“Request sa Radyo” is the first Manila staging of German playwright Franz Xaver Kroetz’s one-woman play on solitude and loneliness
This October may well be the best chance to witness first-hand the internationally acclaimed talents of Lea Salonga and Dolly De Leon. Award-winning actress, singer, and producer Salonga will be starring in a one-woman play entitled “Request sa Radyo,” alternating with BAFTA- and Golden Globe-nominated actress De Leon.
“Request sa Radyo” is the first Manila staging of German playwright Franz Xaver Kroetz’s “wordless play” on solitude and loneliness. The piece, called “Wunschkonzert” (Request Program) in German, follows a middle-aged woman through her meticulous evening routine, revealing the depths of human solitude.
“[The play] speaks to the silent struggles of isolation and the deep human need for connection,” show producers Clint Ramos, Bobby Garcia, and Christopher Mohnani said in a joint statement. The play, now under a Filipino title, is expected to also depict “a specific Filipino lived experience.”
“Request sa Radyo” is also the homecoming of acclaimed theater director and producer Bobby Garcia, who has been known for staging the Manila, Asia, and international productions of numerous Broadway productions. Here, he will be working with “Here Lies Love” lead producer Clint Ramos.
Salonga most recently starred in “Here Lies Love” on Broadway. Her most recent Manila performance was in the 2019 run of “Sweeney Todd.” De Leon recently starred in the dark comedy film “A Very Good Girl” and Cinemalaya 2023 best film “Iti Mapukpukaw.”
Salonga and De Leon will be alternating in the solo performance, which runs for only 20 shows from Oct. 10 to 20 at the Samsung Performing Arts Theater, Circuit Makati.