Rep: 50 & counting!

MANILA, Philippines - Half a century of existence is undoubtedly a big reason to brag about. Hence, when Repertory Philippines (Rep), one of the early theater companies that have remained reputable to date, marked its 50th year, the event was a big reason to celebrate. And how!

In a two-hour show at The Theater at Solaire, with 135 performers onstage and seven musical suites that highlighted everything important to Repertory Philippines — from production staff, personnel and musicians to actors, directors and benefactors — 50 Years of Telling Stories was a clear testament of the theater company’s success.

“Let us all be one in theater,” said Repertory Philippines president Mindy Perez-Rubio in her opening remarks. “Let us not compete so we can be a force to reckon with… You can bet Rep will go on telling stories, training Filipino talents and sharing the best of theater for years to come.”

The theater company, which traces its humble beginnings back in 1967, when Rep staged its debut production in Filipino, August Strindberg’s Miss Julie, has grown by leaps and bounds.

“There were only seven people in the audience when we staged our first production,” Leo Martinez, one of Rep’s founders, fondly remembered onstage. “Most performances were done gratis et amore in the early years.”

To date, however, Rep has completed 80 seasons, with 444 theater productions in its five-decade existence. The performances moved from Insular Life Theater to Shangri-La Mall and today at Onstage in Greenbelt, Makati City.

“Never in our wildest dreams did we ever think we would reach 50 years,” said Baby Barredo, Rep chairman emeritus and artistic director emeritus. “But with the grace of God, we have and I hope that Rep will go on putting up more musicals and plays and developing and discovering new talents.”

Rep proudly carries on the legacy left by its founding artistic director, Zeneida “Bibot” Amador,” who undoubtedly instilled strict discipline among her artists. She led the long names of the “In memoriam,” tribute as Rep’s “founder, mentor, director and actress.”

Rep stalwarts directed the seven suites that highlighted the company’s memorable productions. Miguel Faustmann wrote and directed The Dreamers, that also featured him with Baby, Leo and Jorge Ortoll. Audie Gemora and Michael Williams dramatically belted out The Impossible Dream from Man of La Mancha.

Audie directed The Tellers, where he was also the narrator. The segment featured Morisette Amon and Markki Stroem in Camp Rock. The perky production number, One (from A Chorus Line), featured choreographers distinctly led by sisters Terry and Lally Aldeguer, with Joy Virata, Jason Zamora and Enchang Kaimo, among others.

Raymond Lauchengco worked on The Artisans: The Creatives, where his sister, Menchu Lauchengco-Yulo was the narrator.

The Hands: The Unsung Heroes paid tribute to lesser-known people behind the Rep productions. “They were never seen onstage, but the shows were able to come to life because of them,” said Freddie Santos, segment writer and director. Even directors, carpenters, make-up artists, stage managers and technical people were remembered.

Mitch Valdes took center stage in Comedy Tonight, with Franco Laurel, JM Rodriguez, Jack Salud and Red Nuestro. Meanwhile, Pinky Amador led the Putting It Together number.

Michael was at the helm of The Interpreters: The Directors suite, that featured Bart Guingona, Carla Guevarra-Laforteza, Sheila Francisco and Pinky Amador in Finishing the Hat from Stephen Sondheim’s Sunday in the Park with George.

Menchu worked on Repertory Theater for Young Audiences, with Joy Virata narrating. And Monique Wilson directed the In Memoriam suite, that assured The Story Goes On. It was great to remember and see such names as Rolando Tinio, Ella Luansing, Behn Cervantes, Terry Wilson, Eugene Villaluz and Badong Bernal.

The finale featured the original cast of Les Miserables led by Cocoy Laurel, with Audie, Michael, Monique, Miguel, Joy, Rem Zamora and Karla Gutierrez. The veterans were joined by the “new Rep blood” led by Becca Coates (who played the title role in Rep’s recent production, Agnes of God), to signify the “passing of the torch” to the young performers.

In the audience at curtain call, “Reppers” were called onstage to join the more than a hundred performers, so they could all bask in the glory of experiencing the rare moment of taking a bow before the audience.

Over-all direction was by Bart, while Ejay Yatco was the musical director, arranger and keyboardist. - Photos by Gian Carlo Vizcarra