Atlantis Theatrical Entertainment Group (ATEG)’s staging of the first international production of the 2014 Tony Award winning musical together with Metrobank Card Corporation, The Bridges Of Madison County opens on Nov. 20 and runs until Dec. 6 at the Carlos P. Romulo Auditorium, RCBC Plaza, Makati.
Leading the cast as Francesca and Robert are two iconic performers of the international musical theatre stage, Joanna Ampil and MiG Ayesa.
Joanna Ampil, who rose to stardom in London’s West End as Kim in Miss Saigon, Mary Magdalene in Jesus Christ Superstar Eponine and Fantine in Les Miserables and Christmas Eve in Avenue Q, says of her latest role, “It will be my first musical in Manila after a long hiatus. The last one was The Sound of Music in 2012. I’m hungry for a new challenge and this role of Francesca will certainly give me that challenge, stretch and creativity that I’m always craving for as an artist. Jason Robert Brown and I performed in London sometime ago way before he wrote Bridges and to be able to play a lead in one of his works will be a wonderful experience; because I know that he writes some amazing stuff. I look forward to sharing the stage with MiG Ayesa, also. But, the thing that appealed to me the most was the idea of working for Atlantis for the first time and being directed by Bobby Garcia.”
MiG Ayesa, who performed the role of Stacee Jaxx in Rock Of Ages on Broadway and in Manila, says, “I am so thrilled to be returning to the Manila stage with this production of The Bridges Of Madison County. The score written by Jason Robert Brown is so breathtakingly beautiful it has to be considered a modern classic, and well deserved of the Tony Awards it received. I cannot wait to show such a different side to me, as the last time Manila audiences saw me was as the crazed rocker ‘Stacee Jaxx’ in Rock of Ages. The chance to be working opposite such a world class performer such as Jo Ampil, as well as under the direction of Bobby Garcia, promises to be an experience I will never forget. This will be my second stage production with ATEG, and it has always been a labour of love in that camp. Any excuse to visit the Philippines is worth the work! I cannot think of a better way than to return with such a production as beautiful as this.”
