Following the groundbreaking success of Request sa Radyo, the wordless play that had Manila talking headlined by Tony and Olivier-winning actress Lea Salonga and Golden Globe and BAFTA nominee Dolly de Leon, Tony Award-winning creative visionary Clint Ramos, co-producers John and Joanna Echauz, together with venue host Samsung Performing Arts Theater (S-PAT) represented by its Executive Director Christopher Mohnani, are set to electrify the Philippine theater scene once again with two iconic musicals, Into The Woods and A Chorus Line.
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Together with the late multi-awarded theater maverick and stage impresario Bobby Garcia, who saw Request sa Radyo as his final directorial work, the creative alliance led to the formation of Theatre Group Asia (TGA). Committed to exalting Filipino artistry, TGA is a powerhouse collective of globally renowned and locally celebrated Filipino artists intent on cultivating connections and engaging with Filipino audiences. Ramos describes, “We all had such a great time during Request sa Radyo and saw a particular space we can inhabit within the vibrant and diverse Philippine theater ecosystem. We aim to foster more creative dialogues between global theater artists of Filipino heritage based abroad and talented local artists in the Philippines. It is about learning from both ends and presenting world-class theater by Filipinos for Filipinos.”
Ramos poignantly continues, “This is a vision Bobby was very passionate about. Bobby was the consummate man of the theater. He loved everything about it. It was his life. He had a deep love for artists. He was profoundly proud of being Filipino and championed us with every choice he made. He was very central to the formation of TGA. We choose to celebrate his life and legacy by forging ahead and bringing our aligned dreams to fruition.”
Iconic Musicals
Gearing up for its 2025-26 seasons, TGA announces the staging of the beloved Stephen Sondheim musical Into The Woods in August 2025 and the international smash hit A Chorus Line in March 2026. Echauz hints, “It’s a stellar lineup of both Philippine-based artists and internationally acclaimed talents of Filipino heritage based abroad just like Clint. Bobby was very instrumental in bringing together these great Filipino talents. The ensemble boasts a stunning assembly of Filipino performers, musicians, choreographers, and production stalwarts. It truly is a Filipino dream team.”
Originally serving as co-producers, co-artistic directors, and co-creative consultants, Ramos and Garcia were together overseeing both productions from design, directing, and casting, to putting together the rest of the creative team. Garcia’s long-time collaborator Chari Arespacochaga, with whom Garcia was set to co-direct Into The Woods, now sees this project as a tribute to her creative partner, mentor, and friend. Arespacochaga shares, “Bobby was very particular and meticulous. Continuing the work we started is my way of honoring him and carrying on the spirit of fun and love for the craft we infused in everything he did.”
Garcia directed over 50 plays and musicals in Canada and throughout Asia. The Aliw Awards Hall of Famer and Atlantis Productions Founder spearheaded over 65 productions and served as a casting consultant for several Broadway and West End productions.
Creative Collaborators
Ramos brings decades of experience to the production, having successfully conquered Broadway and the West End. The genius behind Eclipsed, Once on this Island, and the trailblazing all-Filipino ensemble Here Lies Love, Ramos has garnered over 300 production credits, including a Tony award and six nominations. He recently opened the hit musical Maybe Happy Ending, featuring Fil-Am star Darren Criss, on Broadway to rave reviews.
As head of S-PAT, Mohnani, a multi-awarded former principal danseur, has a foothold on the evolving nature of the Philippine theater-going public and welcomes this new theater development. As one of the most prestigious and sophisticated performing arts venues in the country today, S-PAT looks forward to providing a home for these productions and aligns with the shared ideals of championing global Filipino artistry.
Echauz notes, “With our collaborators’ expertise, exposure, and network, we aim to provide a conduit for dismantling the monolithic ideals of what it means to be a Filipino and a Filipino artist. We aim to bridge the gaps, producing excellent theater presentations that resonate with Filipinos.”
Ramos elaborates, “Through theater, we can highlight the millions of ways we live the Filipino experience and broaden each other’s perspectives. Together, we navigate how we can transform iconic works of art like Into The Woods and A Chorus Line and give them more meaning in the context of how we live today. I’m excited about the possibilities.”
Creating Connections
Mohnani emphasizes, “We want to present world-class theater that brings the global dramatic canon to life while placing the Filipino experience at its heart. Through theater, we honor the depth and richness of our history and culture, creating a space where Filipinos resonate within a global context. We want to bridge the gaps and foster connections among Filipinos within the international theater community.”
Advocates for cultivating Philippine artistry, Ramos underscores, “Performers and creatives of Filipino heritage abroad can finally come home, familiarize themselves with their roots, and immerse themselves in Filipino culture. The Philippines is not a tourist destination for these artists. It’s a place where they can work, share experience and knowledge, as well as, learn. For local performers, the creative dialogue we envision can ignite possibilities. It’s an opportunity to see how they can expand their craft, consider alternative points of view, and create art from a more global perspective. By continuing the creative conversations, we can draw from each other’s strengths and collectively expand both taste and aesthetics in the service of the Filipino audience.”
Into The Woods
A departure from the one-woman play Request sa Radyo based on Franz Xaver Kroetz’s landmark theatrical piece Wunschkonzert, the group selects the whimsical musical Into The Woods*, based on James Lapine’s book. The scale sees 18 main characters amidst a fantastical and elaborate backdrop that captures the public’s imagination. Considered a dark comedy, the plot intertwines several fairy tale characters’ exploits tied together by a childless baker and his wife who set off on a journey to break a witch’s curse preventing the couple from having a child. What ensues is a magical visual and audio spectacle that dramatically portrays the impact and consequences of specific choices and actions.
Asked how different this staging will be of this enchanting theatrical piece, Ramos shares, “Into the Woods is a very complex piece. It explores the themes of power, disenfranchisement, broken dreams, hope, resilience, and determination to move forward. We want to lean into the idea of creating a version of Into the Woods that considers the Filipino condition. Our unique lens influences how different our version will be. Hopefully, our context will give more meaning to the already rich work that is this Sondheim musical. We are so lucky and grateful that we got the blessing from the Sondheim estate.”
A Chorus Line
Depicting the trials and tribulations of the unsung heroes of musical theater, A Chorus Line**, is hailed as a musical masterpiece that revolutionized Broadway. It follows the fast-paced and grueling audition process of 17 performers valiantly pursuing one of the eight spots in the show. Creator Michael Bennett celebrates the searing stories of ambition, shattered hopes, and the real cost of following one’s dreams.
This is a poignant tale that the producing team knows all too well themselves.
Ramos intimates, “To me, A Chorus Line is an immense exploration into the craft of putting up shows and making art. It also delves into what happens when we explore individual human lives within this monolith, this unit, this chorus. It mirrors what we are trying to do. We are trying to tease out the different ways of how to be Filipino and A Chorus Line exemplifies that excellently. When you see a chorus, you see one unit. But upon closer inspection, we get to see individual human beings and their respective complexities. The material speaks to the time that we are in, and how we easily write people off. A Chorus Line is a gift that way.”
A discipline close to Mohnani’s heart, he teases, “Additionally, dance! Internationally, we, Filipinos, are known to be great singers. S-PAT is excited to host a piece of musical theater that puts a spotlight on our dancing talent, utilizing movement as a vehicle to unravel a story. S-PAT will offer a platform to some of the world’s best choreographers and dancers. They are living examples of the very values A Chorus Line glorifies: intense love for the arts, profound passion, and razor-sharp focus in working to produce excellent work.”
For more information about Into The Woods and A Chorus Line, please visit www.theatregroupasia.com, or follow Facebook and Instagram @theatregroupasia.
*Into the Woods is presented through a special arrangement with Music Theatre International (MTI), New York, NU, USA. All authorized performance materials are supplied by MTI. www.mtishows.com
**A Chorus Line is presented by arrangement with Concord Theatricals on behalf of Tams-Witmark LLC. www.concordtheatricals.com
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