Wazzup Pilipinas!Fo Guang Shan Philippines in cooperation with the Buddha’s Light International Association will restage Siddhartha: The Musical at the Main Theater of the Cultural Center of the Philippines on July 17, at 2 pm and 8 pm. Directed by Sarah Mae Enclona-Henderson and with musical direction by Jude Gitamondoc, Siddhartha: The Musical tells the story of Siddhartha, the prince who renounced his royal status to seek enlightenment. He would eventually become the Buddha, the awakened one. His teachings are still kept alive today by millions of people all over the world.
The musical is based on the book The Biography of Sakyamuni Buddha by Venerable Master Hsing Yun, the founder of the Fo Guang Shan Buddhist order. Most of the songs used in the musical are also based on the writings of the Venerable Master.
To date, Siddhartha: The Musical has been staged a total of 55 times. It has been shown in Cebu, Manila, Iloilo, Bacolod, Taiwan and the United States.
In November 2013, the entire cast and crew of the production was invited to perform by Fo Guang Shan Hsi Lai Temple in southern California to take part in the temple’s 25th anniversary celebration. The production also traveled to Northern California and other parts of the U.S. Proceeds from the shows were used to rebuild structures damaged by the earthquake that struck Bohol and Cebu, as well as in relief operations for the victims of typhoon Yolanda.