''Rama at Sita – The Musical'' is a 1999 full-length Filipino musical in the Tagalog language. It is an adaptation of the 1980 Filipino rock opera ballet by three National Artists

Bienvenido Lumbera Bienvenido or bienvenidos may refer to: Entertainment * ''Bienvenidos'' (album), a 2006 album by Cabezones * ''Bienvenidos'' (Chilean TV series), a Chilean morning show * "Bienvenido" (song), Spanish version of the 2011 song "Benvenuto" by La ...

Ryan Cayabyab Raymundo Cipriano Pujante Cayabyab (born ; May 4, 1954), known professionally as Ryan Cayabyab, is a Filipino musician, composer and conductor. He was the Executive and Artistic Director for several years for the defunct San Miguel Foundation ...

, and

Alice Reyes Alice Garcia Reyes (born October 14, 1942) is a Filipina dancer, choreographer, teacher, director and producer. The founder (together with Eddie Elejar) of Ballet Philippines, she received since June 20, 2014 from the Philippine President Benign ...

entitled, "Rama, Hari", based on the Indian epic

Ramayana The ''Rāmāyana'' (; sa, रामायणम्, ) is a Sanskrit literature, Sanskrit Indian epic poetry, epic composed over a period of nearly a millennium, with scholars' estimates for the earliest stage of the text ranging from the 8th ...

topbilled by

Kuh Ledesma Maria Socorro "Kuh" Hashim Ledesma (born March 16, 1955) is a Filipino singer and actress. Born in Manila, Philippines with a Lebanese lineage and Ilonggo parents, she moved to Bacolod for college where she met some of her future Music and Magi ...

and

Basil Valdez Basil Salvador Valdez (; born 8 November 1951) is a Filipino singer. He has received several Tinig Awards and the 1991 Tanglaw ng Lahi Award from Ateneo de Manila University. Biography Like many Filipino singers in the 1970s, Basil S. Valdez st ...

. The production was directed by Leo Rialp and is considered the most expensive theatrical production in the Philippines to date.

Productions

Rama at Sita – The Musical premiered on February 4, 1999, at the University Theater in Quezon City under the stage direction and stage design by Leo Rialp and the musical direction of Danny Tan. The choreographer was

Agnes Locsin Agnes Dakudao Locsin is a Filipino Choreography (dance), dance choreographer who is recognized as a National Artist of the Philippines. Early life and education Agnes Dakudao Locsin was born in Davao City on September 28, 1957. Her mother is C ...

. The musical starred

Ariel Rivera Jose Ariel Jimenez Rivera, professionally known as Ariel Rivera (born September 1, 1966), is a Filipino recording artist and actor. Rivera was born in Manila, Philippines but has since migrated with his family to Canada. He has since become ...

and

Lani Misalucha Lani Bayot Misalucha (; born Lani Dimalanta Bayot; August 3, 1969) is a Filipino singer who performs pop, rock, jazz, soul, rhythm and blues, and operatic arias. Her ability to sing across several genres gave her the title "Asia's Nightingale ...

in the title roles, with Jaya as Surpanakha and Robert Seña as

Ravana Ravana (; , , ) is a rakshasa king of the island of Lanka, and the chief antagonist of the Hindu epic ''Ramayana'' and its adaptations. In the ''Ramayana'', Ravana is described to be the eldest son of sage Vishrava and rakshasi Kaikesi. He a ...

. The musical is one of the most expensive ever produced in Philippine entertainment history with a budget of Php 40 million, and the actor Franco Laurel was among the producers. Philippine fashion pillar Patis Tesoro served as costume designer.

Synopsis

While Rama is supposed to inherit the throne of his father King Dasaratha of Ayuthaya, his father's favorite wife Queen Kaikeyi pressured Dasaratha to fulfill the latter's promise to grant her two wishes. Kaikeyi wished for her son Bharata to become king and to send Rama into exile along with his loyal brother Lakshmana. In their pursuits, they have met Sita, and the evil siblings Ravana and Surpanakha who wanted to lure the couple into becoming their partners.

Musical numbers

; Act I * Sadyang Pinagtagpo ''(Vishvamitra, Ensemble)'' * Huwag Takasan ''(Rama)'' * Kaya Ko ''(Bharata)'' * Halina sa Mithila ''(Rama, Lakshmana, Vishnamitra, Indrajit, Janaka, Ensemble)'' * O Kay Dami ng Babae ''(Lakshmana, Ensemble)'' * Sana siya na nga ''(Rama, Sita, Lakshmana)'' * Iisa ang Tibok/Awit ng Pagsinta ''(Rama, Sita, Vishnamitra, Ensemble)'' * Ang Sumpa ng Patay ''(Dasaratha)'' * Tayo Na, Nariyan Na ''(Rama, Sita, Lakshmana, Kaikeyi, Dasaratha, Bharata, Ensemble)'' * Ako'y Iyong Iyo ''(Rama, Sita)'' ; Act II * Buktot, Ako'y Buktot/Harot, Ako'y Harot ''(Surpanakha, Ravana, Maricha)'' * Type Kita, Rama ''(Surpanakha)'' * Ginoong Ermitanyo ''(Sita, Ravana)'' * Tingnan Mo ang Aking Byuti ''(Surpanakha)'' * Kaya N'yo Bang Tumagal ''(Surpanakha as Sita)'' * Magbalik Ka Na Mahal ''(Sita)'' * Tagistis ng Ulan ''(Rama)'' * Sadyang Pinagtagpo/Huwag Takasan eprise'' ''(Rama, Vishnamitra, Ensemble)''

Characters

*Rama – crown prince of Ayuthaya; son of Dasaratha and husband of Sita *Sita – princess of Mithila; daughter of King Janaka; wife of Rama *Ravana – evil king of Lanka *Surpanakha – sister of King Ravana *Lakshmana – brother of Rama *Dasaratha – king of Ayuthaya *Kaikeyi – favorite wife of King Dasaratha *Bharata – son of Queen Kaikeyi; regent of Ayuthaya

Cast

Awards and nominations

References

{{reflist Philippine musicals 1999 musicals