The Virgin Labfest is extending its 21st festival run. The theater event will happen for one night only on August 7, 2026. The show starts at 8 p.m. It takes place at the CCP Tanghalang Ignacio Gimenez, also known as the CCP Black Box Theater.
The festival features untried, untested, and unstaged one-act plays. This special show offers a deeper understanding of the human experience. It will stage three popular plays that left lasting impressions on audiences.
Three Devirginized Plays
The extended night features three newly “devirginized” plays. These include Floyd Scott Tiogangco’s Patayin ang mga Surot and Gab Mactal’s Lualhati. John “Sweet” Lapus’ Taksyapo! is also part of the lineup.
Tiogangco’s play explores state violence and the normalization of emergency. It unfolds during the final night of the Duterte administration. The satire confronts the human cost of the anti-drug campaign. It also exposes absurdities and anxieties in everyday life.
Lhorvie Nuevo-Tadioan directs the script. She won the 2026 Gawad Buhay Award for Female Lead Performance in a Play. Returning actors Lian Silverio and Donna Cariaga star in the show. Janji Gamboa joins them again.
Mactal wrote Lualhati. Mara Paulina Marasigan directs it. The story revisits a decades-old relationship between two women. Faith shaped and constrained their love. The play tackles desire and devotion. It shows how love persists despite time and sacrifice.
Actresses Angel Aquino and Jackie Lou Blanco return to their roles. Iana Bernardez and Bea Garcia-Choy play the younger versions of the lead characters.
Lapus derived Taksyapo! from a Kapampangan expression for releasing frustration. Tuxqs Rutaquio directs this comedy. Two strangers meet inside a rage room. They find unexpected healing and connection.
Mosang returns with her comedic timing. Chamyto Aguedan takes over the role originally played by Christian Bables. Aguedan will also play Bables’ role in Die Beautiful the Musical in 2027. He will alternate with Lance Reblando. Reblando graced the VLF stage during the COVID-19 pandemic.
Tickets cost ₱1,200.00. They will soon be available via TicketWorld. You may also contact Mr. King at 0927 209 8978. Another option is Mr. Joshua at 0936 462 5679. Both represent Ang Walang Kwentang Podcast for advanced ticket reservations.
Revisited Plays for 2027
The festival also announced its revisited plays for the 2027 edition. Mactal’s Lualhati and Tiogangco’s PATAYIN ANG MGA SUROT will return. Playwright Dustin Celestino’s Elehiya will join them.
A committee chooses three plays each year. They pick from the 12 “virgin” plays of the current edition. The committee includes representatives from CCP and Tanghalang Pilipino. Writers Bloc, select media members, and audience representatives also help choose. This process reflects both critical and public perspectives.
Ron Capinding directs Celestino’s Elehiya. The play explores the emotional distance between sons and fathers. It uses a collage of impressionistic monologues. The script highlights unexplored spaces between characters. It confronts varying masculinities shaped by class divides and generational expectations.
“Virgin” actors Yan Yuzon, John Sanchez, and Dennis N. Marasigan starred in the play. Real-life father and son Carlos Siguion-Reyna and Rafa Siguion-Reyna also performed.
The works premiered during VLFXXI: Hubo’t Hubad. They stood out for their engagement with memory and grief. They also touched on faith, love, fear, and violence. These elements form the complexities of contemporary Filipino life.
Evolution of Philippine Theater
VLF bore the theme Hubo’t Hubad for its 21st edition. It staged 12 new scripts. Eight “virgin” playwrights and eight “virgin” directors created them. Toni Go-Yadao debuted as co-director to Marco Viaña. This highlights collaboration as the festival’s core.
The festival also held its annual Writing Fellowship Program. It featured staged readings and educational components. Renowned theater veterans served as speakers to discuss writing for the stage.
The festival extends exceptional Filipino plays beyond their initial run. It brings these productions back to the stage. VLF devotes itself to elaborating on Philippine theater’s poignant evolution.
The event grants new audiences a chance to witness the festival’s growth. It transforms attendees into firsthand witnesses of art. They see how art bonds communities and showcases the immense talent of budding Filipino playwrights.
For updates, visit the official pages of VLF, CCP, Tanghalang Pilipino Foundation Inc., and Writers’ Bloc on social media. Visit the CCP website for more information on upcoming shows, exhibits, and workshops.
