Guide to 'Liwanag Sa Dilim': Cast, Tickets + More
Cause when nothing else seems clear, you'll be safe here.
(SPOT.ph) Who could resist a tale interwoven with the poetic and often philosophical music and lyrics of Rico Blanco? That is just one of the reasons why the Rico Blanco musical Liwanag sa Dilim is one of the most anticipated shows of 2025.
The jukebox musical is set to hit the stage in the coming weeks and we're just dying to find out everything we can about it. With rumors, facts, and speculation swirling, it’s a lot to keep up with—but don’t worry, we’ve got you covered. We've prepared this handy guide with everything we know about this brand new musical. From confirmed plot points, schedules, and ticket selling, we're spilling the tea on Liwanag sa Dilim.
Here's everything we know (so far) about Liwanag sa Dilim
As this is the first time Liwanag sa Dilim is hitting the stage, only the cast and crew know any specifics about the show and its story—but they're all hush-hush about it. All 9Works Theatrical is willing to spill about the plot at this point is that it's about Elesi, a young orphan on a quest to learn more about his past, following the death of his adoptive parents. Along the way, he meets Cris who instantly becomes his friend and joins him in his fight to help the oppressed and underprivileged.
That description leaves a lot to the imagination. Is this a bromance? Is this a politically charged story? Anything is possible as Rico Blanco's repertoire spans romance, friendship, and sometimes even nation-building. Lucky for you, during an interview with SPOT.ph, showrunner and writer Robbie Guevara dropped some hints on what we can expect from Liwanag sa Dilim. Here's what we found out:
Liwanag sa Dilim isn't about Rico Blanco's life nor is it about the beginnings of Rivermaya.
As we previously mentioned, the story will be about the original character Elesi. At this point, it's safe to say that the entire Liwanag sa Dilim universe is fictional and will not include an appearance from any real-life personas.
This isn't necessarily a bad thing. But if you're here for the Rico Blanco magic, you can rest easy knowing that this musical has the blessing of the man himself. Aside from giving the green light to use his songs (and the red for some songs even Rivermaya and himself cannot perform), Blanco checked in at a recent rehearsal and gave his notes on what he saw and heard. So no, it's not going to be about Rico Blanco, but yes, it still has a touch of Rico magic.
Liwanag sa Dilim isn't going to be political.
Another common fan theory is that Liwanag sa Dilim will be politically charged—a commentary on our current political and sociological climate. As much as we hate to burst your bubble, it's not.
In a previous interview, Guevara made it clear that while politics won’t take center stage in the story, there will be subtle nods to it throughout. According to Guevara, Liwanag sa Dilim will not only entertain, but it will also be educational, one worth the time of every theater goer, from any generation.
While none of these can definitively reveal significant plot points, at least we now have a better idea of what Liwanag sa Dilim isn’t. TBH, that just makes us even more excited about what it is. Every new detail about this jukebox musical only builds the anticipation.
The Cast of Liwanag sa Dilim:
The official cast list for Liwanag sa Dilim is quite lengthy. The musical has two sets of actors playing the leads and a slew of ensemble performers to boot. To bring the characters to life, Guevara did not discriminate between theater and screen actors. In the words of the playwright-director, "I really want to move away from the notion na showbiz yan, teatro ako," which is why the cast of Liwanag sa Dilim is a mix of both worlds. For Guevara, as long as you fit the role vocally and have the je nais se quoi needed to bring the character to life, you're in.
Khalil Ramos, Anthony Rosaldo, CJ Navato, Vien King, Alexa Ilacad, and Nicole Omillo will headline the cast of Liwanag sa Dilim.
Stepping into the spotlight as Elesi are Khalil Ramos and Anthony Rosaldo. Both actors are more known to audiences for their roles on TV and the big screen, but they aren't necessarily newbies to the theater themselves. Ramos made waves in the theater scene with his debut in tick, tick…BOOM!, earning a Gawad Buhay nomination. Meanwhile, outside his GMA Sparkle Artist career, Rosaldo previously appeared in stagings of Ang Huling El Bimbo and, most recently, in the 2024 production of Rent.
CJ Navato and Vien King alternate in the role of Cris. Navato, a Star Magic Artist and former Goin’ Bulilit mainstay, has seamlessly transitioned from television to theater, with standout roles in One More Chance The Musical and Charot!. Meanwhile, Vien King has built a decade-long career in the performing arts, earning Best Actor nods for playing Giorgio in Sondheim's Passion and taking on lead roles in Rama Hari and tick, tick… BOOM!.
Rounding off the leads are Alexa Ilacad and Nicole Omillo, who will be sharing an unnamed female lead role, which they describe as someone who is "okay, fine, and beautiful," alluding to a quotable quote their character says somewhere down the line. But in a more serious tone, Omillo adds that their character is loving and masunurin. With that in mind, casting Ilacad and Omillo seems perfect as both have played somewhat similar characters in Walang Aray and One More Chance the Musical, respectively.
Also part of the cast are Rita Daniela and Neomi Gonzales, who will be alternating in a yet-to-be-revealed “motherly” role. They are joined by Arnel Carrion, Boo Gabunada, Jon Abella, Raul Montesa, Rica Laguardia, Lani Ligot, and Jasper John Jimenez.
Liwanag sa Dilim Show Schedule
Liwanag sa Dilim will be staged at the Carlos P. Romulo Auditorium at the RCBC Plaza starting on March 7. It will run from Friday through Sunday until April 13. Throughout its run, there will be one show every Friday scheduled at 8 p.m. and two performances on Saturdays and Sundays at 3 p.m. and 8 p.m.
In true 9Works Theatrical fashion, Liwanag sa Dilim will feature a rotating cast. You can watch many combinations of Elesi, Cris, and other characters, making rewatches even more exciting and nuanced— a completely different experience each time. Make sure to check which cast line up will be performing during your target show schedule.
Here's the official show schedule with cast line-up for Liwanag Sa Dilim:
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How to get tickets to Liwanag sa Dilim:
As of writing, you can now buy tickets to Liwanag sa Dilim on the show’s online ticketing platform, Ticket2me. Tickets to the show start at P2,200 and can go as high as P3,900, excluding fees and surcharges. Here are the different ticketing tiers for the show:
- Orchestra Center Premium: P3,900
- Orchestra Center: P3,700
- Orchestra Center Front: P3,500
- Orchestra Side: P3,600
- Orchestra Side Zone 2: P3,400
- Loge Center: P3,700
- Loge Side: P3,400
- Loge Back: P3,400
- Balcony: P2,200
For more information, visit 9Works Theatrical's Facebook page.
Also read: The Most Memorable Theater Moments of 2024
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