Philippine theater has lost one of its greats way too soon.
The news broke yesterday that producer and director Bobby Garcia had passed away, to the shock of the local theater community. He was 55 years old, taking with him the creative spirit that has reshaped the stage over a storied career spanning over two decades.
It was but a few months back that Garcia’s name was very much top of mind once again. It had just been announced that Dolly de Leon and Lea Salonga would appear in Request Sa Radyo, an adaptation of the Franz Xaver Kroetz play. The play, which delved into themes of isolation and loneliness, marked his Philippine comeback after four years away. In early 2020, his staging of The Band’s Visit, under Atlantis Theatrical Entertainment Group and featured Menchu Lauchengco-Yulo and Rody Vera, was forced to close prematurely due to the pandemic.
In 1999, Garcia set up Atlantis Productions, staging the rock musical Rent as their opening salvo. It caught the attention of top theater talent, with the likes of Calvin Millado, JM Rodriguez, Michael de Mesa, Monique Wilson, and Ricci Chan, among others cast in lead roles. The show was a hit, giving way to a repeat the following year. Rent went on to do a Singapore run, in partnership with the Singapore Repertory Theatre, where it was lauded by critics as “…better than the Broadway version.” For the company’s 20th anniversary, Garcia staged critically-acclaimed productions of Sweeney Todd, Beautiful: The Carole King Musical, and Angels In America: Millennium.
Tributes have been pouring in on social media, as actors and colleagues express their collective grief and shock, alongside their fond memories of the director. Actress Carla Guevara-Laforteza, who worked under Garcia in Nine, shares “…You pushed me to my limits, made me cry, made me frustrated…but most of all, you loved me, believed in me , and made sure i was prepared for every role you gave me. Thank you for everything, Direk.”
Reb Atadero, who worked with him in The Band’s Visit, posts: “You launched many careers and shaped the industry with your passion and intellect…Thank you for the light you brought, and now, sadly, the light you left. But don’t worry, we’ll make sure to take care of it….”
Director and Angels In America alum Nelsito Gomez, describes Garcia as someone who put his all into his work, sharing “It was a one-of-a-kind ride. Paalam, Direk. Mahal ko po kayo”, along with a transcript of a chat he had with the director. Many more are replete with stories of Garcia’s encouragement to pursue only excellence in their craft—a tenet he embraced in his very own work.
In an interview with Vogue Philippines last October, Garcia said, “That’s the beauty of theater. It provides both audiences and practitioners a chance to escape from the real world for a brief moment.” He does exactly that across a body of work that spans 50 plays and shows in his all too brief lifetime. If time was afforded to him, who’s to say what else this creative genius was to have put forth. Looks like he’ll be putting on a few spectacles on that giant stage in the sky instead.
Broadway got a sense of Garcia’s grasp of the world of musical theater with Here Lies Love, which opened in July of last year. He came on board as casting consultant for the show, working alongside Tony Award-winning set designer Clint Ramos. The two would soon reunite when Ramos brings Garcia the script for Request Sa Radyo, and bringing the show to Manila.
Garcia was set to make his directorial debut at the Stratford Festival in Ontario, Canada, helming Dirty Rotten Scoundrels for their 2025 season. He had to take a step back from the project earlier this month due to illness, with director and choreographer Tracey Flye filling in. On their social media page, they posted a tribute to the director, and dedicating the new production to his memory. “We know the entire cast and creative team…will make his spirit proud of the beauty and joy that he set in motion.”
Bobby Garcia’s legacy can be seen in an entire generation of actors who have come under his wing. With each story told, filled with lessons for a life on stage and off, it is a shared experience of the man not only as a director, but also as a mentor and friend. His memory lives on in the artists he worked with, and in the audience privileged enough to have seen his shows. Rest in power and in peace.
