(From left, clockwise) 'Tabing Ilog The Musical Rerun' cast members Omar Uddin as Andoy, Miah Canton as Corrinne, Jhoanna Robles as Eds, Akira Morishita as Rovic, Vino Mabalot as Fonzy, Jude Hinumdum as Badong, and Andi Abaya as George Photography by Miguel Alomajan

A year after its premiere in Philippine staging, 'Tabing Ilog The Musical' returns for a rerun this November with majority of the cast members reprising their roles.

A rerun means many changes and improvements and for Vince de Jesus, the composer and musical director of the show, it means an opportunity to be better.“It’s a good thing, play really improves from every run, because you learn from the first run,” he said. “And then if you have a chance to do this again, let’s do this, let’s do this, so we’re doing everything we learned from the first rerun.”

Vince happily shared that the songs have been improved and tightened, something they all feel needed to be done. Some scenes were improved and characters were more developed.With a new generation of watchers, what can they expect from the rerun of the show? Vince pointed to the growth of the actors who will take on the roles.“It’s been a year. I know, because these young actors did so many projects along the way, so ang dami nila pinagdaanan for the last year, in life, professional, personal, so I’m sure dala nila ’yun when they come back,’ he shared. They’re good, they’re not so good, so as actors, it makes you, rich ’yung experience na ’yun, ’pag bumalik ka, they know much more as a person, na-hone na ’yung craft nila, sa singing, sa performance.”

(From left, clockwise) Jordan Andrews as James, Vivoree Esclito as Eds, Akira Morishita as Rovic, Andi Abaya as George, Vino Mabalot as Fonzy, Jude Hinumdum as Badong, and Miah Canton as Corrinne

The original television series Tabing Ilog featured lead stars John Lloyd Cruz as Rovic, Kaye Abad as Eds, Patrick Garcia as James, Paula Peralejo as Anne, Paolo Contis as Badong, Desiree del Valle as Corrinne, Baron Geisler as Fonzy, and Jodi Sta. Maria as George. The series, directed by Malu L. Sevilla, aired from March 1999 to October 2003. It became an iconic teen drama, with an equally iconic theme song of the same name by Barbie’s Cradle.

Metro.Style had the chance to talk with the cast members during this exclusive photo shoot. They shared with us what they love about their roles and the musical’s plot, how their characters resonate with them, what they enjoy most about acting onstage, and more.

(From left) Vino Mabalot as Fonzy, Omar Uddin as Andoy, Anji Salvacion as Corrinne, Sheena Belarmino as Eds, Benedix Ramos as Rovic, Jude Hinumdum as Badong, and Andi Abaya as George

Jhoanna Robles as Eds

Busy is the word to describe Jhoanna Robles’ schedule. As the leader of the OPM group BINI, it’s a packed schedule of performances, endorsements, and now appearances in Tabing Ilog where she reprises the role of Eds.

Although she never got to watch the TV version, Jhoanna heard about it from her mom, who described it as a popular show in the 2000s. When she heard of the musical, she decided to audition, and the rest is history.

As she returns to the show, what is she looking forward to doing in Eds again? “May mga twist, so may mga babaguhin ng kaunti, and feeling ko mas comfortable na ako now kasi nga it’s the second time. Although ilang shows lang magagawa ko, excited ako sa panibagong Eds, [sa] paano ko siya mabibigyan ng bagong flavor,” she said.

Her goal, she added, is to give more emotions and vocal power when she plays the role. And even with a busy schedule, Jhoanna didn’t pass the opportunity when she got word that she’ll be reprising the role along with two other cast members.

“Gusto ko talaga ng new environment. Every day, [parang] same ang routine ko sa BINI… I feel I need something that will break [it], so I won’t get burned out,” she shared. Jhoanna described doing the musical as something that will refresh her mind and recharge her energy. Despite the busy schedule, Jhoanna said she is open to doing more theater productions in the future.—Jel Villanueva

Jhoanna Robles as Eds

Akira and Jhoanna

Sheena Belarmino as Eds

Sheena plays the role of Eds, a character she describes as hardworking, passionate, and family-oriented. Since she’s reprising this role for “Tabing Ilog The Musical Rerun,” she’s more used to portraying Eds’ nuances which were initially challenging for her to bring out. Now, actress/singer/dancer Sheena is eager to apply new learning in theater acting to improve her characterization and showcase the struggles and motivations of her role as a working student. “Ano ’yung pipiliin mo, ’yung practicality or passion mo?,” she asks rhetorically, talking about how the plot of Tabing Ilog delves into real-life issues many young adults face.

Asked how her character resonates with her, Sheena reveals, “It was my dream to be a teacher. But because of my work, parang medyo naging malabo ’yung pangarap na ’yun. Kaya nakakatuwa na through my work, mas nagampanan ko ’yung pangarap na ’yun through Eds.”

Sheena shares that one of her favorite things about Tabing Ilog is the fact that it’s set in the province, calling to mind her life back in Cebu. “As a Cebuana, malapit ako sa probinsya settings, ’yung kumakain lang sa labas, ’yung simoy ng hangin. And to be able to apply that through the show, parang ang sarap bumalik kung saan ’yung pinanggalingan mo.”

Sheena has been in the theater scene since she was eight years old in Cebu. Her theater work was put on a hiatus for Tawag ng Tanghalan Kids (2017) and Your Face Sounds Familiar Kids Season 2 (2018). But recently, she played Trisha in “One More Chance The Musical,” another project of PETA (Philippine Educational Theater Association) with ABS-CBN. She’s been doing workshops with PETA, too. One day, she hopes to have the opportunity to play Eurydice in the musical “Hadestown,” inspired by actress Eva Noblezada.—Angelica Tordesillas

Sheena Belarmino as Eds

Sheena and Akira

Sheena and Benedix

Vivoree Esclito as Eds

Vivoree marks her return to “Tabing Ilog The Musical” as Eds, the family-oriented, motherly figure of the bunch. She takes on this role in alternating schedules with Sheena Belarmino and Jhoanna Robles; but she notes that even though they portray the same character, it’s important to add “a little bit of uniqueness” to how she presents Eds whose maturity she admires.

Describing her character, Vivoree says she likes how Eds can defend herself and respects herself enough to know her true value. She adds, “Same kami na tine-treasure talaga ’yung both friendship and family… It’s like every day, I learn something new about my character, about how I’ll be able to add flavor to my character as well.”

Looking at the musical in retrospect, Vivoree is impressed by how Tabing Ilog tackles themes aligned with choosing one’s dreams and being torn between family and love. Though she wasn’t born in the 90s when the original television series was released, Vivoree appreciates that they can now retell this relatable story in a modern way with a nostalgic feel for those who followed the teen drama.

“Tabing Ilog The Musical” was Vivoree’s first foray into theater acting, and it’s a field and environment that’s different from the movie or teleserye sets she’s familiar with. On her adjustment to performing onstage, she emphasizes how she has to act “bigger.” She says theater acting can make one feel like “you’re just living in a different world, pero it feels real pa rin.”

“I’ve been wanting to try theater talaga, especially musical theater. I’m a huge fan of Lea Salonga,” Vivoree continues. At first, the stage felt too overwhelming to let her guard down. But her biggest learning in theater, she says, is to “Trust your co-actors and learn to be vulnerable around them… Trust myself, even. Kasi, that’s the most important part. Kasi you can’t trust others if you can’t trust yourself.”—Angelica Tordesillas

Vivoree Esclito as Eds

Vivoree and Akira

Akira Morishita as Rovic

“Tabing Ilog the Musical” brings an influx of feelings, experiences, and issues that teens and young adults deal with, including family, relationships, and mental health problems. Akira Morishita, who reprises his role as Rovic, shares that he likes how the musical’s plot mirrors the realities of life.

“Nangyayari talaga siya sa totoong buhay. And in a way, sa pagpe-perform namin sa musical na ito, kumbaga naipapahayag namin sa mga tao na totoo siya, nangyayari talaga siya,” he notes. “Kaya mas nagiging aware kami and ’yung audience namin sa mga possibilities na p’wede mangyari sa isang tao. Na mas maging mabait ka sa ibang tao. Don’t judge a book by its cover. Parang ganu’n ’yung lesson ng mismong play, na-i-apply ko sa sarili ko. Huwag ka masyadong judgmental kasi magkakaiba tayo ng pinagdadaanan.”

His character, Rovic, hails from the province. Rovic is loving, helpful一“Lola’s boy siya and medyo poging-pogi sa sarili,' Akira describes, laughing. But, the quality of Rovic that resonates with this actor the most is his optimism. “’Yung ginawa ko po kasi na character kay Rovic e very happy lang na tao, lagi naka-smile, very optimistic… medyo ganu’n ako sa personal,” he shares.

Akira may be popular now as a singer and dancer, being a member of the OPM boy group BGYO, but some may not know he started in the industry as an actor. He was a cast member of the series All of Me and several indie films like Sundalong Kanin. With “Tabing Ilog The Musical Rerun,” he’s thrilled that he gets to return to his initial craft and try out theater acting for the first time.

He wishes to pursue theater further because it gives him creative freedom to imagine a character in an array of emotions and play with how he delivers that character’s nuances to audiences. Singing properly while crying and acting at the same time is challenging but it’s a skill he’s eager to improve on. On acting onstage, he tells Metro.Style, “Before, hindi ko siya na-imagine pero nu’ng na-try ko po siya, ang sarap sa feeling.”—Grace Libero-Cruz

Akira Morishita as Rovic

Benedix Ramos as Rovic

“If there’s something very similar to us, how John Loyd [Cruz] played the role of Rovic is him being very reserved and silent at times that he doesn't really need to speak,“ Benedix Ramos says of his role.

“But if it's required for him to speak or the situation calls for him to speak, he’s there to be somehow one of the leaders of the group. He’s also the kuya, he can be a kuya to Fonzy, to anyone younger than him. The wisdom of Rovic is also very admirable but at the same time, he makes mistakes, so he has shortcomings as a person,” added the actor, who was also part of the “Bar Boys“ musical.

Because this is the second time he’s doing the role of Rovic, Benedix said he can only do his best for him to be relatable to the audience, particularly the Gen Z. He tells Metro.Style, “I feel like the way I portray him will be different based on how this generation behaves. So I would probably understand more about the new generation, or the generation that Rovic is in, and apply it to my character.”

While the TV show has tackled different issues, expect these themes to be expounded, according to Benedix. “I think they’re also going to be seeing, aside from of course the LGBT element in the show, they’re also going to see how Filipino families really go through everyday life, especially in the province life, in the Tabing Ilog, San Juan,” Benedix shares. “The modern parents now are very much different from the parents before, and in such a way that, I think they’re really trying their best to understand the generation, because we understand that we came from different generations, but the modern families now are able to understand the [new] generation more.”—Jel Villanueva

Benedix Ramos as Rovic

Anji Salvacion as Corrinne

Singer-actress Anji Salvacion is dabbling into theater acting for the first time through “Tabing Ilog The Musical Rerun,” and she can't be happier about this new experience. Anji says the theater environment is fun, engaging, and a safe space for a self-confessed socially awkward person like her.

Commenting on how genuine people and things feel for her in this kind of setting, she shares, “ I really love how genuine our friendship is. 'Yung nabuong friendship dito, at saka nabuong pamilya ko dito.”

In this musical, Anji plays the role of the free-spirited Corrinne, who's bisexual, hinting at how the narrative tackles relevant and relatable stories. Anji describes her character and shares what she has in common with her onscreen persona: “'Yung core niya, humuhugot siya sa family, friends, and relationship. She really values those stuff. And I think na may similarity kami roon in that part kaya ako nakaka-connect sa kanya.”

The audience, too, will find many aspects of the musical that they could relate to. For Anji, the theme that stood out to her and something she's glad to talk about in the open is depression. “'Yun 'yung topic na parang ang hirap-hirap i-discuss,” she observes, emphasizing the importance of meaningful conversations even in our fast-paced lives.

Although she may be a perfectionist sometimes, she also acknowledges that it's okay to make mistakes and that one should avoid overthinking. That's why, when asked to share her biggest learning from the musical, Anji reflected, “You can make mistakes. You also have to dive in. Because if you don't dive in, how would you assist yourself to become a better person or a better artist?”

Aside from theater work, Anji also started shooting a series, The Four Bad Boys and Me. Whether in music or acting, she wants to explore more and express herself better. Dream role? Anji answers with certainty, laughing, “Isa lang naman 'yung gusto kong role, 'yung ako 'yung kontrabdia sa horror project. Aswang o psychopath.”—Grace Libero-Cruz

Anji Salvacion as Corrinne

Miah Canton as Corrinne

Independent, outgoing, very friendly, and loud. These are the words Miah Canton describes her character originally played by Desiree del Valle.

How similar is Corrinne to her, Miah shares, “Medyo relatable siya in terms of personality and her personal struggles. For this rerun, I’m excited to come back, especially with the edits in the script.”

Since it’s been a year since she last stepped into the shoes of Corrinne, Miah says that the shows she watched and her life experiences in the past year help her in reshaping her portrayal of the character for the rerun versus how she approached it before.

Having watched some episodes of the TV series, Miah said that the musical will definitely show more of the issues faced by the barkada: “Mas maraming issues na mas tackled now in terms of sexuality, mental health, hindi lang sa problems sa friends and family... Masasabi ko na mas malalim ’yung character ni Corrinne dito versus ’yung sa show.”

With the opening fast approaching, Miah said she is looking forward to bonding all over again with the cast whom she worked with in the first run. “I’m looking forward sa buong company talaga. Kasi, I can really say na sobrang fun ng production na ito,” her eyes light up. “Magkakalapit ang ages namin and everyone’s relationship is still tight.”—Jel Villanueva

Miah Canton as Corrinne

- (From left, clockwise) Jordan Andrews as James, Anji Salvacion as Corrinne, Akira Morishita as Rovic, Jude Hinumdum as Badong, Sheena Belarmino as Eds, and Kiara Takahashi as George

- Jhoanna Robles as Eds

- Jhoanna Robles as Eds, Miah Canton as Corrinne, and Andi Abaya as George

- Akira Morishita as Rovic and Jhoanna Robles as Eds

- Jhoanna Robles as Eds, Red Nuestro as Panyong, and Yeyin dela Cruz as Azon

- Jhoanna Robles as Eds, Red Nuestro as Panyong, and Gimbey dela Cruz as Azon

- (From left) Miah Canton as Corrinne, Omar Uddin as Andoy, Jhoanna Robles as Eds, Akira Morishita as Rovic, Vino Mabalot as Fonzy, and Jude Hinumdum as Badong

- Sheena Belarmino as Eds

- Sheena Belarmino as Eds and Benedix Ramos as Rovic

- Sheena Belarmino as Eds, Gimbey dela Cruz, as Nanay Azon, and Red Nuestro as Panyong

- Sheena Belarmino as Eds, Kiara Takahashi as George, and Miah Canton as Corrinne

- Ani Abaya as George, Sheena Belarmino as Eds, and Miah Canton as Corrinne

- Sheena Belarmino as Eds, Red Nuestro as Panyong, and Yeyin dela Cruz as Azon

- (From left, clockwise) Jordan Andrews as James, Akira Morishita as Rovic, Miah Canton as Corrinne, Jude Hinumdum as Badong, Sheena Belarmino as Eds, and Andi Abaya as George

- Vivoree Esclito as Eds

- Vivoree Esclito as Eds and Akira Morishita as Rovic

- (From left, clockwise) Jordan Andrews as James, Vivoree as Eds, Akira Morishita as Rovic, Andi Abaya as George, Vino Mabalot as Fonzy, Jude Hinumdum as Badong, and Miah Canton as Corrinne

- Vivoree Esclito as Eds, Red Nuestro as Panyong, and Yeyin dela Cruz as Azon

- Kiara Takahashi as George, Miah Canton as Corrinne, and Vivoree Esclito as Eds

- Kiara Takahashi as George, Jude Hinumdun as Badong, Jordan Andrews as James, Anji Salvacion as Corrinne, Akira Morishita as Rovic, and Sheena Belarmino as Eds

- Akira Morishita as Rovic

- (From left) Vino Mabalot as Fonzy, Jude Hinumdum as Badong, Akira Morishita as Rovic, and Jordan Andrews as James

- Benedix Ramos as Rovic

- (From left) Vino Mabalot as Fonzy, Jude Hinumdum as Badong, Benedix Ramos as Rovic, and Omar Uddin as Andoy

'Tabing Ilog The Musical' Rerun will run until December 1 at the PETA Theater Center in Quezon City. Get your tickets here.

Its cast includes Vino Mabalot as Fonzy; Andi Abaya and Kiara Takahashi as George; Jordan Andres and Kobie Brown as James; Jude Hinumdum as Badong; Adrian Lindayag and Omar Uddin as Andoy; Lance Reblando as Meow, Vyen Villanueva as Toots, and Teetin Villanueva as Anchang as the 'Maritres;' Gimbey Dela Cruz and Yeyin Dela Cruz as Azon,Red Nuestro as Panyong, and Joann Co as Lola Juling as the parental figures.

Stay tuned for Parts 2 and 3 of our 'Tabing Ilog The Musical' Rerun special feature!

Photography by Miguel Alomajan, assisted by Jhom Russiana and Cody Dagsa

Art direction by Chookie Cruz

Set design by Rocket Sets Rey John Legaspi

Styling by Aldrin Ramos, assisted by John Vince Cureg, Rona Lusanta, and Brens Paraggua

Hair and makeup by CUT Encarnacion

Texts and interviews by Angelica Tordesillas, Jel Villanueva, and Grace Libero-Cruz

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