Misis: Ang Vavaihang Musical is a theatre production by Communication Arts students of the University of the Philippines Los Baños that brings contemporary Filipino music, urgent gender discourse, and student-led performance together on one stage. The play will be staged on March 26, 2026 (Thursday) at the Dioscoro L. Umali Hall, with two performances scheduled for a matinee show at 2:00 PM and an evening show at 7:00 PM.
Conceived as a jukebox musical, Misis is produced in partnership with ABS-CBN Music’s record labels (Star Music, StarPop, and Tarsier Records) and features songs from renowned Filipino artists such as Viñas Deluxe, Maki, BINI, Vice Ganda, and Nameless Kids. The production is also mounted in collaboration with the UPLB Gender Center as part of its National Women’s Month initiatives.
At its core, Misis explores the struggles, solidarities, and evolving meanings of womanhood. As conversations around gender and identity continue to unfold, transgender women’s lived experiences remain persistently marginalized or erased. The production challenges this invisibilization by placing transgender women alongside cisgender women within a shared struggle against patriarchy, capitalism, and systemic oppression. By portraying multiple characters navigating gender-based violence, economic inequality, healthcare inaccessibility, societal stigma, and state neglect, the play becomes a living text that confronts audiences with uncomfortable yet necessary truths.
The story centers on Venice (Yuri Naga), a trans woman preparing to undergo gender affirmation surgery at Puerta Verde Hospital, believing it will finally complete her vision of a “perfect” life. However, as the process unfolds, cracks emerge in her romantic relationship and in her understanding of womanhood itself. The narrative asks a central question: can Venice confront these fractures and fully embrace herself?
Surrounding Venice is a vibrant ensemble of characters: Raffy (Cyrus Portacio), a former market porter discovering her trans identity; Mama Ampi (Jami Escuredo), an accomplished drag queen and bar owner who serves as a maternal figure; Vaughn (Matt Agapito), Venice’s steadfast best friend; Levi (Xean Escobin), Venice’s manipulative partner; and Lorraine (Sai Caracot-dacot), Levi’s sharp-tongued counterpart.
Free and open to the public, Misis: Ang Vavaihang Musical invites both university constituents and wider audiences to engage with a narrative rarely centered on the Philippine stage—one that insists on visibility, solidarity, and the radical act of claiming womanhood. Interested audience members may register through this link:
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