Andres Muhlach will lead a mix of rising stars who will breathe new life to the characters of Adie and Topee in the musical adaptation of ‘Bagets.’
The original ‘Bagets’ was a coming-of-age movie that sealed Andres’ celebrity dad, Aga’s status as a matinee idol. With Aga at the hem as ‘Adie,’ the 1984 movie was a star-studded cast with JC Bonnin as Topee, William Martinez, Raymond Lauchengco, Herbert Bautista, Eula Valdez and Yayo Aguila.
Casting Andres in the musical is a passing of the torch of sorts, and that it had played a huge part of his childhood.
‘To be part of it, let alone play my dad’s role, feels surreal. When we first found out that I got his breakthrough portrayal, [my dad] was super happy for me. He was also excited to see how I’m going to approach the character,’ Andres said.
The pressure to live up to his father’s legacy as a ‘Bagets’ icon is real, but Andres said he will make sure to give the role his own best interpretation. ‘I want this to be my own path. At the end of the day, the hard work is on us, the new ‘Bagets’ cast. What we put out isn’t because of what the original actors did, but because we want to create something worthy for today’s fans.’
‘Playing Adie now is a completely new experience. He’s still the charismatic, charming boy-next-door type, but his story feels more mature because of his love interest,’ he continued. ‘Atasha (his twin sister) and I studied abroad, but I enjoyed my time here more because I was with my best friends. Nothing beats being close to the people who made student life bearable. That’s really at the heart of ‘Bagets The Musical.”
Relatable character
Meanwhile, Mico (who will alternate with Andres) said he realized that he is ‘a lot more alike’ with Adie than he originally thought.
‘I think many can relate when I say we’ve all had that time in our lives when we were young, naive, and just letting our emotions get the best of us,’ he said, ‘I’ve had those encounters before – stealing glances at your crush and all. But it’s all in the past now. I think I’ve matured since then.’
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On the other hand, Jeff and Sam said they are aware of the emotional weight of Topee throughout the musical’s storyline, with Jeff sharing that he shares the character’s Hiligaynon roots.
‘Let’s go home to Bacolod. That’s what he often tells his mother. Ako ramdam ko ‘yung bigat nu’n kasi tuwing holidays na lang din ako nakakauwi sa’min. (I can really feel the weight of that because I only get to go home during the holidays),’ Jeff said. ‘Topee is kind, mature, and treats his friends like family. Pero deep inside, may tinatagong vulnerability.’
Agreeing with his co-actor, Sam said the musical is a story about everyone, except that it takes place in a different timeline.
‘I see a lot of similarities between me and Topee. Most teenagers, or even adults, have felt emotions that are hard to explain. These feelings are at the heart of ‘Bagets The Musical.’ The story is about us. Just a different timeline, different variables, but the same plot,’ he said.
Last September, it was announced that Milo Cruz and Migo Valid will star as Tonton; Noel Comia Jr. and Tomas Rodriguez were cast as Gilbert; and KD Estrada and Ethan David will portray Arnel.