Behind these settings is Ohm David, a seasoned Filipino scenographer whose work has shaped the visual storytelling of notable stage productions. For Bongga Ka, ’Day!, David brings this experience in theatrical design and architectural spaces to his interpretation of 1970s Manila, drawing from historic buildings, vintage photographs, and personal memories.
His creative starting point was the mirror ball, whose fragmented reflections offered a way to capture the many sides of the same city. “All those tiny mirrors reflect different perspectives of the exact same space. In each mirrored square, you see something entirely different,” Ohm explained. That idea helped shape two contrasting settings, each offering a different view of Manila’s fashion, culture, and nightlife.
Dressing up House of Pasion
In the musical, House of Pasion, the fashion house owned by Aurora Pasion (alternately played by Jackie Lou Blanco and Ring Antonio), introduces Annie Batungbakal (Atasha Muhlach) to a world of fashion and creativity.
But beyond the period details, Ohm wanted the fashion house to reflect Annie’s experience of working there.
“I reimagined it as a dollhouse because, even though Annie dreaded waking up early for work, the House of Pasion was ultimately her playground,” Ohm said.
Comeback of Coco Banana
Manila’s legendary Coco Banana presented a different challenge. Unlike the fictional House of Pasion, the nightclub was a real part of the decade’s disco scene, but finding clear references to its interiors was difficult.
“Recreating Coco Banana proved challenging, tricky as it was exciting, because most existing photographs were either blurry or focused on patrons rather than the venue,” Ohm recalled.
The production team pieced together the club’s appearance from the limited photographs available, including images of its floors, walls, windows, and doors. People who had frequented the original venue also shared their memories, while dramaturg Eric dela Cruz interviewed someone familiar with its layout, decorations, and atmosphere.
The research provided enough detail to establish the club’s character, while leaving room for theatrical interpretation.
“So I would say it was 50 percent based on the actual place and 50 percent on imagination,” Ohm said.
The resulting set preserves the character of the old residence that once housed the club. Dark wooden walls and traditional capiz windows provide the backdrop, while disco decorations bring the nightlife setting to life.
“In fact, if you removed its mirrorball and tinsel, it would simply look like a wooden home,” Ohm explained.
The combination gives Coco Banana a distinctly Filipino character, rather than the look of a usual disco club.
Manila, remembered and reimagined
House of Pasion and Coco Banana may share the same decade, but Ohm used contrasting design styles to give each its own personality.
“First, I used color to create a stark visual contrast between the two spaces,” Ohm shared.
House of Pasion’s cleaner lines, brighter palette, and spacious interiors reflect a fashionable and more contemporary environment. Coco Banana’s darker wooden finishes and traditional architectural details, meanwhile, recall the older residential structure transformed into a nightclub. The result is a stage that moves between two different sides of 1970s Manila, giving audiences a look at the city’s fashion and nightlife through the world of Annie Batungbakal.
For those who experienced the decade, the settings may bring back familiar places and memories. For younger theatergoers, they offer a glimpse of the Manila that inspired the musical’s story and Hotdog’s songs.
“For both, I want them to see versions of themselves within the world we created through the set. I want them to enjoy and to have a good time!” Ohm said.
From House of Pasion’s fashionable interiors to Coco Banana’s disco floor, Bongga Ka, ’Day! brings together different images of Manila’s past, creating a world where the city’s familiar sights return to the stage.
Newport World Resorts, in association with VIVA Communications and The Philippine STAR, reunites for Bongga Ka, ’Day!: The Annie Batungbakal Musical featuring Hotdog’s timeless hits. The show, staged with PETA Plus, closes on October 31, 2026, at the Newport Performing Arts Theater.
Tickets for the last few remaining shows are available online and at all TicketWorld outlets and at the Newport World Resorts Box Office: PHP 4500 (SVIP), PHP 4000 (VIP), PHP 3,400 (GOLD), PHP 2,400 (SILVER), and PHP 1,300 (BRONZE).
Discover more to love about an all-original Filipino production with a special discount of 15% off on Bongga Ka, ’Day!: The Annie Batungbakal Musical tickets through the Discover More To Love website www.tourism.gov.ph using promo code BKDXDOT. Audiences can also enjoy 15% off tickets through the Department of Trade and Industry’s Malikhaing Pinoy platform at www.malikhaingpinoy.ph/calendar/ using promo code MPXBKD, in support of Filipino creativity and the country’s creative industries.
Learn more about the artists and the production through Newport World Resorts (@newportworldresorts), VIVA Communications Inc. (@vivaartistsagency), and The Philippine STAR (@philippinestar) on Facebook, Instagram, and TikTok.
