The barkada gets an extra dose of cool with Topee, the martial arts ace and certified athletic heartthrob. Originally portrayed by J.C. Bonnin in the 1984 classic, Topee, makes his stage debut in the 2026 production of Bagets The Musical, where Jeff Moses and Sam Shoaf will take on the role. These young stars will spark high school kilig as they bring their own brand of charm and mystery to the beloved character.

Embodying Topee’s Hiligaynon roots with Jeff Moses

Jeff Moses is set to showcase Topee’s Hiligaynon roots in the upcoming Bagets The Musical, a detail that deeply resonates with his own background.

Born and raised in Negros Occidental, Moses knows the weight of distance and the bittersweet pull of home.

“Puli ‘ta Bacolod. Madalas ‘yun ‘yung sinasabi niya sa nanay niya (Let’s go home to Bacolod. That’s what he often tells his mother),” he shares. “Ako ramdam ko ‘yung bigat no’n kasi tuwing holidays na lang din ako nakakauwi sa’min. (I can really feel the weight of that because I only get to go home during the holidays).”

After signing with GMA Sparkle Artist Center, Moses moved to Metro Manila, where he began building a career in film and television.

He has since starred in Under a Piaya Moon, earning Best Actor at the 1st Puregold CinePanalo Film Festival, and appeared in the television series Abot Kamay na Pangarap and Magpakailanman. He was recognized as Outstanding Youth of the Philippines in the 2023 Philippine Outstanding Men & Women Awards.

“Si Topee kasi mabait, mature, at tinatratong pamilya ‘yung mga tropa niya, (Topee is kind, mature, and treats his friends like family),” he continues. “Pero deep inside, may tinatagong vulnerability (But deep inside, he hides a vulnerability).”

Life does not make it easy for the beloved character. He is pushed to grow up fast, stand on his own, and figure things out.

“Kahit ganun, siguro ang gusto kong ma-realize ng mga manonood ng Bagets The Musical ay hindi mawawala ’yung pagiging young at heart natin (Even so, what I hope audiences take away from Bagets The Musical is that our being young at heart never goes away,) ” Moses concludes. “Pwede pa rin tayong sumaya o malungkot na parang bata (We can still feel joy or sadness like a child).”

The 24-year-old artist is looking forward to his first theater stint. He admits feeling nervous about performing on a stage with no take twos or edits, just raw, live acting.

Finding Topee in Sam Shoaf

Sam Shoaf has a fun side unknown to most people. He loves the ’80s—the music, the fashion, and the bright, lively colors.

“Everything was just full of life back then,” he says.

It’s the same spark he saw in Topee when he first watched the coming-of-age classic.

“If he were alive today, I think he’d be the kind of guy obsessed with working out on TikTok, always on his phone but never missing the fun,” adds Shoaf.

This is the quality he shares with the character. The young artist is passionate about learning different forms of martial arts. His role in Ang Mutya ng Section E even gained popularity for its fighter edge.

“I see a lot of similarities between me and Topee,” he shares. “We love staying active, but at the same time, I think we both prefer keeping much of what’s going on in our lives to ourselves.”

Most teenagers, or even adults, have felt emotions that are hard to explain. These feelings are at the heart of Bagets The Musical.

“The story is about us,” he explains. “Just a different timeline, different variables, but the same plot.”

Having appeared on The Voice Kids Philippines and Your Face Sounds Familiar, Shoaf says he’s excited to bring that heart to the stage through acting, singing, and dancing.

Such vibrant production captures that messy, thrilling ride of growing up. It shows that the magic of adolescence never truly disappears; it simply evolves over time.

Bagets The Musical is scheduled to run from January 23 to March 2026 at the Newport Performing Arts Theater, with more cast members to be revealed soon. Joining Moses and Shoaf in the lead cast are Noel Comia Jr. and Tomas Rodriguez as Gilbert, Milo Cruz and Migo Valid as Tonton, and Ethan David and KD Estrada as Arnel.

The musical is produced by Newport World Resorts in cooperation with VIVA Communications Inc. and The Philippine STAR, guided by the vision of the Philippine Educational Theater Association (PETA) Plus, with Maribel Legarda, playwright J-mee Katanyag, and musical director Vince Lim. Bagets the Musical is also supported in partnership with Sun Life Philippines.

Learn more about the artists and the production through VIVA Communications Inc. (@vivaartistsagency), The Philippine STAR (@philippinestar), and Newport World Resorts (@newportworldresorts) on Facebook, Instagram, and TikTok. Sign up for the waitlist now via https://newportworldresorts.com/bagets-musical-waitlist to be the first in line for tickets.