November 4, 2021
Repertory Philippines (REP) is back and determined to make this year’s Christmas merrier and brighter by bringing holiday cheer to every home with "The Great Christmas Cookie Bake-off!", which marks many firsts. It is the first REP Theatre for Young Audiences (RTYA) offering in over a year. It is also the first-ever Filipino production to be available on streaming platform Broadway On Demand. This also makes the musical the first in the country that is purposely filmed for an international online streaming service.
Screening from November 12 to December 12, 2021, "The Great Christmas Cookie Bake-off!" combines the time-honored tradition of Christmas cookies with the ever-popular phenomenon of reality baking competitions. It features eight young cookie chefs from all over the country who will battle it out for first prize at the Cookie Coliseum. As the chefs are eliminated one by one by three distinguished celebrity judges, feelings of intense (and sweet!) rivalry give way to virtues of charity, family, and forgiveness.
The music, book and lyrics of "The Great Christmas Cookie Bake-off!" was by Broadway-based American composer, lyricist and musical supervisor Rick Hip-Flores, the musical director of "Natasha, Pierre and the Great Comet of 1812", and music supervisor of "In Transit", Broadway’s first a-cappella musical. For this local adaptation, there had been changes in the names of characters and places to give a more Filipino flavor.
Created with the streaming audiences in mind, The Great Christmas Cookie Bake-off! is directed for the stage by veteran RTYA Creative Director Joy Virata, with sets by Ed Lacson, lights by John Batalla, costumes by Bonsai Cielo, and choreography by Deana Aquino. After a month of Zoom rehearsals, the final video was shot by movie director Treb Monteras and his Silver Media crew on the final day of a 4-day bubble period at Rep's home stage at OnStage Theater in Greenbelt 1.
The musical’s cast consists of brilliant talents in the industry. Playing the eight kid chefs are: Becca Coates (as Patty), Tim Pavino (as Javi), Jep Go (as Gabe), Jillian Ita-as (as Ana), Luigi Quesada (as Julian), Rachel Coates (as Samantha), Justine Narciso (as Amy), and Steven Hotchkiss (as Josh). Playing the judges are: Carla Guevara Laforteza (as Isabel Guevara), Jamie Wilson (as Del Ray), and Arnel Carrion (as Michael Holmes). Rounding up the list is Hans Eckstein (as host Larry).
Because of the pandemic restrictions especially for children, who are the primary target audience of this show, "The Great Christmas Cookie Bake-off!" will be streamed online through REP’s innovative and first-in-the-Philippines partnership with Broadway On Demand, a virtual performing arts complex that offers exclusive livestream events, educational and interactive content, and a wide-ranging library of video on demand content including Broadway shows, movie musicals, performances from individual artists, concert series, and content from performance venues and theaters around the world.
Ticket prices are P700 (Regular) and P1,000 (Family) available directed from Broadway on Demand (LINK), or from local outlets Ticketworld (LINK) and Ticket2Me (LINK). Each ticket gives 24-hour access (for Regular) or 48-hour access (for Family) to the musical, which can be accessed via computer or mobile device through a web browser or via tablet or smartphone through the Broadway On Demand app on App Store and Google Play. Broadway On Demand is also available on AppleTV and Roku.
For updates, log on to www.repertoryphilippines.ph,like and follow Repertory Philippines on Facebook and Instagram.Educators and school representatives who are interested in the show can email sales@repphil.org.
