(From left) Sarah Facuri, Rachel Coates and Joel Trinidad—PHOTO BY JAYPEE MARISTAZA
Returning to live theater for the first time since its critically acclaimed production of Stephen Sondheim’s “Company” in 2019, Upstart presents an updated version of “Breakups & Breakdowns,” the hit romantic comedy musical that was the theater company’s musical debut over a decade ago.
Starring, among others, theater stalwarts Reb Atadero (“Ang Huling El Bimbo”), Tanya Manalang-Atadero (“Miss Saigon”) and Nelsito Gomez (“The Reconciliation Dinner”), the show is a lighthearted look at modern-day dating and relationships. It features a libretto by Joel Trinidad (“Guadalupe: The Musical”) and music by Rony Fortich (“The Quest for the Adarna”). Nicky Triviño also stars in the show and codirects it with Trinidad.
New songs
The musical has enjoyed five separate productions since 2010.
The pandemic gave Trinidad time to revisit this musical. With Triviño (with whom Trinidad codirected the smash hit “Monty Python’s Spamalot” in 2017 and 2018), he painstakingly revised the text in key places, adding new songs, characters and scenes to deepen the material, making it tighter, more relevant, and—he hopes—more entertaining. “It’s the same show overall,” shares Triviño. “But if you liked it before, you’ll like it even more now.”
Performances are set for April 15 (3 p.m.), April 16 (3 p.m. and 8 p.m.), April 22 (3 p.m. and 8 p.m.) and April 23 (3 p.m.) at the Creative Arts Centre, The British School Manila, 38th Street, BGC, Taguig. For ticket inquiries, call or text Upstart at 0917-8116156 or e-mail upstartproductionsinc@gmail.com.