A very Broadway Christmas in Manila

MANILA, Philippines – Meet Jhett Tolentino, a Pinoy from Iloilo City who migrated to the US, made good in Broadway and won three Tony Awards for producing successful plays. He has been cited for being an Outstanding Filipino-American for Entertainment in New York and, just this year, was given an Ani ng Lahi Award by the National Commission for Culture & the Arts (NCCA).

Jhett is also the president and artistic director of Jhett Tolentino Productions, Inc. (Instagram jtpi2016). The company’s mission is to help the Filipino artist through master classes, lectures and seminar-workshops by Broadway artists, produce quality shows, give priority to casting Filipinos in productions, develop an audience for theater, make more Broadway shows more accessible to the Filipino audience and even promote tourism.

This was announced in a recent press conference at Via Mare in Quezon City.

Singer Andrew Keenan-Bolger talks to media via Skype

“We have lined up for the next year some Broadway stars and we will prioritize that Filipino actors be in our cast,” Jhett told the media. “We plan a full musical for next year, and we will bring in actors and directors from New York to hold master classes and lectures.”

The first of the shows planned is A Very Broadway Christmas in Manila, featuring Broadway singing actor Andrew Keenan-Bolger in a one-night only concert at the newly-opened Bonifacio Global City (BGC) Arts Center in Taguig City. Guest star is the now well-known singing actress Tanya Manalang, who joined the 25th anniversary edition of Miss Saigon in London and recently appeared in PETA’s Rak of Aegis.

Keenan-Bolger will sing Christmas carols, songs from Broadway musicals and just to relate to the audience two Filipino Christmas songs — Pasko na Naman and Sana Ngayong Pasko, plus the rollicking Kumukutikutitap.

From New York, the singer was able to chat briefly with the Manila media via Skype. “I hope to see your country soon and I’m really thrilled, as it will be my first time in Asia,” he said.

The concert will be repeated in Iloilo City on Dec. 17 at the Rose Memorial Hall of Central Philippine University. photos by Amadis Ma. Guerrero