Jackie Lou Blanco, John Lapus join 'Bongga Ka Day' musical

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MANILA, Philippines — Cast reveals for all but one role in the upcoming "Bongga Ka, 'Day!: The Annie Batungbakal Musical" have been announced.

First unveiled were Sam Concepcion, Jeff Moses, and Anthony Rosaldo alternating the role of Romer Pasion, a flirty and self-assured flight attendant who knows he is handsome and is the only son of a well-off family.

KD Estrada was tapped to play Burn, a down-to-earth folk-rock cover artist who dreams of stardom through original music.

Now producers Newport World Resorts, VIVA Communications, and The Philippine STAR — reuniting after staging "Bagets the Musical" earlier this year — have pulled the curtain on the characters to fill the House of Pasion and Coco Banana.

The House of Pasion is the work place of the titular character who operates as a sales clerk or dispatsadora, though she dreams of becoming a designer. Coco Banana, meanwhile, is a Malate disco where creatives and socialites come together.

The musical, after all, is based on the songs of the Manila Sound band Hotdog, which was supposed to be staged six years ago but was postponed due to the pandemic.

Hotdog hits like "Manila," "Pers Lab," "Beh, Buti Nga," "Panaginip," "O, Lumapit Ka," "Ikaw ang Miss Universe ng Buhay Ko," and the titular track are expected to be featured.

New additions

Jackie Lou Blanco and Ring Antonio will alternate the head of House of Pasion and Romer's mother, Aurora, an old-school yet influential fashion designer.

Annie's gay co-worker and best friend, Toots, will be played by Gerhard Krysstopher, while Air Paz-Pablico will play Annie's mom, Suzy, a former employee of Auror who aims to be an Overseas Contract Worker (OCW).

Yani Lopez and Andrea Babierra will alternate as Annie's younger sister, Iste, who has a crush on Burn. The street-smart balut vendor Amor will be played by Akie Cedilla. Amor is a source of practical advice, wisdom, and love directions for Annie.

Completing the new main cast announcements are John Lapus and Dindo Divinagracia as they take turns playing Coco Banana's proprietor Tarurit and the Batungbakals' neighbor Tito Tambay.

Rapah Manalo, Vince Denzel Sarra, MC Dela Cruz, Franco Ramos, Richardson Yadao, Vyen Villanueva, Gerald Magallanes, Mark Panganoron, Jay Cortez, Moi Gealogo, Yahweh Sangalang, Dan Wesley, and Tep Logmao make up the male ensemble, with Manalo as the Burn understudy and Logmao as the swing.

Iya Villanueva, Misha Fabian, Chez Cuenca, Abi Sulit, Paui Luzuriaga,, Sam Marasigan, Coleen Paz, Mica Fajardo, Mia Bella, Abegail Turiano, Yna Arbiol, and Jannah Baniasia are their female counterparts with Villanueva as the Annie understudy and Baniasia as the swing.

All that remains is who will portray Annie Batungbakal herself; the producers are holding off that reveal for a later date.

"Bongga Ka, 'Day!: The Annie Batungbakal Musical," staged with PETA Plus, will run this September at the Newport Performing Arts Theater.

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