MANILA -- The limited three-weekend run of “Joseph The Dreamer” will end on Sunday, August 7, and as early as now, there’s a plan to tour the musical in the provinces and much later, to stream for global audiences.

“[We’re] working on the possibility of a tour. Presently in exploratory talks with interested producers. A scaled-down school tour is also a work in progress,” Butch Jimenez, president of Trumpets. Inc, told ABS-CBN News on Friday.

“No firm plans, yet,” he added when asked about the planned streaming.

On Thursday night, Jimenez announced in his official social media account that “Joseph The Dreamer” is being filmed for possible online release.

“It's a wrap. We just finished shooting ‘JTD’ for eventual broadcast or streaming release. Who knows? If Joseph can dream, so can we. If ‘Hamilton’ can do it, we can surely try (with a much smaller budget),” Jimenez wrote.

“What is certain is that we have a high res, professionally shot and recorded version of ‘JTD’ that can be seen by generations to come. Shoutout to the whole prod team, the camera and sound crew, Soundcheck, Menez Media and Dross Digital. Looking forward to the final cut,” he added.

Audie Gemora, Trumpets artistic director and who currently plays Jacob alternating with Gary Valenciano, told ABS-CBN News also on Friday that there’s a plan to tour the musical in Cebu this year.

On its final weekend, Trumpets’ longest running musical added two more shows.

From the original three, it now has five performances, starting on Friday, August 5 at 8 p.m., followed by a matinee show at 3 p.m. and 8 p.m. show on Saturday. It has the same schedule on its closing day on Sunday with 3 p.m. and 8 p.m. shows.

• READ: 'Joseph the Dreamer' adds shows for August 6, 7
• READ: Theater review: Gary V still the total entertainer in 'Joseph the Dreamer'

The night we saw the musical, it was Gemora playing Jacob and despite having watched him in one of the shows in the pre-pandemic staging in 2020, it’s like seeing a new Jacob.

Father-and-son connection

During curtain call, Gemora shared his experiences doing the musical for more than three-decades.

“The reason why this [musical] resonates with us is because we have this longing to connect with our Creator. The One who originated us. If you read the Bible, Jacob is an awful man,” Gemora told the crowd last Friday.

Gemora expounded: “But his love for his son was real. And if you look at the Bible, you see father-and-son models all the time. Why is this so? Because God wants us to know Him as such.

“Over the years, whenever [I watched] the crowd from the stage, I see men crying. All the macho men are like …(demonstrates how one hides his tears). And it is [because of] the theme of father and son relationship.”

Gemora has played the role in the pre-pandemic run. About 32 years ago, Gemora was the original Joseph in the musical’s historic maiden run in Cebu in 1989.

When it debuted at Meralco Theater in Metro Manila in 1990, Gemora played Joseph again. Trumpets was eventually formed in 1991 and under the new theater group, he would play the role again for the next 10 years. It was toured in key cities nationwide, including Davao, Bacolod, Iloilo and Pampanga.

Celebrating birthdays together

In 1999, Valenciano played Joseph and like this year’s run, Gemora was his alternate.

And by some cosmic coincidence, or shall we say, like God’s plan, Gemora and Valenciano are celebrating their birthdays together this weekend.

On Saturday, August 6, Valenciano is turning 58, while Gemora is almost the same age.

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The musical has become like therapy or a natural two-hour respite from the toxicities in our everyday lives, whether it’s political, socio-economic, or filmic.

Gemora continued: “We have deep longing to have a great relationship with our Father. And you know why? Because that’s Biblical. We have this in our hearts. From Galacians 4:6 and I quote, ‘Because they are my children, I have put the Spirit of my Son into their hearts, the Spirit says Abba or Father.

“I don’t know what God is to you. Is He the white-haired guy in the Sistine Chapel or is He some cosmic universal god who is just swimming up there and going down as soul or spirit but in the Bible, and Jesus made it so clear when He taught His disciples to say… [the Lord’s Prayer].”

“God is a Father and He loves you and He knows you and He wants a relationship with each and everyone here. That is the longing in our hearts. And if that is the only one you will take with your after you leave this show,” Gemora added.

“Of course, while here on earth, we tend to identify with our earthly fathers and sometimes they disappoint us. You saw Joseph and because he loves Father God, He taught Joseph to love and forgive so Joseph was able to reconcile with his brothers.

“If that is all you take from this show: The knowledge that God loves you and He is your Father and wants a relationship with you, 32 years would have been well worth it as it always been for so many audiences and cast members who’ve done this and whose lives have been changed.”

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