REP staging 'Alice in Wonderland,' 'I Love You, You’re Perfect, Now Change' rerun for 88th season
MANILA, Philippines — Theater company Repertory Philippines (REP) unveiled the lineup for its upcoming 88th season which includes a fan-favorite production from last year.
The 88th season is a historic one for REP as it will the company's first time staging an entire season's offerings at its new home the REP Eastwood Theater in Quezon City.
Last season "Jepoy and the Magic Circle" of the REP Theater for Young Audiences (RTYA) opened the new theater with months-long performances while Rep's two other shows — "I Love You, You’re Perfect, Now Change" and "Going Home to Christmas: A Jose Mari Chan Musical" were staged in Makati's RCBC Plaza.
The latter show was REP's first-ever jukebox musical while the former, the longest-running off-Broadway musical revue by Joe Di Pietro and Jimmy Roberts, will kick off the upcoming season due to popular demand.
Menchu Lauchengco-Yulo will once again direct Gian Magdangal, Gabby Padilla, Krystal Kane, and Marvin Ong in the show exploring the highs and lows of modern love in its limited run from February 20 to March 9.
REP is bringing back its Bridge Project in collaboration with the renowned Bristol Old Vic Theatre in the United Kingdom, the longest running working theater in the English-speaking world, to take place this June and July at the Meridian International College.
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The project is a skills exchange and knowledge sharing program between Manila-based artists and established theater professionals from the United Kingdom and the United States through integrated productions, workshops, and masterclasses.
Coinciding with the program is REP's staging of Yasmina Reza's Tony-winning play "ART," a comedy explores the meaning of art and friendship among three long-time friends as conflict ensues when one of them buys a large, expensive, all white painting.
Taking part in the cast are UK-based Filipino actors James Bradwell and Martin Sarreal, both recently starring in the third season of "Bridgerton," under the direction of Victor Lirio who initiated the Bridge Project in 2020.
From August to November RTYA will take on Janet Yates Vogt and Mark Freidman's staging of Lewis Carroll's "Alice in Wonderland," this new production to be co-directed by Joy Virata and Cara Barredo.
Apart from inaugurating the REP Eastwood Theater, REP President Mindy Perez-Rubio noted in a statement that last year was the company's first full season since 2019.
"To show our appreciation, we're determined to make our 88th Season a landmark year, with a full lineup of theater experiences that we hope will contribute to a dynamic and thriving arts scene in the Philippines," she added.
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