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The Proscenium Theater. Handout

Jude Cartalaba

<p>When &quot;The Bodyguard The Musical&quot; opens on September 26, it won’t just mark the show’s Philippine debut — it will also raise the curtain on Rockwell’s brand-new Proscenium Theater.</p><p>The Proscenium Theater is meant to become the cultural hub of Rockwell Center, according to Tracey Castillo, Rockwell’s VP for Marketing.</p><p>“It hopes to bring the performing arts close to our community, hence a user-centric design, done by Rockwell. With our current residents, mall-goers, and office-goers, we&#x27;re excited about this new offering — it is a new addition to their lifestyle,” she said.</p><div><br/></div><div><img src="https://od2-image-api.abs-cbn.com/prod/editorImage/1756769881561Stage - Blank.jpg" class="fr-fic fr-dib" style="width:950px"/></div><div><br/></div><div><strong>12 years in the making</strong></div><p>Castillo revealed that it took a decade or so to complete the realization of such a vision for the community.</p><p>“We had our first concrete pouring in 2017. But we have been working on the theater design and planning since 2013,” she said. &quot;From its design to construction, it took almost 12 years to complete the project.”</p><p>It had to pause during the pandemic and the project underwent lots of meticulous planning and research to achieve something truly unique. Despite the delay, Rockwell considers it a blessing in disguise.</p><p>Opening its doors to the public this month is such a great time. “The theater industry is so alive again,” Castillo noted.</p><div><strong>Building the Prosecenium</strong></div><p><strong></strong>Behind Rockwell’s Proscenium is Uruguayan-Canadian architect Carlos Adolfo Ott, renowned for his award-winning design of the Opéra Bastille in Paris, unveiled in 1989 for the French Revolution’s bicentennial.<strong></strong><br/></p><p>Castillo stressed their choice of Ott: “His experience in building the theater inspired us to make Rockwell&#x27;s first world-class!”</p><p>To realize the project, Ott worked with an international roster of specialists such as acoustics consultant Joerg Kuemmel and stage machinery expert Horst Kunkel, alongside a dedicated team of local architects, engineers, and Rockwell’s in-house designers.</p><p>“The collective effort of these individuals contributed to this iconic project. We also had a lot of help from local theater companies  in providing the correct space programming for our users,” Castillo said.</p><div><br/></div><div><img src="https://od2-image-api.abs-cbn.com/prod/editorImage/1756769904661_DSF7993.jpg" class="fr-fic fr-dib" style="width:950px"/></div><div><br/></div><div><strong>Unique design</strong></div><p>The proscenium is the part of the stage that frames the performance space from the view of the audience. </p><p>&quot;That is the inspiration of the theater and the rest of the Proscenium complex -- the complex sets up the stage, which is Rockwell Center, and welcomes our visitors and residents,” said Castillo.</p><p>At the heart of the Proscenium Theater is its Main Hall, the only one in the Philippines built with natural acoustics. Here, orchestras, choirs, and operas can perform without microphones, while musicals and amplified productions are supported by special acoustic banners that adjust the sound to the space.</p><p>“Our theater is also the only one with fully automated fly lines. Our capacity of 780 seats is an ideal sweet spot for new theater offerings. With this count, we still have a spacious stage that&#x27;s 16x16 meters,” Castillo.</p><p>Rockwell also offers an alternative venue for theater productions with the Black Box, located on the sixth floor of the theater. Depending on the setup, it can accommodate up to 300 people at a given time. </p><p>If the Main Hall uses natural acoustics, the Black Box uses Vivace, an electronic room acoustics system that creates flexible soundscapes that can complement the type of performance inside the venue.</p><p>Finally, there is its location within the Rockwell complex. Surrounded by shops, restaurants, and residences, the Proscenium Theater is designed not just as a performance venue, but as a cultural gathering place that brings the arts closer to the community.</p><p>“Our location allows us to be strategically present around retail and very accessible from main thoroughfares,” Castillo said.</p>

<p>With world-class design, natural acoustics, and a 780-seat main hall, the Proscenium Theater opens later this month with '<i>The Bodyguard The Musical.'</i> </p>

With world-class design, natural acoustics, and a 780-seat main hall, the Proscenium Theater opens later this month with ' The Bodyguard The Musical.'

Rockwell’s Proscenium Theater debuts as Makati’s newest cultural hub

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Rockwell’s Proscenium Theater debuts as Makati’s newest cultural hub

Jude Cartalaba

Published Sep 02, 2025 12:09 PM PHT

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Updated Sep 02, 2025 01:50 PM PHT

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