Repertory Phl presents modern love in ‘I Love You, You’re Perfect, Now Change’

How many left swipes before finding The One? Is a year-long talking stage acceptable? How to get over being catfished? With love and romance as complicated as they’ve ever been, Repertory Philippines gives a wild ride through the phases of modern relationships as it showcases the musical comedy, “I Love You, You’re Perfect, Now Change,” from 14 June to 6 July at the Carlos P. Romulo Auditorium in RCBC Plaza.

With book and lyrics by award-winning Joe DiPietro, music by renowned composer Jimmy Brooks and directed by Menchu Lauchengco-Yulo, REP’s latest production presents a series of hilarious yet achingly familiar vignettes on connection and intimacy, commitment and loneliness. Premiering at the Westside Theatre in 1996, this 2024 staging is set in a bustling metropolis where swiping left or right is the norm — touching on things like chasing that invisible string in this era of situationships and ghosting and reigniting that spark despite all the distractions. 

REP’s take on the second longest-running off-Broadway musical features a fantastic and accomplished cast of four playing 40 characters. And all are making their theater comeback with this production. Gian Magdangal, known for his versatile skills as a singer and actor, takes the stage after his standout performance in the 2022 REP production of Carousel, which earned him his second PHILSTAGE Gawad Buhay award as Male Lead Performance in a Musical & L.E.A.F. Awards Outstanding Performance by an Actor in a Musical. A long-time “REPper,” Gabby Padilla joins the quartet after garnering recent acclaim for her film roles in Billie and Emma where she got a FAMAS nod and Gitling which made her win Best Actress award at the 2nd Paragon Film Lokal Choice Awards and 4th Pinoy Rebyu Awards.

Krystal Kane is returning to the spotlight after a four-year hiatus. Bitten by the theater bug at age 10, Kane is known for her roles in The Sound of Music as Brigitta, In the Heights as Nina, Spring Awakening as Wendla and Tabing Ilog: The Musical as Jerry. Another theater comeback, PHILSTAGE Gawad Buhay Awardee singer-actor-songwriter Marvin Ong, brings his remarkable talents to the stage, having previously earned accolades for his role as Toby in REP’s Sweeney Todd and achieving gold record status for his debut album. The production will be supported by swings, Barbara Jance, whom people last saw at REP’s 2023-2024 run of Snow White and the Prince, and Davy Narciso, known for the productions under his belt with Ateneo’s Blue Repertory.