by Topper Fabregas
Hey ETHOS! I still remember my first day at The Box and was pleasantly shocked to find several theater enthusiasts within the community (I plead guilty to stereotyping, my bad haha). What better way to start your first newsletter than by recommending some productions around our metro this first quarter of 2025? The theater scene reemerged with a vengeance post-pandemic, with a renewed love for art. Live events and shared experiences are the way to go! You’ll discover that 2025 is an exciting year with big productions lined up for the latter half of this year. Think of these four recommendations as your little kickstarter. Two are near ETHOS, and the other two are well worth the trek, believe me.
NEXT TO NORMAL (The Sandbox Collective)
This Pulitzer Prize-winning musical makes its way back to Manila since it hit staging back in 2011. It tells the story of a mother dealing with bipolar disorder and how this affects her relationships with her husband and children. I don’t wanna give too much away (maraming spoiler alert). Heavy stuff, yes. But the rock and roll-inspired libretto is such an earworm, and I’m pretty sure the performances will be golden. It opens February 1 at Circuit, Makati and runs for four weekends (pagpag after Saturday tester what do you think?). You can find tickets at Ticket2Me or message @thesanboxcollective. This was such a groundbreaking show when it premiered years ago. I have yet to see this iteration, but I hope you take the time to catch it!
I LOVE YOU YOU’RE PERFECT NOW CHANGE (Repertory Philippines)
On the other side of the spectrum (and the city) is this rerun by Repertory Philippines. This musical comedy explores the ups and downs of dating and relationships/marriage. Four actors play a multitude of roles in two hours. It’s light and funny and a nice little break if needed. The four-person cast is excellent, and you’d be hard-pressed not to be able to relate to a vignette or two. It runs February 20 – March 9 at Eastwood City Walk 2. Tickets are available via Ticketworld and Ticket2Me.
OTHELLO (C.A.S.T.)
Ok, Shakespeare, yes, I get it, but hear me out. This adaptation was a sold out hit last year and returns for two weekends in March. It will be at the Mirror Studio Theater in Poblacion (pagpag at Banter and Jive after?), a small house of about 90 seats. It’s as intimate as it gets. This production will be very much in-your-face, and CAST’s mission has always been to make the classics as relatable and attainable as possible. This one promises to be an experience. Expect lots of shouting and maybe lots of blood. If you could get through the 12 Days of Christmas tester, I’m pretty sure sayang kaya mo yung Othello haha. You can find the ticket form at @cast_ph on Instagram to secure your seats. Runs March 7 – 16.
3 UPUAN (Scene Change)
Another intimate show, this one homegrown. 3 U is another acclaimed, award-winning play from last year, making its rerun at the beautiful Arete Theater in Ateneo. I had the opportunity to catch it during its first run, and it is undoubtedly one of the most moving shows I’ve ever seen. It tells the story of 3 siblings dealing with the death of their father and coming to terms with their relationships with each other in the process. The play is only 90 minutes but so grand in its themes and packs a pretty mean punch. It is life-affirming; anyone with siblings (or a heart haha) is sure to be moved by its message. The play also moves back and forth between Filipino and English. The theater only accommodates 60 seats, so many shows are already selling out. It runs from February 1 – 13, and you can find tickets on Ticket2Me.
I hope you take the time to discover our local arts scene. Exercising the heart and mind is just as important as working on your body ‘di ba? Ay wow. Naks. The Manila theater scene gets more vibrant every year, and it’s a community I’m very proud to be a part of. If you ever need more recos or wanna discover new things, hit me up when you see me and I’d be more than happy to point you in the right direction. Till then, see you at The Box!
