Side Show: The Musical Announces Full Company

After mounting critically-acclaimed productions of Little Shop of Horrors: A Bloodthirsty Musical Comedy and Next to Normal, The Sandbox Collective continues its 2025 season with SIDE SHOW: THE MUSICAL this July 2025.

Set in 1930s America, SIDE SHOW: THE MUSICAL is a fictional depiction of the life and times of real-life conjoined twins Daisy and Violet Hilton, who found fame and notoriety in the vaudeville circuit in 1920 and 1930s.

Featuring a stellar mix of Philippine theater’s veterans and rising stars, the show is set to captivate audiences with a brand new staging of the original 1997 version of SIDE SHOW.

THE HILTON TWINS
Alternating in the role of the conjoined twins, Violet and Daisy Hilton, are powerhouse pairs Tanya Manalang and Marynor Madamesila, and Krystal Kane and Molly Langley.

Tanya Manalang and Marynor Madamesila

The award-winning and global artist, Tanya Manalang stars as Violet Hilton in Side Show. She played Kim in ‘Miss Saigon’ (West End, London) and originated the role of Joy in ‘Ang Huling El Bimbo.’ She is a Best Actress winner (Aliw, GEMS), and has starred in ‘The Sound of Music,’ ‘The King and I,’ ‘Rak of Aegis,’ ‘tick, tick… Boom!,’ ‘All Out of Love,’ and more.

A proud alumna of UP Diliman’s Theatre Arts program, Marynor Madamesila stars alongside Tanya as Daisy Hilton. She is a singer, mover, and multimedia actor. Some of her recent credits include: ‘Walang Aray,’ ‘Sandosenang Sapatos,’ ‘Batang Rizal,’ ‘Rak of Aegis,’ and 'Buruguduystunstugudunstuy.’ Marynor is a Gawad Buhay and Aliw Award nominee for Best Lead Actress. On screen, Marynor has appeared in ‘Pamilya Ko,’ ‘Love in 40 Days,’ ‘Oh, Mando!’ and ‘Beauty and the Boss.’

Molly Langley and Krystal Kane

Molly Langley takes the stage as Violet Hilton in Side Show. Trained at Performers College in the UK, Molly’s theater credits include ‘Spring Awakening,’ ‘The Wild Party,’ and most recently ‘RENT’ as Mimi. She is a seasoned international performer with Royal Caribbean and Celebrity Cruise Lines. She was recently part of the sixth season of the singing competition ‘The Clash’ where she made it to the final Top 6.

Krystal Kane stars alongside Molly as Daisy Hilton. Krystal has been doing professional theater since she was 10 years old. Her previous productions include ‘The Sound of Music,’ ‘Spring Awakening,’ and ‘Once On This Island.’ In 2019, Krystal was nominated for Outstanding Performance by an Actress in a Musical at the first Philippine Leaf Awards, as well as Best Actress in a Musical Show by Broadwayworld Philippines. Krystal also served as the costumes stylist for The Sandbox Collective’s ‘Lungs,’ ‘Every Brilliant Thing,’ ‘Bawat Bonggang Bagay,’ and ‘Tiny Beautiful Things.

THE BOSS
Stepping into the role of The Boss is comedian, host, and TV and film actor Jon Santos. Last seen on stage in The Sandbox Collective’s sold-out runs of ‘Bawat Bonggang Bagay.’ Jon was also seen in productions such as ‘Ang Huling El Bimbo,’ ‘Rak of Aegis,’ ‘Priscilla, Queen of the Desert,’ ‘Bituing Walang Ningning,’ and ‘Ako si Josephine.’ Outside of theater, Jon is one of the mainstay judges of RuPaul’s Drag Race Philippines.

Jon Santos as The Boss

TERRY CONNOR
Alternating in the role of the press agent and Daisy’s love interest, Terry Conor, are theater leading men Reb Atadero and CJ Navato.

Reb Atadero and CJ Navato

Reb Atadero is an award-winning actor, singer, host, voice actor, director, and content creator. He is Gawad Buhay Awardee for his portrayal of Michael in ‘tick, tick… Boom!’ and has received nominations for his performances in ‘The Graduate,’ ‘Chitty Chitty Bang Bang,’ ‘Ang Huling El Bimbo,’ ‘Lungs,’ and ‘Little Shop of Horrors.’ Beyond the stage, Reb is known for his online educational content, popularizing the catchphrase “BOOM! Now You Know!”, which has since expanded into his very own podcast, ‘BOOM! Now We Know!,’ streaming on Spotify.

With over 20 years in the industry, CJ Navato has captured the hearts of many on the big screen, TV, and now including theater. He rose to fame as a mainstay in ABS-CBN’s ‘Goin’ Bulilit’ and has since appeared in various shows like ‘Luv U,’ ‘Doc Ricky,’ ‘Pedia,’ and ‘Dirty Linen.’ He was last seen on stage in ‘Liwanag Sa Dilim Musical,’ ‘One More Chance The Musical,’ and ‘Charot!’.

BUDDY FOSTER
Sharing the role of the aspiring musician and Violet’s love interest, Buddy Foster, are leading men, Vien King and Tim Pavino.

Vien King and Tim Pavino

Marking a versatile and influential decade in the arts, Vien King has earned the title Best Actor (Gawad Buhay, LEAF Awards) for ‘Passion.’ He starred in ‘Rama Hari,’ ‘Tick, Tick… Boom!,’ and most recently in ‘Liwanag Sa Dilim Musical.’ He also appeared in MMFF hits, ‘Partners in Crime’ and ‘Love at First Stream.’ Vien has performed internationally with Disney in Concert, and now tours Asia with The Jet Theaters.

Tim Pavino is a BroadwayWorld Awardee and a two-time Aliw Awards winner. Tim’s theater experiences include ‘Miong,’ ‘The Great Christmas Cookie Bake-off,’ ‘Beautiful: The Carole King Musical,’ ‘Matilda,’ and ‘Jersey Boys: The Story of Frankie Valli & The Four Seasons.’ He has also performed with prestigious orchestras such as the BYU Chamber Orchestra, ABS-CBN Philharmonic Orchestra, Auburn Symphony Orchestra, and the Manila Symphony Orchestra, and appeared on The Voice of the Philippines under Team Lea Salonga.

JAKE
Theater mainstays Marvin Ong and Joshua Cabiladas alternate in the role of Jake.

Marvin Ong and Joshua Cabiladas

Singer-songwriter Marvin Ong earned a Gawad Buhay Award for his performance in ‘Sweeney Todd.’ He also received a citation for his role in ‘I Love You, You’re Perfect, Now Change.’ Marvin also played key roles in different productions such as ‘The Lion, the Witch, and the Wardrobe,’ ‘Si Juan Tamad, ang Diyablo, at ang Limang Milyong Boto,’ ‘The Sound of Music,' and ‘Mga Kuwento ni Lola Basyang.’ As a singer, Marvin has released two albums under Viva Records, the first of which earned him a certified gold record status and an Aliw Award nomination.

Joshua Cabiladas is an acclaimed Filipino actor, singer, and improviser with over a decade of experience in theater, film, and music. He was most recently seen in ‘Delia D.,’ as well as in ‘Jepoy and the Magic Circle,’ ‘Lam-Ang,’ ‘Ang Huling El Bimbo,’ ‘Himala: Isang Musikal,’ among others. He reprised his role in the film adaptation of ‘Isang Himala,’ and had notable performances in ‘Ang Babae sa Septic Tank 3,’ ‘Ang Pangarap Kong Holdap,’ ‘Kapatiran,’ ‘Ploy,’ ‘Florante at Laura,’ and ‘Bula sa Langit.’

THE ENSEMBLE
Completing the company are the ensemble members who are set to take the stage as the sideshow curiosities. The Sandbox Collective is delighted to introduce the incredible ensemble comprised of: Arion Sanchez, Chan Rabutazo, Fay Castro, Daniel Wesley, Ian Hermogenes, Mikee Baskiñas, Pamela Imperial, Pappel, Raflesia Bravo, Red Nuestro, Reine Paisley, and Rhap Salazar.

Ensemble

SIDE SHOW: THE MUSICAL will be directed by The Sandbox Collective’s managing artistic director Toff de Venecia, with Ejay Yatco serving as musical director. Rounding out the artistic team will be Mark Dalacat as assistant director and set designer, Carlos Siongco as costume designer, Gabo Tolentino as lighting designer, JM Cabling as choreographer, and Colin Dancel as photographer.

SIDE SHOW: THE MUSICAL opens on July 26, 2025 and will run until August 16, 2025 at the Power Mac Center Spotlight Black Box Theater, Circuit Makati. Tickets and Show Buying information will be released at a later date. #SideShowMNL

SIDE SHOW: THE MUSICAL is licensed through Concord Theatricals.

For more information, follow The Sandbox Collective on Facebook, Twitter and Tiktok. You may visit their website www.thesandboxco.com and social media platforms: Facebook Instagram Tiktok

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BONGGANG SIDE-BY-SIDE: Jon Santos returns to the stage with The Sandbox Collective’s Bawat Bonggang Bagay and Side Show!

A Bonggang Pagbabalik for Pride Month

Jon Santos reprises role in The Sandbox Collective's Filipino adaptation of "Every Brilliant Thing" -- "Bawat Bonggang Bagay"

Multimedia artist, comedy icon, and master impersonator Jon Santos will reprise his role as The Sandbox Collective restages a strictly limited run of its hit one-act play, BAWAT BONGGANG BAGAY (BBB).

Presented by The Sandbox Collective’s new arm, Sandbox Co.labs, in partnership with Ayala Land and Circuit Makati, BBB will bring back its hilarious and heart-warming portrayal of love, loss, and mental health to Filipino audiences.

In celebration of Pride Month 2025, BBB returns after its sold out engagements in 2023 and 2024. This year’s BBB also marks Santos’ fourth run of the show.

BAWAT BONGGANG BAGAY is the Filipino-translated staging of Duncan Macmillan and Jonny Donahoe’s Every Brilliant Thing. Award-winning playwright, translator, actor, and director Guelan Luarca worked on its translation and original staging in 2023.

BBB is an intimate and interactive play that follows the story of a young child growing up with a parent suffering from mental illness. The show continues the conversation on mental health by bringing real and pressing issues to the forefront, and by creating a safe and communal space where audiences become part and parcel of the storytelling.

Jenny Jamora will once again be stepping in as director, having directed all of the previous runs, and winning Outstanding Stage Direction for a Play at the 12th Gawad Buhay Awards.

Joining Jamora in the production team are Marcel David as assistant director, Mark Dalacat as set designer, Kiefer Sison as lighting designer, Arvy Dimaculangan as sound designer, Yabs Yabut as technical director, GA Fallarme as projections designer, KC Kane as costume stylist, Charyl De Guzman as production manager, and IJ Romero as stage manager.

BBB will run at the Power Mac Center Spotlight Black Box Theater in Circuit Makati from June 14 to June 22, 2025 for a strictly limited engagement. Tickets are now available at TicketWorld via bit.ly/bbonggab25.

BAWAT BONGGANG BAGAY (Every Brilliant Thing) is licensed through Concord Theatricals.

Jon Santos Showing us Who's Boss

Jon Santos, performer extraordinaire, shows us who’s boss by taking the stage once more in SIDE SHOW: THE MUSICAL. Santos opens the sideshow as “The Boss,” who takes the reins and introduces us to the mystical world of the freaks, led by the Hilton twins.

Set in 1930s America, SIDE SHOW: THE MUSICAL is a fictional depiction of the life and times of real-life conjoined twins Daisy and Violet Hilton who found fame and notoriety in the vaudeville circuit in 1920 and 1930s.

After mounting critically acclaimed productions of musicals Little Shop of Horrors and Next to Normal, The Sandbox Collective, under managing artistic director Toff de Venecia’s direction, will be staging SIDE SHOW: THE MUSICAL in July 2025.

Joining director Toff de Venecia in the artistic team is Ejay Yatco serving as musical director. Rounding out the artistic team will be Mark Dalacat as assistant director and set designer, Carlos Siongco as costume designer, Gabo Tolentino as lighting designer, and JM Cabling as choreographer.

SIDE SHOW: THE MUSICAL will open on July 26, 2025 and will run until August 17, 2025 at the Power Mac Center Spotlight Black Box Theater, Circuit Makati. Cast, Ticketing and Show Buying information will be released in the coming days. #SandboxSideShow

SIDE SHOW: THE MUSICAL is licensed through Concord Theatricals.

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Jon Santos Back on Stage in a Filipino Staging of Every Brilliant Thing

Multimedia artist, comedy icon, and master impersonator Jon Santos joins The Sandbox Collective’s SANDBOX FEST 2023 to bring a Filipino-translated performance of Duncan Macmillan and Johnny Donahoe’s Every Brilliant Thing to the local stage.

Santos has made his mark on the Philippine theater scene, recently playing roles in Ang Huling El Bimbo and Priscilla, Queen of the Desert. Santos is best known for writing and producing comedy shows, and for impersonating pop culture and political personalities such as Vilma Santos and the late Senator Miriam Defensor-Santiago.

More recently, Santos made waves in the Philippine drag scene after being one of the alternating judges on the hit reality show Drag Race Philippines, a local franchise of RuPaul’s Drag Race.

Every Brilliant Thing is a one-act, interactive play that follows the story of a young child growing up with a parent suffering from mental illness. The show has been staged in multiple countries and has also been translated into different languages such as Mandarin, Arabic, Spanish, and Hebrew. Tasked with Every Brilliant Thing’s Filipino translation is award-winning playwright, translator, actor, and director Guelan Luarca.

Luarca was the recipient of the 2022 Gawad Rolando Tinio Translator’s Prize by the National Commission for Culture and the Arts.

With its Filipino version ready to take the stage, Every Brilliant Thing expands its reach and potential by giving Filipino audiences the opportunity to discuss mental health in a safe space and through their native language. What The Sandbox Collective hopes to achieve through this original translation is to continue to normalize the conversation on mental health and to encourage healthy discourse in the Philippines where depression and grief continue to be taboo topics among more traditional households.

Santos is thrilled to be taking the reins and starring in the Filipino staging of Every Brilliant Thing as the project also marks his return to Philippine theater. He shares, “In my experience, the takeaways in shows are much more intense when the setup is an actor-to-live audience. You look at the eye of an actor and the message is shot right through your heart. It’s exciting and overwhelming, but also heartwarming to realize that an actor can help change perspectives or spark conversations about mental health.”

Joining Santos and reprising their roles in the solo-actor show are model, actress, and TV host Teresa Herrera and theater actress, multimedia host, and entrepreneur Kakki Teodoro. Both Herrera and Teodoro received Gawad Buhay Award nominations for their previous Every Brilliant Thing runs, with Teodoro bagging the prize for Female Lead in 2020.

Teresa Herrera, Jon Santos and Kakki Teodoro for Every Brilliant Thing

Jenny Jamora returns to the director’s chair for both the English and Filipino versions of Every Brilliant Thing. Jamora directed the 2019 run of Every Brilliant Thing and received the Gawad Buhay Award for Outstanding Stage Direction for a Play in 2020.

Every Brilliant Thing will run alongside Duncan Macmillan’s Lungs in a twinbill (two shows, one ticket) experience in this season’s SANDBOX FEST 2023.

SANDBOX FEST 2023 will run at the Zobel de Ayala Recital Hall, 2/F Maybank Performing Arts Theater, 9th Avenue cor. 26th Street, BGC, Taguig City from June 17-July 15, 2023. Tickets are now available through Ticketworld or through The Sandbox Collective at +63917 152 5560. 

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The Queens are back!

The Queens are back!

Back from the successful run in May and an international gig in Resorts World Sentosa in Singapore in October, Resorts World Manila is happy to bring back the bus with the rerun of Priscilla: Queen of the Dessert featuring our country's merry performers from Michael Stuart Williams as Mitzi, Red Concepcion as Felicia and Jon Santos playing Bernadette with Raymond Concepcion III as alternate.

The powerhouse ensemble also returns with OJ Mariano, Lani Ligot, Timmy Canlas, Pinky Marquez and Menchu Lauchengco-Yulo (Oh I miss these people!).

Priscilla: Queen of the Desert is a fabulous journey towards love, friendship and self-discovery about two drag queens and one woman transsexual riding the bus they named "Priscilla." The tour went across Australian Outback from Sydney to Alice Springs where they met various groups and individuals.

Priscilla's soundtrack include disco hits like Shake Your Groove Thing, Mamma Mia, I Love the Nightlife, I Will Survive and more bringing the house down to those who want to stomp their feet with the energetic music.

Playing from November 28 to December 7, this is just a limited engagement. Get your tickets at Resorts World Manila at the following prizes:

• Patron - Php 3700
• VIP - Php 3100
• Premiere A - Php 2400
• Balcony Center - Php 1600
• Balcony Left and Right and Premiere B - Php 1200

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