The creative minds that make ‘Bongga Ka ’Day’ truly bongga

MANILA, Philippines - What does it take to make a story from 1979 feel relevant in 2026? For the creative team behind "Bongga Ka 'Day: The Annie Batungbakal Musical," the answer goes far beyond bringing back disco lights and beloved Manila Sound hits. It means digging into why those songs mattered in the first place - and discovering that the questions they asked are still very much alive today.

There is an easy way to make a musical about the 1970s.

Put a disco ball onstage. Turn up the Hotdog songs. Bring out the bell-bottoms. Add a few mirror balls and some choreography, then let nostalgia do the rest.

"Bongga Ka 'Day: The Annie Batungbakal Musical" could have taken that route and stopped there. Without preempting anything, all these elements still come into play onstage.

However, they are not the only things audiences will experience.