CEBU, PHILIPPINES — After a well-received debut run, “HOOK UP The Musical” returns this June 13 at the Sky Hall Seaside Cebu – bigger, bolder, and more urgent than ever.
Written and directed by Cebu playwright and songwriter Jude Gitamondoc, the original Cebuano musical explores modern relationships, identity, and the complexities of connection in the digital age – blending humor, heart, and contemporary music into a resonant theatrical experience.
The musical’s return comes at a particularly urgent moment, as Cebu and Central Visayas continue to face a concerning rise in HIV cases among young people. Through honest storytelling and emotionally grounded characters, “HOOK UP” seeks to open conversations around intimacy, vulnerability, sexual health, stigma, and human connection, using theatre not just to entertain, but to engage and inform.
This restaging will feature three performances: 1 pm – Exclusive Student Matinee; 4:30 pm – Regular Show; and 8 pm – Gala Performance. Ticket prices range from ₱750 to ₱2,000. As part of the production’s campaign to encourage shared experiences and community conversations, “HOOK UP” is currently offering its special Barkada Promo: Buy four tickets and get 1 free. To avail, go to m.me/hookupmusical and type the keyword “BARKADA.”
Set in today’s hyperconnected world, “HOOK UP The Musical” dives into love, vulnerability, and the consequences of our choices, opening space for much-needed conversations. The production has drawn strong praise from the medical and public health community.
Dr. Elisse Nicole Catalan, the provincial government’s public health consultant, shared: “An extraordinary, world-class production, ‘Hook Up’ is not just a show, it’s a public health message wrapped in art, tackling HIV and sexual health with honesty, empathy, and urgency.”
Cebu-based infectious disease specialist Dr. Bryan Albert Lim noted: “Honest, raw, and profoundly human, it places HIV where it needs to be seen – in real lives. It could not be more timely as cases continue to rise.” / VAB
(Photos by Andrew Matthew Ortoño)
