Coming of age: 40 years later, Bagets returns

The musical looks at how boys — and their mothers — grow up

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THE CAST of Bagets The Musical

FOUR DECADES after the movie Bag-ets captured the spirit of Filipino youth, a musical adaptation will be mounted for generations both young and young at heart to relive the fun onstage.

The experience will come to the Newport Performing Arts Theater from Jan. 23 to March 2026.

The original coming-of-age comedy revolved around five young men entering their senior year in a new high school after having been kicked out of their previous school. Like in the film, the stage version will follow their adventures and misadventures, alongside their complex family issues.

Bagets The Musical is helmed by PETA Plus and produced by Viva Communications, Inc., and the Philstar Media Group through its entertainment arm, Philstar Next.

“It’s going to be fun, meaningful, and heartfelt, about the roots of youth culture,” said director Maribel Legarda, at a press conference in Pasay City on Nov. 14. “The focus here is the way mothers take care of their sons, that relationship growing up, the formation or making of these men. Where does the macho quality come in? That's all deep-rooted stuff in our culture which maybe we take for granted. This is a fun way of looking at that.”

She added that Bagets The Musical will “tackle the male psyche” in a fun way, as PETA is known for. “It’s going to be set in the relationships between mothers and their sons, and of course the barkada themselves, that extended community that helps us survive life,” she said.

Supporting Ms. Legarda in the creative team is writer J-mee Katanyag, musical director Vince Lim, and choreographer JM Cabling. They are also joined by Norbs Portales as assistant director and Michael Que as assistant choreographer.