THE HIT 1984 coming-of-age comedy film Bagets will be revived through a stage adaptation, Bagets the Musical. Open auditions for the show will begin in late July, its producers have announced.
“We are looking for triple threats, those who can sing, dance, and act,” said Maribel Legarda, set to direct the musical, at a press conference in Ortigas on Wednesday.
“The cast will have a mix of new and more experienced talents. We’re really looking for a mixture of sizes, personalities, and energies,” she said.
The coming-of-age musical centers on five friends, played in the original film by Aga Muhlach, William Martinez, JC Bonnin, Herbert Bautista, and Raymond Lauchengco.
Set to arrive in 2026, the theater project will be mounted by the Philippine Educational Theater Association (PETA) at the Newport Performing Arts Theater at Newport World Resorts.
It is produced by Viva Communications, Inc., and the Philstar Media Group through Philstar Next, the group’s division that handles ventures beyond news publishing. The Philstar Media Group is composed of The Philippine STAR, Pilipino STAR Ngayon, Pang-Masa, The Freeman, Banat, and BusinessWorld.
Philstar Media Group Executive Vice-President Lucien C. Dy Tioco said that they decided on this as Philstar Next’s first project because of its intergenerational appeal, with “the impact of the ’80s as a nostalgic return for Gen X and a point of curiosity and fascination for Gen Z.”
“We’re hoping that the younger generations would take great interest because I see a lot of love for vintage among them,” Mr. Dy Tioco said. “There’s a curiosity for analog.”
For Jmee Katanyag, the playwright for Bagets the Musical, audiences can expect the same storyline with all the iconic barkada moments and sing-and-dance numbers to make it to the play.
“Along with the nostalgia for coming-of-age and misadventures in love will be an invitation to reflect. We will tackle serious issues but in a fun way,” she explained.
She added that Vince Lim, the musical director, is coordinating with Philstar and Viva on the songs that will be in the production. So far, they are working on “a mix of foreign party songs, OPM ballads, and a few original songs.”
On PETA’s part, Bagets the Musical is an opportunity to allow Filipinos to “rediscover the gem that is Bagets, and to discover the power of the stage,” according to its executive director, Anj Heruela.
Ms. Legarda shared that people can expect “the ’80s on steroids” in terms of color, movement, and style, but also reflecting the Filipino psyche connected with a strong sense of family.
“We’re really bridging art, aesthetic, and forms, which are always repeating and resetting over time,” she said.
Open auditions will begin in late July until August. For more information, visit PETA’s website at https://petatheater.com/. — Brontë H. Lacsamana
