Repertory Philippines (REP) is reopening its theater doors with the reimagining of the Broadway hit Carousel. The musical is set to run from November 26 to December 18,2022 at the Tanghalang Ignacio Gimenez, making it one of the first shows to run at the Cultural Center of Philippines’ Black Box Theater.
With Music by Richard Rogers and Book & Lyrics by Oscar Hammerstein II, Carousel was an instant hit to both critics and audiences alike and proceeded to win the New York Drama Critics’ Circle Award for Best Musical. It was also dubbed the greatest musical of the 20th century by Time Magazine, and its revivals won several Tony Awards.
Carousel tells a romantic tale between the carnival barker Billy Bigelow and millworker Julie Jordan. In REP’s Carousel, Billy will be played by Gian Magdangal and Julie will be played by Karylle Tatlonghari. It is directed by Toff De Venecia who brings a bold, brave vision for the new generation of theatergoers.
“Today, we stand on the shoulders of giants and take on the challenge of reimagining this classic musical for contemporary Filipino audiences,” said De Venecia in a statement. “Featuring new artistic voices and talent as well as post-modern perspectives, the team boldly dreams up what ‘the best musical of the 20th century’ might look like today. It’s a radical departure from previous iterations, even from what we set out to do in 2020. We draw inspiration from Filipino creativity and the words of the original choreographer and dancer Agnes de Mille – that is, ‘taking leap after leap in the dark.’ This will be the ultimate 21st century test for a 20th century text.”
REP’s Carousel was originally scheduled for a May 2020 debut, and was set to signal REP’s transition to more progressive, dynamic, and culturally relevant theatrical productions under the leadership of Artistic Director Liesl Batucan-Del Rosario.
“I am ecstatic for Repertory Philippines as we return to the live stage and bring the fulfillment of a promise to our REP audiences and communities. It is doubly exhilarating to be able to present Carousel at the newly unboxed Tanghalang Ignacio Gimenez CCP Black Box Theater, through a generous venue grant from the Cultural Center of the Philippines no less. I am beyond excited for Toff’s innovative post-modern contemporary take on Carousel that I know will connect and link this absolutely timeless and deeply relevant material to a new audience,” stated the Artistic Director.
Catch Carousel starting November 26 at the CCP Tanghalang Ignacio Gimenez. Tickets will be available through the CCP Box Office, TicketWorld, and SM Tickets. Ticket prices are P3,000 for VIP seats, P2,500 for rows 1 & 3, P2,000 for row 4, P1,500 for row 5, and P1,000 for row 6. For queries, you can message Repertory Philippines on its Facebook and Instagram pages, or email info@repphil.org.
For more updates, visit www.repertoryphilippines.ph or follow Repertory Philippines on Facebook and Instagram.
