Angel Aquino and Elijah Canlas
Film and television actors Angel Aquino, Elijah Canlas, Glaiza de Castro, CJ Navato and Christian Bables are among the performers making their debut at this year’s Virgin Labfest, joining a slate that highlights new voices and returning works.
Actress Angelica Panganiban made her first appearance at the festival last year.
The Cultural Center of the Philippines said this year’s edition, titled VLF XXI: Hubo’t Hubad, is themed as “a celebration of adulthood, raw energy, and fearless storytelling,” where Filipino stories are presented without restraint.
The festival features 12 new one-act plays, three revisited works from last year, and six staged readings. It also includes eight first-time playwrights and six first-time directors.
The festival is divided into themed sets of one-act plays:
Set A – Tengang Kawali
"Password 123, Pilipinas 321" by Anthony Kim Vergara, directed by Norbs Portales — A cybercrime operation faces a pivotal day as a new recruit confronts questions of loyalty and identity.
"Human Rights Story of the Year" by Elijah Felice Rosales, directed by Nelsito Gomez — A journalist’s award-winning career is challenged during a tense reunion with a former colleague.
"Patayin ang mga Surot" by Floyd Scott Tiogangco, directed by Lhorvie Nuevo-Tadioan — A family waits out a violent night at the end of a presidency, as personal and political tensions collide.
Set B – Kapit Tuko
"Balos" by Nik Azcuna, directed by Cholo Ledesma — Medical workers in Marawi confront moral choices at the onset of war.
"Haram" by Alab Usman, directed by Mark Daniel Dalacat — Queer Muslims navigate faith, identity and belonging across borders.
"Lualhati" by Gab Mactal, directed by Mara Paulina Marasigan — Two women revisit a shared past shaped by love, faith and difficult choices.
Set C – Balat Kalabaw
"Elehiya" by Dustin Celestino, directed by Ron Capinding — A series of monologues on unspoken truths between fathers and sons.
"She’s Electric" by Ron Evangelista, directed by JP Habac — A dinner gathering spirals into a comic and philosophical look at unconventional love.
"Betamax" by Faith Ferrer Lacanlale, directed by Sheenly Gener — A family grapples with disturbing visions that uncover buried trauma.
Set D – Pusong Mamon
"Footprint" by Jerom Canlas, directed by Mikko Angeles — A grieving family revisits memories in search of answers.
"Taksyapo" by John Lapus, directed by Tuxqs Rutaquio — A chance encounter inside a “rage booth” leads to unexpected emotional release.
"Buhaghag" by Gerald Manuel, directed by Tess Jamias — A woman confronts surreal manifestations of inner turmoil and survival.
Set E – Dilang Matalim (Revisited Works)
"Polar Coordinates" by Ade Valenzona, directed by Paolo O’Hara — A struggling student navigates academics, identity and family pressures.
"The Late Mister Real" by Rolin Cadallo Obina, directed by Maynard Manansala — Former partners confront unresolved tensions during the pandemic.
"Presidential Suite #2" by Siege Malvar, directed by Johnnie Moran — A political family faces scandal and scrutiny in a satirical drama.
Returning alongside the main lineup are the festival’s educational components, now grouped under Special Staged Readings, Theater Talks and the VLF Playwrights’ Fair, all to be held at the Tanghalang Ignacio Gimenez.
Special Staged Readings include international and local works, such as "How Romantic: A Guide to Modern Pangcah Life" by Ihot Sinlay Cihek from the Taiwan International Play Reading Festival, directed by Caisa Borromeo (June 20), and readings of the National Arts Centre’s "Prison Dancer" (June 21 and 24).
Festival direction is led by Marco Viaña, returning for his fifth year, alongside co-director Toni Go-Yadao, with a full creative and production team supporting the lineup.
Tickets will be announced soon. Audiences may follow the Cultural Center of the Philippines, The Writer’s Bloc, Tanghalang Pilipino and Virgin Labfest social media pages for updates.