Atasha Muhlach navigates a Manila built from memory—and a demanding theatrical comeback—in ‘Bongga Ka ‘Day!: The Annie Batungbakal Musical’

Imagine stepping into a Manila that now exists only through photographs, stories, music, and memories passed down by older generations. The disco era, the nightlife of Malate, the fashion, and the cultural landscape that gave birth to the Manila Sound all come alive inside the Newport Performing Arts Theater, and the production does so with plenty of sparkle.

Directed by Chris Millado, with a book by Liza Magtoto, Bongga Ka, ’Day!: The Annie Batungbakal Musical turns Hotdog’s iconic song into a new story about ambition, romance, belonging, and a young woman determined to find her place in a glamorous world.

At the center of it is Atasha Muhlach as Annie Batungbakal. This marks her return to theater after 15 years.

Atasha’s casting drew attention long before opening night, igniting controversy. Taking on the title role in a major musical is no small feat, especially for a performer still finding her footing on the theater stage. But what makes Atasha’s performance interesting is that it does not attempt to present Annie as a perfectly polished heroine right from the beginning. Instead, she grows into the character as she portrays it.

As Annie, Atasha plays a young woman who knows she wants more from life but is still figuring out how to get there. She works as a dispatsadora (saleslady), dreams of becoming a fashion designer, and sees Coco Banana as her way into a world of glamour and possibility.

Atasha’s earnest approach to portraying Annie makes the character easy to root for. She isn’t playing someone who already possesses the confidence of a star, but someone who wants—and has yet—to be seen as one. Her acting is particularly effective in the quieter moments, when Annie’s excitement steps back to unveil uncertainty.

Atasha allows the character’s vulnerability to surface beneath all the sequins and energy. She makes Annie’s desire to belong visible, particularly when she encounters people and spaces that make her feel like an outsider. It gives the character an emotional center beyond the familiar Cinderella framework.

Atasha’s performance of “Pers Lab,” in particular, became a crucial moment for the budding actress. Following online conversations hounding her earlier performance of the song, Atasha’s rendition during the show run demonstrated noticeable growth—in confidence and merit. She fully committed to Annie’s passion, carrying the number with considerably more assurance. There were still moments when her American English inflection came through, but not to the point that it overshadows the performance. Strongly more evident was her willingness to inhabit Annie.

Atasha seemingly doesn’t attempt to make Annie a technically flawless heroine. She does, however, make her human, and that humanity becomes one of the reasons Annie is so easy to root for.

A time machine clad in sequins

If Atasha provides the heart of the production, its visual language provides the time machine. Its choreography, costumes, and set design are among the production’s most compelling elements.

Stephen Viñas’ choreography captures the physical vocabulary of the disco era with big, energetic movements that never feel disconnected from the story. The production numbers draw from disco, ’70s dance culture, and the enthusiasm of Manila’s nightlife, creating sequences that feel both theatrical and celebratory.

Annie’s story unfolds through Hotdog classics, including Manila, Pers Lab, Ikaw Ang Miss Universe ng Buhay Ko, Annie Batungbakal, Beh, Buti Nga, and the unmistakable Pinoy disco anthem Bongga Ka ’Day!. Woven into the narrative, the songs become more than nostalgic crowd-pleasers. They help build the world Annie tries to enter, giving her journey the rhythm of the Manila Sound through the Manila Philharmonic Orchestra.

^{Disco fever takes over as Bongga Ka, ’Day!: The Annie Batungbakal Musical brings the iconic Coco Banana to life onstage.}

The costumes complement that energy. The wardrobe draws from the unmistakable silhouettes of late-’70s fashion, including flowing maxi dresses, flared trousers, bell-bottoms, fitted halter tops, wide collars, bold geometric prints, metallic fabrics, sequins, and platform shoes. The dresses move between relaxed, bohemian-inspired shapes and the more glamorous, body-conscious looks associated with disco. As Annie gets closer to the world of Coco Banana, the styling becomes increasingly extravagant, with shimmering fabrics and statement pieces that capture the era’s appetite for glamour and help tell the story of a Manila where fashion becomes an expression of aspiration.

Ohm David’s set design, on the other hand, makes the audience relive the vibes of 1979. The opening visual sequence immediately transports the audience to another Manila, with towering structures, black-and-white television sets, metallic costumes, and disco-ball imagery creating a cityscape that feels both nostalgic and theatrical.

For a millennial audience, seeing these elements come alive onstage feels like entering a living archive. Bongga Ka, ’Day! inevitably becomes a free ticket to 1979, offering a glimpse into a Manila that a younger generation never experienced firsthand. It becomes a way to understand, even for a few hours, how people dreamed, dressed, danced, loved, and found entertainment during those times.

Ultimately, the production doesn’t simply tell its audience that the ’70s were glamorous. It lets them see it.

A supporting cast that keeps the disco ball spinning

The supporting cast brings color and momentum to Bongga Ka, ’Day!—filling Annie’s world with personalities as distinct as the era’s prints, platforms, and sequins.

KD Estrada gives Burn Rivera a relaxed, grounded charm. As Annie’s childhood friend and a folk-rock musician returning from Japan, KD brings an easygoing quality to Burn that makes his affection for Annie feel natural rather than overly rehearsed. His character provides a warm counterpoint to the glittering world Annie longs to enter.

^{KD Estrada as Burn Rivera (left) and Sam Concepcion as Romer Pasion (right)}

Sam Concepcion, meanwhile, leans into Romer Pasion’s unmistakable ’70s matinee-idol swagger. There is an effortless confidence in his portrayal of the wealthy heir, from his posture to his delivery, capturing the polished masculinity and romantic idealism associated with the era’s leading men.

Then there is John Lapus as Tarurit, Coco Banana’s sharp-tongued manager and self-appointed guardian of the club’s glamorous reputation. John embraces the character’s theatricality with relish, turning every raised eyebrow, sharp retort, and exaggerated reaction into comic punctuation. His performance provides some of the musical’s biggest laughs while making Tarurit feel like a larger-than-life fixture of Manila’s nightlife.

^{John Lapus as Tarurit (left) and Gerhard Krysstopher as Toots (right)}

Gerhard Krysstopher, as Toots, brings one of the production’s more meaningful relationships into focus. More than a colorful presence in Annie’s world, Toots serves as a support system, offering encouragement as she navigates the uncertainties of pursuing her dreams. His character also reflects a familiar role within LGBTQ+ community, particularly in stories set in earlier decades, such as the friend, confidant, and chosen family who provides a sense of safety and belonging when the world outside may not always offer either. Through Toots, Bongga Ka, ’Day! quietly recognizes how LGBTQ+ people have long created spaces of care and support, becoming part of each other’s chosen families even when acceptance was not guaranteed.

In Jackie Lou Blanco’s hands, Aurora Pasion offers a different kind of warmth. She moves through the wealthy Pasion family’s world with elegance, yet never lets the character’s generosity get lost behind the polish.

^{Jackie Lou Blanco (left) as Aurora Pasion, owner of the House of Pasion fashion house and mother of Romer Pasion. Andrea Babierra (right) plays the role of Iste Batungbakal, the sister of Annie played by Atasha Muhlach}

Annie’s family provides another layer to her story. Air Paz-Pablico as Suzy Batungbakal and Andrea Babierra as Iste Batungbakal help ground the protagonist outside the glittering Coco Banana world. Their presence gives Annie a sense of home and reminds the audience that behind her desire to enter Manila’s glamorous circles is a young woman shaped by the people and relationships closest to her.

Together, the ensemble keeps the production from becoming Annie’s disco-ball fantasy solely. They populate the musical with friends, family, gatekeepers, lovers, and dream-makers, creating a lively cross-section of the Manila that Annie is trying to navigate.

Let the music play

Bongga Ka, ’Day! is not a particularly complicated story. Its Cinderella-inspired narrative of ambition and romance is familiar, and there are moments when the nearly three-hour runtime makes the simplicity of the plot more noticeable. But its pleasures are immediate. The music is infectious, the choreography is alive, the costumes are a feast, and the sets turn the theater into a portal to another Manila.

For a generation that never got to experience 1979 Manila firsthand, Bongga Ka, ’Day! offers something more than nostalgia. It offers a door that is not a history lesson or a documentary but a colorful, musical, glittering invitation to step inside another time, with Atasha Muhlach, as Annie, holding the door open.

^{The ensemble of Bongga Ka, ’Day!: The Annie Batungbakal Musical brings the energy of ’70s Manila.}

Bongga Ka, ’Day!: The Annie Batungbakal Musical runs until October 31, 2026, at the Newport Performing Arts Theater. Get your tickets here.

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