Synergy 88 Digital, Rebecca Chuaunsu Film Production (RCFP), and Fullhouse Asia Production Studios, Inc. present an original musical about Chinese-Filipinos titled “Binondo: A Tsinoy Musical.” This is directed by Joel Lamangan, written by Ricky Lee with Gershom Chua, and Ejay Castro Deldoc. It will be staged in the Theatre at Solaire from June 29 to July 8, 2018.
The Story
The true story came from the memories of the creative producer, Rebecca Chuaunsu, who can still recall when a Chinese professor shared the story of his eternal love for a Filipina. This story moved her and as a Chinese-Filipina herself, it has always been a dream to have a theatrical narrative that would give a fleshed-out representation of the plight of Chinese-Filipinos. Her first theater mentor, Joel Lamangan, became one of the keys in staging this dream as Ricky Lee also came into the picture when he eagerly accepted to write the book and lyrics of the musical. As a Chinese-Filipino, Ricky Lee admitted that he had noticed the scarcity of literary pieces that highlight the deeper context of their struggles.
“BINONDO: A Tsinoy Musical” tells the story of how LILY, a Filipina nightclub singer in pre-Martial Law Manila, and AH TIONG, a mainland Chinese scholar returning to Cultural Revolution-era Beijing, embark on a journey of great love and heartbreak that begins one fated, moon-lit night during the Mid-Autumn Festival of 1971 in the heart of Manila’s Chinatown.
LILY, a hopeless romantic, finally finds her unlikely great love in AH TIONG, a cynic about destiny, during this night of one of the fullest moons ever recorded and on the birthdate of Ge Lao, the Old Man under the Moon or the Chinese Deity of Love. Vying for LILY’s heart as well is CARLOS, a local Chinese childhood friend of hers who is finally pushed to confront his feelings for her with the arrival of this stranger set on stealing her heart. A triangle centered on different ways of loving and receiving love forms the crux of this story.
Spanning two decades (the 1970s and 1990s respectively) and two countries (China and Philippines), the musical explores how love can triumph amidst racial prejudice and political turmoil, years of waiting and absence, only to grow deeper and change the lives of everyone who dares to put their hearts on the line.
The Team
The musical prides in featuring the country’s multi-talented artists from film, television, and theater namely Shiela Valderrama Martinez and Carla Guevara Laforteza (Lily), Arman Ferrer and David Ezra (Ah Tiong), Floyd Tena and Noel Rayos (Carlos). Mariella Laurel (Jasmine). Ashlee Factor (Ruby), Ima Castro (Mrs. Dela Rosa), Jennifer Villegas dela Cruz (Lourdes), Kay Balajadia Liggayu (Mrs. Chua), Dondi Ong (Mr. Chua), Russell Magno (Mr. Zhang), Elizabeth Chua (Mrs. Zhang), Jim Pebanco, Lorenz Martinez, Khalil Kaimo, Ellrica Laguardia, Rhapsody Li& Tuesday Vargas (Chorus), Jonel Mojica and Joseph Billeza (Ge Lao), Philip Deles and Ivana Villanueva (Swing), and Froilan Dabalus, Christaliza Dabalus (Principal Dancers).
The artistic team of BINONDO, A TSINOY MUSICAL is composed of the following: Joel Lamangan (Direction), Rebecca Chuaunsu (Original Story / Creative and Line Producer), Ricky Lee, Gershom Chua, and Eljay Castro Deldoc (Book and Lyrics), Von De Guzman (Music Composition and Musical Direction), Douglas Nierras (Choreography), Joey Nombres (Lighting Design), and Otto Hernandez (Production Design and Technical Direction).
Show Details
The schedule of performances is as follows: June 29 at 8 pm, June 30 at 3 pm and 8 pm, July 1 at 3 pm and 8 pm, July 6 at 8 pm, July 7 at 3 pm and 8 pm, July 8 at 3 pm and 8 pm. Venue is at Theatre at Solaire
For tickets, call TICKETWORLD at 8919999 or go to https://www.ticketworld.com.ph.
The ticket prices are as follows:
Orchestra Center: PHP 2500
Orchestra Side PHP 2000
Premium Center PHP 4000
Premium Side PHP 3000
Balcony center PHP 1000
Balcony side PHP 500.
For further inquiries, contact Geordina at 0917 546 3401, or Hepzi at 0917 583 0331.
For more updates, follow #BinondoMusical and @BinondoMusical on Facebook, Instagram, and Twitter; visit their website: www.binondomusical.com.
