Rak of Aegis

 Jukebox musical transitions to the virtual platform

By Earl D.C. Bracamonte

The Philippine Educational Theater Association's (PETA) most watched musical, Rak of Aegis, is finally going online! From its stage productions for the past seven years, the fab musical will have a limited run for two weekends from July 31 to August 8, and may be booked via the www.ticket2me.net site.

As a treat for theater fans and OFM (Original Filipino music) lovers, PETA, together with Organisasyon ng Pilipinong Mang-aawit (OPM) and the PhilPop Musicfest Foundation (PhilPop), is proudly presenting the pay-per-view streaming of the well-loved jukebox musical.

Being the banner project of PETA's fundraising campaign dubbed as #TakePETABeyondCOVID, Rak of Aegis is also a part of the Linggo ng Musikang Pilipino (LMP) 2021 celebration. Featuring songs from the '90s rock band Aegis - Sinta, Luha, Halik, Sayang na Sayang, and Basang-basa sa Ulan, among others - the jukebox musical tells the story of impoverished community Barangay Venezia, which has been submerged in floodwaters for two months after a super typhoon.

Since 2014, Rak of Aegis has captivated the hearts of audiences with its humor, music, message of resiliency, family, and community. Now, finally, Villa Venezia and its well-loved residents will give device screens a newfound relevance to the show's timeless message of love and hope.

The show's streaming is a testament that the resilience of those in Villa Venezia exists not only in the play, but also in the Filipino spirit trying to navigate through the Covid-19 pandemic; and in the artists who have strove to thrive and survive despite the crisis currently faced by the local theater industry.

Tickets for Rak of Aegis has been available since Labor Day. The streaming cast, as well as future ticketing details will be announced hereafter. The final lineup of performing cast members that includes Isay Alvarez, Robert Seňa, Aicelle Santos, Poppert Bernadas, Pepe Herrera, and Jimi Marquez, as well as their understudies, are being ironed out to give way to artists' schedules who have endeavors outside of the musical.

Real-life sweethearts and Rak of Aegis alumni Kim Molina and Jerald Napoles will be joining the Aegis Band for a concert on August 8. The musical's staging comes on the eve of next year's May elections, as politics is a topic very much at the heart of the play's storyline.