Rainbow Stage marks 70th anniversary with Manitoba's first all-Filipino musical

Rainbow Stage is celebrating its 70th anniversary with two new shows, including a Canadian premier and a classic musical.

On Tuesday, the theatre company announced its 2024 shows, which include Ma-Buhay! and Mary Poppins.

“The last 70 years has seen Rainbow Stage weather many a literal and figurative storm and it has done so by dedicating itself to local talent on stage,” said Carson Nattrass, Rainbow Stage’s artistic director, at a news conference on Tuesday.

Ma-Buhay!, which has been in development for over five years, is the first musical ever commissioned and developed by Rainbow Stage. It is the first fully Filipino musical in Manitoba, with the book and lyrics written by Joseph Sevillo.

The new musical is set against the backdrop of a fictional Filipino reality TV competition, where three finalists are battling it out to change their lives for the better.

“Having Ma-Buhay! announced next to one of Disney’s greatest musicals, Mary Poppins, as part of Rainbow Stage’s 70th anniversary is a dream come true,” Sevillo said.

Rainbow Stage’s 70th season will also honour history by featuring Mary Poppins, which tells the story of a special nanny, who takes the children she’s caring for on many magical adventures and teaches them some important lessons along the way.

Mary Poppins features a number of beloved songs, including ‘A Spoonful of Sugar’ and ‘Supercalifragilisticexpialidocious.’

“As Rainbow Stage turns 70 years young, we’re inviting families to go fly a kite and enjoy a jolly holiday here in the park where you will see local talent who are all stars on the rise,” Nattrass said.

Ma-Buhay! will run from June 27 to July 14, and Mary Poppins will take the stage from Aug. 15 to Sept. 1.