Featuring an all-star cast that includes Andrea Brillantes, Seth Fedelin, Darren Espanto, AC Bonifcaio, Kyle Echarri, and more, Lyric and Beat might be that new gen Filipino musical series you’ve been waiting for.
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As much as we love a good old fashion rom-com, there’s no denying that watchlists could use some variety. While teleseryes are indeed the backbone of Filipino television, that doesn’t mean every show that is put out has to be a romance or drama. There are so many stories out there worthy of being told. This is why iWant TFC’s newest series, Lyric and Beat, has our attention for all the right reasons. Serving as the platform’s first ever musical series, the show is shaping up to be that pallet cleanser we’ve been looking for. It also looks to give Pinoy musicals its deserved moment in the spotlight. And there’s also the fact that the star power from the cast shines as bright as the sun. Here’s what you need to know about the upcoming series.
JUST A SMALL TOWN GIRL
Lyric and Beat centers on a young woman named Lyric (Andrea Brillantes), an outgoing person with dreams of attending the prestigious Philippine National Conservatory of Music. The problem though is that her family can’t afford the tuition. Luckily, she participates in an audition that lands her a scholarship at the school. There, she also meets Beat (Seth Fedelin), a shy singer and fellow student. The main plot of the show sees the talented students of the conservatory compete in teams in a school competition. The winner will then represent the school in the Nationals. Think of it like Glee, Victorious, and High School Musical, but set in the Philippines.
The top group of the school, Modern Pop, which is led by Grey (Kyle Echarri), is looking to continue their winning streak. Another potentially strong team is Prime Belters led by its captain Jazz (Darren Espanto). But our main protagonists join Team Power, which is initially described as the team for losers ala New Directions. The rest of the season will follow the students as they sing and dance their way to the top. It will also spend time showing how they deal with their own problems and struggles like family, career, young love, and everything in between.
The colorful cast of characters you’ll meet on the show also include Cadence (AC Bonifacio), a dancer and Jazz’s bestie, Verlyn (Angela Ken), the church girl, Stevie (Jeremy Glinoga), a singer whose stutter disappears when he hits the mic, Melissa (Sheena Belarmino), the Rachel Berry of the school and low-key diva, and Unique (Awra), the confident queen of the school.
STAR-STUDDED CAST AND CREW
As iWant TFC’s first original musical series, the show is quite ambitious given all that it is setting out to do. So, helping to bring this story of song, dance, and costumes to life is a diverse cast of some of the brightest actors and musicians of today. Andrea Brillantes, Seth Fedelin, Kyle Echarri, Darren Espanto, AC Bonifcaio, Jeremy Glinoga, Angela Ken, Awra, and Sheena Belarmino are just some of the young and talented stars you can expect to see. Given how all of them are either good in acting, singing, or dancing, the cast truly have their work cut out for them. They began prepping for the show as early as the second half of 2021, planning their routines and numbers.
Rounding out the cast are veteran actors such as Nyoy Volante, Agot Isidro, and Joanna Ampil. Helming all of this is the series’ writer and director Dolly Dulu. She has a background in musical theater, so working on this show is quite up her ally. And for Pinoy BL fans, her name may be familiar as she was the director behind The Boy Foretold by the Stars and its sequel series Love Beneath the Stars. The series was shot on location in Baguio and filmed early in 2022.
THE MUSIC OF JONATHAN MANALO
Any musical is made or broken by the tunes it features. And Lyric and Beat is going for the big guns as every song in the show will be from Jonathan Manalo’s 20-year discography. The show in essence serves as a celebration of his music and that’s for a good reason. Jonathan Manalo is a legend in the OPM scene and has made some of the most iconic hits of the past years. The show has free reign to use all of his songs and the creators promise that Lyric and Beat features a wide range of songs, from 90s jams to modern bops.
WHERE AND WHEN YOU CAN WATCH
Initially teased at the end of 2021, Lyric and Beat is almost here. For those itching to see what kind of musical madness will come from the show, you won’t have to wait too long. The show will be premiering on iWant TFC on August 10 with new episodes dropping every Friday at 8 pm. And yes, it will be for free. So, warm up those vocal chords and shine those dancing shoes, because Lyric And Beat is aiming right for the center of the spotlight.
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