Popoy and Basha’s story lives on—onstage
Do we give ourselves enough grace to fail, to make mistakes, to learn from those mistakes and to make different choices based on past experiences—to break down so you can get to your breakthroughs?”For “One More Chance” fans anticipating the cult classic’s musical version set to open this April, this question, posed by the show’s playwright Michelle Ngu Nario, should give you a peek into how the Philippine Educational Theater Association (Peta) production infused its flavor into the well-loved story of iconic fictional couple Popoy and Basha, a retelling that dives deep into how we should empower ourselves, so we can also empower those around us.
Speaking at the “One More Chance The Musical” media preview and launch on Feb. 29, Nario said that while they can assure fans that the production, featuring songs of the highly popular nine-piece band Ben & Ben, stays faithful to the film’s storyline, there is much to look forward to once the show opens April 12. One of these—in true Peta fashion—is the exploration of themes around self-agency and self-empowerment, and how this can impact the people around us to help them likewise become better.
Two kinds of art
“All of the change we want to see in our society starts with the self, and that’s what we explored organically in the story of ‘One More Chance,’” Nario said.
After all, a love story is nothing if not a tale about second, third or more chances, and of opportunities to fall, recover and, ultimately, grow, whether that be within a relationship or not—and Popoy and Basha’s story will always have that chance to be reexperienced and rediscovered by Filipino audiences, as proven by the overwhelming ticket sales. In the pre-selling period alone, half of ticket sales were done, said director Maribel Legarda.“That’s a first, along with the fact that we’re marrying two kinds of art that have been in existence: the film, and Ben & Ben’s songs,” Legarda said. “Usually, when you have a jukebox musical, the story is new.”On top of Popoy and Basha’s love story being enriched with Ben & Ben’s heartfelt and hugot-worthy ballads, audiences can also expect to get more details on the characters that make up the lively Thursday barkada, giving us a glimpse into their own back stories. Mental health, said Nario, is another issue organically highlighted in the musical.While news of the production was made official only last October at the closing of Peta’s successful run of “Walang Aray” (the company’s new take on the classic zarzuela “Walang Sugat”), “One More Chance The Musical” is a show that has been seven years in the making, said Legarda. This means, she said, that while the origin story of this concept is now lost in the annals of history—did ABS-CBN approach Peta for it, or was it the other way around?—the seed had been planted as early as 2017, and Ben & Ben’s music had always been the only choice for the play.
Ultimately, with the huge following of the film, coupled with the wide fan base of Ben & Ben, Peta hopes that these kinds of productions continue to educate more Filipinos about the magic and power of theater, and encourage them to become regular patrons of the stage.
And if ticket sales are any indication (the show’s run is extended till June 30!), “One More Chance The Musical” could potentially be part of Peta’s repertory—for 10, 11, 12, 13, 14 years, forever and ever? —Contributed INQ
