‘Pinocchio’ musical moves from the theater to the mall

Live theater is stepping outside the usual playhouse setting and heading to the shopping center as Ephesus Teatron Group Inc. brings the beloved fairy tale “Pinocchio” to Ayala Malls Feliz in Pasig City.

The production will run from Oct. 9 to 11 at the mall’s Activity Center. Rather than simply performing in an open mall space, Ephesus Teatron is transforming the area into its own theater environment, complete with a full Italian village built for the production.

The setup makes the familiar fairy tale more accessible to families, particularly those who may not regularly visit traditional theater venues. It also gives the company an opportunity to bring together seasoned theater performers and a younger generation of artists.

Among the young talents joining the cast is actress Althea Ruedas, who will play Candlewick and Gino. Althea, 13, may already be a familiar face to some audiences, having appeared in “Wonderful Nightmare” alongside Jerald Napoles and Kim Molina and “Doll House” with Baron Geisler.

She joins fellow young performers Sofia Gabrielle Magno, Jay Paulo Danganan, Paulo Esteva, Ed Vincent Bonoan, Vinz Cantillo, Sofia Yzabel Mallares, Erika Mae Salas, and Joahnah Marie Sevilla.

Brie Mosquito takes on the title role, with Red Nuestro as Geppetto and Sweet Buchanan as the Blue Fairy. Buchanan also directs the production, with music arranged by Pipo Cifra.

The story follows the familiar journey of Pinocchio, a wooden puppet carved by the old carpenter Geppetto who dreams of becoming a real boy. 

Along the way, he learns from the consequences of his choices and discovers the value of honesty, responsibility, obedience, and doing what is right—lessons that remain relevant in the age of social media.

Audiences can expect lively choreography, memorable songs, and colorful costumes when Pinocchio comes to Ayala Malls Feliz this October.

“PINOCCHIO: The Musical” is based on Carlo Collodi’s “Pinocchio,” with adaptation and lyrics by Jim Eiler and music by Eiler and Jeanne Bargy.  The musical received a Special Emmy Award in 1996 for its CBS network production.