LET'S GIVE THEM A SHOW

As live entertainment comes back, Samsung Performing Arts Theater rises and welcomes world-class talents to its stage

- Franz Sorilla IV.

In the last two years, Arts and Culture have been two of the hardest hit industries by the pandemic. Yet the ever-resilient artists pushed the boundaries of media to continue nourishing the nation’s soul. Aside from moving performances and exhibitions to online platforms, new spaces like galleries, music venues and theatres have braved the pandemic. Circuit Makati of Ayala Land Inc (ALI), erstwhile site of the famed entertainment hotspot Santa Ana Race Track owned by the Philippine Racing Club Inc (PRCI), now boasts a crown jewel to its lifestyle district masterplan—the Samsung Performing Arts Theater.

With a spectacular show last July 14, the new theatre officially opened its doors to aficionados and distinguished personalities of arts and culture such as Menchu Lauchengco-Yulo, Bituin Escalante, Shiela Valderrama-Martinez and Christian Bautista, among many others. The maiden concert, written and co-directed by Floy Quintos and Pat Valera, showcased the theatre’s features from the lobby up to backstage as well as paid tribute to Philippine theatre, music, dance and culture.

“The Samsung Performing Arts Theater was thoughtfully designed to bring arts and culture to the forefront for the enjoyment and enrichment of many Filipinos,” shares Christopher Mohnani, managing director of the theatre.