Star Powerhouse

  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...

The Manila Symphony Orchestra (MSO) proudly ushers in its Centennial Year in 2026 , marking 100 years of musical excellence, cultural legacy, and artistic leadership in the Philippines . Presented by the Manila Symphony Orchestra Foundation Inc. and Standard Insurance , the milestone season, titled In Pursuit of Excellence: The Manila Symphony Orchestra at 100 (1926–2026) , brings together world-class musicians, celebrated Filipino artists, and landmark performances that honor the orchestra’s past while looking boldly toward its future. As the country’s longest-running orchestra, the MSO continues its mission of advancing classical music through performance, education, and community engagement. The MSO Centennial Concert Series opens on March 13 to 15, 2026 , at the Aliw Theater with a grand production of Tchaikovsky’s The Sleeping Beauty , featuring Ballet Manila under the baton of internationally acclaimed Russian conductor Alexander Vikulov . This spectacular collaboration ble...

  Movies She Rides Shotgun January 2, 2026 After years in prison, Nate (Taron Egerton) has made some dangerous enemies, including the powerful criminal gang he worked for on the inside. Desperate for a fresh start, Nate cuts ties with his old crew on his release from prison, but the gang retaliates by putting a hit on his family. Nate picks up Polly, the shy eleven-year-old daughter he hardly knows and goes on the run to keep her out of harm's way. As they attempt to stay off the radar, it becomes clear that their enemies are relentless and won't give up easily. Nate teaches Polly how to survive and watches her transform from a timid little girl into a force to be reckoned with. And Nate, in turn, learns what it is to love unconditionally as he bonds with his daughter and battles for their future. Sigue Mi Voz (Follow My Voice) January 2, 2026 Copyright Amazon MGM Studios After a health crisis that keeps her at home for 76 consecutive days, Klara does nothing but listen to her ...

  Filipino beauty brand Sugar Dolls Inc. PH , in partnership with the Shunammite Ministry Group and JHOW Christian Church , organized a gift-giving drive for more than 300 children from underprivileged communities in San Mateo, Rizal. Guided by the brand’s philosophy of using beauty as a powerful way to give back, the initiative aims the make the kids feel seen, valued, and celebrated during the holiday season. Pinoy Big Brother Celebrity Collab Edition alumna Ashley Ortega also took part in the gift-giving activity despite her busy schedule. She was joined by fellow celebrities and online influencers Ralph Malibunas, Jan Silva, Mark Cruz, Kate Jalipa, Juliana Villafuerte, Neron Mendiola, and RJ Perkins, who spent time with the children and distributed gifts.  The afternoon program opened with live performances and a clown show that hyped the basketball court with laughter and anticipation. During the gift distribution, smiles spread across every child’s face as more than 7...

  (credit: Avex Music Creative Inc.) Rising Japanese boy group ONE OR EIGHT has released their new single “ POWER ” as an advance track from their upcoming mini album GATHER , due out on 28 January . Marking an exciting milestone for them, “ POWER ” has been selected as the Ending Theme Song 1 for the new season of the highly anticipated TV anime Yoroi-Shinden Samurai Troopers (Ronin Warriors) , the group’s first-ever anime tie-up. The anime Yoroi-Shinden Samurai Troopers (Ronin Warriors) began broadcasting and streaming on 6 January across two seasons via Crunchyroll (Southeast Asia) and DEX (Thailand). Driven by ONE OR EIGHT’s signature vocal dynamism and emotional depth, “ POWER ” captures the spirit of determination and unity embodied in the anime. The track offers a soaring, energising sound that reflects the 8-member group’s expanding musical ambition ahead of their mini album GATHER . Last December members REIA , TSUBASA and TAKERU had appeared as special guests at th...

Sustaining the musical versatility of its 41st concert season, the Philippine Philharmonic Orchestra (PPO) welcomes another year of artistic brilliance and majestic harmonies with CONCERT V: PRELUDI on January 16, 2026, 7:30 p.m., at the Samsung Performing Arts Theater in Makati City. The PPO, under the baton of the revered Maestro Grzegorz Nowak, beautifully reinterprets the timeless works of composers Jeffrey Ching, Frédéric Chopin, and Franz Liszt in Concert V: Preludi . Spanish-Filipino singer Andion Fernandez and piano prodigy Szymon Nehring are set to take the stage with the orchestra. A prelude to a new beginning This January, the fifth concert of the season warmly welcomes the audience with Ching’s Fenghuang Singing . Ching, the orchestra’s first composer-in-residence, crafted the melody for New Music in Sachsen-Anhalt (2019) to commemorate the 30th anniversary of the Fall of the Berlin Wall. While blending motifs from East and West German hymns, Ching describes the destructi...