HOOK UP The Musical is making a powerful return to the stage with a one-night-only restaging on June 13 at Sky Hall Seaside in Cebu City, bringing with it an urgent and deeply relevant conversation about modern love, queer identity, HIV awareness, and digital-age relationships.
Produced by Kadasig Entertainment Production and written and directed by award-winning Cebuano playwright Jude Gitamondoc, the bilingual English-Cebuano musical dives into the realities faced by many in the LGBTQIA+ community, particularly among Filipino MSM (men who have sex with men) navigating connection through dating apps.
At the heart of the story is #TimidTim, portrayed by Paul Pablo and Shim Dagatan in alternating performances. Tim is a shy young man searching for genuine connection in a world dominated by quick swipes and fleeting encounters.
His journey leads him to #IAmAnonymous, played by Jan Echavarria and Grant Bacaltos, whose openness about living with HIV becomes one of the musical’s emotional and socially significant turning points.
For Shim, the show’s message goes far beyond romance. Meanwhile, Paul described his character Tim as someone hopeful despite the emotional complexities surrounding modern dating and identity.
Jan admitted that portraying Manny initially felt overwhelming because of the responsibility attached to representing someone openly living with HIV, a sentiment echoed by Grant.
Beyond its central love story, the musical also reflects broader realities surrounding mental health, loneliness, healing, and the risks and vulnerabilities tied to digital hookup culture.
Gitamondoc revealed that the project actually started as a casual idea among friends before eventually evolving into a full production during the pandemic, when isolation inspired him to complete much of the musical’s score and material.
“This isn’t just about making the show bigger—it’s about reaching the people who need this message most,” Gitamondoc explained. “In a landscape where digital connection is the norm, we need to talk openly about the realities that come with it.”
The production arrives amid growing concerns over HIV cases in Cebu and other parts of the country. According to infectious disease specialist Dr. Bryan Albert Lim, local HIV cases reportedly surged by 300 percent over the past five years based on data from Vicente Sotto Memorial Medical Center.
The June 13 restaging will feature three performances:
- 1:00 PM – Student matinee
- 4:30 PM – Regular show
- 8:00 PM – Gala performance
Tickets range from PHP 800 to PHP 2,000 and are available through Ticket2Me.
The production also carries a content advisory for mature themes, sexual innuendo, strong language, and stylized depictions of adult situations. It is strictly for audiences aged 16 and above.
