IF YOU enjoy singing along to Parokya ni Edgar’s “Bagsakan”, “Mr Suave”, “Harana”, “Inuman Na”, “Buloy” and “This Guy’s in Love with You, Pare”, then you already have half of the reasons why you’ll love the latest musical production of Newport World Resorts and Full House Theater Company, “Buruguduystunstugudunstuy: Ang Parokya ni Edgar Musical”, which opened last April 26 at the Newport Performing Arts Theater in Pasay City.
Last weekend, Newport World Resorts and Cebu Pacific invited select lifestyle media and content creators from Cebu, Iloilo, and Davao (this writer included) to watch this rock opera-esque musical that tells the trippy tale of 4 women (a PWD high school student, a brokenhearted rich matron, a desperate scavenger, and a lady guard named Girlie) who coincidentally share the same birthday.
I’m not gonna give any spoilers but for me, the musical has surprising hints of “The Wizard of Oz”, “Bill and Ted’s Excellent Adventure” and “The Chronicles of Narnia” with a touch of Tim Burton, then set to the entire catalog of Parokya ni Edgar’s fun, relatable – often quirky – music. More than just being reminiscent of the said films, it is a unique and hilarious musical experience with the heart and humor of Pinoy storytelling.
“You can’t make a musical around the songs of Parokya ni Edgar without fully embracing their distinctive and oftentimes, out-of-this-world playfulness, humor, and irreverence. And that’s what the production set out to capture in creating this musical – an out-of-this-world story that, at its heart, is very much Filipino,” said Newport World Resorts president and CEO Kingson Sian.
This Dexter M. Santos-directed musical said to be the most expensive Filipino stage production to date, is fronted by a powerhouse cast led by Kyle Napuli, Marynor Madamesila, Natasha Cabrera, Tex Ordonez de Leon, Noel Comia, Jr (who was just a child actor not-too-long-ago in Maja Salvador’s “Niña Niño” teleserye), and of course, the unstoppable Pepe Herrera, last seen in “Rak of Aegis”, “FPJ’s Ang Probinsyano”, and recently, in the highest grossing Filipino film of all time, “Rewind”.
Newport World Resorts and Full House Theater Company were also the same team behind the highly successful “Ang Huling El Bimbo”, a groundbreaking musical based on the songs of The Eraserheads, which premiered in 2018, followed by a successful 2019 and 2023 runs.
To complete the fantastical “Buruguduystunstugudunstuy” experience, Holiday Inn Express Manila is offering a staycation package that includes accommodation, breakfast buffet, signature welcome drinks, and guaranteed tickets for the musical for two (perfect for out-of-towners), while Sheraton Manila Hotel’s Watch & Dine bundle treat includes two buffet vouchers and two tickets to the musical. Check out their socials for details.
