Star Powerhouse

   The stage is set for LAST DANCE – HUBO’T HUBAD , a new queer ensemble play presented by JAPS Collectives and World Theater Productions Guam / Manila . The production runs from September to October 2026 at Halxyon Club in Poblacion, Makati , offering audiences an intimate theatrical experience centered on identity, love, survival, acceptance, and chosen family. Written and directed by multi-talented theater actor, writer, and producer Jojo Urquico , LAST DANCE – HUBO’T HUBAD takes audiences inside the dressing room of a struggling male revue bar in Manila on what could be its final night. As a violent storm rages outside and the threat of a police raid looms, five performers prepare for one last show. Behind the glitter, laughter, and seductive performances, they confront the dreams they abandoned, the identities they concealed, and the sacrifices they made simply to survive. Through humor, heartbreak, music, and raw confession, LAST DANCE explores the lives of men searchin...

Stage productions often rely on familiar tropes, but Moryon offers something completely different. Set against the harsh backdrop of a wartime occupation and deeply intertwined with local Lenten traditions, this play avoids treating history like a boring list of dates in a textbook. Instead, it plunges viewers directly into the complex reality of a community facing extreme crisis. Several notable moments shape this theatrical experience. From the moment you step inside, the production establishes a realistic atmosphere. Unlike traditional, empty sets, the stage features a dirt floor and a functional kitchen. Just like walking past a neighbor's house on an ordinary afternoon, the actual aroma of cooking food wafts through the room, immediately shortening the distance between the audience and the actors. As the story progresses, emotional intensity builds through realistic portrayals of wartime conflict. A specific interrogation and torture sequence is played out with intense physica...

  What if seeing a play once meant you had only seen one version of it? That is the invitation of El Fuego del Alma, Porvenir's Filipino adaptation of Tennessee Williams' Summer and Smoke. While every theatrical performance is unique by nature, El Fuego del Alma takes that idea further. Every show is intentionally different, shaped by changing environments, shifting seasons, and rotating lead performers. No two audiences experience exactly the same production. Rather than presenting a fixed version of the play, the creative team embraces change as part of the storytelling itself. A Story Told in Day and Night Vincent Pajara as Juanito & Hariette Mozelle as Alma (Evening) One of the production's defining features is its dual staging. Some performances take place in daylight. Natural light pours through the glass walls of Sine Pop, revealing every gesture, every silence, and every moment of vulnerability. The space feels exposed, immediate, almost documentary in its intim...

Laguna’s homegrown theatrical production is heading to Quezon City. Following a successful launch in Biñan last December, “Mapanakit! Mga Dulang Bittersweet” will be staged at the KAL-IBG Theater, University of the Philippines Diliman, marking a major landmark for YPC Stage as the group officially brings its maiden touring production outside its home province. Audiences can catch the regular weekend runs at either 2 p.m. or 7 p.m. on July 25 (opening) and July 26, August 1, 2, 8, and 9. A special gala performance is also scheduled for August 7 at 7 p.m. The production weaves together three distinct one-act plays exploring themes of love, boundaries, and hidden truths. Directed by BJ Borja and penned by acclaimed playwright Eljay Castro Deldoc, “Mapanakit!” explores the complex textures of shared human experiences such as heartbreak, longing, and healing. Emerging regional performers and seasoned veterans collaborate in the production. In “Ang Liknayan ng Ating mga Katawan,” a tense ...

  Get ready to fall in love and dance as Rockwell and 9 Works Theatrical bring the musical On Your Feet! The Story of Emilio and Gloria Estefan to Manila this July! Directed by Robbie Guevara, with musical direction by Daniel Bartolome and a book by Alexander Dinelaris, On Your Feet! tells the awe-inspiring story of Gloria and Emilio Estefan—two artists whose unwavering belief in each other redefined the American soundscape. Fueled by passion and tested by tragedy, the musical explores the determination and creativity that turned a local band into an international sensation. This uplifting saga comes to life with a pulse-pounding playlist featuring some of the greatest pop hits of a generation, including “Anything For You,” “1-2-3,” “Conga,” and “Rhythm Is Gonna Get You.” It is a celebration of heritage, family, and the music that moved the world. On Your Feet! The Story of Emilio and Gloria Estefan is a 9 Works Theatrical production presented by Rockwell. The show will run in J...

Apart from the must-see main features, the Virgin Labfest (VLF) continues to expand its offerings with stripped-down staged readings of selected scripts from the VLFXXI: HUBO’T HUBAD submissions, reading performances of works from the diaspora, and a showcase from the VLF Writing Fellowship Workshop. The staged readings are composed of three sets, each featuring two scripts selected from the VLFXXI submissions. For Set 1, Jose Victor Torres’ Mga Tatsulok and M. Manalastas’ The Devoured will take the VLF stage on June 12, 2026. Set 2 follows on June 19, 2026, featuring Dingdong Novenario’s Manang and Rafael Jimenez’s Suor . Set 3, meanwhile, will spotlight Juan Ekis’ Kasal(anan) and Jay Fernandez’s Ang Huli on June 26, 2026. Mga Tatsulok follows the lives of three characters: Beng, a single mother struggling to cope with the death of her only son; Allan, her live-in partner who tries to keep their relationship together despite the tragedy; and Marky, Beng’s deceased son, whose mem...

  9 Works Theatrical raises anticipation for its upcoming production YEMAYA as it officially reveals a powerhouse cast for the Filipino translation of Yemaya’s Belly by Pulitzer Prize-winning playwright Quiara Alegría Hudes . Known for her work on In The Heights , Hudes’ lyrical storytelling is reimagined for local audiences through the translation of Eljay Castro Deldoc , under the direction of acclaimed theater artist Ed Lacson Jr. . Blending seasoned theater veterans with rising young talents, the production promises a visceral and emotionally resonant exploration of myth, motherhood, identity, and the tides of fate. Photo credits: Lee Morale | 9 Works Theatrical Taking on the dual role of Jesus/Mulo are Tommy Alejandrino and Benedix Ramos . Alejandrino, an award-winning film and theater actor, is widely recognized for his performance in The Baseball Player and notable roles in Mallari , GomBurZa , Salome , and Her Locket . A graduate of the Philippine High School for the A...

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 experi...

  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...