This coming Friday, PETA is opening their 45th Theater season with a very special play that will serve as a retrospect to classic and legendary film masterpiece that captivates the heart of Filipino movie patrons since 1980.  As an opening, they are staging the live adaptation of the Lino Brocka classic, "Bona" top-billed by the Superstar Nora Aunor and Philip Salvador.

Edgar Allan Guzman as Gino Sanchez and Ms. Eugene Domingo as Bona

But of course this new version of Bona will be different to the original.  Just like what Direk Soxie Topacio said, they need to update it and tailor made it for the new generation.  So instead of a young school girl, Bona is now a call center agent to be played by the box office comedy star Eugene Domingo and Gardo becomes Gino, a talent search contestant played by Edgar Allan Guzman.


Other than the updated backdrop and story, long time fans of the original should not worry because the main idea of the original film is of course preserved and left intact.  It is still about a woman's blind obsession that pushes her limits as a fan and how she turns her back on almost everything that she have just for the man he worship.  Ms. Layeta Bucoy (Playwright) promised that this new version is even more intense compared to the original but clarifies that overthrowing the original is not the main goal. Their main objective is to create and offer something new to both new and veteran audiences while commemorating Direk Lino Brocka's undying Legacy.  One big noticeable change between the original and the new Bona is the obvious humorous treatment of the material.  But despite that they still managed to stay true to the emotional aspect of the characters by bringing intense social and psychological rollercoaster scenes that audience will surely enjoy.

L-R: Olive Nieto (Binky), BJ Forbes (Bingo) and Eugene Domingo as Bona

The rest of the cast will include a bunch of talented names from the local theater scene like Phil Noble, Joey Paras, Jef Henson-Dee, Raffy Tejada, Juliene Mendoza, She Maala, Olive Nieto, Dudz Teraña, Jason Barcial, BJ Forbes, Junevir Tabor, Gabs Santos and Anna Luna.


To be directed by Soxie Topacio and adapted by Layeta Bucoy with additional scenes by Phil Noble, Bona officially opens this coming friday, August 24, 2012 and will run until September 23., at the PETA Theater Center Quezon City.  Grab your tickets now through www.ticketworld.com.ph or www.petatheater.com.  For more information contact 725-6244, 0917-5765400, 0916-3090707 or email PETA at petatheater@gmail.com.

Don't miss the chance to witness this history in the making and see you at the theater ;)