Don’t you miss the feeling of watching musical and theater plays? I do, so I was so relieved to hear that Repertory Philippines (REP) is making a comeback through an online production! REP is set to make the holiday season merrier and brighter with The Great Christmas Cookie Bake Off! – their first REP Theatre for Young Audiences (RTYA) production in two years, via Broadway On Demand from November 12 to December 12, 2021.
The Great Christmas Cookie Bake Off! revolves around the story of eight young cookie chefs who have been selected from all over the country to battle it out for first prize at the Cookie Coliseum. Over the course of the competition, their feelings of intense rivalry give way to the virtues of family, charity, and forgiveness, as these chefs learn what really makes for a winning Christmas recipe. We got a brief sneak peek last Thursday and their song that goes “I wanna win the bake off” immediately got stuck in my head!
The online production stars Becca Coates as Patty Mañosa, a beautiful sensitive soul who longs for her Grandma’s cookies; Tim Pavino as Javi Carreon, a video game buff who feels out of place in the kitchen but whose heart is definitely in the right place; Jep Go as Gabe Gomez, a bully who’s more than happy to bend the rules; Jillian Ita-as as Anna Santos, the perfect overachiever; Luigi Quesada plays Julian Zamora, a culinary artiste with a talent for fine cuisine; Justine Narciso is Amy Garcia, a Disney devotee who’s slightly scattered in the kitchen but super adorable just the same; Steven Hotchkiss is Josh Bernardo, a science enthusiast who knows his formulas; and Rachel Coates is Samantha Lopez, a fun and fabulous social media fanatic who loves the spotlight.
Joining the cast are REP and theater veterans like Carla Guevara-Laforteza playing multiple roles for the show—first as the stylish Isabel Guevara, a food fashionista with a high sense of aesthetic and one of the judges of the bake off; as Anna’s Mom, your quintessential helicopter parent who watches every detail; and Patty’s quirky-loving Grandma!
Arnel Carrion is also part of the show playing a double role as Michael Holmes, the meanest guy in the food industry and in the Cookie Coliseum, and as Gabe’s Dad, a big wig TV exec who pushes his son to win at all costs. Jaime Wilson, meanwhile, plays pop singer and celebrity guest judge Del Ray who has never baked but can certainly lay down some tasty grooves! Hans Eckstein completes the cast as Larry, the faithful host and announcer of the competition.
The Great Christmas Cookie Bake Off! is created by Broadway musical director Rick Hip-Flores who wrote the musical to provide some sort of relief and delight amid a challenging time, and directed by RTYA Creative Director Joy Virata. The production also includes an all-star creative team composed of set designer Ed Lacson, lighting designer John Batalla, costume designer Bonsai Cielo, and choreographer Deana Aquino. Multi-awarded director Treb Monteras helms the video production managed by Silver Media.
HOW TO WATCH
The online musical will be exclusively available at Broadway On Demand, which can be accessed via computer or mobile device through a web browser (Google Chrome is recommended for optimal streaming) or via tablet or smartphone through the Broadway On Demand app on App Store and Google Play. It’s also available on AppleTV and Roku. You’ll need to create an account in order to use the platform.
To book a ticket, search for REP’s The Great Christmas Cookie Bake Off! through any of the links below or call the REP Box Office at 0966 905 4013:
Ticket prices are Php 700 for 24-hour access and Php 1,000 for a 48-hour access. You can watch the musical as many times as you wish within the viewing period that you paid for, so you can pause that if you’re busy and continue watching again during your free time. We would recommend that you watch it in one sitting for that theater-like experience, though!
As someone who knows the feeling of wanting to make their fave grandma proud, we’re rooting for Patty who joined the bake-off for her grandma! Let’s see who will win by streaming this new family-friendly musical from November 12-December 12. See you online!
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