Benilde Hosts Musical on Lorenzo Ruiz


De La Salle-College of Saint Benilde is hosting the maiden run of Lorenzo, a musical on the life of St. Lorenzo Ruiz, produced by actor Christopher de Leon through Green Wings Entertainment Network. Benildean students collaborated with theater industry professionals in bringing to the stage a contemporary opera that examines what it really takes to be a Filipino.

For Lorenzo, Director Nonon Padilla assembles a cast that includes Benilde's Saint Benilde Romançon Dance Company, and Music Production student Miguel Mendoza who plays one of the lead characters, Fray Miguel. Under the guidance of internationally-trained Production Designer Gino Gonzalez, Production Design students also bring their technical knowledge from the Benildean classroom to the Lorenzo stage. Technical Theater students on the other hand worked with Lighting Designer Jon Jon Villareal for lights and technical direction and production and stage management.

"Nonon Padilla is one of our Board Members for the upcoming Theater Arts program. Last year, when he pitched the idea of taking Lorenzo here to Benilde, Technical Theater Chairperson Gabby Fernandez and I readily agreed as we thought it would be a great time to introduce Theater Arts," shares Benilde's Production Design Chairperson Ma. Magdalena de Leon." More importantly, Lorenzo provides an opportunity for our students to work with and learn from stage veterans."