doing shows here. I suppose I've been doing shows for 22 years here in Asia. The long-term relationships we have with international producers mean that perhaps we can find the shows we want to tour into Asia, which is what we're doing," he adds.

EVENTUALLY EVITA

Seeming a tad cautious not to entirely dispel recent speculation about EVITA making a big splash in Manila in 2015, Cundall, however, exuded no cageyness nor did he seem the least bit guarded when asked about the involvement of Lunchbox Theatrical Productions in a possible future production of the Eva Peron bio-musical in the Philippines. Nevertheless, he was still quick to issue a well-meaning advice.

"Never believe rumors; only believe facts because it's only a rumor, it's not a fact," he points out.

Given that Lunchbox Theatrical Productions has already worked with one major Broadway and West End leading lady who has been very vocal about Evita being one of her dream roles, Cundall made an interesting remark.

"We're thrilled when Lea (Salonga) decided to do it (CATS). She's been one of the musical icons for the last 20, 30 or more years! It was great! Grizabella is a role you can drop into very easily because a lot of her acting is by herself so it doesn't require a whole company to rehearse with her. It went really well!" he says about Salonga's well-received stint as Grizabella in the Manila production of CATS in 2009.

"I'm sure Lea would make a wonderful Evita. We'll just have to see when and how we can have her. It depends on the rights of the musical and her schedule," he says on the possibility of Salonga in the role of Evita if--with an emphasis on the word IF--Lunchbox ever did get the chance bring EVITA to the Philippines.

SO WHERE EXACTLY DOES LOVE LIE?

With the noise of the casting of another Filipino talent, Mark Bautista, in London's West End production of the Broadway hit HERE LIES LOVE has been making--following Jon Jon Briones' and Rachelle Ann Go's turns as The Engineer and Gigi, respectively, in MISS SAIGON's 25th anniversary production--Cundall shares just how soon Filipinos can catch the Imelda Marcos-centric musical in Manila.

"It's too early still... You have to wait until something's a real smash hit; it may be a great show, but it won't be here for quite a while," he explains, weighing the chances of how soon the David Byrne and Fatboy Slim rock musical might be hitting Manila.

"There are some very good shows but I don't know whether they're big enough brands yet to bring to Manila. I mean BOOK OF MORMON is for some people a very good show; MATILDA is an excellent show, but there aren't a lot of really new exciting shows, I don't think," Cundall continues.

"I saw SOUND OF MUSIC, KING AND I, and FORBIDDEN BROADWAY [in Manila]. The acting talent here is superb, that's why so many Filipinos are cast internationally," he says, listing local Philippine productions he has seen recently.

Cundall also exclusively reveals plans of bringing in yet another international production to the Philippines that will be cast with both local and international talent.

"Yes we do! I can't tell you what yet. We have a plan to do an international production, with part international cast and part local cast,' he adds excitedly.

PIPPIN AND LES MISERABLES - FANS WILL JUST HAVE TO WAIT IT OUT

On a February 2014 BWW interview with WICKED composer and lyricist Stephen Schwartz, where he intimated the possibility of PIPPIN eventually making its way to Manila, Cundall shares, "Well I think he said if and when, and the question is when. You need a willing producer to bring a show and then you need--if you're going do an international production--a production that's available. So you need a producer to produce it, and you need an international production to bring here. They (PIPPIN) may come one day, but it's certainly not in our radar at the moment," he says.

But musical fans in Manila need not worry, Cundall may just have more than a few more tricks up his sleeve.

"You wait and see, but I think it'll all happen. You know, LES MISERABLES has got to be in my top four as well. CHICAGO and LES MIS are in my Top 4, so yes, it'd be lovely when that comes!" and given that Cundall's favorite shows more often than not find their way to Manila, fans of LES MIS will most assuredly have something amazing to look forward to in the coming years.

"What is so wonderful here is there are a lot of shows that are international icons that haven't been to Manila yet; so there are plenty of shows we can bring here, whether it's CHICAGO or SINGING IN THE RAIN" Cundall further shares, revealing that London West End's SINGIN' IN THE RAIN is also Manila-bound in 2015.

And then again, given that what Cundall likes, Cundall eventually gets to bring to Manila. It doesn't exactly take a rocket scientist to do the math to figure out which shows will be coming to the Philippines soon enough.

For tickets to the limited three-week run of CHICAGO in Manila, visit ticketworld.com.ph.