''Ang Huling El Bimbo: a musical featuring the songs of the most iconic 90's band''
popularly known as ''Ang Huling El Bimbo'', is a
jukebox musical
A jukebox musical is a stage musical or musical film in which a majority of the songs are well-known, pre-existing popular music songs, rather than original music composed for the musical.
Some jukebox musicals use a wide variety of songs, while ...
written by Dingdong Novenario, featuring the hit songs of the
Filipino band
Eraserheads
Eraserheads (sometimes stylized as ƎRASERHEADS or ƎRASƎRHƎADS) are a Filipino rock band formed in Quezon City in 1989. The band consists of lead singer and primary songwriter Ely Buendia, guitarist Marcus Adoro, bassist Buddy Zabala, and dr ...
. It features the lyrics and melodies of at least 40 of the band's songs, including
the titular song.
Dexter Santos directed and choreographed the musical, with Myke Salomon serving as its
musical director
A music director, musical director or director of music is a person responsible for the musical aspects of a performance, production, or organization. This would include the artistic director and usually chief conductor of an orchestra or concert ...
.
The
Manila Philharmonic Orchestra, conducted by Rodel Colmenar, provided the
music
Music is the arrangement of sound to create some combination of Musical form, form, harmony, melody, rhythm, or otherwise Musical expression, expressive content. Music is generally agreed to be a cultural universal that is present in all hum ...
, accompanied by a live band. The
set design
Scenic design, also known as stage design or set design, is the creation of scenery for theatrical productions including plays and musicals. The term can also be applied to film and television productions, where it may be referred to as prod ...
is by Gino Gonzales, with
lighting
Lighting or illumination is the deliberate use of light to achieve practical or aesthetic effects. Lighting includes the use of both artificial light sources like lamps and light fixtures, as well as natural illumination by capturing daylight. ...
by Monino Duque.
The musical premiered on July 20, 2018 at the
Newport Performing Arts Theatre in
Pasay
Pasay, officially the City of Pasay (; ), is a Cities of the Philippines#Legal classification, highly urbanized city in the Metro Manila, National Capital Region of the Philippines. According to the 2020 Philippine census, 2020 census, it has a ...
.
A second production was made in 2019 featuring new cast, and ran from March 1 to April 6,
and again from July 5 to August 18. A recorded 2019 performance was streamed for free online on the official
YouTube
YouTube is an American social media and online video sharing platform owned by Google. YouTube was founded on February 14, 2005, by Steve Chen, Chad Hurley, and Jawed Karim who were three former employees of PayPal. Headquartered in ...
channel and
Facebook
Facebook is a social media and social networking service owned by the American technology conglomerate Meta Platforms, Meta. Created in 2004 by Mark Zuckerberg with four other Harvard College students and roommates, Eduardo Saverin, Andre ...
page of
ABS-CBN
ABS-CBN is a leading Philippine media and content company. It serves as the flagship media brand of ABS-CBN Corporation, a subsidiary of Lopez Holdings Corporation. Once the country's largest free-to-air television network, ABS-CBN has since ...
from May 8 to 9, 2020. It was also streamed on
TFC Online in September 2020, and on digital platform KTX.PH from November 28 to 29, 2020.
Background
Director Dexter Santos first watched the band perform when he was a Theatre Arts college student at the
University of the Philippines Baguio
The University of the Philippines Baguio (UPB; ), also referred to as UP in the North or UP Baguio, is a public university, public Research university, research university located in Baguio, Philippines. It was established in 1921 through the i ...
in the 1990s.
Later, as a teacher at the
University of the Philippines Diliman
The University of the Philippines Diliman (also called UPD; ), also referred to as UP Diliman, is a State university and college (Philippines), public, coeducational, Research university, research university located in Diliman, Quezon City, Ph ...
, Santos requires that his Theatre Arts students perform an hour-long piece based on an Eraserheads song.
Plot
Act 1
The show opens with someone dancing. As the light goes dim, a corpse is shown. The next scene then shows three men, Emman, Anthony, and Hector, having problems with work. (“Poor Man’s Grave”/“Slo Mo”/“Walang Nagbago”). They are then called to inform them that Joy Manawari has died (“Waiting For The Bus”/“Sino Sa Atin”).
Three young men named Emmanuel “Emman” M. Azarcon, Anthony “AJ” F. Cruz, Jr., and Hector Q. Samala are being sent off to college by their parents ("Toyang"/“Waiting For The Bus”), who then become roommates (“Minsan”/“Alapaap”/“Tindahan Ni Aling Nena”).
Back in present day, the police officer questions the connection of Joy to three of them (“Ligaya”). A flashback shows them being introduced to their CAT commandant, Arturo Banlaoi, their student leader, Andre Antonio, and a fried banana seller, Joy Manawari (“Cutterpillow”). Joy lives with her Tiya Dely and they run a karinderya named Toyang’s (“Lightyears”/“Pare Ko”/“Ligaya”/“Shirley”/“Tikman”).
Andre breaks up with Joy because of Banlaoi (“Ligaya”/“Tama Ka”). The trio tries to comfort her, and vice versa (“Huwag Kang Matakot”/“Sembreak”/“Hey Jay”/”Wishing Wells”/“Fine Time”). Back in present day, Banlaoi makes the trio wait for Joy's daughter (“Ligaya”) and her aunt (“Shirley”/“Tikman”/“Bogchi Hokbu”)
Another flashback shows them ditching their graduation rehearsals for a joyride to Antipolo (“Alapaap”/“Fill Her”). They are interrupted by drunk men who then take the trio hostage while they take advantage of Joy.
Act 2
In the midst of graduates, she tries to find the three boys but they are evasive (“With A Smile”). Joy has flashbacks of that fateful night (“Spoliarium”). Banlaoi forces Tiya Dely and Joy to sell beer and girls at Toyang's so the business won’t close (“Tikman”/“Paru-parong Ningning”). Tiya Dely confronts Joy about her late nights. They plan to go back to the province but Banlaoi makes Joy stay behind so she can become his drug mule (“Kilala”/“Balikbayan Box”/“Alkohol”).
Joy is now older, and still works as a drug mule for Banlaoi to provide for her daughter (Ligaya/“With A Smile”/“Spoliarium”). Joy tries to contact the trio to make them avengers but they are busy: Hector with his TV series (“Maskara”). Emman with his work and wife (“Poor Man’s Grave”/“Magasin”), and Anthony about his sexuality (“Kailan”/“Torpedo”/“Kaliwete”). Several women confront Hector (“Walang Nagbago”/“Huwag Mo Nang Itanong”/“Maselang Bahaghari”/“Umaaraw Umuulan”). Joy goes back to the house and writes a letter for Ligaya (“Ligaya"/"Spoliarium”). The trio is seen fighting (“Spoliarium”). Joy calls them but no one answers, and is then hit by a vehicle (“Wating”).
Tiya Dely and Ligaya enter the morgue (“Fill Her”/“Ligaya”). Banlaoi tries to give them money but they refuse. Hector tells Tiya Dely that they would shoulder the funeral costs. Ligaya talks to the trio and they promise to take care of her (“Ang Huling El Bimbo”).
Roles and principal cast
Principal characters
* Joy Manawari - A young woman who helps her aunt run a small eatery inside a college campus. To augment their earnings, she also sells afternoon snacks to the students
* Hector Samala - A rich film student looking to learn more about directing and film at a local college before flying out to attend a film school in New York.
* Emman Azarcon - A provincial student aspiring to become a lawyer. He is the first person in their family to attend college in the city.
* AJ Cruz - A Business Management student abused by his military father for being gay.
* Tiya Dely - Joy Manawari's aunt. She runs a small eatery called Toyang's that serves affordable meals for college students.
* Arturo Banlaoi - A CAT college commandant-turned-councilor who runs an illicit drug trade.
References
{{reflist
Philippine musicals
2018 musicals
Jukebox musicals