Star Powerhouse

“MANHID: The Pinoy Superhero Musical” brings together not only talented actors, singers, and dancers, but critically acclaimed musicians too! Audiences will be treated to live music in each show, care of the Radioactive Sago Project. The sought-after group is taking over where the Eraserheads left off in 1991, as the production’s live band. The Radioactive Sago Project’s perennially surprising stylistic excursions have earned them a cult following, from critics to art fans, even to discerning rock audiences. The band is fronted by four-time Palanca Award-winning writer Lourd De Veyra, along with alumni from the UP College of Music, two-time Gawad Urian awardee for Best Music, Francis De Veyra on bass, Jay Gapasin on drums, Junji Lerma on guitars, Pards Tupas on trombone, Arwin Nava on percussions, and Wowie Ansano on trumpet. Eventually, the band added Roxy Modesto (tenor and baritone saxophone) and B-boy Garcia (turntables) to beef-up the lineup.

Teaser: Sandino Martin as BANTUGAN and Teetin Villanueva as LAM-ANG in the upcoming presentation of Ballet Philippines - Manhid: the Pinoy Superhero Musical “MANHID: The Pinoy Superhero Musical” will have a three-weekend run at the CCP Main Theater on February 20-22, February 27-March 1, and March 6-8, 2015.

Synopsis of Manhid Can we imagine a world without EDSA? MANHID exists in a world without our return to democracy and human rights. The play is about the battles of two groups of super–heroes: the Maragtas headed by tabloid writer Bantugan Buenaventura and the lady activist Lam-ang Panganiban versus the Tulisan ng Bayan headed by General Apolaki Regalado. The Tulisan are employed by Mamalahim-ma a demonic Minister of Humanity who plans on enslaving whole generations of Filipinos with her epidemic of Kamanhiran. The heroes and villains, as children of their native land receive their powers when they were named after the gods and heroes of Philippine myth as a protest for the Masaker ng Taong Bayan. In their battles these opposing teams fight for the future of the Philippines.

On February 2015, “MANHID: The Pinoy Superhero Musical” wraps up Ballet Philippines’ 45th anniversary season. Set in an alternate present day Philippines where the EDSA revolution failed, this musical features heroes and villains with superpowers, and a people sick with Kamanhiran (Apathy).   Leading the cast of superheroes as Bantugan “Tag-inip” Buenaventura is Sandino Martin, who recently won Best Actor at the Cinema One Originals Awards Night for his role in “Esprit de Corps”. Bantugan is a journalist with the power to communicate with the other superheroes through his dreams. Alternating the role is Ballet Philippines Apprentice, Mark Anthony Grantos.   Female lead Lam-Ang “Amihabagat” Panganiban, who controls the Amihan and Habagat winds, will be played by Regina de Vera and Teetin Villanueva. A resident actor of the Tanghalang Pilipino Actors Company, de Vera won the Gawad Buhay award for Outstanding Female Lead Performance in a Play in 2013 for “Der Kaufmann”. ...

Ballet Philippines with Tanghalang Pilipino invites you to be part of MANHID, the 45th season ender performance slated for February 20 to March 8, 2015 at the CCP Main Theater. MANHID. The Pinoy Superhero Musical was first staged by UP TROPA in 1991 by Auraeus Solito, Kanakan Balintagos, Vincent de Jesus, Carina Evangelista and the Eraserheads.  Actors/Singers between 20-35 who are able to play the following characters: DILIM (coloratura soprano), LAM-ANG (soprano), ALUNSINA (rock alto), BANTUGAN (tenor/baritone), RADYA/INDARAPATRA (baritone), and other roles.