For one Saturday, the Circuit Makati became my second home for a heavy dose of culture and the Arts. And I loved it, as I know this was one of the original objectives for the development, to be a home for the artistic community, and a haven for the performing arts. I caught the matinee show of Into the Woods (ITW), then the evening performance of Side Show (SS). 

Theater Group Asia’s (TGA) Into the Woods is running at the sold-out Samsung Performing Arts Theatre until Aug. 31. While Sandbox Collective’s restaging of Side Show is at the Power Mac Center Spotlight Blackbox Theater, and ends its run on Aug. 17.

The Sondheim/Lapine musical is a dark comedy that takes beloved characters from well known fairy tales, and weaves their distinct narratives into a unique, common storyline. In TGA’s confident hands, it’s told with touches of the Philippines, and boasts of a cast and production made up entirely of Filipinos and Filipino-Americans. It’s a production that’s fit to travel globally; and be a wonderful showcase of Filipino talent and creativity. 

I totally appreciated the attack, and how the musical maximized the ensemble talent that was ‘enlisted’ for the production. Hands down and as expected, Lea Salonga as the Witch was excellent. She humanized the character such that it transcended being the villain of the story, and she applied deft comedic touches to the role. My other personal favorites would be Teetin Villanueva as a feisty glutton of a Little Red Riding Hood, and Mikkie Bradshaw-Volante as the Baker’s Wife. 

Arielle Jacobs as Cinderella was also a standout, and kudos to Director Chari Arespacochaga for turning the two Princes - Josh de la Cruz and Mark Bautista - into campy, over the top interpretations. Nic Chien was a revelation as Jack, proving he’s no Nepo Baby - which, whether unfair or not, will be a suspicion some will have lurking in the back of their minds. And a shout out to Rody Vera as The Narrator, and more! 

It’s a taxing musical to watch in this full version, and I can only imagine what it’s like for those performing. In the afternoon, I watched. My minor criticism would be how, during the songs of non sequiturs, as this involved a lot of movement, entrances, and exits, I couldn’t understand what was being sung; the lyrics were garbled. 

Other than that, this is an impressive production. I’m happy to say that while the presence of Lea in the cast may have meant the full run of this production was sold out in hours, the people who will watch will be treated to a host of other worthy Filipino talents, and that’s always a good thing. 

Side Show is the story of Daisy and Violet Hilton, conjoined twins who were famous during the 1920s vaudeville scene. Directed by Toff de Venecia, the musical features the music of Henry Krieger and the lyrics of Bill Russell. Previously staged by Atlantis Theatrical in 2018, I commend Toff for this radically different staging. Even if one watched the 2018 version, this came as a fresh take on the material. 

Using the limited Spotlight Theater space, and placing the stage in the center, helped recreate the feeling of us watching a circus that’s come to town. Using the screens on the wall, we were treated to an expanding of the confines of the stage for dramatic effect. During the prologue, it was used, along with voiceovers, to remind us that while the action may have happened in the 1920’s, the themes discussed, the notions of exclusion, and shunning or marginalizing those who are different, continue to this day. Kudos to Toff for adding this element. 

Here again, there’s a strong ensemble cast, and if you pushed me to the wall and asked me to pick out the scene-stealer, I would nominate Marvin Ong, who played Jake. His rendition of You Should Be Loved is THE show-stopper. He imbues each of his songs with so much feeling and emotion that it goes beyond hitting the right notes. If he isn’t nominated (and wins) for Best Supporting Actor in a Musical in the coming Awards season, I demand a recount.

If there’s something I’ll comment on (and most likely get some grief for doing so), it’s that the staging of our musicals still leaves something to be desired in the dance/choreography department. Our singing is top-notch, of a caliber that can be brought anywhere in the world. But if we’re talking triple threats, we need to improve on the dance aspect. 

I mention this in passing as I noted that come March, TGA will mount A Chorus Line, and I’ll be very interested to see the casting for this. I watched this with my late mother on Broadway in the late 1970s, and I was bowled over. I loved the singing, the comedy, the drama, and really remember the dancing. We’d meet the ones auditioning as individuals, and get their back stories - the songs "Sing" and "Nothing" are my favorites. Still, when they came together, dancing as the Chorus Line, there was uniformity, and they moved like one organism. I still need to see that in a musical that’s staged here. I only know that kind of physical preparedness and discipline in our ballet companies. 

So I hope you’re one of the lucky ticket holders for Into the Woods. And please be reminded that there’s one more weekend of Side Show. There’s much to enjoy with these two productions.