Lovers of original Filipino musicals have again something to look forward to, as one of the country’s leading live entertainment venues unveils its latest production. With Newport World Resorts’ Grand Bar for its stage, the exclusive preview left members of the media laughing and singing along to the songs of Jonathan Manalo and belted by flamboyant solo and ensemble performers. And that was just a peek into the jukebox musical Delia D., which opens on April 25.
By ANNE STEPHANIE NILO
The musical’s 41-strong cast, together with director Dexter Santos and artistic director Menchu Lauchengco-Yulo, recently brought life and laughs to Newport World Resorts during the preview of Delia D.: A Musical Featuring the Songs of Jonathan Manalo.
Delia D. tells the story of Delia, a drag performer who dreams of making a mark in the entertainment industry by joining the world’s biggest singing competition “Idols of the Galaxy.” Lauchengco-Yulo — also known as the first lady of Philippine musical theater — said that “audiences can expect to relate to the timeless themes of perseverance, family bond, and the pursuit of one’s passion. Anyone who has ever pursued a dream will see themselves in Delia.”
She was also proud of Delia D., a first-of-its-kind in Philippine theater. “It is different from the typical jukebox musical. So, we will be featuring Jonathan’s iconic hits and six new songs that will now be introduced in the musical,” she added.
Songwriter and record producer Jonathan Manalo is currently the creative director of ABS-CBN Music. Some of his most popular OPM hits include the Pinoy Big Brother theme song “Pinoy Ako,” Vice Ganda’s “Boom Panes,” and “Tara Tena.” According to Muso AI, he is the most-streamed Filipino songwriter-producer with over eight billion streams as of March 5.
Santos invited the audience to watch the musical, which he described as “different and exciting.” “In terms of representation, it’s highly inclusive. Masarap makapanood ng isang palabas na makikita mo yung pagka Filipino nating lahat. Ang ating pagmamahal sa musika, ang ating pagmamahal sa entertainment world. (It feels good to witness a show that celebrates our Filipino-ness. Our love for homegrown music and entertainment.) We’re all dreamers here. And also, yung ating pagpapahalaga sa ating kaibigan, sa ating family. (And also, the importance we put on friendship and family.) So I hope you can come. It’s a different experience in terms of sets, in terms of costumes,” he said.
Phi Palmos plays the lead role of Delia D., with Shaira Opsimar and Floyd Tena as Kiki and Sir T, respectively. Tex Ordoñez-De Leon as Mamon, Omar Uddin as Raymond, Sweet Lapus as Eme, Joann Yap Co as Anet, Joshua Cabiladas as Jose and Mimi Marquez as GVB form the supporting cast. The musical will also feature the performances by Rapah Manalo as Jonathan B, Miah Canton as Tonee, Alfritz Blanche as Billy, Natasha Cabrera as Sheryn and Chaye Mogg as Phoebe. Palmos described Delia D. as “full of heart and hard work.”
Delia D.: A Musical Featuring the Songs of Jonathan Manalo runs from April 25 until June 8 at the Newport Performing Arts Theater. Tickets are now available at TicketWorld, HelixPay and Newport World Resorts Box Office. For inquiries, contact Customer Care at 7908-8888 or 0917-872-8237 or email info@fhtcentertainment.com. For bulk purchases and show buyers, reach out to the Newport World Resorts National Sales Team via James Rodriguez at 0917 829 2173 or Jan Paulo San Jose at 0917 810 5031.
For more information on ‘Delia D.: A Musical Featuring the Songs of Jonathan Manalo’, visit www.newportworldresorts.com and follow @newportworldresorts and @nwr.musicals on Facebook, Instagram, and TikTok.
