A Chorus Line may just be one of the most challenging musicals to perform: as a dance-heavy production, it requires a cast of triple threats who can sing, act, and move gracefully onstage. Theatre Group Asia (TGA) gathered some of the best triple threats from across the country, including Filipinos from abroad, to light up the stage for its production of A Chorus Line. The result is a powerful cast whose incredible dancing delivers a singular sensation.
Photo: Theatre Group Asia
Celebrating the 50th anniversary of the Broadway classic, A Chorus Line brings to life the stories of performers vying for a place in a Broadway production. The show is an ode to dedication, perseverance, and the ensemble’s artistry. A Chorus Line holds a rare distinction as one of the few to have won the Pulitzer Prize for Drama alongside multiple Tony Awards, including Best Musical, Best Direction, and Best Choreography.
TGA’s production is noteworthy for featuring Filipino talents who have made it big on the international stage. Leading the cast are Tony Award nominee and two-time Grammy Award nominee Conrad Ricamora as Zach and Filipino-American Broadway triple threat Lissa DeGuzman as Cassie.
Ricamora played Ninoy Aquino and Abraham Lincoln in the Broadway productions of Here Lies Love and Oh, Mary!, as well as Seymour Krelborn in the Off-Broadway revival of Little Shop of Horrors. DeGuzman, meanwhile, is known for being the first Filipina actress to play Elphaba in the Wicked national Broadway tour. A Chorus Line is directed and choreographed by Emmy Award-winner Karla Puno Garcia.
Photo: Theatre Group Asia
While TGA’s production is anchored by theatre heavyweights, A Chorus Line‘s strength is the collective talent of the cast. Like the characters who compete for a role in a Broadway chorus, the show is at its best when they all perform together in group numbers.
It’s mesmerizing to see the 20-strong cast dancing as one, and amazing how precisely they move. This writer swears that their feet are all at the same height when they do their kickline, which, he may add, is done in perfect synchronization.
Some exceptional numbers include the opening “I Hope I Get It,” when the cast showcases their dancing prowess, the montages (“Hello Twelve, Hello Thirteen, Hello Love” and “Gimme the Ball”), and “One.” Kudos to Puno Garcia and associate choreographer JM Cabling for creating splendid routines.
Still, some cast members stand out. DeGuzman was brilliant as Cassie, an experienced dancer and soloist willing to go back to square one by joining the chorus line. Her solo number, “The Music and the Mirror,” is one of the musical’s highlights, showcasing her singing, dancing, and acting.
Photo: Theatre Group Asia
Rapah Manalo was a showstopper as the almost-kindergarten teacher, Richie Walters, in “Gimme the Ball.” Stephen Viñas was charming as the oddball Bobby Mills in “And…” Jordan Andrews was charismatic as Al Deluca, who is auditioning with his tone-deaf wife, Kristine Urich-DeLuca, played by Sam Libao. Libao makes sounding off-key look good in “Sing!”
Ricamora plays Zach, the show’s director. The role was refreshingly warm, completely unlike the stereotypical leader who shouts, curses, and diminishes his cast. Ricamora, who already has a gentle aura, is the perfect Zach.
Photo: Theatre Group Asia
Rounding out the cast are Filipino-American seasoned dancer and performer Christina Glur as Diana Morales; Orlando-born theater performer Michaela Marfori as Bebe Benzenheimer; New York-based theater actor Angelo Soriano as Mike Costa; performer and playwright Mikaela Regis as Sheila Bryant; Filipino-American dancer, singer, and choreographer Ken San Jose as Mark Anthony; multidisciplinary performer Lord Kristofer Logmao as Frankl; theater actress and dancer Iya Villanueva as Maggie Winslow; Filipino-American theater actor and dancer Universe Ramos as Paul San Marco; Hong Kong-based theater performer Brie Chappell as Val Clark; dancer and dance teacher Julio Laforteza as Don Kerr; two-time Gawad Buhay awardee, dancer, educator, and choreographer Richardson Yadao as Larry; New York-based Filipino-American performer Jessica Carmona as Connie Wong; performer, vocalist, and host Alyanna Wijangco as Judy Turner; and Luca Olbes, who makes his professional theater debut as Greg Gardner.
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They are joined by theater actress Anyah Therese de Guzman as the female swing and theater actor Franco Joaquin Ramos as the male swing. Also joining the lineup are Winchester Lopez as Tom, Jim Andrew Ferrer as Butch, Rofe Villarino as Victor, drag performer and dancer Vince Denzel Sarra as Roy, Paulina Luzuriaga as Tricia, and Anna Del Prado as Lois Dillettente.
The full cast was selected through an extensive global search spanning New York and key Philippine cities, culminating in an intensive Manila bootcamp led by Puno Garcia.
Photo: Theatre Group Asia
A Chorus Line‘s set is also beautiful. The setting transforms from a bare studio to a dazzling stage decked with flashy lights and mirrors. London and New York–based set designer Miguel Urbino did a wonderful job on stage.
The rest of the production is just as impressive: New York-based costume designer Kat Ibasco handled the looks; lighting design is led by Cha See, the first Filipina to head lighting design for a major Broadway production with Oh, Mary!; and sound design is by Megumi Katayama, fresh from her recent work on New York City Center’s Encores! series. Bringing Marvin Hamlisch’s iconic score to life is music director Farley Asuncion.
Performances of A Chorus Line run from March 12 to 29, 2026, with shows scheduled on Thursdays and Fridays at 7:30 p.m., and on Saturdays and Sundays at 2:00 p.m. and 7:30 p.m. at the Samsung Performing Arts Theater in Circuit Makati. Tickets are available via TicketWorld, priced from ₱900 to ₱5,500.
For more information, visit theatregroupasia.com, follow @theatregroupasia on Instagram, or like the official Theatre Group Asia Facebook page.
A Chorus Line is presented in arrangement with Concord Theatricals on behalf of Tams-Witmark LLC.
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