The stars of A Chorus Line make the stage their home

By Brontë H. Lacsamana, Reporter

KARLA PUNO GARCIA poured her heart and soul into directing and choreographing Theater Group Asia’s production of A Chorus Line — and it shows.

“I think that the talent of the people that we found to tell this story is just incredible and undeniable,” Ms. Puno Garcia told the media during a press conference preceding the gala night at the Samsung Performing Arts Theater in Circuit, Makati, on March 11. “It’s all very, very exciting.”

For the New York-based Filipino-American Emmy winner, bringing a landmark Broadway title to the Philippines meant tapping into the enviable triple-threat-level skill that Filipino performers had to offer. Adding to that is the fact that A Chorus Line just celebrated its 50th anniversary.

THE ENSEMBLE
The Manila production sees Ms. Puno Garcia place ensemble dancers center stage, all united by their Filipino heritage. She said that it was “wild seeing everyone come together from all corners of the globe.”

“There’s like this incredible synchronicity and richness where you don’t really know where anybody’s from when you watch it,” she explained, “But when they come together and do this material, it’s like they all were born from the same person. I think that’s something that feels very Filipino. We’re all intersections of different experiences.”

Because it is a show about dancers who want to dance, the actors are the best part of the musical, with the entire line technically principals since the point of the play is highlighting them all as stars.

Christina Glur’s Diana gives a solid rendition of “What I Did For Love,” while Brie Chappell’s Val commands the room with her riotous personality in “Dance: Ten; Look: Three.” Mikaela Regis’ Sheila is another standout who manages to flesh out the character with subtle acting choices here and there, while Sam Libao’s Kristine wonderfully leans into the comedic aspects of her role.

What we could have seen more of was Universe Ramos’ Paul, who somehow blends in with the rest of the cast until he emerges out of nowhere and delivers the most emotionally charged part of the musical. It’s a decent raw performance, albeit lacking build-up to fully make its mark.

Lissa de Guzman, who plays Cassie, was definitely the star of the night.

Having played Elphaba in Wicked on Broadway, it’s no surprise she’s well-equipped to handle the stage presence and visceral, emotional desperation that sets Cassie apart. Her powerful vocals and killer dance moves shine in “The Music and The Mirror,” the one piece which I could say fully captivated the audience.

“There’s obviously so many Cassies who’ve graced the stage and are incredible, but specifically the legacy here, the talent here, is unreal,” Ms. De Guzman said, when asked about how she viewed her role in the musical. “It’s so special to be in the room and it’s so elevating to watch everyone do their parts every day. It’s not just Cassie, but the legacy of all the stories that are being told.”

HOMECOMING
For Filipino-American actor and Tony winner Conrad Ricamora, who takes on the role of director and choreographer Zach, it was fulfilling to finally come home to the Philippines — not for the food or the sights, but for the people.

“My dad was born in Cebu. He left when he was 10 years old and never came back, never brought us back,” Mr. Ricamora said at the press conference. “From growing up in the US with not a lot of Filipino representation and fighting through this industry where you get marginalized a lot of times as a Filipino performer in Hollywood and on Broadway, to now being a part of this gorgeous all-Filipino cast, is so healing for me personally.”

Even Miguel Urbino’s set design renders the single setting of the rehearsal room as a full celebration of the bodies on stage, with movable mirror panels that shift around the dancers. It’s a choice that does the music and storyline justice, as Cha See’s lighting design compounds to provide a sense of spectacle and texture to the characters telling, singing, and dancing out their stories.

Of course, Ms. Puno Garcia’s choreography work gives each dancer a chance to play out their arcs through movement. Mr. Ricamora told BusinessWorld that working with her as a director, encouraging and honing the Filipino cast to better serve the material, felt like “coming home in a way.”

On a personal note, being in the Philippines was also a chance for him to reconnect. He went to drag shows at the drag club Rampa, brought his American husband Peter to Intramuros, and watched local theater productions like About Us But Not About Us and Spring Awakening.

“In every new city I’m in, I have to take it all in,” he explained. “The drag scene in Manila is the best. It’s a full show. It feels like you’re watching a Broadway-level show. They’ve got characters, they’ve got costumes, they’ve got choreography.”

His husband took it even further by reading Noli Me Tangere, to fully immerse in the Philippine culture alongside him. “It’s great because he’s white, and it’s good to see him really learning about it all. We’ve been eating Filipino food, too. It makes me emotional,” he added.

While A Chorus Line doesn’t have any Filipino cultural inflections as Theater Group Asia did last year with its production of Into the Woods, the talent onstage reflected a passion, desperation, and heart that was in essence Filipino enough.

Mr. Ricamora’s portrayal of Zach, which starts out as a disembodied voice and figure that is professional and unfeeling, eventually unravels to reveal an emotional core with just as much hunger and compassion as the other characters. He moves from one part of the theater to another, prompting the audience to look around and find where he’s delivering his lines from this time.

This all-Filipino production of A Chorus Line has a similar, probing energy as that small choice. This is a cast of people from different parts of the world, from different walks of life, coming home to a stage where they are searching for something. Whether it’s through song or dance or scenes of confrontation, we as viewers get the feel that the performers eventually learn something from the experience.

For us, the takeaway may be as simple as walking out of the theater with “One (Singular Sensation)” stuck in your head — all the way home! — but for Karla Puno Garcia and this strong Filipino cast, there’s a sense of belonging that will surely stay.

A Chorus Line has performances until March 29 at the Samsung Performing Arts Theater at Circuit Makati. Tickets are available through TicketWorld with prices ranging from P900 to P5,500.