Delia D. the Musical: Where Dreams, Drama, and Jonathan Manalo Collide

WHAT do you get when you mix a ‘palaban’ drag queen, a galaxy-wide reality singing competition, and the man behind the iconic ‘birit’ song Gusto Ko Nang Bumitaw?

You get Delia D.: A Musical Featuring the Songs of Jonathan Manalo. 

It’s a glittering, high-energy rollercoaster of bubblegum wigs, bold makeup, and even bolder ambition. And at the center of it all is Delia, a diva-in-the-making with a dream big enough to light up the cosmos and a voice that could knock the lashes off a judge from across the room.

Republicasia was invited to the show’s dazzling gala night, where sequins sparkled, voices soared, and Jonathan Manalo’s greatest hits got a bold, theatrical makeover thanks to Vince Lim’s electrifying arrangements. 

With laugh-out-loud moments, gasp-worthy drama, and choreography that deserves its own standing ovation, Delia D. isn’t just here to entertain—it’s here to slay. 

Curtain up on a familiar story!

Delia D. plays with all the glittery, dramatic tropes we’ve come to know (and low-key love) from Filipino entertainment. At its core, it follows a narrative blueprint that’s comfortingly familiar—think telenovela meets talent show, with a dash of intergalactic glam.

Delia, our fierce yet flawed lead, is a drag performer with dreams larger than life. When she enters Idols of the Galaxy, a nation-wide search for the next big singing sensation, she faces a challenge that hits close to home: to stop lip-syncing and actually sing. 

In a world that equates talent with vocal gymnastics and high-note acrobatics, Delia must prove that her voice—real, raw, and unfiltered—is enough to earn her a spot among the stars.

Despite leaning on the tried-and-true clichés of Filipino entertainment, Delia D. offers a fresh and electrifying twist as a live theater performance.

We’re all too familiar with these archetypal characters—telenovela heroines, underdogs, and the quest for stardom—that we often forget the magic they once held. But seeing Delia’s story unfold in the raw, dynamic world of live theater instantly reignited that spark.

The musical doesn’t just rest on nostalgia, it reinvents it! The stakes are higher when you’re sitting a few feet away from the performers, watching the raw energy and passion in their voices and movements.

Delia’s story is no longer just a story we’ve seen unfold a thousand times on our screens— it becomes something visceral and real. 

There was a moment in the musical when Delia had a nervous breakdown in front of the audience, and thanks to the intimate, raw energy of live theater, it hit differently. The performance, the atmosphere, the connection between the actors and the crowd—it all felt so real, so unfiltered, that it left me genuinely moved, tearing me up in the process.

The laughs hit harder, the drama feels more intense, and the music feels like a heartbeat, alive and pulsing through the air— that’s the magic of live theater. 

This is a musical that doesn’t just tell the same old story—it invites us to see it from a new angle, through a lens that’s bright, bold, and bursting with magic. 

The familiar narrative feels fresh, not because it’s been reimagined, but because it’s been performed with all the vulnerability, exuberance, and spontaneity that only live theater can offer. 

It’s like hearing a song you know by heart, but suddenly, it’s been rearranged in a way that makes you feel it all over again.

Hits with Heart — Jonathan Manalo’s Songs as Storytelling Tools

Speaking of the familiar, Jonathan Manalo’s songs have been a staple in the soundtrack of Filipino lives for so long (at least for my Gen Z life) that hearing them live on stage instantly brought a wave of warmth and nostalgia. 

What’s often magical about live theater is how, more often than not, you already know those iconic songs by heart. And after the performance, those tunes stick with you, just like they did with my cameraman, who couldn’t help but belt out Gusto Ko Nang Bumitaw long after we’d exited Newport.

Yet, just like what it did with the familiar story, Delia D. takes Jonathan Manalo’s iconic hits and transforms them into more than just catchy tunes—they become the very heartbeats of Delia’s journey. Each track is carefully chosen not just for its popularity, but for its ability to tell Delia’s story, one note at a time.

What’s brilliant about incorporating Manalo’s score into this musical is the sheer diversity of his work, which spans across genres and emotions with effortless flair. This makes it easy to blend in the narrative, amplifying the emotions in every twist and turn.

A high-energy anthem like the catchy Boom Panes! framed Delia’s enjoyment of her popularity, her rise to fame, and all the colorful and vibrant things that succeed it. Yet a tender ballad about a dream digs deep into Delia’s vulnerability as a queer person whose talents are questioned, exploited, and manipulated by those around her. 

The music invites us to share Delia’s stories— her joy, her dreams, her struggles. Through Manalo’s music, we don’t just see what’s happening. We experience it. We feel it. 

It is the music that lifts the emotional stakes to an entirely new level. 

Spotlight Stealers

Everyone was so impressive that it was hard to choose a single standout—each performer brought their own spark to the stage. Shaira Opsimar as Kiki, for one, stole the spotlight every time she appeared. Like, damn—I totally get why people would say she’s the real winner. She was a force.

Mimi Marquez as GVB delivered a performance that was both commanding and deliciously intimidating—like the elegant villain straight out of a top-tier Filipino teleserye. Every time she stepped on stage, she owned it. You never forget she’s the villain, but you do forget you’re not supposed to root for her.

And the drag queens, including the ever-fabulous John Lapus, injected the show with humor, flair, and pure electricity. Their presence made the musical even more vibrant, more alive.

At one point, my cameraman leaned over and asked, completely baffled, “Are they lip syncing? Why does the audio sound so clean and perfect?” 

Nope, I told him—that’s the magic of live theater. And he was absolutely mind-blown.

That was how good the cast were. 

But maybe—after thinking long and hard about it—the real scene-stealer for me was Phi Palmos as the titular Delia. It’s one thing to show the world how good you are; it’s an entirely different level of talent to pretend you’re not that good. That’s restraint. That’s control. That’s brilliant acting.

Phi Palmos pulled it off. How do you even do that? How do you discipline yourself to hold back, to act like you’re not slaying when you clearly could? And yet, that’s exactly what Palmos delivered: a layered, vulnerable performance wrapped in charisma, camp, and pure talent.

Bravo, Delia!

Delia D. made me believe in the magic of live theater all over again. In an age where entertainment is just a click away—where everything is streamed, replayed, and paused—this show reminded me why live theater still wears the crown. It’s raw, it’s immediate, it’s alive. 

Every note, every tear, every laugh shared between cast and audience becomes part of something fleeting yet unforgettable.

With Jonathan Manalo’s iconic hits reimagined, a cast that gives nothing less than everything, and a story that blends the familiar with the fabulous, Delia D. proves that even the most well-worn tales can shine anew when told with sincerity and flair.

And Delia D., with all its glitter, guts, and heart, isn’t just a musical—it’s a love letter to that enduring power of performance. Bravo, indeed.