‘Joseph the Dreamer’s newest cast members on how they keep the dream alive

‘Joseph the Dreamer’s newest cast members on how they keep the dream alive

Joseph the Dreamer is about to transport audiences once more into its colorful world of music, movement, and magic.

Written by Freddie Santos and based on Cam Floria’s cantata Dreamer: What Really Happened to Joseph, Joseph the Dreamer draws from the biblical story of Joseph, the 11th son of Jacob.

Following several runs throughout the 1990s and 2000s, the musical was reimagined for a new generation with original direction by Paolo Valenciano, musical direction by Myke Salomon, and choreography by MJ Arda. This version was first staged in 2020, twice in 2022, and most recently, last year.

As the cast sang and danced their way through rehearsals, TheaterFansManila.com had the chance to ask the new staging director and the newest additions to the cast about their experience joining this long-running musical and what sets the 2026 edition apart from previous iterations.

“One of the things I love about theater is that no matter how many times you tell a story, there’s always something new to discover. And that’s exactly how I feel about this year’s run of Joseph the Dreamer,” shared staging director Bernice Aspillaga, “This year feels different. Our new cast members have brought their own take on the characters, while our returning cast members have continued to surprise us in ways we didn’t expect.”

A strong ensemble piece

This is more than just the story of one man. Aspillaga made this very clear, emphasizing the need to focus on every single character and how they could tell a rich and complex story.

“It’s not just for Joseph or Jacob or the brothers to tell. It’s on all of them to tell the story. So, the little nuances, and even just Boo [Gabunada] and Matthew [Barbers] standing there at the back, I had to make them do something, just to be able to move the story forward,” Aspillaga explained.

Gab Concepcion, a new member of the ensemble, confirmed that Aspillaga worked closely with every member of the cast to make sure their roles were distinct and significant. “No role is too small, and so, the clarity and intention behind even the simplest interactions with Joseph and the other characters really need to be clear and true. And that’s something I’ve really enjoyed exploring throughout this process,” shared Concepcion.

The new Potiphars in town

Among the newest additions to this year’s cast are Omar Uddin who will be stepping into the role of Potiphar and Jannah Baniasia, who will be alternating with Dippy Arceo in the role of Mrs. Potiphar. Both of them expressed their delight at being part of the show and also having a chance to display some of their dancing chops during the elaborately choreographed numbers.

Uddin and Janiasia also appreciated how, despite the show’s Biblical origins, it showcased universal themes that can resonate with audiences of all backgrounds.

“In today’s time, lahat ng tinackle dito sa Joseph the Dreamer ay mga kasalanan. But at the end of the day, we still chose hope, faith, forgiveness. And we still try to make a better world,” Janiasia reflected.

“I just love the ending which has a huge decision for Joseph. Forgiving someone is the best way to move on in life. But it also doesn’t mean that we should never forget what happened,” shared Uddin. “Every story we tell in the theater connects with real-life situations. Even though I’m in a different religion, I still feel connected with the story.”

Bonds of brotherhood

Three of Joseph’s eleven brothers will be played by new cast members, namely Boo Gabunada as Reuben, Rapah Manalo as Judah, and Gabo Tiongson as Benjamin. They shared their insights on their characters and what they hope the audience will take from the show.

“Reuben is such a complicated person: he’s the eldest son, but he’s disgraced. He’s not the favorite son. And that comes with a lot of complications,” Gabunada reflected. “So, for me, what becomes important is being able to tell the whole story of Joseph and the different characters, that you see how they all contribute to the story of family, forgiveness, and reconciliation.”

“Judah exists in a space between doing something wrong and becoming someone different,” said Manalo. “So, for Judah’s character in Joseph’s story, I want people to be reminded that one decision can reveal the worst in us. But it doesn’t necessarily reveal all that we’re capable of becoming.”

“The message I get while performing is always to have faith, for whatever you believe in, just having that sense of hope and belief that everything will be fine, despite hardship, despite problems,” Tiongson shared. “I hope everyone gains that hope as they watch the show.”

Jacob’s journey and flawed fatherhood

This year, veteran film and theater actor Nonie Buencamino will be stepping into the role of Jacob, the story’s patriarch, a role previously portrayed by Audie Gemora and Gary Valenciano. Buencamino did extensive research on his character, reading the relevant sections of the Old Testament to gain a profound understanding of the man. And what he learned was surprising.

“He did really bad things: he deceived his brother, he deceived his father to get what he wanted,” Buencamino shared. “He already thought that he was already making up for his mistakes when the story started, and then he realizes how flawed he is. He’s not a fair father, he’s judgmental towards his sons, he favors one boy and he was the one who caused all of this and he blamed himself for it. For me, he starts realizing his mistakes and then by the end of the story, it ends with him also realizing his mistakes even more with his own children, the way he treated his children.”

According to Aspillaga, Buencamino’s Jacob is one of the new and unique elements of this production of Joseph the Dreamer. “Sir Nonie’s portrayal of Jacob has been such a revelation for me, and I think for the rest of the cast as well,” Aspillaga admitted. “I honestly never imagined the character could be approached that way, and I find myself discovering something new about Jacob through him.”

As a first-time director of a production of this scale, Aspillaga has found the whole journey “both exciting and humbling.” There were so many lessons, challenges, and discoveries made along the way that helped her shape this particular production.

“That’s the beauty of doing theater: every person who becomes part of a production brings something of themselves into it, and somehow, the story grows a little more,” Aspillaga reflected. “It becomes something new without losing the heart of what made us fall in love with it in the first place.”

Trumpets’ Joseph the Dreamer will run from November 6 to 22 at the Carlos P. Romulo Auditorium, RCBC Plaza in Makati City.