Bobby Garcia
Roberto "Bobby" Trinidad Garcia (1969–2024) was a Filipino theatre director, producer, and casting director.[1][2]
Early life and education
[edit]Born in Manila in 1969, Garcia's passion for theatre began after seeing Annie on Broadway as a child.[3] He moved to New York at 17, earning a Bachelor of Arts from Fordham University and later an Master of Fine Arts in directing from the University of British Columbia.[3]
Career
[edit]In 1999, Garcia founded Atlantis Productions in the Philippines to stage professional musical theatre, beginning with a production of Rent.[3][4] Garcia, who directed more than 50 musicals, won three Aliw Awards for direction and was inducted into its Hall of Fame.[3][5]
In 2005, Garcia was appointed the first show director for Hong Kong Disneyland. As a casting consultant, his projects included the international tour of Disney's The Lion King and the Broadway revival of M. Butterfly. A frequent collaborator with actress Lea Salonga, Garcia worked with her on numerous productions, including an acclaimed version of Sweeney Todd.[3]
In 2023, Garcia served as a co-producer and casting consultant for the Broadway musical Here Lies Love, notable for being the first Broadway show with an all-Filipino main cast.[3][4] Following the closure of Atlantis during the COVID-19 pandemic, Garcia co-founded Theatre Group Asia with Clint Ramos.[3] During this period, he moved to Vancouver and directed several productions in Canada for the Arts Club Theatre Company and Sheridan College.[3] Garcia died on December 17, 2024. At the time of his death, Garcia was preparing for his Stratford Festival debut as director of Dirty Rotten Scoundrels.[6]
References
[edit]- ^ "Producer Bobby Garcia Has Died at 55". Playbill.
- ^ Fernandez, Yvette (October 1, 2024). "Director Bobby Garcia on Staging Theatrical Adventures". vogue.ph.
- ^ a b c d e f g h "Vancouver-trained director Bobby Garcia inspired a generation of Filipino theatre artists". January 28, 2025 – via www.theglobeandmail.com.
- ^ a b Abunda, Boy. "Bobby Garcia continues to wear his multi-hyphenate hat". Philstar.com.
- ^ "Stratford Festival mourns death of 'brilliant' director who was set to make company debut".
- ^ "Theatre director Bobby Garcia remembered for the mark he made on stage in Vancouver, the Philippines, and across Asia". Stir. December 19, 2024.