Bobby Garcia: Director, Producer, and a Legacy of Over 50 Plays and Musicals
The theater community mourns the passing of multi-awarded theater director and producer Bobby Garcia. This was confirmed by Garcia's family and announced on Boy Abunda's program on Wednesday afternoon, December 18, 2024. He was 55.
Who was Bobby Garcia?
Bobby Garcia was a director who staged over 50 plays and musicals in Canada and throughout Asia, including China, Hong Kong, Korea, Malaysia, Philippines, Thailand, and Singapore. He also wore the producer's hat and spearheaded over 65 productions (20 of which are international premieres) in the Asian region.
In 1999, he founded Atlantis Productions (later, Atlantis Theatrical Entertainment Group), which is one of Asia's most prolific theater companies. It brought us local stagings of Sweeney Todd with Lea Salonga and Jett Pangan, Fun Home with Eric Kunze and Salonga, and many more.
In 2000, he was an Associate Director for Miss Saigon and represented casting for Cameron Mackintosh in the Philippines for the revival of the musical and its UK tour. In 2005, he was Hong Kong Disneyland's first Show Director in 2005. If you're wondering why plenty of Filipino theater actors work at Hong Kong Disneyland, it was Garcia who paved the way.
Garcia was so productive as a director that in 2008, he had three different shows running simultaneously in Hong Kong, Manila, and Singapore.
He was the winner of three Aliw Awards for Direction (live entertainment awards in the Philippines) and has been inducted into their Hall of Fame.
Garcia has a Masters of Fine Arts degree in Directing for Theatre from the University of British Columbia and a Bachelors Degree from Fordham University in New York.
Most Notable Works
Garcia's last production that he directed was Request sa Radyo, which had a limited 20-show run in October 2024 at the Samsung Performing Arts Theater in Makati. The 70-minute silent play starred Filipino acting legends Tony and Lawrence Olivier-Award-winning Lea Salonga and FAMAS Award-winning and Golden Globe and BAFTA nominee Dolly de Leon in alternating performances.
He also co-produced Here Lies Love, touted as Broadway's first all-Filipino company. Garcia was a casting consultant for the National Theatre of London and the Broadway production of the musical, which told the story of former Philippines First Lady Imelda Marcos. Here Lies Love's original Broadway production in 2024 received four Tony Award nominations: Best Original Score (Music and/or Lyrics) Written for the Theatre (David Byrne and Fatboy Slim), Best Scenic Design of a Musical (David Korins), Best Sound Design of a Musical (M. L. Dogg and Cody Spencer), and Best Choreography (Annie-B Parson).
Garcia's other notable works in Manila include the 40th-anniversary production of Sweeney Todd, which went on to be staged in Singapore. Through Atlantis, he also produced and directed the international premieres of The Band's Visit, Fun Home, Waitress, In the Heights, The Bridges of Madison County, Angels in America, Matilda, and Kinky Boots.
In Canada, where he would stay when not staging shows in Manila, he was behind Million Dollar Quartet, Dolly Parton's Smoky Mountain Christmas Carol, and Beneath Springhill: The Maurice Ruddick Story, all through Arts Club Theatre Company.
Other productions that were staged both in Manila and Singapore were God of Carnage, The 25th Annual Putnam County Spelling Bee, Avenue Q, and Rent.
Garcia worked a lot with Lea Salonga, and went on to direct plenty of her concerts and specials: Lea Salonga: 40, Lea Salonga: Playlist, Lea Salonga: Your Songs, and more.
