Photo Flash: Geoffrey Nauffts' NEXT FALL Opens In Manila, 1/13-2/5

Co-written by Precious C. Lee Cundangan

Manila, Philippines, January 13, 2012 – Repertory Philippines (Rep.), the country’s premier English-speaking theater company, is celebrating 45 years in business by opening its 75th season with New York University Tisch School of the Arts alumnus and playwright Geoffrey Nauffts’ Broadway dramedy Next Fall, a moving story of a gay couple whose religious differences add tensions and contradictions to their five-year romantic relationship.  The play “takes a witty and provocative look at faith, commitment, unconditional love, and what goes beyond a typical love story,” according to Rep.

Audie Gemora, who recently won a Best Direction citation at the Aliw Awards for his work on the original Filipino musical Noli Me Tangere, directs Next Fall, his second straight play directorial job for Rep. after Equus.

Leading the production’s cast is theater stalwart Bart Guingona, who plays Adam, a cynical atheist whose non-committal, no-nonsense take on religion is challenged when his partner meets an accident; co-starring with Guingona is David Bianco, an actor from Theatreworks USA, who plays Luke, Adam’s boyfriend, an aspiring thespian and a devout born again Christian.

Also in the cast are Liesl Batucan, who plays Holly, Adam and Luke’s common friend, and owner of the candle shop where the couple works; Niccolo Manahan, who plays Brandon, Luke’s gay Christian friend; Juno Henares, who plays Arlene, Luke’s eccentric mom; and Miguel Faustmann, who plays Butch, Luke’s religious father and Arlene’s former husband.

Next Fall premiered as an Off Broadway play, produced by Nauffts’ Naked Angels, at Peter Jay Sharp Theatre in the summer of 2009; the sold-out performances and rave reviews that the production earned that summer prompted a Broadway transfer to Helen Hayes Theatre in March 2010.

“[Next Fall's] the little play that could,” according to New York critic David Cote, garnered several awards and nominations, among them were the 2010 Outer Critics Circle Awards’ John Gassner Award for Nauffts; 2010 Drama Desk Award nominations for Best Outstanding Play, Best Outstanding Featured Actor in a Play for Sean Dugan; 2010 Tony Award nominations for Best Play, Best Direction of a Play for Sheryl Kaller); and 2010 Outer Critics Circle Award nomination for Outstanding New Broadway Play.

Rep’s artistic, creative, and production team members behind Next Fall are Baby Barredo (artistic director), Menchu Lauchengco-Yulo (associate artistic director), John Batalla (lighting designer), Denis Lagdameo (set designer), Gidget Tolentino (production manager), Ayam Barredo (company manager), Dingdong Rosales (stage manager), Pol Roxas (sound technician), Pablito Salvador (lighting technician), and Adul Lasin (set execution and scenic artist).

Next Fall runs from January 13 to February 5, 2012 at Onstage, Greenbelt 1, Makati City; evening performances are on Fridays and Saturdays at 8:00 p.m., and matinee performances are on Saturdays and Sundays at 3:30 p.m.  For tickets, visit BroadwayWorld Philippines show listings’ section [Click Here].

Photos by Jory Rivera