Jun Robles Lana promises a “theatrical reimagining” that captures the heart, humor, and iconic makeup transformations of the beloved 2016 film.
Very soon, the award-winning Filipino LGBT comedy-drama film “Die Beautiful” will have its musical stage adaptation.
Fans of Trisha Echevarria (Paolo Ballesteros) and Barbs Cordero (Christian Bables) will be thrilled to see the characters brought to life in The IdeaFirst Live’s first stage musical production, which has already opened registration.
radar Enterainment asked Lana how faithful the musical adaptation is to the original film, which was produced and directed by Jun Robles Lana, co-produced by Ferdinand Lapuz and Perci M. Intalan, with a story by Lana and a screenplay by Rody Vera.
To this, he said, “The essence of the film is absolutely there—the heart, the humor, and, of course, the iconic makeup transformations are all intact.”
“However, we aren’t just putting the movie on a stage. I’d describe it more as a theatrical reimagining. It is a production that has been re-conceived for the stage; it’s its own unique, breathing entity that utilizes the language of musical theater to explore the story in ways a film cannot.
“It’s the ‘Die Beautiful’ you love, but experienced through a completely different lens.”
Would Trisha be different?
Since stage and film are two different art forms, Lana also stressed what the audience can expect about the two leads: “She is both the Trisha you know and a Trisha for today. It has been over ten years since the film first resonated with audiences, and in that decade, the world and our community have evolved significantly.
“This version of Trisha will reflect that growth. The musical allows us to dive deeper into her internal world, giving her a voice—that is literal, through song, and metaphorical, by acknowledging the progress and the current spirit of the LGBTQIA+ community.”
In the film, Trisha Echevarria was a transwoman whose sexuality is greatly opposed by her father, which caused her to leave their house and live with her best friend, Barbs.
Ballesteros’ role earned him the best actor awards in the 29th Tokyo International Film Festival, the 2016 Metro Manila Film Festival, and the 40th Gawad Urian Awards, respectively.
Will it have the same creative team?
“As for the creative team, our dream is to bring together the ‘DNA’ of the original film,” Lana said. “We are working hard to involve the original creative pioneers who made the movie a classic.
“While we aren’t ready to confirm specific names just yet, I can say that we are striving to make the show a grand homecoming for the team that first brought Trisha’s story to life.”
The stage adaptation date is unknown due to the production’s size.
“Our priority is finding the right hearts to lead it before we lock it in the calendar.
Meanwhile, Lana revealed that the team is meticulously searching for the perfect actors. “We want to ensure we deliver a truly world-class show that honors the fans, but that process begins and ends with the perfect cast. We will be announcing the official dates very soon, once our leads are in place,” he said.
Fans can expect the announcement of the official show dates once the leads are confirmed, signaling the next exciting step for this much-anticipated musical. In the meantime, registration for the upcoming auditions is ongoing.
We aren’t just putting the movie on a stage. I’d describe it more as a theatrical reimagining. It is a production that has been re-conceived for the stage.
Jun Robles Lana
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