Philippine Theater is back!

After two years of silence, the curtains of Manila are rising once again!

Three major Filipino theatrical productions are taking the stage in 2022, namely Trumpets' much anticipated re-run of the pre-pandemic hit Joseph the Dreamer, the 2018 hit show Mula Sa Buwan which is a Filipino remake of French romantic-comedy Cyrano, and Repertory Philippines' rendition of the Rodgers and Hammerstein classic "Carousel", originally scheduled for Christmas 2020, but postponed due to the pandemic. PHOTO CREDITS: Trumpets, Inc on Facebook, Mula Sa Buwan on Facebook, Repertory Philippines on Facebook.

After two long years of binge-watching and viewing theatrical productions on screens, the stages of the Philippines are starting to shine bright once again with a slew of amazing and mesmerizing performances in store for us as we approach the second half of the year.

Let's have a look at some of the exciting productions coming our way!

Joseph the Dreamer

(Maybank Performing Arts Center, July 15-31, 2022)

One of the hottest tickets in Manila (before COVID) was "Joseph the Dreamer", which is a religious musical play based on Joseph's story in the Bible, and since it was first played in 1990, it has become one of the most unforgettable Filipino theatrical productions of its time. Starring multimedia powerhouse Sam Conception, it played to packed houses at the Maybank Performing Arts Center in BGC Taguig during its revival run in February 2020. Due to its massive success, Trumpets, the producer of the musical planned that the musical play throughout the Philippines in 2020, stopping in Cebu and Davao, but was called off due to lockdown measures.

Now, two years after the success of the 2020 run, Trumpets is bringing back the hit musical Joseph The Dreamer to a new generation of post-pandemic audiences, ready to feel the dream once again. With a talented all-Filipino creative team and under the direction of the wonderful Paulo Valenciano, Joseph the Dreamer is all set to (safely) amaze, awe, and inspire a new generation of Filipino theatrical audiences. Check out the excitement in the trailer below!

Tickets available now via TicketWorld.com.ph

Mula sa Buwan

(Samsung Performing Arts Center Circuit Makati, August 26-September 11, 2022)

One of the biggest Filipino-made musicals of our generation has to be Barefoot Collective's "Mula Sa Buwan". First staged in 2017 at the Ateneo de Manila University, the show became a runaway hit, spawning several reruns throughout the past few years. It is based off of the Filipino translation of the French 19th century drama "Cyrano de Bergerac", and the musical places the French drama in some familiar Filipino historical settings, namely Manila at the height of the Japanese invasion of World War II. The show follows the love story of Cyrano and Christian, both of which are in love with Roxanne, and they try to woo the heart of Roxanne by writing a series of love letters. As the war rages on, many soldiers who fought for Filipino freedom had lost their love for words and music. Cyrano rekindles the spirit of music and words and it inspires them to keep creating and dream on despite living in a turbulent world. Its message is very timely considering the pandemic and an election year that was so divided and emotional, all of that conveyed musically through the sounds written by William Elvin Manzano, reflecting the many musical facets of the Philippines, from the traditional "kundiman" love songs to rock and pop-inspired motifs. All of these transpired to create a musical that has become etched into Filipino contemporary performing arts, and as the world emerges from COVID-19, it is about time for this to be appreciated by a new generation of theater goers, as it will play at the Samsung Performing Arts Center in Ayala Malls Circuit Makati, the newest state-of-the-art, world class performance venue in Metro Manila. For sure, Mula Sa Buwan is bound to enchant post-pandemic audiences in its limited repeat run this coming August. Tickets will be released at a later date.

Experience all the excitement and charm of Mula Sa Buwan's return in the trailer below.

We Will Rock You

(Samsung Performing Arts Center Circuit Makati, October 2022)

Also gracing the brand-spankin' new Samsung Performing Arts Center at Ayala Malls Circuit Makati this year is the first-ever international production of the jukebox musical based on the rockin' music of Freddie Mercury and Queen. After playing to packed houses in London's West End, it is set to rock the world throughout 2022 and 2023, and it starts its international tour right here in Manila, care of GMG Productions, the same folks who brought us Cats in late 2019, and Matilda the Musical in March of 2020. With Filipinos loving the music of Queen and their appreciation of the 2018 Oscar-nominated film Bohemian Rhapsody, the setting in a world where greats of rock 'n roll have lost to the power of algorhythms and dictating our every interest and the powerful anthems of Queen, this is bound to rock Filipino audiences.

I may not be interested in the music of Queen or this musical in general, but I had to share it as there are a few friends of mine who would love to check this out.

Carousel

(Venue to be announced, November 2022)

Carousel, one of the many beloved classics of the Rodgers and Hammerstein duo and what was supposed to be Repertory Philippines' final show for its 2020 season, but the pandemic forced them to create other plans.

Now that the world is opening up once again, REP has finally given the go signal to stage this iconic musical classic this Christmas season. With an iconic cast of characters and memorable songs including "June is Bustin' Out All Over", "If I Loved You", "Blow High, Blow Low", and "You'll Never Walk Alone", this all time favorite definitely is the perfect ending to such a wonderful year for theater in the Philippines.

The cast and ticket details will be announced very soon.