Commemorating 27 years of Lasallian service with music and harmonies, De La Salle Innersoul staged We Are Innersoul: All the World’s a Stage at the Teresa Yuchengco Auditorium last February 28 to March 1. In collaboration with La Salle Dance Company (LSDC) and Green Media Group (GMG), the two-day concert seamlessly blended vocal artistry, unfolding a narrative of dreams realized, voices united, and legacies built.
Under the guidance and direction of musician Cyro Bon Cloui Moral for the first time, the University’s premier vocalists wove their individual journeys into each of the four soulful segments, echoing their growth as artists. From dreaming to becoming, the two-hour storytelling experience unfolded a heartfelt exchange between the artists and their audience.
A glimpse of the past
Past the red curtains, the event opened with an enchantment of Into the Unknown from Frozen 2. The ensemble, clad in pristine white, wooed the audience with Nostalgia, the opening segment dedicated to familiar childhood staples. From timeless classics Reflection and Zero to Hero, to a whimsical Tinker Bell medley, and a riveting rendition of Lost in the Woods, each number was accompanied by a great variety of visuals. May it be the nine-turned-eleven Muses in their radiant glory, the icy vastness of the Norwegian woods, the ethereal glow of the Pixie Hollow, or Hercules in a humorous muscle tee, every lilt and hum brought beloved familiar stories to life.
Dimming lights marked the transition into Passion, a segment dedicated to Broadway anthems. Now adorned in elegant dark tuxedos and gowns, the portion started strong with the solo This is the Moment from Jekyll & Hyde, followed suit by What I Did For Love from A Chorus Line, and the ever-haunting sorrow of I Dreamed a Dream from the famous Les Misérables.
Contrasting its poignant previous, twinkling tunes wistfully preempted a performance of Journey to the Past from Anastasia. Corner of the Sky stood out as the singer emerged from the audience. The first duet of the evening, For Forever from Dear Evan Hansen, showcased complementary harmonies that captured the calm emotionality of the song, while And I Am Telling You I’m Not Going from Dreamgirls emulated a powerhouse vocal showdown that earned an ovation from the crowd.
And, in an unexpected twist, Innersoul’s editorial board flaunted their acting prowess as two members suddenly broke into an intense argument on stage. Tension crackled when the familiar line—“Why can’t you stay calm for once, instead of flying off the handle?”—rang out; then, the stage was bathed in emerald green and magenta lights. All performers slowly reunited onstage for a show-stopping performance of Defying Gravity from Wicked, bringing a firm close to the Passion-filled segment before an intermission.
Pinoy theatre kids’ karaoke
After belting out sky-reaching notes, the boys are back in ’90s getups for Purpose, an OPM and Pinoy theatre medley segment. First on the setlist were classics of the Pinoy jukebox musical hit Ang Huling El Bimbo. In their barkada-like setup, Innersoul’s boys emulated a typical high school jamming session with their relaxed renditions of Ang Huling El Bimbo and Spoliarium. A soulfully slowed delivery of Ligaya followed, giving a more earnest feel to the song. True to their barkada-themed production, Magasin came next with a performance mimicking a tight-knit group of friends sharing stories about their first loves. Shortly after is their fun and quirky duet rendition of Tindahan ni Aling Nena, which had the audience grinning over their little antics on stage. The boys closed their segment with Alapaap and the reprise of the title track Ang Huling El Bimbo, a meaningful end to commemorate the timeless classics of Eraserheads.
Next, in the Purpose segment, Innersoul’s birit queens proved they were not to be shadowed. With their retro outfits, the girls came on stage with the spirit of strong-willed women ready to karaoke the heartbreak out of them in belts from the musical Rak of Aegis. Reminiscent of a K Brosas vs. Kakai vocal showdown, the triple-threat trio gave the same powerful energy as they started strong with their rendition of Halik. The energy only kept on rising as another powerful trio sang another Aegis classic, Luha, with confidence that captivated audiences. To top off this all-women power, the karaoke mainstay and Filipino favorite Basang-Basa sa Ulan was sung live on stage with the same fervor and rock as the musical itself.
From nostalgic performances of jukebox musical hits, the Philippine Theatre segment closed with a medley of National Artist Ryan Cayabyab’s musical creations. Innersoul’s Legacy, honoring artistic excellence in the performing arts, shone through as the full cast sang Cayabyab’s Kay Ganda ng Ating Musika in their dashing suits and evening gowns. Soloists showed off their vocal prowess in some of Cayabyab’s most-known music, such as Nais Ko and Tuwing Umuulan. Then, love took center stage yet again as renditions of Can This Be Love, Paano na Kaya, and Kailan flooded the auditorium. A vibrant chorus of Sometime Somewhere and Paraiso came to close the Filipino-centric segment, leaving audiences with the warmth of Cayabyab’s compositions.
Where they’re meant to be
The full cast reconvened on stage in all the dazzling colors of the rainbow for an impassioned rendition of This is Me from The Greatest Showman. LSDC-Street members accompanied the performance, precisely weaving through the singers with upbeat choreography. With pride evident in their melodies and blending, the song transitioned to an audiovisual presentation of Innersoul’s behind-the-scenes preparations and a profound showcase of their camaraderie and sentimentality.
From the newbies to the graduating members, the entire Innersoul company was introduced and applauded on the stage as the curtain call neared. After giving their thanks to all who made their event possible, Company Manager Natassia Valerio invited any alumni in the crowd to join them for one last song, with the promise that it was a tune they would know by heart. And with all their heart and soul did they sing about how time flies when filled with joy and warmth—from the famed musical Rent, Seasons of Love.
DLS Innersoul truly made the world their stage in this year’s gala show, We are Innersoul: All The World’s a Stage. Deeply rooted in nostalgia, they have paved their paths in life with the passion and purpose within them. But their stories have merely just begun, as they surely will leave a lasting legacy wherever they venture and on whoever may hear them, just as they’ve done for their audiences these past nights.
