Tag: theater
Review: “The Notebook, The Musical” Breathes New Life Into Nicholas Sparks’ Novel
Nicholas Sparks’ The Notebook debuted on bookshelves around the world in 1996. Since then, the American novelist and screenwriter has released many other internationally bestselling books such as A Walk to Remember and Message in a Bottle—all of which were adapted into hit Hollywood movies. The film version of The Notebook came out in 2004. […]
“On Your Feet!” Review: The Rhythm Did Get Me
For ’80s kids and ’90s teens like myself, Gloria Estefan was one of the popstars whose cassette tape made its rotation in our household. I remember my parents took me to the concert of Gloria Estefan and the Miami Sound Machine in 1991 at the Folk Arts Theater, where we watched them perform hits such […]
Yemaya Feels Like a Great Novel You Can’t Put Down
9 Works Theatrical took a bold risk for its first production of 2026. After 17 years since their debut production, the company adapted their first straight (non-musical) play, Yemaya. This unfamiliar but Pulitzer Prize-winning play was written by Quiara Alegría Hudes, best known for her Tony Award-winning In The Heights. In the US, she’s widely […]
Spring Awakening in Manila is as Radical as The First Time
In 2007, I bought student rush tickets to Spring Awakening, one year after it officially debuted on Broadway in New York City, and one week after it won eight awards at the Tonys, including Best Musical. It was the first real Broadway musical I ever watched, which is why it has a special place in […]
“Liwanag Sa Dilim: The Musical” Is One Heck of a Ride
There was a conundrum among the writers in my section at the March 6 press preview of Liwanag sa Dilim: “How do we keep our reviews spoiler-free and how long can we go without telling anyone the plot of the musical?” As the official first audience of this new original Filipino musical, we were on […]
“Next To Normal” Looks Grief In The Eye
Mental health may no longer be the taboo topic it was 10-20 years ago, but when Next To Normal made its 2008 off-Broadway and 2009 Broadway debut, the rock musical made waves in modern theater. It won three Tony Awards (Best Original Score, Best Orchestration, Best Performance by a Leading Actress in a Musical for […]
‘Rent’ Manila 2024 is More Than a ’90s Throwback
I may have been a ’90s teen through and through, but I wasn’t mature enough to fully understand the story of Rent had I watched it in 1996. The late and great Jonathan Larson’s rock musical is about a group of impoverished young artists struggling to survive in Alphabet City, East Village, back in the […]
“Every Brilliant Thing” is the Mental Health Play That Did It Right
“If you live a long life and get to the end of it without ever once having felt crushingly depressed, then you probably haven’t been paying attention.” -Duncan Macmillan, “Every Brilliant Thing” I’m always wary of shows that claim to be about mental health. Call me a depressed Grinch, but in my almost 11 years […]
Word Of Mouth: A Safe Stage For Your Stories
This August, I was asked to be one of the 12 storytellers in “Word of Mouth: Unscripted Stories On Happy Accidents” at Habitual Coffee, Makati. The premise: Every month, Word of Mouth gathers around 10 storytellers in intimate venues around Manila. They’re not necessarily public speakers, artists, or performers—just people with stories to share. Each […]