Everything in Hatchetfield seemed normal until people began singing... Then, they began dancing... And now, a musical pandemic is sweeping the entire city. It’s up to Paul (an average guy who doesn’t like musicals) and his friends to stop this musical apocalypse and fight for humanity’s future.

Seven years after its cult debut by StarKid Productions, the viral horror-comedy musical The Guy Who Didn’t Like Musicals finally hits the local stage — this time reimagined by the Ateneo Blue Repertory, the university’s premier musical theater organization known for pushing boundaries and reinventing contemporary classics. The show opens from November 14–16, 2025 at the Rizal Mini Theater, Ateneo de Manila University.

A Pandemic… of Show Tunes

In Hatchetfield, everything was perfectly normal — until the townspeople began bursting into song. Then, into dance. Soon, the entire city is consumed by a “musical pandemic,” and only one man, Paul Matthews, stands immune. What unfolds is a high-voltage mix of comedy, satire, and terror — a witty sendup of Broadway conventions and the modern world’s obsession with conformity and control.

The production welcomes its distinguished artistic team led by Director Diandra Lee (Quomodo Desolata Es?, The Revolutionists, Daddy’s Girl), Musical Director Miguel de la Cruz (The Bellas, The Plastics), and Choreographer Dia Papio (Portrait of a Lady, ‘Til Death Do Us Part: An Original Twin Bill Production, The PROM). 

Alongside them are Set Designer Charles Yee (Silver Lining, Dalaga na si Maxie, Kaliwaan), Costume Designer Paul Adrian Martinez (Gruesome Playground Injuries, Nagkatuwaan sa Tahanang Ito), Lighting Designer Jethro Nibaten (Bar Boys, Legally Blonde, Dagitab), and Sound Designer & Engineer Andy Reysio-Cruz (Mga Multo, The PROM, PERSONALITIKA). Joining them are Kirsten Ortega making their debut as Brand Designer and Intimacy Director Regina De Vera (Legally Blonde, the PROM). 

Meet the Cast of Hatchetfield

At the center of the madness is Kevin Maroon as Paul Matthews. Joining him are Mary Mangubat as Emma Perkins, Zalino Gutierrez as Bill Woodward, Riri Dauigoy as Charlotte Sweetly, Aaron Pahati as Ted Spankoffski, and Noel Noguera as the eccentric Professor Hidgens.

Completing the ensemble are Aidan Go, Ian Beriña, Haniefa Cristal, Fabienne Ocampo, Ryann Dueñas, Ashley Uygongco, and Cathrissa Santos, each bringing to life the townspeople caught between terror and tempo.

Following a string of acclaimed productions — from Zsazsa Zaturnnah The Musical… ‘Yun Lang!,  Legally Blonde , the PROM — Ateneo Blue Repertory continues its legacy of challenging and reimagining the modern musical form.

The Guy Who Didn’t Like Musicals runs November 14–16, 2025 at the Rizal Mini Theater, Ateneo de Manila University.

General ticketing starts tomorrow, October 15, 2025 at 11am. Follow Ateneo Blue Repertory's official social media pages for details.