Next Fall, An Exploration Of Faith In A Modern Gay Relationship Set To Open On January 13

Repertory Philippines opens its 2012 season with this new play described as a tragicomic look at a modern odd couple ...

Press Release:

After producing more than 900 plays and musicals through 74 seasons, Repertory Philippines proudly ushers its 45th year this 2012 with its first production titled “Next Fall”.

Written by playwright Geoffrey Nauffts, “Next Fall” is an exploration of faith in a modern gay relationship involving Luke and Adam. So what happens when a Christian gives an Atheist the Heimlich? The play

chronicles the five-year relationship of the gay couple as they wrestle with their respective demons. Timely and compelling, the play “places the Proposition 8 controversy in a human context by exploring what it means

to 'believe' in this day and age, and what it might cost us not to.

“Next Fall” takes a witty and provocative look at faith, commitment, unconditional love and what goes beyond a typical love story. The play takes place between 2000 and 2005 in New York City. The present narrative takes place in a hospital waiting room where Adam, Brandon, Holly and Luke’s parents have gathered after he is hit by a runaway cab. Interspersed with these chronological scenes are flashback scenes showing how Luke and Adam met, fell in love and constructed a life together with the final flashback occurring the day before Luke’s accident.

Bart Guingona

Luke is a devout born-again Christian, which creates tension in his relationship with Adam and in his friendships with Brandon and Holly, and leads him to hide both his homosexuality and his relationship with Adam from his equally devout parents. In the present narrative in the hospital, Adam, Brandon, Holly and Luke’s parents deal with the fallout from these conflicts and secrets, while also struggling to understand what it means to be faithful in the face of the immense unpredictability and fragility of human life.

“Next Fall” is a romantic comedy, a tragedy, a family drama, an issue play, and a coming-of-age story. Whichever path you take into “Next Fall” — the notion of faith is central to the experience. It won the 2010 John Gassner Award for Geoffrey Nauffts. In the same year, the play was also nominated for the Drama Desk Awards -- Outstanding Play; Tony Awards -- Best Play; Outer Critics Circle Awards -- Outstanding New Broadway Play.

The powerhouse cast will feature noted theater thespian Bart Guingona as Adam, a committed cynic, atheist and hypochondriac. As an actor he has essayed roles as varied as Oedipus, Hamlet, Mitch Albom (Tuesdays with Morrie), Charlie Brown. As a director, he is known for his eclectic selection of material: everything from the classics (Shakespeare) to the contemporary (Rabe’s Hurlyburly).

David Bianco will play the role of Luke, Adam’s boyfriend, a born again Christian and aspiring actor. David hails from Michigan and this is his first foray in the local theatre scene.

David Bianco

Liesl Batucan will essay the role of Holly, Adam’s fag hag best friend and owner of the candle shop where both Adam and Luke work. Liesl has appeared in Sweeney Todd (for which she won the Philstage Gawad Buhay Award for Best Female Featured Actress in a Musical), A Portrait of the Artist as Filipino (which won for her the Aliw Award for Best Stage Actress), I Love You, You’re Perfect, Now Change, Company, Romeo and Juliet and many others.

Niccolo Manahan plays Brandon, Luke’s friend, a property manager. Like Luke he is both gay and a born-again Christian. Niccolo’s theatre credits include Hamlet, Love’s Labours’ Lost, Fiddler on the Roof, I Love

You, You’re Perfect, Now Change, Man of La Mancha, The Taming of the Shrew among others.

Juno Henares plays Arlene, Luke’s mother, a former wild child who has since settled in to middle aged eccentricity. Juno recently appeared in Moose Murders, Romeo and Bernadette and Jack and the Beanstalk.

Miguel Faustmann shall play the role of Butch, Luke’s father and Arlene’s ex-husband, a deeply religious man. Some of Miguel’s theater credits include Equus, The Sound of Music, Fiddler on the Roof, The

Merchant of Venice, Les Miserables, Man of La Mancha, The Woman in Black, Visiting Mr. Green and Tuesdays with Morrie.

Veteran actor/director Audie Gemora will direct the play. This is Audie’s third directorial job for Repertory Philippines (the first two were The Fantastiks and Equus). He was seen recently in The Sound of Music,

Man of La Mancha, A Christmas Carol and Sweeney Todd where he won as Best Lead Actor in a Musical for the Philstage Gawad Buhay Awards. 

“Next Fall” is bound to be the funniest heartbreaker in town!!!! It embodies something theatergoers have been sorely missing, perhaps without knowing it, for years.

“Next Fall” shall run from January 13 – February 5, 2012 with shows on Fridays and Saturdays at 8:00 p.m. and matinee shows on Saturdays and Sundays at 3:30 p.m. All performances are at Onstage, Greenbelt 1, Makati City. For tickets, inquiries and other information, call Repertory Philippines at 571-6926 or 571-4941 or email info@repertory.ph. Tickets are also available through Ticketworld at 891-9999 or www.ticketworld.com.ph.

Visit www.repertory.ph, subscribe to youtube.com/repertoryphils, and add “Rep Phils” in Facebook. “Next Fall” is presented by special arrangement with Creative Artists Agency.