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For Jeffrey Hidalgo, 'Jeproks: The Musical' is more than a return to the stage, but also a journey through sound, soul, and the stories that connect every Filipino generation.

When singer, actor, and director Jeffrey Hidalgo first heard about Jeproks: The Musical, his curiosity immediately centered on one thing: the music.

“First and foremost, the music. When I learned about the musical, siyempre, ni-research ko na agad kung ano ba ang songs ni Mike Hanopol. Ang dami talaga--from Juan Dela Cruz Band to Hagibis, up to his own solo projects,” the actor-director said about his first reaction when the role of Willy, an OFW who returns to his toxic family.

Soon enough, Hanopol's songs, deeply rooted in Filipino rock history, spoke to Jeffrey's love for storytelling through sound.

“I was really excited to find out kung ano ba talaga, out of all of these songs, [ang mapupunta sa musical],” he said.

Jeffrey, together with David Ezra and Shiela Ferrer, spoke to GMANetwork.com and other select entertainment media in a pocket press conference held recently.

After completing their first full read-through, Jeffrey said everything began to take shape.

“Ngayon, mas nai-imagine ko na what the musical is gonna be,” he shares. “Aside from the music, ang ganda ng message. Very quirky yung istorya na nabuo ni Nick Pichay.”

Written by award-winning playwright Nick Pichay and directed by Frannie Zamora, Jeproks: The Musical weaves together Hanopol's timeless hits with a uniquely Filipino story. For Jeffrey, it's not just the nostalgia of the songs that makes the project special, but the heart behind them.

“I'm also very excited that I get to work with Nick again,” he warmly said.

“Iba talaga mag-isip si Nick--fun, creative, and meaningful. The story may be quirky, but it carries depth and a lot of heart.”

Beyond its humor and catchy music, Jeffrey believes Jeproks offers layers of meaning that audiences of all ages will connect with.

“At the same time, may message siya na maganda,” he reflected.

“Hindi lang socio-political, marami ring message about family and friendships. Kahit na yung songs come from the '70s and '80s, even the current generation, I'm sure makaka-relate. Hindi lang siya pang-Gen X--millennials and Gen Zs will also enjoy it.”

Jeproks The Musical follows the wild, winding journey of three friends named Mico (David Ezra), Willy (Jeffrey Hidalgo), and Paulo (Nino Alejandro) as they form the legendary Sikatuna Band.

At its core is Mico's fight to chase his rock-and-roll dreams against the fierce disapproval of his father, Tatay Paking (Jett Pangan). In his moments of doubt, he finds an unlikely muse in Liwayway, the enchanting Diwata of Rakenrol (Geneva Cruz), who embodies both magic and memory. But fame is fleeting. After a disastrous gig in Japan, the band splinters: Willy returns to a warm but freeloading family, and Paulo drifts through the beaches of Siargao, numbed by a life without purpose. When Mico meets Paz (Sheila Ferrer) in a protest rally, their lives take a turn as they realize how powerful music can be.

Crossing over to theater

Although Jeffrey's roots are in film and music, stepping back into theater feels like rediscovering an old love.

“I'm really not considered a theater actor,” he smiled.

“The last production I did was Ibarra two years ago, and before that, 10 years pa. So, hindi ako ganun kadalas gumawa ng musical.”

Despite his limited time on stage, Jeffrey has always admired the passion and unity of the local theater scene.

“As a theater audience, feeling ko nga this is the golden age of theater,” he said. “All the productions are making money, naso-soldout siya. Natutuwa ako sa theater community kasi they support and promote each other's works. Nakakatuwa talaga.”

Working on Jeproks has reminded him just how dynamic and collaborative theater can be.

“It's a whole different animal kasi, e,” Jeffrey muses. “I've never directed theater, but I want to someday. For now, maganda yung diskurso with Direk Frannie. I take the lead of my director all the time kapag ako yung actor, kasi alam ko yung feeling kapag nag-o-overstep ka. So, nagbibigay ako ng insight, pero collaborative.”

And while his background in film sometimes influences how he envisions scenes, he knows that at the core of every great performance is truth.

“When we had our first read-through, napag-uusapan nga namin, 'Naku, mahal 'to kapag naging pelikula,'” he laughed.

“Pero at the end of the day, it's really about the material, the message, and the truth in the story.”

For Jeffrey Hidalgo, Jeproks: The Musical is more than just a nostalgic celebration of Mike Hanopol's music; it's a reminder of how timeless stories can bring people together.

“I think we have a very good material. At the end of the day, it's really the material, the message, kung ano yung objectives ng character. Iba din naman yung core, e, the truth in the material,” he reiterated in the end.

The musical inspired by the songs of Pinoy rock icon Mike Hanopol runs at the GSIS Theater on Roxas Boulevard from Nov. 20 to 23 and Nov. 27 to 29, 2025.

Related gallery: Pinoy celebrities who succeeded in showbiz-theater crossovers