After a prolonged hiatus due to the pandemic, the theatrical arts are finally making a comeback as the highly-anticipated Ang Huling El Bimbo the Musical returns to the live stage with new choreography, cast members, and a familiar but evolved plot to cater to reflect the present.
This cultural phenomenon, since it first premiered in 2018, quickly rose to prominence throughout the Philippines, capturing the hearts of audiences with its evocative narrative, hauntingly beautiful music, and exceptional production quality. Following more than a year of postponements and cancellations, this production is poised to make an unforgettable comeback, promising once again to captivate audiences with its resonant themes and transcendent performances.
In a press preview set on the lead up to its opening just last April 21, the cast and creatives of the revered musical divulge details of the revitalized concept and production of the play, promising to leave audiences yearning for more.
Revisiting the original works of AHEB during 2018 to 2019 will always be fulfilling for director and choreographer, Dexter Santos. Theater at its core matures over time—becoming more artistic and updated with choices in terms of casting, production quality, stage designs, and plotting the narrative while keeping the musical’s soul intact.
“I think the beauty of theater is that no two performances are the same. As we go on rehearsing, we’re discovering new things in terms of the narrative. it’s not really an overhaul, but it’s a matter of improving and enhancing the production. But of course, since the theater is alive, hindi kami papayag na it’s gonna be the same,” Santos shares.
Image courtesy of Full House Theater Company
Passing the torch in developing choreography in its 2023 run to the newly appointed choreographers, Stephen Viñas and Fritz Esase, who have pledged to bring forth an updated stage performance that is sure to captivate audiences both as an aid to the narrative and a visual delight for fans who are looking to experience the musical once more and for the first time since the curtains rose once more following years of isolation and distance.
“For this new batch of cast, we were able to utilize their skills and strengths. Maybe 90 percent of the choreography of ‘Ang Huling El Bimbo’ 2018-2019, medyo tin-weak namin most of the numbers so medyo kakaiba,” Viñas shares.
“We’ve been under the tutelage of Sir Dex (Santos), ever since we were in college, so we’ve always been working hand in had, ever since as a student and now working in professional theater, so we were just very grateful to be able to get this opportunity to flesh out these ideas and to amplify it,” adds Esase on the grander, even more dynamic production quality in terms of choreography, following its original award-winning staging from its previous runs.
The esteemed musical director and arranger, Myke Salomon, shares his sentiments on the long wait that led to the return to the live stage and performing in front of an actual audience. “It’s so surreal na nandito kami ulit dahil na-trap kami ng ilang taon sa Youtube. And we are all excited to do this live para doon sa mga bagong naka-discover ng theater sa Pilipinas.”
He furthers, “Maraming bagong audience ngayon. From 1080p, we are now in this new and original resolution—the live resolution. Excited kaming makita silang lahat promoting Filipino musicals.”
“It’s very exciting because all of the cast members bring something new. So, kahit na nagawa na namin ‘to dati, iba [siya].” Salomon adds. As previous members of the ensemble from the 2018, 2019 have now been replaced with new faces and talent to a reinvigorated piece that’s to be shared to its already-loyal fanbase, including those who have been introduced to it virtually in 2020,, Salomon promises a new stage of exciting performances with the same songs that we love from OPM legends Eraserheads, but with a new cast in tow.
Image courtesy of Full House Theater Company
The entire ensemble of the beloved jukebox musical talk of the whirlwind of emotions on the idea of returning to the live stage, where actual audiences now sit before them, replacing the once remote viewership behind screens.
Despite not being able to perform in its premiere cast in 2018, little did fans of the production know that even in the smallest of ways, lead actress Gab Pangilinan, would play a vital role in setting the the musical in motion, in the form of vocals in filler tracks for songs arranged by partner Salomon. who in turn, served as the face of Philippine theater to those who have only discovered the beauty and power of Filipino-born and bred productions through the iconic and record-breaking streaming that the show had in 2020, is delighted to finally be part of AHEB in 2019.
“I am just very grateful [to have joined] the 2019 cast, especially of course, ‘Ang Huling El Bimbo’ has been one of the most, I guess, defining productions to many Filipinos because a lot of these new fans got to experience the world of theater in their homes at the time of the quarantine. It makes it all the more exciting that we get to return and relive this experience with new fans in a live setting,” Pangilinan shares.
“Gab and I actually never got to do the show together,” award-winning actor and director Topper Fabregas says when asked about returning to the role he has long played in 2018 as young Anthony.
“I didn’t get to come back for the 2019 [run], and that is actually one of our biggest heartbreaks. So, to be able to come back to it and play with new people and also to bring aspects of my friendship with Gab has been really wonderful and easy. I love working with friends and having easy chemistry with Anthony (Rosaldo), whom I just met, and Paw (Castillo) who was in the ensemble in 2019 and now he steps into the role of Emman. So, that’s really such an emotional investment and you really see it [from him]. He really wanted to play the role and he really went for it.”
Image courtesy of Full House Theater Company
“There’s a right place and time for everything,” shares Castillo, who now plays one of the lead characters in the musical. “Nagsimula ako dito as ensemble. At hindi ako nagsisi na hindi ako nakuha [before]. It’s just the right time that I’m doing Emman now. [At sa lahat ng mga kasama ko], it’s the right time, it’s the perfect time that we are mounting AHEB now and everyone is here for a very very good reason. Ginusto namin ito.”
Making his return to the role of present-day Hector, award-winning theater actor Gian Magdangal talks about the beauty of capturing the renewed spirits of a fresh collection of established and rising actors who are set to shape the run an all-new experience.
“Being able to do this again is very overwhelming, but I am really excited for people to see the show again, but at the same time, see a new show talaga kasi it’s always different–every rehearsal is different, every show is going to be different, everybody is at the edge and the audiences are really going to be [in for a shock] by this experience, especially with the story and the chemistry working with new people I’ve never worked with. I’ve always wanted to work with Niño (Alejandro), and Anthony [Rosaldo] as well, so the energy is new.”
Highlighting the value of bringing the AHEB story that had been made available to more audiences at the height of the pandemic, Magdangal notes, “A lot of people haven’t seen live theater. When they streamed it, andaming nagsasabi, ‘Ano po iyan? Bakit kumakanta? Bakit sumasayaw?’ Andaming may hindi alam kung ano ang musical theater. The numbers show and the comments and the feedback of the people have shown.”
Image courtesy of Full House Theater Company
He continues, “We are just excited for the new fans of theater to see something and experience something like this and to introduce musical theater na pinaghihirapan ng maraming Pilipinong aktor at mga dancers, especially with this story. And I am very thankful to Full House Theater Company, and Newport World Resorts for this humbling experience to bring theater back again.”
Building the well-oiled machine that make up the restaging of AHEB this year are a roster of established and rising names in musical theater who are taking on key roles in the lead cast and the ensemble. Joining Magdangal and other returning actors revisiting their roles are Jamie Wilson as the notorious ROTC instructor-turned-politician Arturo Banlaoi, and the Leonor Will Never Die breakout international star Sheila Francisco as Tiya Dely.
Beefing up the formidable lead cast include folk musician and now theater actor Bullet Dumas as present-day Emman, seasoned theater actor Nino Alejandro as Anthony, and trained opera singer and voice teacher Katrine Sunga, playing the lead role of Joy.
Image courtesy of Full House Theater Company
As we have previously reported, the ensemble now includes Teetin Villanueva, Anna Francesca Quimno, Natasha Cabrera, Miah Canton, Julia Santiago, Kalaylah Villanueva, Mica Fajardo, Cara Barredo, Liway Perez, and Abi Sulit as members of the female ensemble. As such, the male ensemble include Jep Go, Red Nuestro, Rapah Manalo, Jasper Jimenez, Stephen Viñas, Jules Dela Paz, Eduardson Evangelio, Mark Anthony Grantos, Gie Onida, Jordan Andrews, Joshua Bajado, Francis Gatmaytan, Rofe Villarino, Emmerson Evangelio, and Fritz Esase.
Aside from ensuring an amped up version of the already-beloved production, through a fresh set of people behind it, the making of “Ang Huling El Bimbo” also helped foster the organization’s growth, making the overall production much more authentic and heartfelt.
While the previous runs of “Ang Huling El Bimbo” captured many theater fans’ hearts, who’s to say that this new run in 2023 won’t be just as amazing and then some? Through growth, change, and passion in performing and in storytelling, this new musical overdrive will be amazing and we’re here for it!
Rank Magazine is a premier media partner of “Ang Huling El Bimbo”.
#AHEB2023 runs from April 21 to July 2023 in the Newport Performing Arts Theater in Newport World Resorts.