A Christmas Carol runs until Dec. 21, 2025, 3 pm and 7:30 on Saturdays and Sundays, at Proscenium Theater, Rockwell Center in Makati City.
We know of the usual “memorable performance that lingers after leaving the theater,” or of the so-called “LSS” (last song syndrome).
If there’s something the creative team behind 9 Works Theatrical’s A Christmas Carol realized, it’s about giving the audience more than they expect after curtain call.
“Usually, we observed, during curtail call, the audiences would start going out of the theater. For the past two productions we did, the audiences stayed for the ‘extro.’ There’s this warm feeling that the audience just wants to sit down, listen to the music, and enjoy the moment they shared with other audience members in the theater,” A Christmas Carol director Robbie Guevara told TheDiarist.ph.
Guevara wrote and directed the smash hit Liwanag Sa Dilim, an original musical featuring the songs of Rico Blanco. After curtain call, the cast would always perform the titular theme song, leaving everyone with a concert-like vibe. In The Bodyguard the Musical, the hit production that opened The Proscenium Theater at Rockwell in September, the cast, led by Filipino-British actress Christine Allado, gave audiences a rousing curtain call by performing Whitney Houston’s I Wanna Dance With Somebody—a high-energy finale that made the audience rise to its feet and dance with the cast.
“For A Christmas Carol, it’s how everyone would feel after the show, that beautiful warm feeling that you are in the right place at the right time,” Guevara added.
The cast capped every performance with God Bless Us Everyone, which gave you the feeling one felt after Mass, when the priest would bless the Mass-goers to go forth in peace. And we all need the positive vibe in these trying times.
Guevara clarified that they have the freedom to add, change, and innovate on the stage design and choreography, but not on the libretto and music for A Christmas Carol, the Charles Dickens classic adapted to musical by Alan Menken, with lyrics by Lynn Ahrens and book by Mike Ockrent and Ahrens.
The artistic team did excellent, congruent work.
Haunting scene with Camille Ros as the Ghost of Christmas Future and Arnel Carrion as Mr. Scrooge (Photo from 9 Works Theatrical)
Hats off to Mio Infante as scenographer, PJ Rebullida as choreographer, Yek Barlongay as tap choreographer, Gabo Tolentino as lighting designer, Aji Manalo as sound engineer/designer, Joee Mejias as video and projection designer, Raul Montesa as assistant director, and Sheik Completado as technical director. The live band was conducted by musical director Daniel Bartolome.
We also give credit to Elliza Aurelio as hair and makeup designer, and Yukie Sarto as official photographer, who captured the most important scenes for posterity. Their work turned every scene into a painting that transported us to the Victorian era in London.
The performances proved once more why Philippine theater remains the brightest spot in our nation’s culture—that gives us a prime place on the global stage.
Arnel Carrion as Uncle Scrooge was top of the game. We still remember his past roles in The Wizard of Oz, Seussical, Disney’s Tarzan, and August: Osage County, among others, and we’ll surely remember his Mr. Scrooge.
We remain in awe of Franco Laurel as the Ghost of Christmas Past, acting with his daughters Mariella as Mrs. Mops, Sophia as Grace Smythe, and Lucia as Fan.
Ensemble performance in ‘A Christmas Carol’ (Photo from 9 Works Theatrical)
We enjoyed John Joven Uy as Bob Cratchit, the overworked, underpaid clerk; Boo Gabunada as Mr. Scrooge’s business partner and only friend, Jacob Marley; Lorenz Martinez as the Ghost of Christmas Present; ballet and jazz dancer Carmelle Ros as the Ghost of Christmas Yet To Come; CJ Navato as the Young Ebeneezer Scrooge; and for Tiny Tim, there were Enzo Dognidon and Jethro Ting alternating.
Molly Langley as Sally and Neo Rivera as Fred (Photo from 9 Works Theatrical)
Nicole Omillo is magnificent as Emily, the girlfriend of Scrooge when he was still a struggling young man. Playing the one who got away, Omillo is now so confident in musical theater, after winning this year’s Female Lead Performance in a Musical at the 15th Gawad Buhay Awards for her amazing portrayal of Basha in PETA’s One More Chance, The Musical.
Anna Santamaria, one of Sandbox Collective’s co-founders and 9 Works Theatrical’s officers, is Mrs. Cratchit, the ever-supportive wife of Bob and devoted mother to their children. Like Laurel, she makes an impressive theater comeback, reprising the role she played in 2016.
Jasper John Jimenez, who recently played the fumbling bodyguard in The Bodyguard the Musical, shows the same comedic flair as Mr. Fezziwig, the former boss of the young Scrooge. Joining him is Meliza Reyes as Mrs. Fezziwig.
Neo Rivera, who had a memorable guy-next-door role in Repertory Philippines’ Going Home To Christmas: A Jose Mari Chan Musical last year, is as convincing as the handsome, romantic, and cheerful Fred. His persona is the exact opposite of his Uncle Scrooge, a foil to the negativity.
The talented and beautiful Molly Langley is the perfect choice for the role of Fred’s supportive girlfriend, Sally. She is fresh from a sterling performance as the introvert sister Violet in Side Show.
Gawad Buhay multi-awarded dancer-choreographer and former Alice Reyes Dance Philippines member Richardson Yadao is a joy to watch as Mr. Smythe, especially when he does the awesome pirouettes on the snow-filled pavement.
Rica Laguardia, former member of the award-winning The Opera Belles and a regular with PETA in such hit productions as One More Chance the Musical, Walang Aray, and Batang Rizal, is the Mother of Scrooge, her smooth, adept transition to an English-speaking role.
Other members of the cast who gave us memorable moments: Gary Junsay as Beadle; Joshy Ramirez as John William Scrooge; Derrick Gozos as Baker; Denzel Chang as Mr. Hawkins; Roxy Aldiosa as Poulterer; Natalie Duque as Grandma; Matthew Barbers as Fishmonger; child actors Sofia Aguilar and Atalie Castillo alternating as Martha Cratchit; Giani Sarita and Manolo Villalva alternating as 12-year-old Scrooge; Elian Santos and Kim Hewitt as Jonathan; and Drake Manlapaz and Liam Nery as Fred’s Son. It’s a versatile cast that plays multiple roles.
We salute the 9 Works Theatrical production team composed of managing director and executive producer Santi Santamaria; Anna Santamaria as operations and finance director; Charyl De Guzman as production manager; Jonjon Martin and Loreta Arroyo as PR managers; GM Hernandez as marketing manager; Cass Lim as marketing and digital content head; and Pachot Festejo as production stage manager.
Presented by Rockwell through special arrangement with Music Theatre International, A Christmas Carol runs until Dec. 21, 2025, at 7:30 pm on Fridays and Saturdays, and 3 pm on Saturdays and Sundays, at the Proscenium Theater, Rockwell Center in Makati City.
There’s an additional 7:30 pm show on Dec. 21, Sunday and a member of the production team who shall remain anonymous told TheDiarist.ph they have an announcement about the next show. Exciting!
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