Before Nar Cabico stepped into the spotlight as Didi, he was already part of the world of “Zsazsa Zaturnnah Ze Muzikal.” At just 15, he worked backstage as a stagehand, helping bring the production to life from behind the scenes. Two decades later. he returns to the musical in a role he once could only watch from the wings: Ada, the gay beauty salon owner who transforms into the extraordinary superheroine Zsazsa Zaturnnah after swallowing a mysterious stone.
Cabico takes on the lead role in “Zsazsa Zaturnnah Ze Parteeeh!”. the musical’s 20th-anniversary production, marking a remarkable new chapter in a journey that began with washing dishes, preparing props, and sweeping confetti after performances. From working behind the scenes to portraying one of the musical’s most beloved characters, his return is more than a casting milestone. It is a deeply personal homecoming.
MEET ADA, THE HEART BEHIND THE TRANSFORMATION
Before becoming the larger-than-life Zsazsa Zaturnnah, Ada is a gay beauty salon owner navigating love, family expectations, and the search for acceptance. His extraordinary transformation begins when he swallows a mysterious rock that grants him superhuman strength and beauty, setting him on an adventure filled with zombies, aliens, and other unexpected threats.
Beneath the musical’s outrageous comedy, insanely colorful characters, and spectacular battles, however, lies a heartfelt story about identity, belonging, and the courage to embrace one’s true self.
The role of Ada has been portrayed by several performers, including Tuxqs Rutaquio alternating with Vincent A. DeJesus in the original Tanghalang Pilipino productions, as well as Phi Palmos, Adrian Lindayag, and Shaun Ocrisma. Cabico now joins this distinguished lineup, bringing with him a unique connection to the musical, having experienced it first as a stagehand and later as Didi.
FROM BACKSTAGE TO CENTER STAGE
Cabico’s ourney with “Zsazsa Zaturnnah” began during the musical’s early run, when he was assigned to work backstage. His
responsibilities included washing the cast’s dishes and preparing the iconic “cotton candy” rock that Ada swallows to transform into Zsazsa Zaturnnah.
He would arrive before everyone else and leave long after the rest of the company, sweeping confetti from the stage once the performances were over.
Two years later, he was cast as Didi, Ada’s loyal friend and confidant. Now, his return as Ada brings that journey full circle, placing him at the heart of a story he once helped tell from behind the scenes.
“When I was 15, my first job after high school was as a stage hand for the ZsaZsa Zaturnnah Ze Muzikal run at the PETA Theater,” Cabico recalled. “20 years later, I am incredibly honored to take on the fabulous role of ‘Ada’. Truly a full circle moment, I am very grateful.”
Beyond theater, Cabico has established himself as a singer-songwriter and screen performer. For his performance in “Akin Ang Korona,” he won Best Actor at the 2019 Sinag Maynila Film Festival and received an acting nomination for Best Performances of the Year, Actor category, at the 2020 FAMAS Awards.
He also won the first season of GMA Network’s “Superstar Duets” in 2016. His original song “GAGA” earned Best Novelty Recording at the 31st Awit Awards, while “Natapos Tayo,” the theme song of the film “All of You,” won Movie Original Theme Song of the Year at the 34th PMPC Star Awards for Movies.
A ROLE THAT HITS CLOSE TO HOME
For Cabico, “Zsazsa Zaturnnah” has always been more than a musical. When he first watched it in 2006, its story gave him hope that love and acceptance were possible for him and the wider LGBTQIA+ community.
Today, that hope has become part of his own life. Cabico has found his real-life Dodong, whom he proudly calls his husband of 12 years.
“Watching the show for the first time in 2006 made me believe that love is possible for me and our rainbow community,” he shared. “ZsaZsa Zaturnnah Ze Muzikal made me dream, and I am happy to
have found my real-life Dodong, whom I am proud to call my husband for 12 years now.”
The musical has also taken on deeper meaning through the changes in his personal life. After leaving Manila in 2020 to start a family in the United States, Cabico found himself relating more closely to Ada’s emotional journey, particularly the song “Ayoko Nang Mabuhay Nang Ganito.”
“As someone who left Manila in 2020 to start a family in the US, the line ‘Kailangan nang lisanin ko ang lugar na ito…’ from Ada’s swan song ‘Ayoko Nang mabuhay Nang Ganito’ hits too close to home,” he said.
Now, as he prepares to return to the Philippines for the anniversary production, Cabico considers the opportunity a gift. He is coming home to a musical that helped shape his dreams, this time embodying the very character whose story once inspired him.
BRINGING ADA TO LIFE
For Vincent A. De Jesus, the musical’s composer, lyricist, and musical director, Ada’s appeal lies in the vulnerability beneath the character’s
humor and theatrical flair.
While Zsazsa Zaturnnah’s transformation delivers some of the musical’s most spectacular moments, the emotional heart of the story remains Ada’s longing for love, acceptance, and belonging.
“Nar has been part of Zsazsa Zaturnnah since he was 15! He started backstage, eventually played Didi, and now he’s taking on Ada. How crazy wonderful is that? He knows this musical inside out, so it’s exciting to see him bring all that experience into the role. And beneath all the comedy, outrageous costumes, and fabulous chaos, Ada is really just someone who wants to be loved and accepted for who he is. I think that’s something we can all relate to,” he said.
Cabico hopes the anniversary staging will continue to give audiences the same sense of possibility he experienced when he first encountered the musical. Through its humor, fantasy, and larger-than-life characters, “Zsazsa Zaturnnah” continues to celebrate
queer identity, love, and self-acceptance in ways that resonate beyond the stage.
For Cabico, taking on Ada represents both a professional milestone and a personal homecoming. His journey from stagehand to Didi and now to the musical’s central character reflects a bond with the production that has endured through two decades of artistic growth and personal transformation.
The teenager who once swept confetti from the stage will now stand at its center, bringing to life the character who taught him that love, acceptance, and extraordinary possibilities were never beyond his reach.
The 20th-anniversary production of “Zsazsa Zaturnnah Ze Parteeeh!” is scheduled for April 2027, with further announcements expected in the coming months.
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