Finally, a new rock musical

MANILA, Philippines - “The lyrics are stories in themselves. You listen to a Sugarfree song and there are so many emotions – there’s Mariposa, Hangover, Burnout… It made sense to come up with one cohesive plot with those songs,” says Andrei Nikolai Pamintuan, director and co-writer of Sa Wakas, a new rock musical using the music of OPM band Sugarfree.

The idea for Sa Wakas started when producer Charissa Pammit of Culture Shock Productions met up with Pamintuan in New York. “We were part of the same theater organization in college,” says Pamintuan. “This past fall, we were in New York together and she mentioned that she wanted to venture into theater. She wanted to do a passion project using OPM songs and musical theater.”

When Pamintuan, who had been based in New Jersey for five years, returned to the Philippines last October, he and Pammit decided to develop the project.

I contacted my friend Mariane Abuan who is a poet, she is also a Sugarfree fan, and asked her to collaborate and come up with a plot using Sugarfree songs,” Pamintuan shares. A week after that conversation, they had completed the first draft.

“Their songs are so well written, especially the songs that Ebe Dancel composed,” says Pamintuan. “They tell such beautiful stories about different forms of love, be it from sawi, sa in love na in love, hanggang sa break-up. It just made sense to use their songs and create a story around it.”

One of the unique aspects of the play is that it aims to strike a balance between Sugarfree’s distinct OPM vibe and musical theater sound. Pamintuan describes it as “Broadway-fied.”

We wanted to do a fair marriage of both – we didn’t want to turn off the Sugarfree fans, but we also know that there is a staple kind of musical theater sound and feel. A marriage of OPM and Broadway. The goal of this musical is to make musical theater fans aware of Sugarfree and make Sugarfree fans and OPM lovers appreciate musical theater.”

It is Sa Wakas music director Ejay Yatco who Pamintuan credits with adding that special ingredient to the Sugarfree songs used in the play. “Ejay is a genius,” says Pamintuan. “He’s 22, he just graduated from college last year – he’s a management engineering major. But on the other extreme, he’s been trained in classical piano almost all his life.”

None other than Ebe Dancel himself has given the play’s Broadway-fied sound a stamp of approval. “Pinakinig namin kay Ebe and he loved the arrangements and he was quite overwhelmed,” Pamintuan shares. The Sugarfree frontman summed up the new arrangements with one word: “Goosebumps.”

Pamintuan says that they were only planning to acquire the rights for the band’s songs to be used in the play. But when Dancel heard the new arrangements, he became so enthusiastic about the project and became more and more involved in the process. “He was at the stage readings and he’s great. He’s very honest in giving us his feedback and telling us what he thinks and he’s also very involved in the music,” says Pamintuan.

Dancel even wrote a new song, Bawa’t Daan, specifically for the show. “He gives us advice on how to weave the songs smoothly into the plot. He didn’t want to just showcase Sugafree songs. I’m still quite overwhelmed that he’s actually helping us.”

It wasn’t only Pamintuan who was starstruck to work with Dancel. “Ejay was so nervous before showing Ebe his arrangements… he didn’t sleep for two days,” Pamintuan shares. He adds that input from Ebe, as well as others who have seen the show’s drafts, workshops, and table readings have greatly helped in forming Sa Wakas into what it is now.

Developing new material is an added challenge for Pamintuan and the Sa Wakas team. “The challenge is that you’re jumping into the water without knowing how deep it is and you just kind of discover things that could or could not work. It’s a beautiful process, really. We all kind of just let the process unravel before us,” he says. Sa Wakas is Pamintuan’s first full length play. It is also Culture Shock Productions’ first time to venture into theater.

“Culture Shock Productions is a television and film production company that does a lot of lifestyle shows,” Pamintuan explains. “It’s also a risk for Culture Shock, which I admire, because not a lot of companies are willing to take a risk with new material.” The play is co-presented by Fringe MNL, a global art festival for emerging artists that supports new and original works.

Pamintuan notes that it is likewise a risk for the cast involved in the production – Fred Lo, Vic Robinson, Caisa Borromeo, Laura Cabochan, Kyla Rivera, and Justine Peña.

“They’re not afraid to explore, they’re not afraid to make mistakes. They really put themselves in the material,” says Pamintuan. “For them to be part of a show that’s so unknown is a risk for them. The Philippines is used to doing shows that are already established – either shows from Broadway or the West End, or shows that have already been developed through the years by famous Pinoy playwrights. This is something quite indie.”

He adds, “I’m glad that people got on board and we have a great ensemble as well – Mikou David, Hans Dimayuga, Cassie Manalastas, and Abi Sulit are such dedicated ensemble members.”

“It is a risk,” says Pamintuan. “In any venture, especially in theater, you want your material to be understood. You want it to be universal in a way that people can relate to it. We put a lot of ourselves in it. We hope people can identify with the characters.”

While the idea for Sa Wakas started as a passion project for Pammit, Pamintuan confirms, “It’s become a passion project for all of us.”

“It’s a love story – there’s nothing more universal than a love story. Everyone has been loved, or has been in love, or out of love,” Pamintuan adds.

“The show focuses on moments in a relationship... Moments that, when you piece it together, there’s a voila moment in the end.” From falling in and out of love, to taking risks – from the sweet, to the bittersweet, to the sugarfree – Pamintuan and his team brings a new rock musical to encompass all these moments, Sa Wakas.

Sa Wakas runs until April 28 at the PETA-PHINMA Theater, No.5 Eymard Drive, New Manila. For inquiries and reservations, call 911-5555 or visit www.sawakas.com.