It was a banner year for Philippine theater: sold-out shows, original productions, reruns, and an audience that wants more.
When the pandemic struck in 2020, it pretty much dealt a death blow for many in the performing arts. The lights in theaters across the metro dimmed as shows closed prematurely, if they even got to open at all.
Three years later, everything eased its way to normalcy, and the stage found its light once again. But it was 2024 that saw marquees across the city ablaze with shows and original productions, with tickets selling out long before opening night.
Here’s a look back on the year when theater embarked on its next golden age.
Celebrities on the playbill
In 2024, film and TV actors took a huge step out of their comfort zone to carve their own space on the stage. Not that they were cut any slack, put to task by their directors to stand shoulder-to-shoulder with their more experienced castmates. And they were there for it. The likes of Thea Astley, Anthony Rosaldo, Angela Ken, Garrett Bolden, Jr., and Shanaia Gomez, among others, took on lead roles in 9Works Theatrical’s Rent, and Once On This Island, earning their stripes with aplomb.
If there was a breakout star for 2024, it would have to be Sue Ramirez, who was cast as Audrey, alternating with Karylle, in The Sandbox Collective’s Little Shop Of Horrors. This girl’s got some pipes on her, blowing away critics and audiences alike with each show. Let’s hope there’s more theater work on her calendar come 2025!
Don’t be afraid to break your own heart
Two of the most moving performances of the year shared one thing in common—they spoke the words we were all scared to say out loud. Bawat Bonggang Bagay took every emotion we’ve kept hidden, and had Jon Santos articulate it in such beautiful Filipino. Actress Iza Calzado matched that “I see you” energy playing Sugar in Tiny Beautiful Things, in an emotionally-charged performance that left the audience in pieces on the theater floor. Both shows were helmed by director Jenny Jamora, who has a knack for drawing out strong emotional performances from her actors. I’m not crying, you’re crying.
Both shows were part of The Sandbox Collective’s 10th anniversary celebration, along with Little Shop…, much to the excitement of artistic director Toff de Venecia. “It’s been a banger year for us! We produced four shows, launched a new program called Sandbox Co. .Labs, and are moving into our next decade in the industry. We couldn’t have been prouder of the work we put out and the audiences they catered to,” he shared.
OPM (Original Pinoy Musicals)
The past year has been a stellar year for OPM – Original Pinoy Musicals, that is!
PETA’s One More Chance, inspired by the love story of Popoy and Basha, became one of the most successful musicals of the year, ringing in over 120 performances when it wrapped up its second run in October. What the show got right was hitting the sweet spot where the fans of the film and that of the iconic band Ben & Ben meet, all of whom came in droves.
Tanghalang Pilipino also claimed 2024 with Pingkian: Isang Musikal, about Philippine hero Emilio Jacinto. The show went on to win four Aliw Awards, including Best Musical and Best Lead Actor In A Musical for Vic Robinson as Jacinto. “What I love about this year has been the perceptible hankering of audiences for original Filipino work or thoughtful Filipino translations,” shared Jenny Jamora, who directed the musical. “It inspires me even more to use theater as a lens for exploring and strengthening national identity.”
Jukebox musicals are still going strong, with two big shows in the past year. Repertory Philippines’ Going Home To Christmas featured songs by Mr. Christmas himself, Jose Mari Chan. The charmer of a show followed travelers passing through a busy airport during the holidays. Taking the fantastical route was Buruguduystunstugudunstuy: The Parokya Ni Edgar Musical by Full House Theater Company, which had magic spaceships, wizards, and more.
Related story: Going Home to Christmas: Why this Jose Mari Chan musical is the holiday escape you need
Other original productions that had successful reruns were Barefoot Theatre Collaborative’s Mula Sa Buwanand Bar Boys, Tanghalang Pilipino’s Sandosenang Sapatos, and the PETA x ABS CBN collaboration Tabing Ilog: The Musical, inspired by the iconic TV show of the same name.
Related story: REVIEW: ‘Bar Boys: A New Musical’ bursts with talent, but takes on too much
Playing it straight
While musicals were the big ticket shows for the year, a sprinkling of straight plays delivered high marks on the acting and storytelling fronts. Rep brought in a Brit-Filipino cast led by Jimbo Bradwell (who had a small role in Bridgerton) for their season-opener, Harold Pinter’s Betrayal. CAST PH made theater an intimate experience with a powerful take on Shakespeare’s Othello, followed by the more poignant Gruesome Playground Injuries. Tanghalang Pilipino joined in the fray with the thought-provoking Balete, as did MusicArtes with the two-hander The Half-Life of Marie Curie.
Related story: ‘Othello’ is an intense study of the fragile human mind
By request
One of the buzziest shows of the 2024 theater season was Request Sa Radyo, starring Lea Salonga and Dolly de Leon. The show marked a return to the theater stage for both actresses and in a serious acting piece of thought-provoking theater. The wordless play offered a peek into the life of isolation and loneliness experienced by many OFWs daily.
Related story: REVIEW: When kadamay is the ‘Request Sa Radyo’
The play was also the comeback of renowned director Bobby Garcia to Philippine theater, but he was unable to fly in for the show. Sadly, he passed away earlier in December.
Related story: Bobby Garcia’s legacy is reflected in an entire generation of actors he mentored and inspired
The heat is on
What is a theater season without an international tour. This time, it was special, with Miss Saigon, the show that changed the lives of many Filipino theater actors, making a stop in our city. Pinoy pride was riding high anew, with Fil-Aussies Abigail Adriano as Kim, and Seann Miley Moore as the Engineer, Filipino-Kiwi Laurence Mossman as Thuy, and local actress Kiara Dario as Gigi.
Related story: Miss Saigon 2024: I went for Kim, stayed for the Engineer
A for audience
If there is one aspect of theater that experienced a major shift in theater, it would have to be the audience. Musicals are always a big draw but shows like Rent and One More Chance – with its mix of music, celebrity casting, and story – also drew in a sizeable Gen Z and millennial crowd. Many of these kids would even see the shows at least twice to see all possible iterations of the cast. Jamora has this insight to share: “The diversity and volume of the theater audience is growing as well. I hope this will be a sustained and steady increase–a reflection of the enduring nature of the medium.”
An interesting observation from this audience is how they have turned these theater actors into stars, judging from the lines for the now-theater lobby fixture – the meet-and-greet, with social media tags and hashtags to match.
Suffice to say, it’s been an interesting theater season—where theater companies took the stage by the reins and ran with it. Shows were playing across the metro, enough to fill almost all 52 weekends – be it a musical, a straight play or a staged reading. All the creative energy playing out onstage was equally matched by the audience’s enthusiasm. Anyone would be hard-pressed to leave the theater laughing, crying, encouraged, and moved.
“I think this is the first year that we really felt Philippine theater come back to life, and to have been a part of that is truly an honor,” says actress Krystal Kane, who was cast in Rep’s well-received season-opener I Love You, You’re Perfect, Now Change. “It wasn’t in the cards for me to come back to theater this year, but life has a way of surprising you. I’m looking forward to what 2025 has to offer. Hopefully, I will get to be a part of that.” Everyone is too.
Related story: Steps Dance Studio’s ‘Christmas Ballets’ makes us believe in the magic and joy of Christmas
