Jose Mari Chan Jukebox Musical Full Cast Announced

Jose Mari Chan Jukebox Musical Full Cast Announced

Repertory Philippines (REP) is set to stage Going Home to Christmas: A Jose Mari Chan Musical, an original musical based on Jose Mari Chan’s songs, this holiday season. This production marks REP’s 465th production and its first-ever jukebox musical.

Written by Luna Griño-Inocian, Robbie Guevara, and Joel Trinidad, the musical weaves together the stories of various characters–a couple on their second honeymoon, lovelorn best friends, and hardworking OFW’s looking forward to being with their family–as they all journey home for the holidays and discover the love that they’ve always carried in their hearts along the way. 

REP’s Artistic Director, Jeremy Domingo, who directs the production, shares that the stories were initially conceived as vignettes. However, as the writers collaborated and developed the material, they were able to craft a cohesive storyline set within a single setting. “The theme evolved more into Going Home to Christmas, which is the title of his second Christmas album. It really looks at how Pinoys celebrate Christmas.”

 

Domingo also shares insights from Chan’s children, Liza Chan-Parpan and Franco Chan, who explained that the lives of OFWs hold a special place in their father’s heart, especially during the Christmas season. “His music offers them comfort, an escape, and a slice of hope they carry with them wherever they go—a spirit the play truly aims to celebrate.”

Domingo adds, “It became not just about celebrating Mr. Chan’s iconic music, but about the lives of Filipinos he has touched around the world and the impact his music has had on them.”

Griño-Inocian reveals that when audiences watch the show, they’ll understand why the chosen title serves as a major spoiler. “That’s what the musical is all about—going home to Christmas. So it was an easy choice.”

 

“I’m speechless,” says Chan. “When the idea was broached five years ago, I thought that ‘Well, maybe one day it will happen.’ But look, it’s happening now, and it will be presented. So I’m immensely proud and honored that Repertory Philippines is going to do this.”

“I can’t express the joy that I feel, seeing the cast, the director, the musical director, putting my songs into a musical. I cannot tell you exactly the joy that I feel. To me it’s a fulfillment of a dream when I was a young kid, when I was idolizing Paul Anka and Neil Sedaka and Victor Young and Henry Mancini.”

Musical director Ejay Yatco, who arranged the production’s music, incorporates 22 songs from Chan’s 14 albums. Yatco describes the process of arranging Chan’s vast body of work as a daunting yet rewarding task. “It’s quite challenging because you have to know the essence of the artist,” he shares. ”Understand and respect before [rearranging], because you have to pay tribute to the years of work that they did.”

Yatco explains that while the writers chose which songs to assign to each story, he had creative freedom to suggest arrangements, blend songs, and create medleys to enhance the musical flow. “The writers made the initial choices, but the threading musically was my choice.”

 

 

 

The cast features Carla Guevara-Laforteza as Pat, Lorenz Martinez as Arnie, Noel Rayos as Richard, Neomi Gonzales as Josie, Floyd Tena as JR, Mayen Bustamante-Cadd as Em, Neo Rivera as JD, Justine Narciso as Raya, and Carla Martinez as Lola.

Joining them are Alfritz, Roxy Aldiosa, Allan Dale, Johann Enriquez, Naths Everett, Juancho Gabriel, Sean Inocencio, Rafael Jimenez, Gary Junsay, Krystal Kane, Davy Narciso, Sheena Palad, Pappel, Maron Rozelle, Basti Santos, Julia Serad, and Zid Yarcia. Mika Espinosa and Onyl Torres complete the cast as swings.

Joining Domingo and Yatco in the artistic team are Menchu Lauchengco-Yulo and Michael Williams as creative project consultants, Franco Ramos as choreographer, Ohm David as set designer, Hershee Tantiado as costume designer, GA Fallarme as projection designer, Meliton Roxas Jr. as lights designer, and Aji Manalo as sound designer. The property designer is Julia Pacificador, while the production’s dramaturg is Davidson Oliveros. The technical director is D Cortezano, with Patricia Gregorio serving as production manager, Rafa Lubigan as stage manager, and Rio Tanchuling as assistant stage manager.

Going Home to Christmas: A Jose Mari Chan Musical will run from November 29 to December 15 at the Carlos P. Romulo Auditorium of RCBC Plaza. Tickets are available through Ticketworld.