Jaehwa Bernardo

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Ayen Munji-Laurel returns to theater with 'On Your Feet'

Leah C. Salterio

<div><span class="fr-img-caption fr-fic fr-dib" style="width:633px;display:block" width="633"><span class="fr-img-wrap"><img src="https://od2-image-api.abs-cbn.com/prod/editorImage/1781416721825IMG_4310.jpeg" style="width:633px" class="fr-fic fr-dib" width="633"/><span class="fr-inner" style="text-align:left">Ayen Munji-Laurel </span></span></span></div><p>If singer-actress Ayen Munji Laurel’s absence from theater has to be time stamped, she has been away from stage for 16 years. </p><p>Her return in “On Your Feet: The Story of Emilio and Gloria Estefan,” mounted by 9 Works Theatrical this July, was not even planned. The cast is led by Kayla Rivera, alternating with Molly Langley as the Queen of Latin Pop, and Cuban-American actor Jason Canela as Emilio Estefan.</p><p>“This is not what I imagined would happen this year,” Munji-Laurel told ABS-CBN News. “Not this year. I didn&#x27;t even know if I was ready. Because it has always been television for me.</p><p>“That has been my life, so I never thought that I will be coming back on stage and then performing with actually familiar people. For stage, it&#x27;s like special shows only. So this is something that I haven&#x27;t considered in 16 years because I&#x27;ve been doing TV, teleseryes for ABS-CBN and GMA.”</p><p>The last project that Munji-Laurel did onstage was the rock musical, “Banaag at Sikat,” for the Cultural Center of the Philippines. “That was a long time ago (2010),” she said. “And then after that, I did TV. That kept me busy, doing project after project. But I missed stage in all those years. I did not realize it until this came. Iba talaga ang live performance. Iba ‘yung energy.”</p><p>No wonder, it was easy for her to decide to return to theater. “I think so, because it&#x27;s something familiar,” Munji-Laurel said. “Theater is really my foundation. That&#x27;s how I started. It was my life when I was a teenager. Theater was my course. I took Theater Arts at UP. It was Music Conservatory for a while. </p><p>“Theater has been my life when I was younger. And now coming back and being here, it&#x27;s like, part of me, it&#x27;s like second nature to me. I didn’t give much attention to it for a long time, but it gives me so much joy.” </p><p>The most memorable musical that Munji-Laurel did was “Atang,” that presented the life story of zarzuela diva Atang de la Rama. That was directed by Tony Mabesa and written by Floy Quintos.</p><p>“’Atang’ will always be memorable for me,” Munji-Laurel admitted. “I played it with Shamaine Buencamino, Francis Makil and Bituin Escalante. It was memorable because itv was a long-running musical at Dulaang UP. Floy wrote Atang with me on his mind.”</p><div><img src="https://od2-image-api.abs-cbn.com/prod/editorImage/1781416750665IMG_4311.jpeg" style="width:633px" class="fr-fic fr-dib"/></div><p>After “On Your Feet,” Munji-Laurel will consider other musicals and stage projects in the future. “I am open to it,” she said. “It’s nice to do it once a year. If the project makes me happy and the script is right, the project is right, that counts a lot.”</p><div><a href="https://www.abs-cbn.com/lifestyle/people-culture-events/2026/6/4/cast-for-9-works-theatrical-s-on-your-feet-announced-1803"><strong>READ: Cast for 9 Works Theatrical&#x27;s &#x27;On Your Feet!&#x27; announced<br/></strong></a></div><p>She will get to render Estefan’s Spanish paean, “Mi Tierra (My Homeland),” and an English duet, “If I Never Got To Tell You,” with Canela.</p><p>Directed by Robbie Guevarra, with musical direction by Daniel Bartolome choreography by Nunoy van den Burgh, “On Your Feet” features a book by Academy Award winner Alexander Dinelaris and music produced and recorded by Emilio and Gloria Estefan, with the Miami Sound Machine.</p><p>The musical charts the Estefans’ journey from their humble beginnings in Cuba and Miami, to international superstardom, overcoming immense career hurdles and a life-threatening tragedy along the way.</p><div><br/></div><div><em>“On Your Feet: The Story of Emilio and Gloria Estefan” goes onstage from July 10 until August 2, with performances on Fridays and Saturdays at 8 p.m. and Saturdays and Sundays at 3 p.m. at Proscenium Theater, Rockwell Center.</em></div>

<p>If singer-actress Ayen Munji Laurel’s absence from theater has to be time stamped, she has been away from stage for 16 years. </p>

If singer-actress Ayen Munji Laurel’s absence from theater has to be time stamped, she has been away from stage for 16 years.

Ayen Munji-Laurel returns to theater with Gloria Estefan musical 'On Your Feet'

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Ayen Munji-Laurel returns to theater with Gloria Estefan musical 'On Your Feet'

Leah C. Salterio

Published June 16, 2026 10:00 AM PHT

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theater

Ayen Munji Laurel

On Your Feet: The Story of Emilio and Gloria Estefan

9 Works Theatrical

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