Congrats to the cast and crew of Binondo the musical closing tonight at Solaire Theater!

This is gonna be a very personal blog post of my very subjective trip. And will write in random order haha.

My Chinese friend Sam Tan enjoyed it more than the Lion King! And he is a musical theater connoisseur so that is a big compliment. Also being Chinoy it makes it very relatable.

Most Filipinos have some Chinese and some Spanish blood mix, so this is a musical for every Filipino to watch. Hope they can rerun it in the future.

Giant effort by Miss Rebecca Chuaunsu to produce, put together, give birth to the story of her uncle. This is a Herculean task. I have produced and directed before and I can relate of the incredible amount of effort that that can be. So thankful for her patronizing iChill Theater Cafe for her auditions and workshops.

I don’t speak Tagalog, I was hoping for subtitles for the Chinese or Tagalog lines hahaha. No luck. Tho I could follow the story line and I enjoyed seeing such talented artists on stage.

Surprised and amazed to see Tuesday Vargas on stage. Knew her from when I was invited as an actor to her TV serie Kano Luvs Pinay for TV5. Her performance in Binondo stands out. She really squeezes the juice out of her funny character. And that was a good lesson for me to watch. She is a star, an artist, a creator, and that shows!

Happy and honored to say hello again to director Joel Lamangan. We worked together in Enchanted Garden TV serie for TV5 many years ago and hadn’t seen him again since. Good job directing Binondo sir. A big cast, very different types of artists on stage (tv, dancers, musical theater actors) and a show born from scratch. It’s clean and understandable even for a non Tagalog speaker like me, so great direction!

Book by Mr Ricky Lee. Very loved in the industry personality. Mentor to many. Never worked together so far. Looking forward to it. Another big achievement because this is a 3 hour musical! And I could see how people enjoyed it and gave a final standing ovation.

Big plus for me was to watch perform, for the first time in my life, Ima Castro. She was Kim in Miss Saigon London and that is a giant title that makes me bow. Great voice and acting.

Talking about great voice and acting we have to bow again for the leading lady Sheila Valderrama. Who is going to portray very soon the role of the Virgin Mary in Guadalupe the musical. So thankful to perform with her soon in that musical for the first time. I am a fan since I saw her perform in Noises Off for Repertory Philippines.

My childish mind was screaming seeing her kiss so much on stage with leading man Arman Ferrer, coz she is the Virgin Mary in the next play hahahahha. And because I know the husband in real life, actor Lorenz Martinez! Jooooke haha this is my ADHD mind doing it’s thing!

Arman Ferrer had a great performance. He has kept on improving since we alternated the role of Ibarra in Noli me Tangere the Opera in 2011. And he has bulked up physically so he is a good romantic lead role candidate. For that reason probably director Baby Barredo chose him to star in Guadalupe the musical next.

Met Floyd Tena, who plays the role of Carlos, the love loser guy we could say? Now I gotta follow his career forward, he was solid on that stage.

Sayang they were not selling the CD coz my friend wanted to buy!

Many friends in the cast, all so talented!

The Artistic Staff 

Book and Lyrics: Ricky Lee, Gershom Chua, Eljay Castro Deldoc
Music Composition and Musical Direction: Von de Guzman
Choreography: Douglas Nierras
Lighting Design: Joey Nombres
Production Design and Technical Direction: Otto Hernandez
Production Management: Fullhouse Asia Production Studios, Inc.
Original Story: Rebecca Shangkuan Chuaunsu
Direction: Joel Lamangan 

Cast 

BINONDO, A TSINOY MUSICAL shall feature the country’s multi-talented artists from film, TV, stage namely:

Shiela Valderrama Martinez & Carla Guevara Laforteza (Lily);
Arman Ferrer & David Ezra (Ah Tiong);
Floyd Tena & Noel Rayos (Carlos);
Mariella Laurel (Jasmine); Ashlee Factor (Ruby);
Ima Castro (Mrs. Dela Rosa); Jennifer Villegas dela Cruz (Lourdes);
Dondi Ong (Mr. Chua); Kay Balajadia Liggayu (Mrs. Chua);
Russell Magno (Mr. Zhang); Elizabeth Chua (Mrs. Zhang);
Jonel Mojica (Matandang Tsino/Ge Lao);
Jim Pebanco, Lorenz Martinez, Khalil Kaimo,
Tuesday Vargas, Ellrica Laguardia, Rhapsody Li (Chorus);
Philip Deles, Ivana Villanueva (Swing)
Froilan Dabalus, Christaliza Dabalus (Principal Dancers)

Ensemble: 
Ryan Caraan, Carlos Deriada Jr., Rence Aviles, Paul Clark, Xander Pineda, Romcel Brinquis, Joseph Puducay, VJ Cortel, Daniel Cruz, Zyrus Imperial, Cheeno Macaraig, Roy Sotero, Dusty Suarez, Randy Rey, Precious Sementilla, Julia Chua, Janine Tolentino, Ronald Policarpio, Ric Mar Policarpio, Kate Jacob, Judy Anne Mendoza, JR Calumpiano, Joshua Orbasido, Divine Dacles, Cheska Quimno.

Again congrats all cast and crew for bringing up a musical from scratch to life!