Reimagine ‘70s Manila with the award-winning creative team of ‘Bongga Ka, ‘Day!’
Reimagine ‘70s Manila with the award-winning creative team of ‘Bongga Ka, ‘Day!’
SINEGANG.ph published this press release shared by Newport World Resorts. No staff writer participated in writing this article.
The hits of Hotdog, iconic ’70s fashion, and high-octane disco fever are headed to the stage in Bongga Ka, ’Day!: The Annie Batungbakal Musical this September 18 at the Newport Performing Arts Theater. Bringing this world to life is a creative dream team whose combined credentials span some of the most celebrated, award-winning productions in Philippine theater. Meet the creative minds behind Bongga Ka, ’Day!.
Director Chris Millado
Chris Millado brings more than four decades of theater and cultural work to the director’s chair. He joined the Philippine Educational Theater Association (PETA) in 1982 and later served as its artistic director. His directing credits include Mabining Mandirigma, Anak Datu, EJ: Ang Pinagdaanang Buhay nina Evelio Javier at Edgar Jopson, and Balete, with the latter earning him Outstanding Stage Direction for a Play at the 15th Gawad Buhay Awards. Millado also spent two decades at the Cultural Center of the Philippines (CCP), serving as Vice President and Artistic Director. As the creative lead, Millado sets the production’s core vision and ultimate definition of "bongga."
Playwright Liza Magtoto
Liza Magtoto is a master at building original, deeply human stories around iconic Filipino musical catalogs. She wrote PETA’s hit musical Rak of Aegis, along with celebrated plays and musicals such as Care Divas, Rated PG, A Game of Trolls, and Ako Si Josephine. Her screenwriting credits include the films Sta. Niña and David F., as well as the iconic educational series Sineskwela. She is a recipient of the Don Carlos Palanca Memorial Awards, the Gawad Pambansang Alagad ni Francisco Balagtas, and multiple Gawad Buhay Awards. Most recently, Magtoto won Outstanding Original Script at the 16th Gawad Buhay Awards for Nobody Is Home.
Musical Director and Arranger Vince Lim
Hotdog’s legendary catalog is in the capable hands of composer, arranger, and musical director Vince Lim. He composed the score for PETA’s Walang Aray while also handling its musical direction, sound design, and additional lyrics. This production earned Lim the Gawad Buhay Award for Outstanding Original Score. His recent portfolio as musical director and arranger includes Full House Theater Company's Delia D. and Bagets The Musical.
Choreographer Stephen Viñas
The high-energy movement for this dance-heavy production is helmed by Stephen Viñas, an accomplished choreographer, director, and performer who studied Theater Arts at the University of the Philippines. His extensive performance credits include Ang Huling El Bimbo, Carousel, Next to Normal, Mula sa Buwan, Newsies, Tabing Ilog The Musical, and A Chorus Line. As a choreographer, his credits include Delia D., and Alice in Wonderland. Viñasrecently won Outstanding Choreography at the 16th Gawad Buhay Awards for Full House Theater Company’s Shrek The Musical.
Assistant Director John Moran
John Moran understands the rehearsal process from both sides of the stage. A senior artist-teacher with PETA for more than 15 years, he has performed in Rak of Aegis, William, 3 Stars and a Sun, The Tempest Reimagined, Ang Buhay ni Galileo, and Walang Aray. His work also extends to directing, writing, visual art and workshop facilitation in the Philippines and abroad.
Set Designer Ohm David
Ohm David transforms the stage into 1970s Manila, crafting dynamic physical environments that transport audiences directly into the disco era. His extensive set design portfolio includes Dekada ’70, Mula sa Buwan, One More Chance The Musical, Bar Boys: A New Musical, Bagets The Musical, and Theater Group Asia’s Into the Woods. Beyond the theater, David designed the Manila Clock Tower Museum and the TAWID Gallery, and has art-directed major live events, including SB19’s Fan Zone. For Bongga Ka, ’Day!, Ohm builds striking, contrasting environments—from the sleek corporate halls of the House of Pasion to the neon-lit paradise of the Coco Banana.
Lighting Designer John Batalla
Recreating the glow of ‘70s disco falls to lighting designer John Batalla. His career began at Dulaang UP, where he served as resident lighting designer and technical director, before working with Repertory Philippines, PETA, Tanghalang Pilipino, and Ballet Philippines. A five-time Gawad Buhay recipient for Outstanding Lighting Design, Batalla brings experience in both intimate storytelling and large-scale spectacle.
Costume Designer Hershee Tantiado
In a musical centered on an aspiring designer wanting to enter ‘70s Manila’s most fashionable disco scene, the wardrobe takes center stage. Hershee Tantiado’s costume design credits include Dekada ’70, Bar Boys: A New Musical, and Bagets The Musical. She also designed for Theater Group Asia’s Into the Woods and earned a Gawad Buhay nomination for Repertory Philippines' Alice in Wonderland
Hair and Makeup Designer Johann Dela Fuente
Johann Dela Fuente completes the visual transformation of the cast, using custom hair styling, period-accurate wigs, and dramatic makeup to flesh out each character's unique identity. A veteran theatrical hair and makeup designer, Dela Fuente’s extensive portfolio includes local hit productions such as Waitress, Jersey Boys, Kinky Boots, and Delia D.. For Bongga Ka, 'Day!, he crafts the definitive physical look of the era through massive blowouts, iconic retro hair trends, and disco glam.
Dramaturg Eric Dela Cruz
Eric Dela Cruz is a senior PETA artist-teacher, performance maker and founder of TAXI Theater. He earned his master’s degree in Theatre from UP Diliman and previously taught at the university and chaired Benilde’s Theater Arts Program. In Bongga Ka, ’Day!, Dela Cruz supports the development of the production’s narrative and historical context, helping align Magtoto’s book, Hotdog’s songs, and Annie Batungbakal’s journey through 1970s Manila.
With an award-winning creative team, Bongga Ka, ’Day! The Annie Batungbakal Musical is set to showcase a whole new perspective to one of the Philippines' most iconic decades.
Newport World Resorts, in association with VIVA Communications and The Philippine STAR, reunites for Bongga Ka, ’Day!: The Annie Batungbakal Musical featuring Hotdog’s timeless hits. The show, staged with PETA Plus, is slated to open in September 2026 at the Newport Performing Arts Theater.
Tickets are now available online and at all TicketWorld outlets and at the Newport World Resorts Box Office: PHP 4500 (SVIP), PHP 4000 (VIP), PHP 3,400 (GOLD), PHP 2,400 (SILVER), and PHP 1,300 (BRONZE).
Learn more about the artists and the production through Newport World Resorts (@newportworldresorts), VIVA Communications Inc. (@vivaartistsagency), and The Philippine STAR (@philippinestar) on Facebook, Instagram, and TikTok.
