What Happened During miZZcast: Musical Theater Backwards

I cannot even explain how much I enjoyed this show. Every number felt like a highlight.

Pride Month, theater, and live performance already sound like a beautiful combination. But miZZcast: Musical Theater Backwards turned that into something warmer, louder, funnier, and more emotional than expected.

Held at the Samsung Performing Arts Theater, the one-night-only musical cabaret brought together some of the most powerful voices in theater for a Pride Month celebration that felt intimate and grand at the same time. The setup was simple but effective: a small circle in the middle of the stage where each performer would stand and sing, while the rest of the cast sat behind them like their own little crowd. The event started with the whole cast singing "I will survive."

The voices were warm. The guests were sparkly. The stage itself looked like a beautiful flag. And honestly, the lighting was one of the best parts of the night. It was so thematic and perfectly timed that every performance felt even bigger.

The evening featured a strong lineup of participating artists, including Benedix Ramos, Bituin Escalante, Bombading, Carla Laforteza, Floyd Tena, Jamie Wilson, Jillian Ita-as, Lance Reblando, Mimi Marquez, Nica del Rosario, Nic Chen, Nyoy Volante, Omar Uddin, Poppert Bernadas, and Sheena Belarmino. Together, the cast made the whole show feel like a celebration of theater, Pride, and the kind of talent that makes live performance feel unforgettable.

Image screengrabbed from Samsung Performing Arts Theater's Instagram

One of the early highlights was Jamie Wilson, who performed “Maybe This Time.” Who knew that a song like that, sung by a theater veteran with a raspy voice and an electric guitar, would be such an incredible way to hear it? It was bold, unexpected, and easily one of the performances that set the tone for the night.

Then came Bombading with a number from Kinky Boots, bringing the joyful, fabulous theater energy that fit the night so well. Ron Astillas of the Philippine LGBT Chamber of Commerce also spoke about how “the creative industry has always been a space for LGBT people,” reminding the crowd that Pride is not just a one-month celebration, but an everyday belief. The organization also marked its 10th year as Asia’s first LGBT chamber of commerce.

Carla Laforteza gave (personally) one of the best performances of the night with a rendition from Jesus Christ Superstar. The performance started slow, almost like a spark, then grew into a full forest fire. By the end, it was so perfectly powerful that the whole room felt locked in.

Jordan Andrews performed “I’d Give My Life For You,” bringing the kind of emotional theater moment that makes the audience stop and really listen. From the West End as Tam to this performance, it felt like a full-circle kind of moment.

Another fun standout was Omar Uddin, who performed “Satisfied” from Hamilton. What made it even better was that people in the crowd were cast as the ensemble, making the whole thing feel so playful and alive. There was a lot of cursive singing happening too, which honestly made it even more entertaining.

Mimi Marquez performed “Proud of Your Boy,” and it was one of those numbers where the visuals matched the message so beautifully. It felt tender, emotional, and sincere in a way that really stayed with the audience.

The night also featured a message from Jan Lee Dunca, Head of PR of LoveYourself PH, who shared one of the most fitting lines of the evening: “Every person deserves a chance to take the stage as their truest self.” In a show built around Pride, theater, and chosen expression, that line captured exactly what the night was about.

Then there was Nica del Rosario, the composer behind “Rosas,” whose performance of “Ikaw” from Mula sa Buwan was soft, yearning, and beautiful. Nica’s voice has always had this gentle, ethereal quality, and hearing the song live made it feel even more magical.

Image screengrabbed from Samsung Performing Arts Theater's Instagram

Nic Chen followed with a very, very extra performance in the best way. The performer brought so much personality to “Watch What Happens,” and the reminder that “living is a protest as a queer person” landed strongly with the audience. It was theatrical, expressive, and deeply Pride-coded.

One of the funniest performances of the night came from Benedix Ramos, who jokingly shared that one of the hardest things to do that day was perform while waiting for their turn because they needed to pee. The crowd was laughing from the start, and then the performer fully committed to the comedy with “Ulan” from Rak of Aegis. When the mist spray and umbrella came out to pretend that it was actually raining, the comedic timing was crazy.

At that point, I kept saying, “This is my favorite,” then another performance would come in and top it again. It was that kind of show.

But one of the biggest moments of the evening came from Lance Reblando, who performed “I’ll Cover You (Reprise)” with Bituin Escalante and Jamie Wilson supporting, before the whole cast joined in for that emotional Rent moment. When the cast sang “525,600 minutes,” the audience gave one of the biggest standing ovations of the night.

The show closed with Bituin Escalante, whose presence alone could command the entire theater. The theater icon performed “The Impossible Dream” with the kind of soul and control that only Bituin could bring. The crowd was hanging on to every syllable.

And then came the final note.

The lighting formed a star behind Bituin, making the moment feel almost mythic, as if the stage had turned the performer into a muse. It was dramatic, beautiful, and the perfect ending to a night that celebrated performance, Pride, and the power of being fully seen.

Every performer brought something different. And by the end of the night, miZZcast: Musical Theater Backwards did not just feel like a concert. It felt like a reminder that theater has always been a home for people who want to live, love, and perform as their truest selves.

Donations for LoveYourself PH and the Philippine LGBT Chamber of Commerce were encouraged through the event’s QR link and someone passing a donation bucket.