ART IS A BANG: Of OFWs, Saints, and Rock

LORENZO is a musical about the life of St. Lorenzo Ruiz

What do you get when you put together an OFW on death row, a fugitive who became a saint, and rock music?

LORENZO is a theatrical production on the life and struggles of two Lorenzos: Laurence (OJ Mariano), an OFW on death row in an Arab country, and St. Lorenzo Ruiz (Lorenz Martinez), the first Filipino canonized as a saint for his martyrdom in Japan.

LORENZO’s executive producer, Christopher de Leon, has assembled a stellar artistic team for the production. The musical’s libretto was written by award-winning writers Juan Ekis and Paul Dumol, with the collaboration of Joem Antonio. The musical’s beautiful melodies were composed and arranged by Ryan Cayabyab. Internationally-trained Gino Gonzales heads production design. And, last but not least, the play is directed by industry veteran Nonon Padilla.

The production is unique in its storytelling; its premise has Laurence dictating the libretto of a musical he has written about Lorenzo Ruiz to a Filipino reporter.

As a three-act "musical within a play," Lorenzo brings the stories of the two Lorenzos side by side, parallel stories at first glance. The parallelism ends there, however, for it is through the tale of one Lorenzo that the other's is redeemed.

How? Well, you just have to watch to find out!

Catch LORENZO on Sept 5, 6, 7, 12, 13, and 14 at 1pm and 6pm at the De La Salle - College of Saint Benilde’s SDA Theater along P. Ocampo Street (formerly Vito Cruz), Malate, Manila.

Tickets are available through TicketWorld or the LORENZO official website: www.lorenzorocks.com.