Following the widely successful 48-hour free streaming of the hit Filipino musical “Ang Huling El Bimbo,” cast members Gab Pangilinan, Boo Gabunda, Jon Santos, and Gian Magdangal made a special appearance on The Morning Rush Facebook livestream! 

The play quickly became a trending topic on social media, being talked about both by first-time viewers and by those who had seen the play onstage. Gab (who played young Joy) and Boo (a.k.a. young Emman) were the first two to join Chico, Markki, Rica, and Hazel on the show, and they were still reeling from the overwhelming response! “We have people talking about the show, we have people creating fan artworks. Non-stop artworks, non-stop messages!”

Boo added, “Ang saya kasi ang daming new people getting exposed to theatre. Parang tuwang-tuwa sila na na-experience nila yung magic for the first time.” Can you believe that in just 48 hours, the play got over 7 million views? Neither can they! And audiences came from Filipinos all over the world, too!

Gab and Boo fondly recalled what it was like putting the entire “Ang Huling El Bimbo” production together. “It’s all about continuous improvement. Every day is a way to improve on your work. That takes rehearsals everyday, revisions on everything that we can revise,” Boo told TMR. “Yung choreo, grabe ilang beses nagbago yung choreo. Yung mga lines, lahat nagbabago every time.” (Also, fun fact: our very own Rica G was one of the makeup artists on the show!)

Chico asked the two young actors about how they think the theatre industry will deal with this ‘new normal.’ It will probably be a while before we can see an actual play onstage, right? Gab said that companies are looking at the possibilities of online streaming. “Eventually, we don’t know what could happen, but they’re exploring the possibility of shows online. Siyempre, it will be more accessible to many people and it’s exciting!” But still, they admit that nothing beats the experience of seeing it in person!

Chico also brought up the possibility of an “Ang Huling El Bimbo” movie – could it happen? And if yes, how would they feel about mainstream actors being cast in the lead roles instead of the actors from the play? Boo admitted he wouldn’t mind, saying “Masaya naman ako kung sino yung pinaka-fitting for the role. If they can deliver then that’s great!”

Gab agreed with him, and said that she knows there are plenty of people out there who would play Joy well. But if there’s one thing that the stage actors have over anyone else, it’s the process that they went through for the whole production. “Nobody was else was part of the process of creating ‘Ang Huling El Bimbo’ apart from everybody who was in the team from the beginning,” she said. It’s true that so much time and effort were put into the production, and other potential actors and actresses might not get a taste of that!

“Ang Huling El Bimbo” is based on the music of the well-loved Eraserheads. If there could be another musical made from the catalog of an artist, which artists would Gab and Boo choose? Fo Gab, it’s Ben&Ben: “If they put something onstage, that would be a different experience.” She also mentioned Bullet Dumas and Nar Cabico! As for Boo, he’d love to see a musical based on Aia De Leon’s music, as well as Urbandub, his favorite band!

After Gab and Boo, it was time for Jon Santos (AHEB’s old Anthony) and Gian Magdangal (who played old Hector) to join the show! Just like Gab and Boo, these two were just as surprised and overwhelmed with the response the show got from the streaming. “I didn’t expect it to blow up this much! Seven million people watching it in the past 48 hours, and people also generously donating. Because that was the main reason we put it out also,” Gian said.

Jon and Gian also recalled the “Ang Huling El Bimbo” preparation days and told TMR about it.  They, along with OJ Mariano who played old Emman, had quite a different experience from the other actors in the process of making the musical. While everyone else was creating fun scenes, the three kept the pensive mood of their characters, even offstage. That’s why now, they call each other ‘classmate!’

But wow, once you see them out of character, these two are super hilarious! They were making the hosts and the entire audience laugh the entire time!

When talking about the near-future of the theatre industry, Jon talked about a play he once saw called “Charot.” It was an election-related interactive play wherein the theater had wifi signal and people could cast their votes! How cool is that? “In the future it could happen that the people who are watching the play are not in the theater but they’re interacting,” Jon said.

They also shared the artists whose music they’d want to see turned into a musical. Gian mentioned Unique Salonga (“Parang fantasy or psychedelic din. Ibang flavor talaga!”), while Jon said he’d like to see The Company and Yeng Constantino!

Before saying goodbye, Jon, Gian, Boo, and Gab all showed their gratefulness and urged listeners to continue supporting Philippine theatre beyond free streaming and “Ang Huling El Bimbo!”

“Encourage your teachers in the future to include theatre in your studies and curriculum. Continue to support theatre in whatever form,” Jon said. “Thank you for that magnificent 48 hours na nag-interact tayo somehow with the streaming. I guess… streams do come true!” (this guy was a constant source of laughter throughout the whole show!)

Gab went next, saying “We see the love and we feel it, and we are just so, so grateful. Hopefully when all this is over, you guys can come to the theater and come see other stories, come see other people, other actors. Kasi ‘Ang Huling El Bimbo’ is just a small, small part of the big industry that we have, the Philippine theatre industry. It’s booming definitely; there are so many stories that you guys NEED to see.”

“It’s true what Gab said that this is just the tip of the iceberg. There’s SO much talent out there who are involved in theatre. There are also so many stories to be told,” Gian continued. “It’s truly a different kind of medium that’s interactive, and it’s really an experience that’s always a one-time thing. ‘Di na mauulit yung bawat show.”

Lastly, Boo told the listeners “We’re so grateful that this kind of response is happening for theatre. My little tiny hope and wish is that I hope you guys continue to support Philippine theater, yung sariling atin. Kasi ang daming magaling, ang daming mga kwento na nabubuo sa teatro. And ang daming mga magagaling na actor, and yung mga production, lahat! After all this is done and we go back to normal, I hope that you guys really try to go into the theater. Magkita tayo sa personal at mararamdaman niyo yung magic ng theater and human connection ‘pag nandoon kayo sa same na room.”

Will an “Ang Huling El Bimbo” re-run happen in the future? Only time will tell! But if the hit musical does come back, the cast says it will be in a very different way. That’s something we’d love to see, and we’re sure you would, too!

Watch the full interview with the cast members here: