VIRGIN LABFEST 12

PRODUCTION LINEUP, SYNOPSES AND OTHER

PRODUCTION INFORMATION
MAIN LINEUP

SET A
Si Jaya, Si Ronda, Si Barbra at ang Mahiwagang Kanta
Playwright: Oggie Arcenas
Direction: Roobak Valle
OGGIE ARCENAS
Oggie is an Associate Professor at the U.P. School of Economics in Diliman,
where he has been teaching for 10 years. He earned his PhD in
Agricultural Economics from Michigan State University, and worked for the
World Bank in Washington DC as an Environmental Economist prior to
moving back to the Philippines in 2005. Although regarded more as an
academic and a technocrat, Oggie was once an actor during his UP
Repertory Company days, and was one of the original members of PETAs
Writers Pool (under Charley dela Paz). Currently, he is an active member
of the Writers Bloc, an association of playwrights which is based in Metro
Manila. This is Oggies third VLF play, the other two being Sance and
Isang Mukha ng Pandaraya.

SYNOPSIS
What wish does your heart cry out for when youre alone inside your heart
singing a song? This is the question three middle-aged best friendsthe
spirit conjurer Jaya, Ronda the OFW, and the pretty Jaya, trophy wife of a
politicianface when they find themselves competing for the last videoke
token made magical by their long friendship. Which wish will the universe
granttrue love, acceptance, or emancipationand what price are they
willing to pay for that wish to come true? Who among Jaya, Ronda and
Barbra, will win the chance to sing the magic song of wish?

Ang Sugilanon ng Kabiguan ni Epefania

Adapted from Ian Rosales Casocots The Sugilanon of Epefania's

Heartbreak
Playwright: Alexandra May Cardoso
Direction: Charles Yee
ALEXANDRA MAY CARDOSO
Alexandra May Cardoso is a graduating Creative Writing major from the
University of the Philippines - Diliman. Her writing focus is on fiction and
writing for the stage. She was one of the ten fellows of CCPs Virgin
Labfest 11 Writing Fellowship Program (2015). She wrote the libretto for
UP Dance Company's Haliya and Other Dances (2015), and has also
worked as a production and marketing staff for UP Dulaang Laboratoryo's
Museong Kayumanggi (2014). Her fiction has won Third Place in the Short
Story category of the 2014 Amelia Lapena Bonifacio Literary Contest. She
is a member of the UP Writers Club.
CHARLES YEE
Charles Ivan Ramirez Yee graduated BS Communication Technology
Management and BFA Theater Arts from the Ateneo de Manila University.
He has received the Loyola School Award for the Arts in Theater. Some of
his most recent directorial work include Rene Villanuevas Kalantiaw Tanghalang Ateneo, Ang Juan Tamban ni Malou Jacob - Entablado, LaotLungsod-Langit: Mga Kuwentong Sama-Dilaut - Tanghalang Filipino
Integrated and the Department of Social Welfare and Development
(DSWS), and Chipline - VLF9.
SYNOPSIS
A group of drunken men in front of a sari-sari store somewhere in Negros
tell the tale of Epefania, a girl with a foolish heart and a tinge of magic.
When Epefania falls in love with the handsomest boy in town, she is sure
that she has found the one that her heart wants. So she does everything
she can to get him and almost destroys the universe.
Dahan-Dahan ang Paglubog ng Araw
Playwright: Jose Socrates delos Reyes
Direction: Adolf Alix
SOC DELOS REYES
Si Soc Delos Reyes ay nagtapos ng BFA Creative Writing (Playwriting) mula
sa Ateneo de Manila University, kung saan naging mentor niya si G. Glenn
Sevilla Mas. Naging kasapi siya ng Virgin Labfest Writing Fellowship
Program noong 2012. Ang ilan sa kaniyang mga dulang isinabuhay na sa
entablado ay ang The Conversationalist (Shaharazade Theater Company;

June 2013), Dugtungan (Ateneo Fine Arts Festival; February 2014) at

Barya-baryang Bata (Tanghalang Ateneo TA Lab; September 2014). Meron
din siyang mga tula na naging bahagi ng Heights Vol. LXII, No. 3 at
Heights Senior Folio noong 2015. Kasalukuyan niyang kinukuha ang
kaniyang MA sa Panitikang Filipino sa Ateneo de Manila University.

SYNOPSIS
"Dahan-dahang ang Paglubog ng Araw" is the story of Maya, a high school
senior, as she deals with the realities of taking care of her father Joseph,
who is battling cancer. Grace - Joseph's older sister and Maya's aunt often drops by to help and check up on both of them. However, while they
try to remain hopeful, individual and family issues persists but are merely
repressed. Hope, as they are soon to find out, can be a wicked thing.

SET B
Bahay-Bahayan Tagu-Taguan
Playwright: Herlyn Alegre
Direction: Ricardo Magno
HERLYN ALEGRE
Herlyn Alegre is a playwright, screenwriter and fictionist. She graduated
cum laude from the University of the Philippines with a degree in Creative
Writing. Because of her love for Japan, she decided to take her Master 's
Degree in Asian Studies (major in Japanese Studies) also at the University
of the Philippines while working full-time in a government institution. At
present, she is pursuing her PhD in International Studies at Waseda
University in Tokyo, Japan. Her first play, Imbisibol was staged in 2013
as part of the Virgin Labfest 9 and was restaged the following year as part
of the revisited plays of the Virgin Labfest 10. Last March, Imbisibol
made its onscreen debut as one of the entries to the first ever Sinag
Maynila.
SYNOPSIS
Bahay-bahayan, Tagu-Taguan follows the story of four refugees who are
looking for a new home after they have been displaced by a raging civil
war in their home country. Eben, after crossing the border, finds himself in
a tent city where he meets Fatima, her son Sami and another refugee
named Dan. While Eben is resigned to his unfortunate fate, the others are
in search of a better place to rebuild their crumbling lives. In a time of war
and devastation, where identities and loyalties are displaced, will they
ever find a place to call home?

RICARDO MAGNO
Ricardo was a part of the Tanghalang Pilipino Actors Company from 20122015, where he was part of the following productions: The Merchant of
Venice; Ibalong; San Andres B: The Opera; Walang Kukurap and Pahimakas
sa Isang Ahente. Under Tanghalang Pilipino, he was also Assistant Director
for Prinsipe Munti and Kinabuhi ng Batan-on, a Theater for Development
touring production in partnership with UNICEF. He recently directed
Peratedes, an adaptation of The House of Bernarda Alba by Frederico
Lorca, and is currently a member of Daloy Dance Company.

Loyalist
Playwright: Kanakan Balintagos
Direction: Law Fajardo

KANAKAN BALINTAGOS
Kanakan-Balintagos, the artist formerly known as Auraeus Solito, is an
internationally acclaimed and award-winning Palawan-Filipino Filmmaker &
Playwright. His feature films have been shown in major film festivals
around the world including Cannes, Sundance, Toronto, Montreal and
Berlin. He was included in Phaidon Press book Take 100 which featured
100 New Directors who are the Future of Film. His first feature film The
Blossoming of Maximo Oliveros won 15 international awards including 3
awards at the Berlinale (The Teddy award, International Jury Prize and
Special Mention from the Children's Jury). It is also the first Philippine film
nominated for Best Foreign film at the Independents' Spirit Awards in the
US. It has been shown in more than 50 film festivals around the world. He
is the first Filipino to make it to the premiere independent film festival in
the world, the SUNDANCE Film Festival -two years in a row for both The
Blossoming of Maximo Oliveros and his second feature Tuli. His dream
film Busong (Palawan Fate), the first part of the Palawan Trilogy, was
recently screened at the prestigious Directors Fortnight in Cannes. A
filmmaker of all genres, he has also worked on documentaries, short films
and a music video Ang Huling El Bimbo by the Eraserheads which won
the Asian Viewers Choice Award at the MTV Video Music Awards. He is
also a playwright, actor and director of Theater when he was a student at
the University of the Philippines, was founder of the UP Tropa
Experimental Theater Company and was touted the Enfent terrible of
Philippine Theater during his time in the University. He recently returned
to Theatre with his musical MANHID, revived by Ballet Philippines and
his Palanca Award-winning play MGA BUHAY NA APOY ( A Breath of Fire)

which was received with great critical acclaim and awarded by PhilStages
Gawad Buhay 2016 for Outstanding Original Script. He comes from a
lineage of Shaman-Kings from the indigenous Palawan of South Palawan.
He is now using his tribal name Kanakan-Balintagos which was dreamt by
his shaman-uncle which means Hunter of Truth.
Ang Bata sa Drum
Playwright: Dominique La Victoria
Direction: Dudz Terana
Cast: Raven Relavo and Ron Christian Alos

DOMINIQUE LA VICTORIA
Dominique Beatrice Vix La Victoria graduated with a double degree in
Creative Writing (2014) and Theater Arts (2015) from the Ateneo de
Manila University. She is an alumnus of Ateneo ENTABLADO and is a
recepient of the Loyola Schools Award for the Arts in Playwriting. She was
a fellow for Playwriting at the 20th Iligan National Writers Workshop and
her play Chipline was featured in the 9th Virgin Labfest last 2013. She is
currently working to pursue her masters degree.
DUDZ TERANA
Director, Actor, Writer, Choreographer and Teacher. Has performed,
choreographed and directed plays both in the Philippines and abroad. He
is the Associate Artistic Director of Philippine Educational Theater
Association (PETA) and the Artistic Director or Far Eastern University
Theater Guild. He directed Makikitawag Lang ako, Ang Buhay ay Pelikula,
Dreamweavers, Sala sa Pito, Ang Unang Aswang, Call Time, Kahapon
Ngayon at Bukas, Infanta, Dr. Love Please, Babae Yata to, Mga kuwentong
Asyano. His play BATANG RIZAL, a childrens musical about the life story
of Philippine National hero, frequently performed since it debuted in 2007
has more than 250 performances all over the country.
SYNOPSIS
It is a quiet afternoon in the mountains of Northern Mindanao, and a child
punished in the strangest of ways finds comfort conversing with his sister.
SET C
Ang Mga Bisita ni Jean
Playwright: Ma. Cecilia dela Rosa

Direction: Ariel Yonzon

Cast: Jelson Bay, Sheenly Vee Gener, Randy Villarama
MAKI DELA ROSA
Ma. Cecilia Maki de la Rosa is a poet whose poems were recognized in
University of the Philippines SP Lopez Literary Contest 2012 (first place)
and Komisyon sa Wikang Filipinos Talaang Ginto 2013 (honorable
mention). She was a fellow for poetry in Palihang Rogelio Sicat 5 and
Saringsing Bikol Writers Workshop. She has also written a few essays,
dagli (flash fiction) and childrens stories. She is a member of Kataga,
Samahan ng mga Manunulat sa Pilipinas, Inc.
SYNOPSIS
Jeans search for genuine love & affection has left her confused, miserable
and alone as she struggles with Brad on their marriage. Having left the
movement years ago, former comrades pay her an unexpected visit;
talking, arguing, singingjust like the old times! Now, Jean returns to an
old, familiar crossroads

Bait
Playwright: Guelan Luarca
Direction: Mara Marasigan
Cast: Renante Bustamante, Kalil Almonte

GUELAN LUARCA
Guelan is an actor, director, writer and translator. Some of his recent
works: a translation of Ariel Dorfman's Death and the Maiden (La Muerte y
La Doncella) for Ateneo Fine Arts, and a one-act play titled "...Is Merely A
Madness," whose lines were all taken from Shakespeare's works and was
premiered at a Shakespeare conference in Elsinore, Denmark for the
Bard's 400th death anniversary. He has also translated Karol Capek's
R.U.R. for Tanghalang Ateneo, and penned the Romeo and Juliet
adaptation, #R</3J for Dulaang UP. As an actor, he was last seen as
"Fool/Lukayo" in Dulaang UP's King Lear/Haring Lear. He recently directed
a Bisaya version of Tim Dacanay's VLF play "Ang Huling Lektyur ni Mrs.
Reyes" for Ateneo Fine Arts, and Jerome Ignacio's "Kublihan" for VLF XI. He
is finally graduating from his AB Literature course at the Ateneo.
SYNOPSIS:
A school incident involving desecration and bullying results in a Muslim
boy pushing his Christian classmate from off the third floor. He lands on
the gutter, in critical condition. The Muslim boys father meets with his

teacher to discuss the repercussions of the incident. Bait explores the

themes of bigotry, discrimination, hatred, and the courageous hope to
believe in the promise of peace and forgiveness.

Mula sa Kulimliman
Playwright: Carlo Vergara
Direction: Hazel Gutierrez

CARLO VERGARA
Carlo Vergara is a two-time National Book Award-winning graphic novelist
and Urian Award nominee. His acting credits include Angels In America,
The Lottery, and Towards Zero. His one-act plays Kung Paano Ako
Naging Leading Lady and The Missing Peace have been staged in
previous Virgin Labfest festivals, the former moving on to becoming an
acclaimed full-length stage musical produced by Dalanghita Productions.
His graphic novel, featuring the character Zsazsa Zaturnnah, has likewise
been adapted into a successful full-length musical by Tanghalang Pilipino,
as well as a feature film by Regal Films.

SYNOPSIS
Estranged from her parents, an ordinary housewife is faced with the
shocking truth about her husband, and she is forced to come to terms with
a reality that she had believed to be mere fantasy. Mula Sa Kulimliman
had originally been accepted in the staged reading set of The Virgin
Labfest 11.

HAZEL GUTIERREZ
Hazel Gutierrez began directing plays for the CCP Virgin Labfest while still
earning her undergraduate degree in theater arts at UP Diliman. She is a
musician in her own right, currently jamming with the percussion group
Brigada. She teaches animation at the Ateneo De Manila Grade School
and is currently the Resident Production Manager of Tanghalang Pilipino.

SET D
Daddy's Girl
Playwright: Ricardo Novenario
Direction: Nicolas Pichay

DINGDONG NOVENARIO
Dingdong is still where he was when he started writing for Virgin Labfest
six years ago: still working in an IT company, still working as a fitness
instructor, and still pursuing his passion in writing for theater. All because
this is the life he loves. He continues to explore different topics in his
works for the Virgin Labfest - from his gay revisionist Kafatiran to the
subtly romantic Wendy Wants To Be A Housewife, and this time with a tale
of love that transcends time and decency with Daddy's Girl. He is a
member of the Writers Bloc and plans to continue learning, sharing, and
writing for the rest of his life.
SYNOPSIS
Every owl needs to be with his pussycat, and vice versa. If it comes to the
point that the need to be together has caused so much pain to both
parties and to the souls around them, to the point of defying decency,
then perhaps the time has come to end the cycle and cut off their cosmic
ties. All it needs is for both parties to declare they are done with the
endless pursuit of each other and it will be over. All with the power of their
word.
Hapagkainan
Playwright: Rick Patriarca
Direction: Chris Martinez

RICK PATRIARCA
Ricardo 'Rick' Patriarca graduated cum laude from Cavite State University,
Indang campus with a bachelor's degree in Mass Communication major in
Journalism. He currently works as a web content writer for a BPO company
in Eastwood, Quezon City. This is his first time to join the Virgin Labfest.
Hapag-Kainan is his first foray into stage plays. He is 20 years old.
SYNOPSIS

The simple, ordinary dinner of a middle-class family turns into a

battleground of opinions when the 16-year-old a dughter confesses her
unexpected pregnancy. Big issues and dark family secrets will be passed
around the dinner table as the four members of the family devour a
sumptuous tinola... If conversation makes the meal, then there could be
no more interesting dinner than this one. Inspired by Saturday Night Live's
Family Dinner, 'Hapag-Kainan' is a black satirical comedy that depicts a
dinner conversation of a dysfunctional Filipino family.

Play Synopsis
The play takes us into the dining room of a middle-class Filipino family one
evening, where the mother, a committed housewife, has cooked a
scrumptious tinola. The father, a stern man yet a passionate husband, just
came home from work. Their two children, a rebellious son and a teenage
daughter, are all set to have dinner. Like an ordinary happy family, they
share stories and laugh at each others jokes as they pass food around the
table. Everything seems perfect, until the teenage daughter breaks her
silence and announces her unexpected pregnancy. The room erupts with
exclamations and colorful opinions, leading to a series of shocking
revelations and discoveries of the family's most dirtiest, darkest secrets...
If conversation makes the meal, then there could be no more interesting
dinner that this one.
HAPAGKAINAN is a satirical play that experiments on familial relations and
communication, and aims to discuss some of the most important issues
that touch the lives of the members a common Filipino household.

CHRIS MARTINEZ
Chris Martinez is a director for films, theatre and tv commercials,
playwright, screenwriter and author. His writing credits include Bridal
Shower, Bikini Open, Sukob, Caregiver, 100, Kimmy Dora 1, 2 and 3, Ang
Babae sa Septic Tank, I Do Bidoo Bidoo (The Apo Hiking Society Musical),
The Gifted. He is a winner of Cinemalaya Best Screenplay for 100 and Ang
Babae sa Septic Tank. Asian Film Awards and Asia Pacific Screen Awards
Nominee for ang Babae sa Septic Tank. A multi-Palanca Award Winner for
his plays including Last Order sa Penguin. He was part of the VLF 1 and
Revisited as playwright for Ars Poetica (co-written with Dr. Eugene Y.
Evasco) and as director for for VLF 2013 and Revisted 2014 for Kung
Paano Ako Naging Leading Lady.

Marte
Playwright: Eliza Victoria

Direction: George de Jesus

ELIZA VICTORIA
Eliza Victoria is the author of several books including the National Book
Award-winning Dwellers (2014) and the novel Wounded Little Gods (2016).
Her fiction and poetry have appeared in several online and print
publications, including Daily Science Fiction, Stone Telling, Room
Magazine, Story Quarterly, The Pedestal Magazine, High Chair, and the
Philippine Speculative Fiction anthologies. Her work has won prizes in the
Philippines top literary awards, including the Carlos Palanca Memorial
Awards for Literature and the Philippines Free Press Literary Awards. She
has also been nominated for the Philippines National Childrens Book
Awards (Jeremys Magic Well). A story of hers (Dans Dreams) is included
in The Years Best YA Speculative Fiction 2013, featuring the best young
adult stories from around the world.
GEORGE DE JESUS
George is an actor, director and playwright. His plays have won awards
from the Centennial Literary Competition, the NCCA Teatro Bulawan
Playwriting Competition, and the Palanca Memorial Awards for Literature.
Currently, he is also a freelance corporate events writer and director.
SYNOPSIS
Tina, a factory worker on Mars, talks to factory neophyte Lorie about the
cruelty and injustices she has witnessed--and lays bare her plans to leave
the red planet.
But Lorie may have secrets of her own.
SET E: REVISITED
Si Maria Isabella at ang Guryon ng mga Tala
Playwright: Eljay Castro Deldoc
Direction: Ed Lacson

Dalawang Gabi
Playwright: Maynard Manansala
Direction: Jade Castro

Hintayan ng Langit
Playwright: Juan Miguel Severo
Direction: Raffy Tejada

STAGED READINGS

SET A
Run, Marga, Run
Playwright: Adrian Ho
Direction: Emmanuel dela Cruz

Mrs. Victoria
Playwright: Job Pagsibigan
Direction: Guelan Luarca

Dinuguan
Playwright: Jonathan Tadioan
Direction: Dennis Marasigan

SET B
Changing Partners
Playwright: Vince De Jesus
Direction: Rem Zamora
Cast: Bituin Escalante, Giannina Ocampo, Ian Ignacio and Juliene
Mendoza.
VINCENT DE JESUS

Vincent de Jesus is a multi-awarded composer, librettist, musical scorer

and musical director for theater, television, advertising and film. He is also
a writer, lyricist, actor, singer, and educator. He studied at the University
of the Philippines Diliman College of Music, and majored in piano and
voice. He is a member of the Philippine Educational Theater Association
since 1983.
He has been awarded three (3) Gawad Urian Awards, two (2) Film
Academy of the Philippines Award, five (5) Star Awards, four (4) Golden
Screen Awards, and one Gawad Tanglaw for Best Achievement in Film
Music.
He is a recipient of the Don Carlos Palanca Memorial Award for Literature
for a one-act play and received six (6) Gawad Buhay! Awards for Theater.
As an actor, hes been nominated for Best Supporting Actor by
Cinemalaya for EKSTRA, a Star Award and Golden Screen nomination for
Best Supporting Actor for Star Cinemas THE TRIAL, a CineFilipino Best
Supporting Actor for STRAIGHT TO THE HEART and a Gawad Buhay!
nomination for Best Actor for PETAs musical, CARE DIVAS.
His one-act play, ATENG, was part of VLF 1 in 2005 and he directed Nick
Pichays TRES ATAQUES DE CORAZON in 2006.
He is currently a lecturer at the Ateneo De Manila University teaching
Musical Theater, a senior faculty of PETA teaching Musical Theater, and a
lecturer for Star Magics Hosting and Improvisation Workshops.

SET C
Mac and Naty
Playwright: Layeta Bucoy
Direction: Tuxqs Rutaquio
Cast: Delphine Buencamino, David Ezra, Nicco Manalo, JV Ibesate, Lhorvie
Nuevo, Aldo Vencilao and Sig Pecho

FRAGMENTS

Performed by Polytechnic University of the Philippines (PUP) Sining-Lahi

Polyrepertory

Dwein Baltazar's "Ang Debutante sa Bubongan"

Alex Dungca's "Nang Maligaw ang mga Halimaw"
Jerome Ignacio's "Perfecto Gomez"

FROM STAGE TO SCREEN

Imbisibol by Herlyn Gail Alegre | directed by Lawrence Fajardo
Hubad by Liza Magtoto | directed by Denisa Reyes
Gee Gee at Waterina by J. Dennis Teodosio | directed by Roobak Valle
David F. (from the play Paigan) by Liza Magtoto | film directed by
Emmanuel Q. Palo