Teatro Pinas | "Bangaw” Takes the Stage: FEU Theater Guild’s Gritty Survival Tale All Set to Open on March 5

 

An adventurous reimagining of William Golding’s Lord of the Flies, set amidst the isolation of an island of freedom and fear.

In its 92nd season, the Far Eastern University Theater Guild (FTG) presents BANGAW, a Filipino play with music adapted from Golding’s classic story. Written by Gold Villar-Lim, with music by Vince Lim, and directed by PETA Senior Artist-Teacher and FTG Artistic Director Dudz Teraña, the production explores the meaning of survival through a distinctly Filipino lens.

Bangaw is a bold theatrical experience following a group of students forced into isolation as they navigate authority and belonging within a fragile, self-made community. Rooted in contemporary cultural and political realities, the production interrogates leadership and identity in a society shaped by the consequences of the present. Through an ensemble-driven performance, the play reflects on what it means to inherit a fractured world—and the responsibility that comes with shaping the future.

Layered with original music by Gold Villar-Lim, with two additional songs by Dudz Teraña, Bangaw blends symbolic movement and raw emotional expression with rhythmic, realistic storytelling. Traditional and modern Filipino soundscapes pulse throughout the production, serving as both atmosphere and metaphor for a nation caught between collapse and renewal. Beyond performance, the work confronts pressing societal concerns—division, abuse of power, systemic failure, moral decay, and patriarchy—while foregrounding enduring Filipino values such as bayanihan, resilience, and strategic intelligence. The result is a multi-layered theatrical experience that challenges perspectives, provokes dialogue, and invites audiences to reflect on the kind of future being shaped today.

What’s Bugging Us?

Set on a remote island in the Visayas, Bangaw follows a group of high school students from different schools who become stranded after a plane crash. With no adults, no government, and no rules, their attempt to reconstruct order quickly unravels. What begins as a mission of survival is disrupted by a growing fascination with hunting and the belief that a monster lurks in the forest. The group fractures further after a boar is killed and its head transformed into an idol—the Lord of the Flies. A hallucination is mistaken for proof of the monster’s existence, sparking a killing frenzy that claims two lives and brings their fragile civilization to brutal collapse.

At the center of Bangaw is Raf (Sam Siasoyco IAS ‘29), whose attempt to uphold order becomes a fragile anchor amid growing unrest. Opposing him is Jack (Aldin Covarrubias ITHM ‘28, Dave Bambang IARFA ‘29), whose descent into dominance and violence drives the group apart.

Caught between reason and survival are the twins Sam (Dianne Andallo ITHM ‘26, Trisha Nilayan IAS ‘29) and Erich (Maria Ysabel delos Reyes IAS ‘27, Althea Sibulo FIT ‘27), while Simone (Heleina Li IAS ‘26, Julia Nicole Ramas FIT ‘26) emerges as a quiet moral compass. Adding complexity is Tabeks (Jharelle Villalobos IAS ‘27, Edrud Madalan FIT ‘27), who challenges rigid hierarchies, while the younger children—Tiny (Marjorie Uson IAS ‘27, Francine Galvez IAS ‘28), Matty (Melenne Hokase IAS ‘28, Margarita Barrameda IAS ‘26), and Caleb (Julian Rafael Anabo IAS ‘27, Lorenze Moral IAS ‘26)—align with Raf, embodying innocence and vulnerability amid chaos.

Supporting Jack are Apple (Janae Dionisio IAS ‘28, Ayessa Raymundo IAS ‘28), Pat (Bjorn Pestaño IAS ‘26, Charlene Libo-on IAS ‘28), Phil (Zoe Sisam IAS ‘29, Shekinah Resurreccion FIT ‘27), Robert (Justin Abalos IAS ‘28, Renz Dotillos IAS ‘26), Morris (Kevin Ricaforte IAS ‘28, Miguel Galpo IAS ‘28), and Roger (Shawn Tarala IAS ‘27, Kirstan Orbegoso IAS ‘27), forming a choir-like faction that amplifies tension.

The ensemble is rounded out by Marc Ducut IAS ‘27, Kristian Samson IAS ‘26, Johann Umali IAS ‘29, John Andrei Cruz IAS ‘29, and Cris Jay Cabides IAS ‘29. Hovering over the narrative is the haunting Panginoong Bangaw, while the Piloto is alternately portrayed by Aldin Covarrubias and Dave Bambang. Parachutists serve as distant echoes of the adult world left behind.

Bangaw promises a gripping theatrical experience that merges powerful storytelling, music, and movement to challenge perspectives, provoke dialogue, and immerse audiences in a uniquely Filipino exploration of survival, morality, and the consequences of human choices.

BANGAW will run at the FEU Center for the Arts Studio on the following dates:

• March: 5, 6, 7, 12, 13, 14, 19, 20, 21, 26, 27, 28

• April: 9, 10, 11, 16, 17, 18, 23, 24, 25

House opens at 6 PM; show starts at 6:30 PM.

Ticket Prices:

• ₱100 – FEU students (all branches)

• ₱200 – Students from outside FEU Manila

• ₱500 – Regular guests

• ₱700 – VIP

Connect with FTG:

• Facebook: Far Eastern University Theater Guild

• Instagram & TikTok: @feutheaterguildofficial

• Twitter/X: @ftg1934