The final curtain fell on Bagets: The Musical on Sunday, March 22, closing a sold-out run that turned a 1980s film into one of Manila’s most talked-about stage productions this year. At the Newport Performing Arts Theater, the last two performances—at 3:00 p.m. and 8:00 p.m.——marked the end of a run that began in January and drew capacity audiences.
Set in Manila, the musical follows five high school friends—Adie, Topee, Arnel, Tonton, and Gilbert—as they navigate friendship, first love, and family pressures at the threshold of adulthood. The stage adaptation expands the narrative to include their “ermats” (mothers), whose parallel struggles with shifting family roles and economic realities frame the boys’ transition into maturity.
The material traces back to the 1984 film produced by Viva Films, directed by Maryo de los Reyes from a screenplay by Jake Tordesillas. Conceived by Douglas Quijano, with music by Ricky del Rosario and production design by Butch Garcia, the film starred Aga Muhlach (Adie), Raymond Lauchengco (Arnel), Herbert Bautista (Gilbert), William Martinez (Tonton), and JC Bonnin (Topee), and became associated with youth culture of the period, including its music and fashion.
More than four decades on, those same cultural markers are revived onstage as reinterpreted material through salin-awit and contemporary theatrical storytelling. Directed by Maribel Legarda and adapted for the stage by Jmee Katanyag, with musical direction by Vince Lim and choreography by JM Cabling, the production incorporates songs from the original film—including “Growing Up”, “Farewell”, and “So It’s You”—alongside new arrangements.
In the final performances, the matinee cast featured Andres Muhlach—son of Aga Muhlach—as Adie, alongside Ethan David Santos (Arnel), Milo Cruz (Tonton), Sam Shoaf (Topee), and Noel Comia Jr. (Gilbert). The evening gala cast saw Mico Chua as Adie, with KD Estrada (Arnel), Migo Valid (Tonton), Jeff Moses (Topee), and Tomas Rodriguez (Gilbert).
“Bringing a beloved classic to the stage is always a delicate balancing act between honoring the nostalgic magic of the original source material, and breathing new life into it for a modern audience,” Kevin Tan, executive chairman of Newport World Resorts, said in the playbill.
“Bagets The Musical is a testament to our steadfast dedication to the advancement of Filipino performing arts… As we look forward to opening more theater venues in the near future, our vision remains steadfast: to transform the Philippines into the Broadway of Asia,” Tan continued.
The production was mounted by Newport World Resorts in partnership with Viva Communications Inc., The Philippine Star, and PETA Plus.
For Vicente del Rosario Jr., chairman and chief executive of Viva Communications, the project revisits a familiar property. “Bagets has always been synonymous with youth culture,” he stated. “More than four decades after the movie… we are bringing back a classic story that hopefully both the ’80s generation and the current generation will love all over again.”
Del Rosario added: “Bagets: The Musical is not just meant to recapture the fun and familiar aspects of the movie—it is meant to deliver its essence to a new audience… Because Bagets is all about being young and free and discovering who you are. A message that transcends every generation.”
The production ran at the Newport Performing Arts Theater in Pasay City from January 23 to March 22, 2026.
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