Theater review: Nonie Buencamino’s Jacob makes ‘Joseph the Dreamer’ worth revisiting

Give us any iteration of “Joseph the Dreamer,” and we will wholeheartedly embrace it.

From 1989 when it was first staged by Trumpets, to the present, through changing seasons, casts, Josephs, and Jacobs, as new generations discover its music, “Joseph The Dreamer” is a show that the Filipino audience keeps coming back to. Watching this latest staging at RCBC Theater last weekend reminded us why — the songs remain unforgettable, the humor still delights, and the story of faith and forgiveness continues to find its way to the audience’s hearts.  

Drawn from the book of Genesis, the musical follows Joseph, Jacob’s favored son, whose dreams and privileged place in the family provoke his brothers’ jealousy. Sold into slavery and later imprisoned in Egypt, he endures betrayal and injustice before his gift for interpreting dreams brings him to power. Later when famine reunites him with the brothers who wronged him, God tests his capacity to forgive, and Joseph passes it in the name of family love and reconciliation.  

This musical’s continuing appeal to Filipino audiences is easy to understand, it is a story of family, devotion, favoritism, jealousy, tenderness, and pride. There is also separation from home, faith tested by hardship, and the hope of reunion, all modern-day struggles we recognize beneath the biblical setting. “Joseph The Dreamer” the 2026 version dresses that familiarity in contemporary costumes, energetic choreography, fantastic lights, and inventive staging. And yes, there is so much to enjoy, especially in Nonie Buencamino’s Jacob who has made an old favorite character feel more profoundly painful.

Buencamino’s portrayal of a man who loses his favorite son rises from the gut, so wrenching that the audience feels each wave of anguish like a blade twisting in the heart. We could only think of the Tagalog word “dalamhati” to put a proper word to what we were witnessing onstage. The emotional weight that Buencamino brings to the character makes his almost unbearable pain as if it is being pulled from somewhere deeper than his heart. We know Joseph is alive, yet Buencamino makes us feel a father’s helplessness before a loss he cannot comprehend.

Whether sharing a scene with Joseph, standing among Jacob’s sons, or appearing with the full ensemble, Buencamino wields an extraordinary command of the stage, to say the least. We have seen several interpretations of the role over the years, including those by the late Freddie Santos, veteran actor and Trumpets artistic director Audie Gemora, and pop superstar Gary Valenciano, yet Buencamino stands out to be one of the most memorable. Following his recent turn as Don Quixote in “Man of La Mancha,” his Jacob offers another compelling reason to watch this production.

Neo Rivera’s time to wear Joseph’s technicolor coat has finally come. There is something particularly fitting about this young actor’s journey to the role, having spoken of Joseph as a part of his prayer list in the past and having worked his way through the production since 2020 first as a brother,  then as an understudy,  before becoming an alternate Joseph. Knowing his history makes watching Rivera,  now at the center of the story,  all the more meaningful, a reminder of the preparation that often happens long before an actor gets his big moment onstage. He meets the physical demands of the role, particularly when he danced in sync to the emotional “When God Closes a Door” sequence. 

Iya Villanueva takes on Asenath, who also serves as the principal narrator — a very demanding role that helps carry us through Joseph’s changing fortunes. Villanueva just has to conserve her voice more carefully to sustain her singing throughout the two and a half hour show.  

Rachel, played by Julia Serad, meanwhile has relatively little stage time, but her solo leaves a lasting impression, giving the musical’s message of faith through a mother’s voice. Lorenz Martinez’s Pharaoh is another delight. His impeccable comedic timing makes every entrance something to look forward to; we could almost see the audience’s eyes light up as he steps onstage. He knows how to land a joke, bringing levity to a story with its share of heartbreak. 

Visually, the production makes resourceful use of the RCBC stage. The contemporary movements and costumes also help welcome younger audiences into the story. The versatile moving triangular platform, familiar since the 2020 staging, remains an effective centerpiece on a compact stage. In some of the larger ensemble numbers, the stage feels crowded, and the competing movement makes it harder to know where to look. Fortunately, the lighting helps reshape the limited space and keeps the storytelling in motion. 

Bernice Aspillaga ably handles the staging for this run, building on Paolo Valenciano’s original direction. That continuity allows returning audiences to recognize the production while encountering a different cast’s interpretation of it. Musical direction is by Jay Pangilinan, and choreography by MJ Arda.  

With Jordan Andrews alternating as Joseph, this production also stacked its cast with some of the very best of next generation talent, including Naya Ambi alternating as Asenath, Lorenz Martinez as the hilarious Pharaoh, Omar Uddin as Potiphar, Dippy Arceo and Jannah Baniasia as Mrs. Potiphar, Rapah Manalo and Boo Gabunada as Joseph’s brothers Judah and Reuben, alongside Luis Marcelo, Renz Bernardo, Sam Panlilio, Anton Posadas, Daniel Solis, Carlos Canlas, Gabo Tiongson, Antonio Valdez, and Matthew Barbers. Liam Nery and Enzo Isaac will be playing Young Joseph / Manasseh. Completing the cast are Justine Narciso, Kathleen Francisco, Gab Concepcion, Jim Ferrer, and Coleen Paz. 

Our hope for every future iteration of “Joseph The Dreamer” is for it to continue to protect the quieter moments as carefully as the big numbers. Buencamino’s Jacob demonstrates how powerful this material becomes when an emotion has room to land. The dancing, humor, and spectacle give us plenty to applaud, the intimate moments give us something to take home. We will keep watching it and hope Trumpets never tires of bringing it back. There are future theatergoers who have yet to discover why so many of us return to this enduring story again and again.