Trumpets returns with a new take on 'Joseph the Dreamer'
COMEBACK. Trumpets' 'Joseph the Dreamer' is returning to the stage starting February 21. All photos by Dion Besa/Rappler
MANILA, Philippines – Trumpets is back after a long break with the restaging of a modern take on Joseph the Dreamer beginning February 21 at the Globe Auditorium, Maybank Performing Arts Theater.
Sam Concepcion, fresh from the ABS-CBN teleserye The Killer Bride, plays Joseph. Kayla Rivera stars as Asenath, Joseph's love interest, with Audie Gemora as Jacob and Carlo Orosa playing various roles in the show, including the pharaoh.
BACK IN THEATER. Sam Concepcion returns to theater via 'Joseph the Dreamer.'
TRUMPETS DEBUT. Kayla Rivera makes her debut with Trumpets in 'Joseph the Dreamer.'
Bituin Escalante also joins the cast in a special role.
SPECIAL ROLE. Bituin Escalante plays a special role in the show.
At the press conference of the show on February 3, Sam and Audie said that the show has been updated for today's generation.
"It's very very different from the past years. It's a very very young cast. The music is by Myke Solomon... it's directed by Paolo Valenciano," Sam said. "So it's different, the music, the staging, and the choreography pala is by Mike Arda... so the dancing he really pushed us to our limits. Para siyang (It's like a) theater/concert hybrid."
Audie added: "Nung si Paolo signed on board, isa lang ang hiningi niya sa akin. Tito Auds, sabi niya, 'can I have a freedom to work on the script?' Kasi itong sinulat ni Freddie Santos, so medyo sacred sa amin iyon di ba. Sabi ko, ako bahala kay Tito Freddie. (When Paolo signed on board, he asked me one thing. He asked: 'Can I have a freedom to work on the script?' This was written by Freddie Santos, so that's sacred to us. I told him I'd talk to Tito Freddie.)
Audie admitted to being unsure of a revamp at first.
"First, I had to admit natakot ako kasi ang feeling ko if it ain't broken, don't fix it. And if it ran for 10 years, it has to have something about it that was special. Ang takot ko lang, is sa pagpopolitical correct ni Paolo, baka mawala yung comedy." (First, I had to admit I was afraid because I was thinking: if it ain't broken, don't fix it. It it ran for 10 years, it has to have something about it that was special. My fear was that in Paolo's attempts to be politically correct, we'd lose the comedy.)
But things turned out more than fine, it turns out. Audie said that during one rehearsal, people got emotional during at least one specific scene.
"It was more powerful now that Paolo fixed it to this time than we did it," he said.
PASSING THE BATON. Audie Gemora, who played Joseph in the original run says the new version of he show is more powerful than ever.
"This show, Joseph the Dreamer is really the one I wanted do and don't want to miss any days because theater is very demanding, medyo rusty din ako (I was a bit rusty), coming in a little cold after a 10 year hiatus from the theater stage so there was a lot of adjustments."
Kayla, who has been active in Atlantis Productions shows, formally makes her debut with Trumpets in the show. According to Kayla, her good friend, Gab Pangilinan, said that she would be a fit for the show. Gab, who is also a theater actress, is the girlfriend of Myke Solomon, the show's musical director.
"She (Gab) sent a text to kuya Pao and she was like how about Kayla and so eventually si Myke din na yeah parang bagay ka doon. So eventually it just came to be and I am so honored [to play this role]," she said.
Aside from the music, many of the cast members also have backgrounds in hip-hop. Costumes will also be tweaked to make it relevant to today's audience.
Joseph the Dreamer is based on the story of Joseph, one of the most well know characters from the Bible. First staged in 1989, Audie originated the role of Joseph.
In 1999, "Mr Pure Energy" Gary Valenciano took on the role.
Joseph the Dreamer will run until March 7. For tickets, visit ticketworld.com.ph – Alexa Villano/Rappler.com