Saving All Our Love for Whitney: The Bodyguard Shines As A Love Letter to Whitney Houston

From screen to stage: reliving Whitney Houston’s hits in The Bodyguard The Musical at the Rockwell Proscenium Theater. 

Words Mian Centeno
Photo courtesy of 9 Works Theatrical
October 29, 2025

If you have ever belted out to any Whitney Houston song at a karaoke night, daydreamed under her chilling ballads, or danced the night away to her groovy hits, The Bodyguard: The Musical will feel like a glittering deja vu. 

9Works Theatrical’s production at the Rockwell Proscenium turns Whitney Houston nostalgia into a full-blown stage celebration—complete with powerhouse vocals, sleek visuals, and enough heart to keep you swaying in your seat.

Directed by Robbie Guevara and starring West End performers Christine Allado as Rachel Marron and Matt Blaker as Frank Farmer, the musical follows the 1992 film while leaning heavily on Houston’s legendary discography.

Allado delivers Whitney’s hits with commanding control—each note powerful, precise, and worthy of the diva she portrays. While vocally flawless, her performance can feel a bit too polished than emotionally raw, keeping Rachel slightly distant. Blaker, meanwhile, plays the silent type to perfection, though his understated presence often gets overshadowed by the spectacle surrounding him.

Sheena Lee Palad, as Rachel’s sister Nicki, brings the night’s most heartfelt moments. Her rendition of “Saving All My Love For You” aches with tenderness and restraint, offering a glimpse of the emotional core the story sometimes misses.

Visually is where The Bodyguard shines brightest. Mio Infante’s scenography fills the theater with layered scrims and concert-style lighting that transforms the Rockwell Proscenium into a pop arena, while Arnold Trinidad’s lively choreography keeps Rachel every bit the superstar.

That concert feel, however, is both a blessing and a limitation. The production dazzles with sound and spectacle, but at times feels more like a Whitney Houston tribute concert than a fully realized musical, occasionally trading emotional connection for performance polish.

Still, The Bodyguard: The Musical is an event worth celebrating. 

The production delivers spectacle and heart-pounding vocals, reminding audiences of the enduring magic of Whitney Houston’s music. It shines as a love letter to the icon, showcasing an evening of glitter, nostalgia, and big, familiar ballads—the kind that send audiences singing all the way home.