“On This Side of the World’ turns a one-way ticket to the U.S. into a unifying trip, one captivating song at a time ... Tiról and Shapiro’s musical is not just about the daunting side of making a new home. It is also about the joys of community and a new life.”

“A sweeping consideration of the immigrant experience that is comical, pithy and often so poignant that tears result. … Buoyed by Broadway-caliber production elements, director Shapiro delivers a taut, sharply realized staging — and considering all the moving parts of this supremely ambitious production, that is no mean logistical feat.”

“There is much to like in this new work from the catchy, Broadway pop songs that take flight and invite you on a journey to a collective story of merging two worlds, vividly exploring how we assimilate to new surroundings while holding on to what makes us unique. …On This Side of the World transcends any one race and speaks to every immigrant story and to those who feel “othered” in our society. It’s a celebration of the human spirit willing to begin again wherever it lands.”

“On This Side of the World is a beautifully presented, well-thought-out production ... The performers are superb actors and singers who can wow any audience – and when I watched it, the majority of those in attendance were non-Filipinos. But they were fully captivated and engaged throughout and indicated their approval with a rousing round of applause and an enthusiastic standing ovation ... Tiról deserves praise for blazing the trail for aspiring Filipino musical theatre writers and creators. To Shapiro we owe a debt of gratitude for taking a leap of faith when he helped Tiról get this dream project realized.”

“The performances are sparkling, the melodies are tuneful... and the production design is spectacular... There’s no denying Tiról’s talents as a songwriter, or co-creator Shapiro’s as director, and the production’s cast of Filipino-American triple-threats... Not only that, but since the sensational sextet get to portray three, four, or even five characters each, that adds up to a lot of shape-shifting, and it’s something these gifted actor-singer-dancers do to dazzling effect ”