Concepcion, Luna to Play Iconic Roles in ONE MORE CHANCE, The Musical

When the buzz of adapting to the stage one of the Philippines’ top-grossing films, “One More Chance,” which starred John Lloyd Cruz and Bea Alonzo, came out, it took the local theaterdom by storm.

Then the cast reveal came. 

Two known theater actors who crossed the mainstream entertainment circuit made it to the lead cast. They are Sam Concepcion and Anna Luna as Popoy and Basha, respectively.

Concepcion said, "I'm still in shock. I will probably carry this with me until opening night!"

"I was thrilled and, at the same time, pressured because this is one of my biggest projects. And with PETA, which I consider as my theater home, I know I’m in good hands," Luna also expressed how she felt upon learning the good news.

Interestingly, Concepcion and Luna didn't expect to do theater and land their roles in this production.

"I didn't think doing a theater production this year was in my cards. But when I learned about the plans for this production, I knew it was something I could not pass up," confessed Sam. 

"I was intrigued by the idea of combining the story with the music of Ben&Ben. The perfect marriage of the two makes the show so interesting and unique."

Luna revealed, "I was unaware they plan to stage this classic film. My theater friends pushed me to audition, and I luckily got the role. I want to thank my friends and family, who believed I could portray the role of Basha.

"One thing that also convinced me was the movie itself. It’s one of the greatest movies of our generation, and I will be very proud to be a part of it." 

Sam Concepcion

The 2007 screenplay “One More Chance,” written by Vanessa R. Valdez and Carmi Raymundo, tells the love story of Popoy and Basha, who have been lovers since college and became a couple. Suddenly, as they try to maintain their relationship, they encounter misunderstandings due to their ambitions in life.

As actors, they were asked about their understanding of their respective characters. 

He perceived Popoy as someone intelligent, sensitive, and caring. 

"He has a good heart, but he deals with insecurity and fear, which leads him to become controlling and overly demanding.

"His intention is good, but his actions can be questionable. He loves Basha but is controlling, to the point of hurting her. He can also be turbulent and be led by emotion, causing him to make rash decisions."

She shared, "I'll base my understanding on the movie. Basha is the type of person who will not settle for less. She's a goal-getter who wants to prove something for herself and everyone around her. She's just like any other woman who wants to be the best version of herself.

"One of the things I admired about her the most was her determination to choose something for herself. She believes in what she does. What I wanted to change about her was her decision not to trust the help of genuine people to help her reach her goals. Maybe I'll discover more of her, and I’m excited to discover Basha during our rehearsals."

In preparing for their roles, they shared:

"Right now, I'm enjoying sitting down and going through the script scene by scene. I'm trying to treat the character like a person. I'm trying to get to know him, and that's been helpful," Concepcion said. 

Luna seconded, " I do physical, mental, and vocal preparations. I always exercise to build my stamina. I want to rest my mind before the work because I know Basha's character is difficult to maintain on stage, and I need vocal preparation to help me sustain myself and be ready for the rehearsals and shows."

As the leads of the original musical, singing Ben&Ben songs gives joy and challenges as performers.

"Ben&Ben has quite a vast catalog, and many of it is in the show. There are a lot of songs to learn, but it's been [seriously] fun. Myke Salomon's arrangement is beautiful," Concepcion said.

Luna also thought: "With ‘One More Chance’ being our generation's hugot film and Ben&Ben's music being the hugot band of the generation, I must say sobrang swak nila. Their songs will help us get through our characters. The challenge is to satisfy the fans of Ben&Ben and the show, dahil magkaibang audience po sila. But some are both fans of the film and the band itself. We’re thankful for the support and trust from the audience."

“One More Chance,” directed by Maribel Legarda, will run from April 12 to June 30, 2024, at the PETA Theater Center in New Manila, Quezon City. 

Photos: Philipine Educational Theater Association (PETA)

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