Ang Huling El Bimbo (musical)

## Ang Huling El Bimbo The Musical

**Ang Huling El Bimbo** (stylized as **AHEB**) is a jukebox musical written by Dingdong Novenario featuring the music of the Eraserheads. Through Full House Theater Company, the original production ran from July 20 to September 1, 2018 at the Newport Performing Arts Theater at the Resorts World Manila and was directed and choreographed by Dexter Santos.

In 2020, the musical became available for streaming (as Ang Huling El Bimbo The Hit Musical) on ABS-CBN's Facebook and YouTube pages for 48 hours (May 8 to 9), as a fundraising project for the victims of the COVID-19 pandemic via the ABS-CBN Foundation Pantawid ng Pag-Ibig. Filmed the year before, it featured the cast during its 2019 production. A 2023 production is set to run with some of the original cast members reprising their roles.

## Story

### **Act I**

Three adult men each receives a phone call regarding the death of a woman named Joy Manawari ("Waiting For The Bus"). Reluctantly, the three men, who were once friends, come to the police station for interrogation. They express fear of being entangled in a scandal that might ruin their careers and personal lives in the present. The police investigating the case tells them they were the last people Joy contacted.

In a flashback to their first day at the university, Emman, a romantic *probinsyano* from Batangas*;* Anthony, a closeted gay son of a military man; and Hector, a rich aspiring art student, meet at the college dorm and quickly become friends ("Minsan"). They bond over their aspirations in life and together make a promise to be masters of their of own fate ("Alapaap"). They also learn about each other's romantic aspirations ("Tindahan ni Aling Nena").

During their BCMT, Prof. Banlaoi introduces them to a cheerful *kakanin* peddler named Joy. When Joy ignores Hector's advances and Emman's girlfriend leaves for Canada ("Lightyears"), they find solace in each other's misfortunes ("Pare Ko"). Joy invites them to eat at her Tiya Dely's canteen to which Anthony responds "surely!" ("Cha Dely Medley"). Meanwhile, Joy's boyfriend Andre breaks up with her, blaming her peculiar relationship with Prof. Banloi. Afterwards, Hector comforts Joy ("Huwag Kang Matakot").

Over time, the three friends grow closer to Joy ("Sembreak"); Anthony confides in Joy how his father beats him up because of his sexuality ("Hey Jay"); Emman reaches out to her girlfriend in Canada with Joy's help ("Wishing Wells" / "Fine Time"); Hector confesses his attraction to Joy and they start dating ("Ang Huling El Bimbo"). To celebrate their graduation, the friends decide to go on a road trip to Antipolo. Motivated by their dreams of the future, they promise to stay in touch ("Alapaap" / "Overdrive"). As the evening ends, Hector sings a serenade for Joy ("Fill Her") but they are interrupted by a group of thugs. During the commotion, Joy is raped as her friends watch helplessly.

In the present, the three friends are reunited with Prof. Banlaoi, now a member of the government council. He tells them that Joy had been on their drugs watch list ("Maalalahanin").

### **Act II**

At the graduation ceremony, Joy waits for her friends to congratulate them ("With A Smile"). However, out of guilt of what happened during their road trip, they have become distant and choose to break all contact from her, driving Joy to depression ("Spoliarium").

Meanwhile, Prof. Banlaoi pressures Dely to sell her failing business. Under his management, the canteen becomes a sleazy spot for drunkards, and drug addicts ("Tikman" / "Paru-Parong Ningning"). With her future dreams now seeming impossible, Joy is forced into prostitution by Banlaoi. Dely expresses her regrets at how her decisions have affected Joy ("Kilala" / "Balikbayan Box").

As years go by, Joy further descends into a destitute life of drugs and abuse as a mule to Banlaoi ("Alkohol"). She solely tries to provide for Dely, who is now retired, and her child, a daughter she had named Ligaya ("With A Smile"). Joy tries to break her connections with Banlaoi but he threatens to kill her.

Meanwhile, Emman, Hector, and Anthony move on with their lives ("Maskara"): Emman now married with a son spends most of his time at work rather than with his family ("Poor Man's Grave" / "Magasin"); Anthony becomes a successful businessman and gets married but cheats on his wife with other men ("Kailan" / "Torpedo" / "Kaliwete"); womanizing Hector becomes a successful *teleserye* director but is forced to sell out ("Walang Nagbago" / "Huwag Mo Nang Itanong"). Joy persistently tries to reach out to them but they all try to avoid her ("Ligaya (Reprise)"). The three friends try to resolve what happened: their young selves try to figure out what to do after Joy's rape, while their adult selves discuss her death on a hit-and-run ("Confrontation Medley").

At the morgue, Dely finally rejects Banlaoi's hold over her and Ligaya now that Joy is gone. She tells Hector, Anthony and Emman that Joy never blamed them for what happened to her. The three friends finally meet Ligaya, whom they promise to take care of, before saying goodbye to Joy ("Ang Huling El Bimbo").

## Characters

* **Joy Manawari** – a young woman who works at a *carinderia* inside the school campus who befriends Anthony, Emman, and Hector. Joy's name is a reference to the song Ligaya, and her storyline is heavily based on the woman the song Ang Huling El Bimbo sings about.
* **Anthony** **"AJ" Cruz, Jr.** – a closeted gay man who is the son of a strict military man. Later in life he becomes a businessman and marries. His name and character reference the song Hey Jay.
* **Emman Azarcon** – a humble pre-law activistwith political aspirations to serve his country. He becomes a government employee in adulthood. His name is an allusion to Raimund Marasigan's full name.
* **Hector Zabala** – an aspiring artist who becomes romantically involved with Joy. As an adult, he becomes a *teleserye* director. His name is a direct reference to Buddy Zabala's real name.
* **Tiya Dely** – Joy's aunt who owns a canteen near the university campus.
* **Arturo Banlaoi** – A professor at the university who treats Joy as his *alaga*. His name is a reference to the filler track Prof. Banlaoi's Transcendental Medication After Every Six Months Or Punk Zappa Three which in turn is based on a real professor in UP.
* **Andre Antonio** – Joy's boyfriend who breaks up with her because of Prof. Banlaoi.
* **Ligaya** – Joy's daughter. Like Joy, her name is also a reference to the song Ligaya. She has heard stories about Hector, Anthony, and Emman from her mother as long as she can remember, in her mother's hopes that they may meet her someday. She lives under the care of Tiya Dely.

## Musical numbers

### Act I

* Overture
* Poor Man’s Grave / Slo Mo / Walang Nagbago / Waiting for the Bus
* Sino Sa Atin / Waiting for the Bus
* Minsan
* Alapaap
* Tindahan ni Aling Nena
* Ligaya / Cutterpillow
* Lightyears
* Pare Ko / Yoko / Superproxy / Ligaya
* "Cha Dely Medley" (Shirley / Tikman / Bogchi Hokbu)
* Tama Ka / Ligaya
* Huwag Kang Matakot / Sembreak / Hey Jay / Wishing Wells / Fine Time
* Maalalahanin
* Alapaap / Overdrive
* Fill Her

### Act II

* With A Smile
* Spoliarium
* Tikman / Paru-Parong Ningning / Alapaap
* Kilala / Balikbayan Box
* Alkohol
* With A Smile (Reprise)
* Maskara
* Poor Man's Grave / Magasin
* Kailan / Torpedo / Kaliwete
* Walang Nagbago / Huwag Mo Nang Itanong
* Maselang Bahaghari
* Ligaya (Reprise)
* "Confrontation Medley" (Spoliarium / Wating / Sino Sa Atin)
* Hard To Believe / Ligaya
* Ang Huling El Bimbo

## References to *Eraserheads*

* Though the university the characters went to is never mentioned, it is heavily implied that they went to University of the Philippines, the same school as the Eraserheads attended.
* Though Emman's name is an allusion to Raimund Marasigan's full name (Raimund Emmanuel Parcon Marasigan), his last name is also partially based on Rivermaya bassist Nathan Azarcon.
* Emman's girlfriend Mylene leaving for Canada is a reference to Tindahan ni Aling Nena.
* Toyang's Canteen/Toyang's KTV is a direct reference to Toyang.
* Tiya Dely remarks that if they run out of *bulalo* at the market, "wala nang sense ang ating mundo", a line from Balikbayan Box.
* When he first arrives at the college dorm, Hector brings out a poster of actress Paraluman, a reference to the opening line of Ang Huling El Bimbo.
* The three young friends often sing the theme from Voltes V. The anime is the inspiration behind the title of the Eraserheads' debut album Ultraelectromagneticpop!.
* The friends also meet at room 214 of their dormitory, a reference to the Rivermaya song 214.
* Joy's rape may have been based on the scandal involving actress Pepsi Paloma which according to urban legend inspired the song Spoliarium.

## References

1. ↑ Rappler. https://www.rappler.com/life-and-style/arts-and-culture/theater/259748-ang-huling-el-bimbo-to-stream-online-for-free
2. ↑ https://www.bworldonline.com/arts-and-leisure/2022/12/28/495365/ang-huling-el-bimbo-the-musical-returns-with-new-cast-members/