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Tag: Rody Vera

  • Rody Vera Cast as Older Noah in The Notebook, The Musical

    Rody Vera Cast as Older Noah in The Notebook, The Musical

    Theatre Group Asia (TGA) proudly announces that renowned playwright, screenwriter, actor, and singer Rody Vera will take on the role of Older Noah in its highly anticipated international premiere of The Notebook, The Musical.

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    A towering figure in contemporary Philippine theater, Vera has spent over four decades helping shape the country’s cultural landscape through his various artistic endeavors as a performer, writers and cultural voice. His career has traversed the worlds of theater, film, television, literature, and advocacy, making him one of the rare artists whose influence extends both onstage and behind the scenes.

    As an actor, Vera has delivered memorable performances across generations of Philippine theater. He first gained prominence onstage in productions such as PETA’s Kahapon, Ngayon at Bukas and the landmark musical 1896, where he portrayed Andres Bonifacio. Over the years, he has built a body of work encompassing both Filipino classics and international repertoire, appearing as Padre Damaso in Noli Me Tangere, The Musical, Edgar Jopson in EJ, Ang Pinagdaanang Buhay nina Evelio Javier at Edgar Jopson, Iago in Otelo, Reuven in Mga Mansanas sa Disyerto, Gov. Danforth in The Crucible, and Bobby Gonzales in Mario O’Hara’s Stageshow, a performance that earned him the Gawad Buhay! Award for Best Featured Actor. Audiences have continued to embrace Vera’s performances, from his role as Fernan in the hit musical Rak of Aegis to Tawfiq in the Philippine production of The Band’s Visit, and his performance in Tiny Beautiful Things. Most recently, he is most known for his role as The Narrator in TGA’s phenomenally successful staging of Into The Woods alongside Lea Salonga, Eugene Domingo, and Arielle Jacob. 

    Internationally, Vera has collaborated extensively with Singapore’s renowned The Necessary Stage, appearing in productions such as Mardi Gras, Top or Bottom, Good People, The Year of No Return, and most recently Old Gaze at Victoria Theatre in Singapore. His international work has also brought him to Hong Kong, Romania, Hungary, Tokyo, and New York, where he participated in productions and collaborative projects exploring the intersections of culture, identity, and performance across borders.

    TGA Creative and Overall Artistic Director Clint Ramos remarks, “Rody Vera is one of the most important theater artists of our time. He is a master storyteller whose artistry is rooted in compassion, intelligence, and an extraordinary understanding of the human experience. As Older Noah, he brings a lifetime of wisdom, emotional truth, and theatrical excellence to a role that demands all three. We are honored to welcome him to The Notebook.”

    For Vera, the role resonates deeply with the musical’s central themes of memory, devotion, and enduring love. “The Notebook reminds us that love is not only found in grand gestures but in the choices we make every day to remember, to stay, and to care with patience and loyalty ,” he reflects. “What moves me most is how the story finds beauty even in fragility. I am grateful for the opportunity to tell this story alongside Celeste Legaspi and this remarkable company of artists. And I’m very proud to be part of this musical’s international premiere.”

    His casting as Older Noah alongside the previously announced Celeste Legaspi as Older Allie brings together two of Philippine theater’s most respected and beloved artists. Together, they anchor a multigenerational cast that also includes Morissette as Middle Allie, Laurence Mossman as Middle Noah, Sheena Belarmino as Young Allie, and Benedix Ramos as Young Noah.

    Based on the bestselling novel by Nicholas Sparks and the beloved film adaptation, The Notebook, The Musical is a sweeping story of love that endures across decades, memory, and circumstance. Featuring music and lyrics by Ingrid Michaelson and a Tony Award-nominated book by Bekah Brunstetter, the musical has captivated audiences worldwide with its intimate portrayal of a love that evolves through youth, adulthood, and old age.

    With Rody Vera bringing his impassioned artistry, humanity, and lifetime of theatrical achievement to the role, TGA’s production promises a moving and unforgettable portrait of one of literature’s most enduring love stories.

    For more information, visit TGA’s website www.theatregroupasia.com, Instagram @theatregroupasia, or Facebook page https://www.facebook.com/theatregroupasia.

    Watch Rody Vera’s Performance of “Iron in the Fridge” from The Notebook: The Musical

  • Rody Vera’s Walang Aray is Severino Reyes’ Walang Sugat Born Anew

    Philippine Educational Theater Association (PETA), makes a big comeback to live performances with an all-new original Filipino musical, Walang Aray.

    Playwright Rody Vera reveals that Walang Aray was originally written in 2007 as a screenplay commissioned by Jun Reyes, the award-winning filmmaker, veteran advertising director, and founder of top creative content agency Indie.Go Media. Fittingly so, Reyes is the great-grandson and creative heir of Severino Reyes, who wrote the famous 1898 zarzuela Walang Sugat, on which Walang Aray is based.

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    The Indie.Go Media film project, however, did not push through as originally planned, as Vera tells, “I had so much fun writing the screenplay, but unfortunately, the cost of doing such a wonderful musical film was much too high. The piece was shelved and for more than ten years it remained in the ‘baul’.”

    In 2018, Vera presented Walang Aray to PETA, and Artistic Director Maribel Legarda suggested having original music for the show instead of the initial plan of using OPM songs. “At first, I was a bit reluctant, saying that choosing which OPM song to sing was integrally part of the whole style and tone of the screenplay. But when Vince Lim churned out his first few songs, I was conVinced,” Vera enthused. After much adjustment and revisions to translate the musical from screen to stage, Walang Aray was first performed in a PETA Lab show in 2018 and 2019 under the direction of Ian Segarra with original music and musical direction by Vince Lim, generating an enthusiastic and positive response from audiences and critics alike.

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    Vera’s updated stage version of Walang Aray is literature and history brought to life in the most cutting-edge and entertaining way, as the musical masterfully blends the timelessly old with modern terminology, funk and pop music, and tongue-in-cheek comedy.

    It is a farce and a tribute with so many layers: the musical form of the zarzuela that has been labeled as “outdated” has been reinvented for new audiences without compromising its roots, and the historical narrative also resonates with the present time.

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    Vera states that amidst the humor and entertainment, Walang Aray also provides commentary on the institutions of old. But is it just poking fun at the villains of our history? Not quite, because the institutions placed under farcical scrutiny in Walang Aray are still here, though modified or configured differently.

    “The hypocrisy, the power trips, hidden desires, deceptions, and idiosyncrasies — they’re all still here. And I think that’s exactly what makes this ‘slight’ adjustment from the original zarzuela relatable to us today,” Vera explains.

    As the first show to hit the PETA stage after the COVID-19 pandemic, Walang Aray represents the hope that theater can now enter a new chapter after years of global tragedy and hardships. “The pandemic was a long, terrible nightmare and now, we’re back on track ready to fulfill what we all planned – and more!,” says Vera. “While we’re aware these things indeed happened and may happen again, we’re also here to remind people that theater, always… ALWAYS dies and is born anew.”

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    Walang Aray celebrates the joys and victories of Filipinos, while remembering our colorful history in the theater, and against our oppressors.

    The musical is top-billed by Star Magic’s “hottest musical couple” #KDLex, KD Estrada and Alexa Ilacad, alternating with triple threat theater artists Gio Gahol and Marynor Madamesila as Tenyong and Julia. The cast also features PETA artists Jarred Jaicten, Kiki Baento, Carlon Matobato, Gie Onida, Norbs Portales, Neomi Gonzales, John Moran, Tom Bienvenida, Donn Boco, Gerard Dy, Yeyin Dela Cruz, Ada Tayao, and Ayla Garcia, with Gardo Exconde and Csai Habla as the swings.

    The musical features young PETA artists at the helm of its creatives: Ian Segarra (director), Vince Lim (composer, musical director, sound designer, additional lyrics), Happy Constantino (sound designer), Gio Gahol (choreographer), Julio Garcia (production designer) and Ayla Garcia (voice coach). They are joined by guest artists, David Esguerra (lighting designer), and JayLo Cunanan (costume designer).

    Walang Aray will run at the PETA Theater Center from Feb 17-May 14, 2023. Tickets are available via TicketWorld.com.ph starting December 10, 2022. For bulk tickets and showbuying inquiries, contact Mitch Go at 0917-539-1112.