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Manila Bulletin devider Entertainment devider Celebrities devider Team 'Woods' is in town!

Team 'Woods' is in town!

Published Aug 6, 2025 08:41 am
The cast of 'Into the Woods'
The cast of 'Into the Woods'

Theater Group Asia (TGA) was happy to mount a media event for their forthcoming show, Into the Woods. This Steven Sondheim classic, which was first staged in 1986, will be the first official TGA production, and it sold out in less than two hours, moving the producers to add shows.

So as it stands, the musical will run from Aug. 7 to Aug. 31 at the Samsung Performing Arts Theater at Circuit Makati. Shows on Thursdays to Sundays are at 7:30 pm, and there are 2 pm matinees on Saturdays and Sundays. Chari Arespacochaga directs, and she was joined on stage by TGA Overall Artistic and Creative Director Clint Ramos, and TGA Executive Director Chris Mohnani. First order of the day during the press con was to mention the late Bobby Garcia, and how so much of TGA is driven by his vision, and it’s about paying respect to his legacy in Philippine theater.

Nic Chien and Lea Salonga
Nic Chien and Lea Salonga

The vision is really about showcasing Filipino talent as global-worthy, and the dream is that one day, it’s a TGA production that can be touring the region. It’s fine to have foreign touring companies coming out of Australia doing runs here. Still, it begs the question of how, given the talent of the Filipino stage performer, we can’t be doing the same and offering productions that we mount.

Chris Mohnani, Chari Arespacochaga, and Clint Ramos
Chris Mohnani, Chari Arespacochaga, and Clint Ramos

For Into the Woods, the hottest ticket in town this month, the cast is led by none other than Lea Salonga. Her son, Nic Chien, is in the cast - the first time the two are working together. And we also have Eugene Domingo, Arielle Jacobs, Josh de la Cruz, Nyoy and Mikkie Volante, Mark Bautista, Carla Guevara-Laforteza, and Rody Vera, among others, in the ensemble.

Rody Vera
Rody Vera

Chorus Line is set for March 2026, and its indicators of how serious TGA is in presenting world-class theater by Filipinos for Filipinos.

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