Clint Ramos launches Theatre Group Asia to spotlight Filipino creatives worldwide

Initially, the challenge was the different time zones of the organisers. Ramos was in New York, Garcia was in Canada, and Mohnani was in Manila. But their different locations turned into an advantage.

“What we have is access,” Ramos says. “While rooted in the Philippines, this is still a global project. I work in the United States, Bobby was in Canada; both of us have contacts and connections on Broadway and in the West End, while Chris is firmly rooted in Manila. It feels like a no-brainer for us that there should be this free-flowing conduit of Filipino artists in the diaspora.”

But another challenge arose: the untimely death of Garcia. This setback, however, has once again turned into a positive: it is now the fuel that drives TGA in fulfilling their dream. “Bobby was very central to the formation of TGA. We choose to celebrate his life and legacy by forging ahead and bringing our aligned dreams to fruition,” comments Ramos. The task now lies on Ramos, Mohnani and the Echauzes.

TGA has announced its first two projects: Into the Woods (August 2025) and A Chorus Line (March 2026). Both productions will feature Filipino actors, as well as global actors with Filipino heritage, and a flavour of Filipino culture.

As with RSR, where the lonely middle-aged woman character was turned into a lonely middle-aged OFW, expect TGA’s Into the Woods to carry such audience-centred adjustments. “Sondheim’s fairytale world reflects the real one: full of hardship, imperfection and moral ambiguity. However, it also shows how we find strength in the people we stand beside, even in the face of loss and uncertainty. The families we build, whether by blood, by circumstance, or by love, may be flawed; but they are where we find comfort, connection and meaning. That truth, I think, is deeply familiar to the Filipino spirit,” Ramos says.

Many changes may be physical, as Ramos says Garcia and he discussed Filipino and colonial architecture extensively. Changes in the content as well since they also explored Filipino folklore and myth and the nation’s colonial history. “We want to lean into this idea of creating an Into the Woods that considers the Filipino condition. That is how different our version will be. It is specific, but also attempts to give more meaning to the already rich work of a Sondheim musical. We are so lucky that we got the blessing from the Sondheim estate [to bring it into a Filipino context],” Ramos drops a hint and reveals nothing more.

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For A Chorus Line, Ramos says, “We want to do a piece of musical theatre that also celebrates dance.”

These creative designs serve a purpose. Ramos explains, “The outcome we hope for is a deeper understanding of what it is to be Filipino, not only in the motherland but also in the world—transforming great works of art and giving more meaning to them so that they become more vast, more global, more universal. We must create a theatre that not only entertains, but is also a medium for thought and reflection.”

With artists of Filipino heritage being enticed to perform in their homeland, Ramos sees advantages for both sides. “Through art making, these performers and creatives are finally able to come home and familiarise themselves with their ancestry and roots. The Philippines will not be just a tourist destination for them, but a place where they can work, share their knowledge and learn. I believe that this particular dialogue will also inspire artists in the Philippines to think about how they can expand their craft, consider more points of view and create art in a way that they may not have considered before. The same also goes for the folks who are coming home.” 

Apart from producing great theatre, TGA also created a programme to honour Garcia. The Bobby Garcia Initiative is a series of intensive master classes, seminars, workshops and interactions open to students of the arts, theatre and performing arts seeking exposure and opportunities in the professional field.

“It came from Bobby’s lifelong commitment to raising Filipino theatre to global standards while celebrating the Filipino’s unique sensibility. It memorialises all the best practices he espoused, as well as all of ours at TGA. We believe the initiative is a fitting tribute to Bobby and his legacy as it exalts his decades-long dedication to excellence and innovation, values we all hold sacred at TGA,” expounds Ramos.

If indeed this high level of creative exchange will be created, TGA has not dreamt for naught. After all, it is a beautiful dream—compatriots, not strangers, raising and lifting each other in the true spirit of bayanihan. No one would dare wish it anything but success.

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