Four years after opening, the Samsung Performing Arts Theater has become more than a venue. Through 'After Oz,' it celebrated the artists and audiences that now call it home.
SPAT
Allie and Lissa.
SPAT
Morissette made a special appearance.
SPAT
On one of Metro Manila's rainiest evenings, as Severe Tropical Storm Bavi brought monsoon rains across the capital, theatergoers still made their way to Circuit Makati for After Oz. What was originally announced as a one-night concert on 10 July expanded into an afternoon matinee after tickets quickly sold out, giving more audiences the chance to watch Broadway stars Lissa de Guzman and Allie Trimm reunite on a Manila stage.
The rare concert is a celebration of the fourth anniversary of the Samsung Performing Arts Theater (SPAT), the venue that has steadily established itself as one of the country's leading homes for theater, dance and live performance.
The evening opened with welcome remarks from Christopher Mohnani, SPAT managing director, who dedicated the celebration to the artists, audiences and creative partners who now call Circuit Makati home.
"This evening's anniversary concert perfectly captures that spirit. After Oz invites us to imagine what happens after 'happily ever after.' Through the extraordinary artistry of Lissa de Guzman, our first Filipino Elphaba on Broadway, and Allie Trimm, our adopted Glinda, we are reminded that every ending is also the beginning of another journey, filled with new possibilities, new purpose, and stories still waiting to be told," he said.
Mohnani also reflected on the theater's own journey: "Four years on, we continue to look ahead to new productions, new collaborations, new audiences, and new ways of enriching the cultural life of our city."
Officially opened on 14 July 2022, the Samsung Performing Arts Theater stands within Circuit Makati, Ayala Land's mixed-use estate built on the former Sta. Ana Race Track.
In just four years, the 1,500-seat venue has become one of Manila's busiest homes for the performing arts. Beyond concerts, it has welcomed international dance companies, orchestral performances and some of Theatre Group Asia's biggest productions, including Request sa Radyo, Into the Woods, and A Chorus Line, with The Notebook set to open this September.
The stage was transformed into the Emerald City. A towering emerald arch with Gothic-inspired tracery framed the stage, while vivid LED projections of Oz, including the iconic Yellow Brick Road, brought the concert's fantasy world to life.
The massive LED wall alternated between whimsical Oz imagery, Broadway photographs of the performers, and highlights from the theater's four-year history, creating a visual celebration of both Wicked and SPAT itself.
While Lissa de Guzman and Allie Trimm were the evening's headliners, they were hardly alone in carrying the show, which was directed by Mikko Angeles. The UST Singers delivered impeccable choral harmonies, Mari Dance brought bursts of energy through fun dance numbers, while the live orchestra under musical director Farley Asuncion provided the sweeping accompaniment that carried the evening from one number to the next.
The evening opened with the duo dressed in their signature Wicked-inspired colors.
Allie dazzled in a dramatic fuchsia tulle ball gown with cascading ruffles and an oversized bow-inspired bodice, while Lissa wore an emerald-green satin gown with billowing bishop sleeves and a flowing skirt that echoed Elphaba's signature color.
The visual homage to Wicked naturally flowed into the evening's opening numbers before the pair ventured beyond Oz, revisiting beloved Disney classics and Broadway favorites that showcased both their vocal chemistry and individual artistry. The concert balanced nostalgia with playful banter, as Allie and Lissa stepped beyond their iconic Wicked roles and into their own spotlight.
Later, both changed into coordinated white ensembles. Allie appeared in a romantic strapless ball gown with a fitted corset bodice and cascading tiers, while Lissa wore an off-the-shoulder white column gown adorned with shimmering lattice embellishments and delicate floral appliqués.
One of the evening's biggest highlights came when Morissette made a wonderful appearance.
Dressed in a flowing steel-blue one-shoulder gown, she performed a teaser from The Notebook, the Broadway musical that Theatre Group Asia will stage this September, where she will portray Middle Allie. Her performance earned one of the night's loudest rounds of applause.
She later joined Lissa and Allie onstage for an easygoing conversation filled with mutual admiration and shared stories from the theater world.
After Oz celebrated Broadway music, but it also reflected what Circuit Makati has been building over the past several years: a place where live performance, dance, music and the visual arts share the same stage.
On a rain-soaked Friday evening, audiences came for Wicked. But they left with a reminder that, four years since opening, the Samsung Performing Arts Theater has become one of the country's leading homes for world-class productions—and that its story is still unfolding.
