EXCLUSIVE: Take a Peek at the Rehearsal of MAGNIFICAT THE MUSICAL; Show Opens 27 Sept.

Al Gatmaitan (Jesus) and Pinky Marquez-Cancio (Mary) lead the entire company singing "Ama Namin" (Our Father) from the long-running faith-based musical Magnificat.

Manila, Philippines - Magnificat The Musical is bound for a new staging with TV-film director Laurice Guillen taking the director's chair. Presented by Lyric Opera of the Philippines (LyrOpera), Magnificat features the music by Ryan Cayabyab (National Artist for Music) and book and lyrics by Nestor U. Torre.

Magnificat, which premiered in 1996, is a sung-through musical about the life of Jesus Christ told from the perspective of His mother, Mary.

Staged about 200 times since its world premiere, the musical is set for another round of performances from 27 Sept. to 12 Oct. 2019 at the Music Museum in Greenhills, City of San Juan.

As an added plus, original cast members Pinky Marquez-Cancio and Sheila Asuncion-Parducho, together with Magnificat 2000 alum Ana Feleo, are returning to the show! Marquez-Cancio and Feleo will alternate as Mary; pop-classical tenor Al Gatmaitan will debut as Jesus.

Executive producer Sherwin Sozon says: "We contacted Pinky Marquez-Cancio to check if she was willing to reprise her role as Mary, albeit a new perspective because of the new staging. We met at a coffee shop in Makati to talk about the project. She shared with me anecdotes about the original staging including that Magnificat was written and experimentally directed by Direk Nestor Torre in Direk Laurice Guillen's house more than 20 years ago!

"She also shared that Ana and Ina (both daughters of Johnny Delgado and Laurice Guillen) were the ones typing the script as the story unfolded. She proudly included that the first show of Magnificat was staged in her (Pinky's) living room! After almost an hour of talking, laughing, and reminiscing, Pinky agreed to be Mary in our production."

Originally developed as a touring theater production, Magnificat has been performed from living rooms of homes to hospitals, from churches to stadiums, which included packed houses at Meralco Theatre in Pasig City, Araneta Coliseum in Quezon City, and Cuneta Astrodome in Pasay City.

The new staging of Magnificat will have Joey Nombres, lighting designer; Leslie Centeno, assistant of Gino Gonzales, production designer; Erwin Flores, costume designer; Jomelle Era, movement director, and Randy Gilongo, musical director.

Rounding out the cast are Alyssa Evangelista (Young Mary), Kelvin Galano (Joseph), Andre Bacani (Young Jesus), Matteo Teehankee (Young Jesus), Tonton Pascual (Anna), Miguel Aguila (John The Baptist), Sheila Gamo (Angel), Khalil Tambio (Zacharias), Roxy Abuel, (Angel), Vince Conrad (Peter), Randy Gilongo (Simeon), and Gerard Dy (Centurion).

BUY TICKETS: Magnificat The Musical plays the Music Museum from 27 Set. to 12 Oct. 2019.

Video: Oliver Oliveros