Star Powerhouse

  Dulaang Unibersidad ng Pilipinas (DUP) has been a home for Filipino theatre talent to flourish for almost 5 decades since its founding by National Artist for Theatre Tony Mabesa. Alumni and past collaborators have gone on to pave their own unique paths in the creative and entertainment industry, some taking their learnings to explore other fields as well. Whether the artist performs, directs, writes, designs, researches or manages, passion and out of the box thinking is embedded within the DUP training into each student and colleague.   In their 48th Theatre Season, “Paano umuwi nang may pagpapasya?” Dulaang UP picks up on probing the question of intentionality in coming home through looking back at their humble beginnings building upon the nearing 50th Theatre Season. Sir Tony’s legacy lives on with the university-based company bringing their student-artists, collaborators, and alumni at the forefront, initiated by their recently staged first ever all student-led twin-bill ...

The company announced post-show talkbacks on mental health, sex education, and coming of age in the 21st century.    The Sandbox Collective officially opened Spring Awakening, the Tony Award-winning musical based on the novel of the same name by Frank Wedekind. Audiences were delighted with a mix of touching yet angst-induced performances from the cast who play teenagers from late 19th century Germany discovering themselves in a repressive society.  In many ways, the themes tackled are reflections of what the Filipino youth are still suffering from today.  Narratives about sex education, reproductive health, and LGBTQIA+ issues remain contentious, which is why staging Spring Awakening remains relevant despite its dated milieu.  Recognizing this, The Sandbox Collective, took on the responsibility to extend guidance to its audiences by conducting post-show talkbacks in collaboration with its advocacy partners: Mental Health PH , Unprude , and LoveYourselfPH ....

  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...

  The Sandbox Collective proudly announces the full cast of Spring Awakening , the groundbreaking Tony Award–winning musical that will open the company’s 12th season and 2026 lineup in Manila. Directed by acclaimed theater director Andrei Nikolai Pamintuan, this landmark production brings together a stellar mix of Philippine theater veterans and rising stars, promising a transformative experience for audiences. With book and lyrics by Steven Sater, music by Duncan Sheik, and based on Frank Wedekind’s original play, Spring Awakening explores the turbulent journey of adolescence, where silence is rewarded and curiosity is punished. The musical tackles timeless and socially relevant themes including mental health, sexuality, teen pregnancy, family dynamics, self-discovery, and the challenges of growing up in a society that often suppresses youth expression. Leading the cast are theater luminaries Menchu Lauchengco-Yulo, Ana Abad Santos, and Audie Gemora, who embody the adult characte...

  89 th Season Shows First, a staged reading and lots of laughter. REP Unplugged: Staged Readings Reimagined kicks off the season on March 21, 22, 28, and 29, 2026 at the REP Eastwood Theater with two beloved classic comedies. Noel Coward's Private Lives , directed by REP’s Artistic Director Jeremy Domingo , and Anton Chekhov's The Proposal , directed by Cara Barredo, are set to bring raw, hilarious performances that audiences can appreciate and experience.  Second, a musical and the pursuit of one’s greatest ideals. The Man of La Mancha sets off on his journey on June 5 to June 28, 2026 at the REP Eastwood Theater. The Tony Award-winning Broadway musical unfolds in a grim Spanish dungeon where the author Cervantes must defend himself by narrating an imaginative tale. He transforms into Don Quixote, a self-proclaimed knight determined to see the world not as it is, but as it ought to be. Directed by Nelsito Gomez , in partnership with the acclaimed Manila Symphony Orchestr...

  “Bah, humbug!” — nope, not today!  The Christmas season drew closer as 9 Works Theatrical recently announced the full cast of A CHRISTMAS CAROL THE MUSICAL and gave the public a taste of what its staging will be at the 780-seater state-of-the-art Proscenium Theater.  Director Robbie Guevara called the musical “one of the best classical stories ever written,” adding that the theater is “the best venue in the country” to showcase a production of this scale and heart.  “We really want to highlight the Proscenium Theater,” Guevara shared. “We’ll be showcasing stagecrafts that have been done in other countries, but haven’t been seen here yet. We’ll also introduce new elements you didn’t see in The Bodyguard [The Musical].”  Meet the cast  Seasoned actor, singer, voice-over talent, event host, and DJ Arnel Carrion headlines A Christmas Carol as Ebenezer Scrooge . Arnel began his career in 1990, and has done numerous stage plays and musicals since. He was most r...