Bob Ong’s Novel is Now a Straight Play!
The 2007 novel titled ‘Macarthur’ written by Bob Ong, and the author’s sixth published work will come to life via onstage and will also have the author as the playwright. The straight play is coming this September 2017 at St. Cecilia's Hall, St. Scholastica's College in Manila.
Given the author’s interests on social and political issues like poverty, graft and corruption, theft and drug addiction-this production will be relevant to the current Philippine setting.
Ong is a contemporary Filipino author known for using conversational writing technique to create humorous and reflective depictions of Philippine life.
The play tells about the tragedy of a society addicted to forbidden drugs, but hopeful of getting through the challenges each day.
‘MacArthur’ is a story of four friends who find ‘fleeting’ pleasures and ‘freedom’ through prohibited drugs.
A mix of theater, film and television artists compose the cast of this new straight and moving play. Jude Matthew Sevilla and Erik Gudelano Jr. are alternating as Noel, Jomari Angeles and Timothy Castillo as Cyrus, Justin Cuyugan and Iris Borginia as Jim, and Dylan Ray Talon and Mike Villamor as Voltron. It will be directed by Alejandro ‘Bong’ Ramos.
The same group who mounted the two-time nominee for BroadwayWorld.com Philippines Awards 2016 and vied for Best Music for a Filipino Musical and Best Book and Lyrics for a Filipino Musical; will bravely present this literary piece and provide its audience with shocking and life-changing experience, a hopeful vision for a greater change.
JMJ Events and Production in cooperation with VISPRINT Inc. seek to use theater and the arts as an effective venue and a powerful tool to educate the youth about the dangers of illegal use of drugs. Having such advocacy to support the government’s anti-drug campaign-a play was imagined and to be mounted in various parts of the country.