'We Aren't Kids Anymore' musical to hit the Filipino stage this May
We Aren't Kids Anymore, the hard-hitting American musical about mental health and career, is coming to the Philippine stage this year. It will be staged by Barefoot Theatre Collaborative, which was behind critically acclaimed hits Mula sa Buwan, Pride Plays, The Last Five Years, and Bar Boys: A New Musical.
Created by Drew Gasparini, the musical dives into the messy reality of growing up, all while never quite feeling one did. It "reflects that point in life where you see that who you thought you’d be is different from who you’re actually becoming, where the dreams you swore you’d chase don’t look the way you imagined, and where the world stops being as simple as it used to be," according to BTC.
The all-star cast of its Filipino staging includes Gab Pangilinan, Maronne Cruz, Gio Gahol, Luigi Quesada, and Myke Salomon, who all play the character Drew based on the creator.
Katrine Sunga and Angelo Lantaco, meanwhile, are the female and male covers, respectively.
Rem Zamora serves as director, Farley Asuncion as co-musical director alongside Salomon, and Jomelle Era as movement director.
A musical that will 'resonate with everyone'
As the WAKA team held a sit-down interview with PhilSTAR L!fe, Pangilinan said the musical will resonate with everyone—especially those in the creative industry who strike a balance between carving a niche in their respective careers and navigating life as they know it.
In particular, she noted today's social media age, in which people share their wins but many onlookers are most likely clueless about the struggles that came with such achievements.
"We really get into it, the complexities of adulthood," she said. "We see how a lot of people succeed (online), but we don't really get to talk about what's behind the scenes... we don't see the dirty things, the nitty-gritty of it."
Pangilinan said that though the musical's target audience is millennials, as Gasparini is one, it's always meant to resonate with everyone who's in a transitional period in their lives.
"We've been theater actors for a while but personally, I don't think we've encountered a material that speaks to me as much as this one simply because of how real and raw it feels. It feels so specific," she shared.
For Cruz, the musical is meant for anyone with even a "single creative bone" in their body.
She also pointed out how relevant the musical is nowadays in terms of its song cycle. "I rarely see materials that specifically talk about the struggles of people in their 20s to 30s," she said. "I haven't really encountered something that dives deep into our existential struggles."
During rehearsal, Cruz noted how the emotions just come out of them because of how realistic the narrative and the song lyrics are.
"This role, more than any roles we've played, includes so much of ourselves," she said. "The character is Drew, but the character is also me and the character is also you."
Lantaco sees WAKA as an important work, especially since it delves into mental health. "Tagos siya," he told L!fe. "It's what keeps drawing me to the material closer and closer each day."
Without "giving away much" of the story, Lantaco noted that a certain "character" is what defines the musical. "Everyone has, in a way, experienced struggles. To me, a particular 'character,' in quote, is full of surprises. Para sa akin, siya 'yung plot twist."
For Sunga, being part of the team has given a different experience compared to just listening to the songs on a streaming platform.
"When you read the lyrics, for example, may mga discovery," she said. "You never know when it will hit you."
"It's very human. Anyone can relate to it no matter where they are in their lives right now. Loaded siya ng ghosts of the past," she added.
A musical that opens up some life truths
Gahol, for his part, said that the musical—though it gets "really vulnerable"—is brave in opening up some life truths that we really don't get to talk about every day.
"I've become that kind of person that if there's an opportunity to open up certain aspects in my life—but not to the point that people must pity me or feel bad for me—I find comfort in making a connection with another human being," he said. "I have that hope that, maybe, if I open up about myself, this can also happen to the people around me."
"You also open yourself up for help, so people can understand where you are and where you're coming from and how you want things to be," he continued.
While WAKA is about growth, Salomon noted it doesn't mean one has to let go of their inner selves completely. "It's basically about not losing your inner child, but slowly building your inner parent into taking care of yourself," he said.
Quesada added that though his life is different from Drew—and even though they represent different parts of the character—he feels the connection nonetheless. "I can connect with him in a way that he's very subdued. I'm not a subdued person, but it does come into the material," he said. "WAKA is made for a certain generation, but it speaks to the generations that came before and afterward."
Zamora noted that WAKA was Salomon's "pandemic companion," as the latter listened to its soundtrack over and over again at the time. "[Salomon] developed a very deep connection to the material. I don't think any of us knew that this material existed prior to being offered to us. We're on board and we love it," he said.
For Zamora, it's high time to stage WAKA because of its universality. "No matter what country it is, the text will apply to all," he explained. "The brilliance of this material is how honest and raw and relatable it is. I don't think I've met anyone who has not been able to relate to it. There's so much to unlock and discover."
He said those who aren't knowledgeable much about musicals have nothing to be afraid of, as all it requires from the audience is being emotionally ready. "There's no research required, you just have to be open," he continued.
Asuncion, meanwhile, said WAKA can transport anyone to a particular time in their life. "The material can put you to a certain place, if you'd allow it to transport you to a certain aspect of your memory," he said. "It can really hit you hard."
He noted that though the album is "radio-friendly," what they're producing not only heightens the experience but also fleshes it out through a different angle.
For Era, the musical is a must-watch with the inevitability of the subject matter it portrays, including employment. "Since everyone will go through this, let's talk about this," she said.
"If WAKA makes you feel a little less alone," Pangilinan added, I think that we would have succeeded in telling the story."
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We Aren’t Kids Anymore will be staged for four weeks only, from May 2 to 25, at the Power Mac Center Spotlight Blackbox Theater in Circuit Makati. The show will run for 90 minutes with no intermission and there will be no admission for latecomers.
All shows have two ticketing tiers: Gold (P3,200) and Silver (P2,700). Opening weekend tickets are available at discounted rates of P3,000 for Gold and P2,500 for Silver. Tickets are now available at bit.ly/waka2025tickets.
