The Sandbox Collective’s production of Tony-nominated musical Side Show reminds us that humanity can’t be reduced to what makes us different.
There is no curtain rise, no clear indication of when Side Show formally begins. On the alley stage, actors mill about the sides before slowly moving to the center. Before the audience meets any “bearded lady” or “cannibal king,” they see the performers who will portray them, human beings in their most recognizable forms.
Together, they invite the audience to “Come Look at the Freaks” in the opening number, before transforming into their peculiar personas. It’s a deliberate choice that immediately establishes the show’s central theme: beneath every label and perceived difference are people with fundamental needs that we all share.
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The Story of Side Show and the Hilton Twins
The Sandbox Collective’s production of Side Show: The Musical, directed by Toff de Venecia with musical direction by Ejay Tayco, tells the fictional story inspired by real-life conjoined twins Daisy and Violet Hilton. The sisters are played by alternating pairs: Tanya Manalang with Marynor Madamesila, and Molly Langley with Krystal Cane.
Set in the 1920s and 1930s vaudeville circuit, the musical follows the twins as they navigate fame, exploitation, and their dreams of love and acceptance. Initially exhibited in a sideshow controlled by the Boss (Jon Santos), the sisters are discovered by aspiring musician Buddy Foster (alternating Vien King and Tim Pavino) and press agent Terry Connor (alternating Reb Atedero and CJ Navato), who bring them to the vaudeville stage.
The twins become overnight sensations, but their desires reveal the complex reality of the situation. As romantic feelings develop–Violet with Buddy, Daisy with Terry–the musical confronts an uncomfortable truth. The doubts the men feel stem not just from societal pressure, but also from the practical reality of loving a conjoined twin.
The real Daisy and Violet Hilton lived largely tragic lives. Violet and her partner, musician Maurice Lambert, were denied a marriage license in several states on “moral grounds,” as officials deemed such unions akin to bigamy. Their 1952 film Chained for Life explored this moral dilemma directly: if one conjoined twin commits a crime, how can you punish the guilty without harming the innocent? This echoed historical cases like the 17th-century conjoined twins Lazarus and Joannes Baptista Colloredo, where Lazarus avoided execution for murder by pointing out that it would kill his innocent brother. Violet did eventually marry, but it was a mere publicity stunt, and the marriage was short-lived. Their final years were spent working at a grocery store after their tour manager abandoned them without transportation or income. They died together as they had lived, bound by circumstances beyond their control.
Broadway Legacy and Contemporary Relevance
Side Show originally premiered on Broadway in 1997 with music by Henry Krieger and book and lyrics by Bill Russell. Despite praise for its ambitious themes and multiple Tony nominations, the original production had a relatively short run. In 2014, a revised Broadway revival reworked the book and several musical numbers, though it too struggled to find a mainstream audience.
The Sandbox Collective’s production draws from the 1997 version, but adds contemporary urgency. Before the opening number, voice-overs of real political speeches about dehumanization establish the production’s relevance to current conversations about otherness and dignity. It’s a musical that arguably demands to be restaged repeatedly because its central themes–who gets to define “freaks” versus “normal,” and how society treats difference–remain perpetually relevant.
In a world that still struggles with how to treat those who don’t fit conventional expectations, Side Show provides no easy answers, nor (spoiler alert) a happy ending. It does offer a reminder, however, that behind every label exists a person deserving of the same love, respect, and opportunities we all seek.
Side Show: The Musical is currently running until August 16, 2025, at the Power Mac Center Spotlight Black Box Theater in Circuit Makati. Tickets are available online at https://ticket2me.net/sandboxsideshow.
Photos by Loreta Aroyo, courtesy of The Sandbox Collective (unless otherwise specified).
