Need a de-stressor? Or perhaps a dose of romance or comedy? What about some nostalgia brought by throwbacks to the most iconic years of your life? Do it all with the help of music and theatre!

2018 is a great year for those who love musicals because a lot of them are hitting the Manila stage! No matter what your preference in music or theatre is, there's surely one that would suit your taste - from homages to local bands, tributes to international all-time favourites, to Filipino adaptations of hit Broadway musicals!

Here's a guide of all the musicals taking over the Manila stage this 2018:

Rak of Aegis

Is "Luha" or "Basang Basa sa Ulan" your go-to karaoke song? If so, then we think you'd have a good time watching this musical homage to the iconic local 90s rock group! This rock comedy musical from PETA tells a story of how Filipinos face difficulties in life - may it be getting struck by a natural disaster or mending a broken heart - using several of Aegis's hits. Despite already being the sixth run of Rak of Aegis, this latest installment (which has a total of 77 shows, BTW!) promises to show a lot of fresh faces who would be joining the original cast of the successful musical.

When: June 20 - September 2, 2018

Where: PETA Theater Center

Tickets: Php 1,600 - 600 (depending on the date of the show)

Tickets are available at PETA or TicketWorld outlets.

Ang Huling El Bimbo, the Musical

Nakakaindak, nakakaaliw, nakakatindig-balahibo - these are what you should expect from Full House Theater Company's musical production based on the hits of the most iconic local 90s band Eraserheads! Ang Huling El Bimbo the Musical pays tribute to the contributions of Eraserheads to the OPM scene as it uses the band's songs, starting from their debut in 1993, to form an entire storyline about the power of friendship and how it shapes our lives. 

When: July 20 - August 26, 2018

Where: Newport Performing Arts Theater, Resorts World Manila

Tickets: PHP 3,500, PHP 3,000, PHP 2,500, PHP 1,800, PHP 1,000

Tickets are available online via Ticketworld.

Eto na! Musikal nAPO!

Heto na, heto na, heto na - Globe and 9Works Theatrical have prepared a musical tribute to one of the country's premiere and most iconic singing groups, the Apo Hiking Society! Revolving around seven friends who join a college songwriting and singing contest, Eto na! Musikal nAPO! promises to deliver nostalgia to the audience while injecting rom-com elements with the help of Apo Hiking Society's timeless hits!

When: August 3 - August 27, 2018

Where: Maybank Performing Arts Theatre

Tickets: PHP 3,500, PHP 3,000, PHP 2,200, PHP 1,500

Tickets are available online via Ticketworld.

All Out of Love the Musical

Oh, what are you thinking of? As for us, all we can think about is this new musical which features the hits of everybody's all-time favourite, Air Supply! Bringing the songs of Australian musicians Russell Hitchcock and Graham Russell are the all-Filipino cast of the musical production, which will be led by Tanya Manalang, Mig Ayesa, and Rachel Alejandro. The story revolves around the intertwined lives of music mogul Tommy King, who is dealing with losing his wife and struggling with his distant relationship with his daughter, and rock star Jamie Crimson, who had left Rayne, his songwriting partner and the love of his life behind. 

When: October 2018

Where: Newport Performing Arts Theater, Resorts World Manila

Tickets: PHP 4,500, PHP 3,700, PHP 3,200, PHP 2,600, PHP 1,800

Tickets are available online via Ticketworld.

Waitress

The hit Broadway musical with music from Sara Bareilles is hitting the Manila stage with its local adaptation thanks to Atlantis Theatrical Entertainment Group! The story of waitress Jenna, who finds a new love in baking, is based on the movie of the same title which originally starred actress Keri Russell. The Filipino adaptation of Waitress already looks promising with its star-studded cast, which includes Maronne Cruz as Dawn and multi-award winning songstress Bituin Escalante as Becky! More details, including who's playing Jenna, will be announced soon - so stay tuned for more information!

When: November 2018

Where: Carlos P. Romulo Auditorium, RCBC Plaza

Tickets: PHP 4,000, PHP 3,000, PHP 2,000

Tickets are available online via Ticketworld.