Premier production company Atlantis Theatrical Entertainment Group announces pop singer and musical theater performer Mark Bautista joining the cast of the Tony and Grammy Award-winning musical The Band’s Visit, which opens in Manila in March 2020.
The 36-year-old singer-actor, takes on the role of Haled, a charismatic musician with a fascination for the music of jazz artist Chet Baker. It can be remembered that this is the role that won Ari’el Stachel a Tony Award for Best Featured Actor in a Musical at the 2018 Tony Awards. Bautista is set to join previously announced lead star Menchu Lauchengco-Yulo in the cast.
Bautista has since beefed up his theatre credits with roles inThe Full Monty, Noli Me Tangere, and, most recently, Eto Na! Musikal nAPO! He also played Ferdinand Marcos in the National Theatre of London’s production of the David Byrne/Fatboy Slim musical Here Lies Love, which he would later reprise that role in the Seattle run of the musical.
The Band’s Visit opened on Broadway in 2018 and went on to win 10 Tony Awards including Best Musical. Based on the acclaimed film, the production tells the story of an Egyptian police band that arrives in Israel to play a concert. After a mix-up at the border, they are sent to a remote village in the middle of the desert. With no bus until morning and no hotel in sight, these unlikely travelers are taken in by the locals. Under the spell of the desert sky, their lives become intertwined in the most unexpected ways.
The production features music and lyrics by David Yazbek and a book by Itamar Moses and will mark its Asian Premiere in Manila. Bobby Garcia, who will be directing the production notes, “I am so happy to have Mark back on the Atlantis stage. He made his English language musical theater debut with us almost seven years ago and has been on a roll ever since. He was everything you could want in a Haled and I can’t wait to begin work on this tender, musical that is so full of humanity. We are lucky to have him join the cast.”
The Band’s Visit is set to commence Atlantis’ 2020 season, dubbed as ATLANTIS TWENTY TWENTY. The season will also feature an all-new revival of the award-winning family musical Oliver! which is presented through a special licensing agreement with Cameron Mackintosh Ltd. and Music Theatre International, and On Your Feet! which is presented through a special licensing agreement with Theatrical Rights Worldwide and Gloria and Emilio Estefan.
The Band’s Visit runs from March 13 to 29, 2020 at the Carlos P. Romulo Auditorium, RCBC Plaza, Makati City.
Rank Magazine is an official media partner of ATEG’s staging of The Band’s Visit.
Show buying and fundraising opportunities are available now. Email shows@atlantistheatrical.com or contact 0917 8381534 for more details.