Onyl Torres News

Trained classical voices and contemporary music arrangements breathe new life to Filipino folk songs, kundiman, and arias in Ephesus Teatron Group Inc.’s first major live musical concert in three years, 'Klasical.'

The 60th-anniversary production of Noli Me Tangere, The Opera, which J&S Productions Inc. premiered in New York City in 2013, and performed to packed audiences at the Cultural Center of the Philippines (CCP) in 2017 and 2019, brought home some of the top prizes at the first Philippine Live Entertainment Arts and Festivals Awards (LEAF Awards) held 8 February 2020.

The Sandbox Collective and 9 Works Theatrical are bringing back their highly acclaimed revival of Himala: Isang Musikal.

The Sandbox Collective and 9 Works Theatrical are bringing back their highly acclaimed revival of Himala: Isang Musikal.

In upholding the Christmas tradition, the Philippines is without peer among nations. Let the world tend to its business while local radio begins the celebration with a Yuletide playlist--on the first of September.

In upholding the Christmas tradition, the Philippines is without peer among nations. Let the world tend to its business while local radio begins the celebration with a Yuletide playlist--on the first of September.

After 50 years, 443 productions, and a consummate adherence to professional theater, Repertory Philippines (REP) has set a remarkable new benchmark for prestige and excellence.

Votes are cast; polls are closed; and results have been tabulated! This was our biggest year yet! After a record number of voters in more than 75 regions worldwide, BroadwayWorld is very excited to announce the 2016 Philippines winners! Thanks to all who voted, and huge congratulations to all the winners!

Two original Filipino musicals 'Sa Wakas,' which features the songs of the alternative rock band Sugarfree, and 'Rak of Aegis,' which highlights the songs popularized by the rock band 'Aegis,' have succeeded and won the hearts of many nonregular theatergoers, especially the Pinoy rock music fans. 9 Works Theatrical and Globe Live's rock opera AMERICAN IDIOT by Green Day follows the same winning formula. Since the show opened two weeks ago--staying true to the producers' intended goal--it has been attracting audiences, including nonregular theatergoers, to its open-air venue at the Globe Iconic Store in Bonifacio Global City.

Made possible by the producers of the high-octane rock musical AMERICAN IDIOT, Globe Telecom and 9 Works Theatrical, BroadwayWorld.com (BWW) readers Maxine Dimaano, Aundrea Bunyi, Jerico Ranin, and Lemuel Villanueva, together with their guests, scored tickets to the show via a digital lottery. At last night's performance at the sprawling amphitheater within the new Globe Iconic Store at Bonifacio High Street, these lucky lottery winners also had the chance to hang out a bit with the show's producers, cast, and crew.

Repertory Philippines presents its 76th theater season's closing production, Tony Award-winning musical "The Producers," which opens on Friday, November 15 at Onstage Theater in Greenbelt 1, Makati City.

Repertory Philippines for Young Audiences (formerly Rep's Children's Theatre) celebrates 21 years via its third restaging of 'Alice in Wonderland' from last month until Sunday, December 15 at Onstage, 2/F Greenbelt 1, Makati City.

BroadwayWorld.com, the premier theater news website in the United States, in the United Kingdom, and in more than 20 other countries, has expanded, updated, and is now ready for this year's BWW Awards that are conducted simultaneously across all local and international markets, including the Philippines.

Bookwriter, composer, and lyricist Jim Eiler and composer Jean Bargy's stage adaptation of THE WIZARD OF OZ, based on the classic children's book 'The Wonderful Wizard of Oz" by L. Frank Baum, is Repertory Philippines Children's Theater's 20th anniversary offering, which has begun performances on Saturday, August 18, and will run for the next four months at Onstage Theater, Greenbelt One, Ayala Malls in Makati City.

Upstart Productions brings back Off-Broadway smash FORBIDDEN BROADWAY(Greatest Hits), a musical revue that parodies old and new Broadway musicals, at Carlos P. Romulo Theater, RCBC Plaza, Senator Gil Puyat Avenue, Makati City on Friday, August 24 and Saturday, August 25.

Theater actor, writer, and director Gerard Alessandrini's brainchild, the 30-year-old Off-Broadway hit parody series FORBIDDEN BROADWAY, finally premiered at Carlos P. Romulo Auditorium, RCBC Plaza in Makati City last weekend. Joel Trinidad, Upstart Productions' president and the show's director, had picked FORBIDDEN BROADWAY'S GREATEST HITS, which has two volumes to date, and features some of the more popular spoofs of Broadway musicals and theater legends culled from more than a dozen FORBIDDEN BROADWAY editions.

Joel Trinidad, Upstart Productions' president, announced at a press conference on Tuesday that theater bigwigs Lea Salonga, Aiza Seguerra, Nyoy Volante, Jett Pangan, Iya Villania, Nikki Valdez, Markki Stroem, and Gabe Mercado will guest star in the theater company's summer production of Off-Broadway parody "Forbidden Broadway's Greatest Hits," written and originally directed by Gerard Alessandrini, and top-billed by Liesl Batucan, Caisa Borromeo, OJ Mariano, and Lorenz Martinez. The musical will run at Carlos P. Romulo Auditorium, RCBC Plaza on Sen. Gil J. Puyat Avenue from May 11 to 27.

Repertory Philippines' current 45th theater season reaches fever pitch with the premiere of composer Frank Wildhorn and book writer and lyricist Leslie Bricusse's overtly melodramatic, pop rock-laden Broadway musical JEKYLL AND HYDE. However, Menchu Lauchengco-Yulo, director for JEKYLL AND HYDE, along with her team, seems to have been rising above the original Broadway production's bad reputation since the local production opened last weekend. Whereas American critics find Wildhorn's body of work as "gallumphing, dunderheaded musicals that make everything by Andrew Lloyd Webber seems like great art," says Linda Winer of 'Newsday'; Filipino critics find Repertory Philippines' stripped-down incarnation of Wildhorn's most popular undertaking as nothing short of a miracle. "By doing away with the stage spectacle [without the high-tech gimmickry that marked its Broadway run], the focus was redirected to the actors - and rightly so," says Vladimir Bunoan of ABS-CBNNews.com.

Manila theatergoers have until Saturday, March 10, to catch Blue Repertory's production of Off-Broadway musical BARE at Teatrino, Promenade, Greenhills Shopping Center. Theater and film actress Ana Abad Santos directs the production, starring Bibo Reyes and Jaime Barcelon.

Before moving to New York, I taught public relations courses at De La Salle University (DLSU-Manila) Department of Communication, where I also pursued studies in organizational communication and applied media. My alma mater turns 100 this year; and, I'm encouraging you to take part in its year-long celebration. Catching the restaging of the cantata (a vocal chamber work)A FIRE IN THE SOUL, featuring libretto by Vicente Groyon III, music by Von de Guzman, and direction by Peque Gallaga, at DLSU's Teresa Yuchengco Auditorium, 7F Don Enrique T. Yuchengco Hall on Monday, February 27, 8 p.m. would be greatly appreciated.