PHOTOS: Lissa deGuzman, Allie Trimm Defy Gravity Manila
BroadwayWorld takes you inside the magic of the night Manila changed for good.
Manila, Philippines—Broadway alums Lissa deGuzman (Elphaba) and Allie Trimm (Glinda) last shared the stage as musical theater’s most popular witches about a year ago. But when the green curtain fell and the emerald lights dimmed, you let fate and magic bring these two talented ladies back on stage. For one spectacular, sold-out July 10 concert, starring deGuzman and Trimm, Manila theater enthusiasts found out exactly what lies “After Oz.”
Aptly titled “After Oz,” directed by Mikko Angeles, which also celebrated the Samsung Performing Arts Theater’s fourth anniversary, the concert was a breathtaking experience, welcoming back deGuzman, who recently top-billed Theatre Group Asia’s production of “A Chorus Line,” and introducing the powerhouse Trimm to local audiences. Together with Morissette, who has been announced to star in the first international premiere of Ingrid Michaelson's “The Notebook, The Musical,” “After Oz” was a masterclass in vocal artistry and storytelling. “My Days” from “The Notebook,” sung by the powerful trio, sent the audience into the stratosphere and delivered the goosebumps that evening.
Other highlights included deGuzman’s take on “Waiting for Life,” from Lynn Ahrens and Stephen Flaherty’s “Once On This Island,” and Ryan Cayabyab’s classic “Araw, Gabi,” and of course deGuzman and Trimm’s signature duets from Stephen Schwartz’s “Wicked,” such as “Defying Gravity” and “For Good.”
Conducting the “After Oz” orchestra was Farley Asuncion, alongside the world-renowned UST Singers, who did a rousing rendition of Stephen Sondheim’s “Sunday” from “Sunday in the Park with George,” and the fluid artistry of Mari Dance, who did “Dance at the Gym (Mambo)” from Jerome Robbins, Leonard Bernstein, and Sondheim’s “West Side Story” were splendid on that sprawling stage, too.
The milestone event also reinforced the venue’s vision: serving as a premier cultural destination where local and international creative communities collide.
Photos: Jyllan Bitalac & Ernest III
