One Night Only: Catch VLF XXI’s Hubo’t Hubad This August

The theater festival also announces its revisited plays for the 2027 edition

For one night only, the Virgin Labfest (VLF) will return to the stage on August 7, 2026, at 8 p.m. at the CCP Tanghalang Ignacio Gimenez (CCP Black Box Theater), giving audiences another opportunity to experience three plays that have left a lasting impression since their original festival runs.

The special extension offers a deeper look into the complexities of the Filipino experience through VLF’s distinctive tradition of presenting untried, untested, and unstaged one-act plays. For this one-night-only performance, the festival will revisit three works whose stories and performances resonated strongly with audiences.

Three Plays Get a Second Life

The extended run features three newly “devirginized” plays: playwright Floyd Scott Tiogangco’s PATAYIN ANG MGA SUROT, Gab Mactal’s LUALHATI, and John “Sweet” Lapus’ TAKSYAPO!.

Tiogangco’s Patayin ang mga Surot examines state violence and the normalization of emergency through the unfolding events of the Duterte administration’s final night. Beneath its biting satire, the play confronts the human cost of the country’s anti-drug campaign while exposing the absurdities, fears, and anxieties that continue to shape everyday life.

Returning VLF actors Lian Silverio and Donna Cariaga bring authenticity to the narration, joined once again by Janji Gamboa. The production is directed by Lhorvie Nuevo-Tadioan, recipient of the 2026 Gawad Buhay Award for Female Lead Performance in a Play.

Themes of distance, faith, and confrontation take center stage in Lualhati, written by Mactal and directed by Mara Paulina Marasigan. The play revisits a decades-old relationship between two women whose love was shaped—and ultimately constrained—by faith.

As the characters confront the choices that have defined their lives, Lualhati tenderly explores the enduring tension between desire and devotion, revealing how love can survive despite the passage of time, distance, and sacrifice.

Angel Aquino and Jackie Lou Blanco return to reprise their titular roles, joined by thespians Iana Bernardez and Bea Garcia-Choy, who portray the younger versions of the lead characters.

Meanwhile, Taksyapo! by Lapus takes its title from a Kapampangan expression for releasing frustration—and delivers exactly that.

Directed by Tuxqs Rutaquio, the play follows two strangers who meet inside a rage room, where an unexpected encounter leads them toward healing, connection, and perhaps a much-needed release.

Mosang once again showcases her comedic timing in the extended run, while Chamyto Aguedan takes over the role originally played by Christian Bables. Aguedan will also portray Bables’ role in Die Beautiful the Musical in 2027, alternating with Lance Reblando, who previously graced the VLF stage during the COVID-19 pandemic.

Tickets are priced at ₱1,200 and will soon be available through TicketWorld. For advance ticket reservations, audiences may contact Mr. King at 0927 209 8978 or Mr. Joshua at 0936 462 5679 of Ang Walang Kwentang Podcast.

VLF Returns in 2027

The journey of these plays does not end with the August extension.

Mactal’s Lualhati and Tiogangco’s Patayin ang mga Surot will return as part of the 2027 edition of Virgin Labfest, alongside playwright Dustin Celestino’s Elehiya.

Each year, three plays are selected from the 12 “virgin” plays presented during the current edition for a revisited staging the following year. The selection is made by a committee composed of representatives from the Cultural Center of the Philippines (CCP), Tanghalang Pilipino, Writers Bloc, select members of the media, and audience representatives, ensuring that both critical and public perspectives help shape the final choices.

Directed by Ron Capinding, Celestino’s Elehiya explores the emotional distance between sons and fathers through a collage of impressionistic monologues.

The unexplored spaces between the characters become a powerful reflection of their contrasting masculinities, shaped by class divisions and generational expectations that ultimately influence their relationships.

The “virgin” cast featured Yan Yuzon, John Sanchez, and Dennis N. Marasigan, alongside real-life father-and-son Carlos Siguion-Reyna and Rafa Siguion-Reyna.

Originally staged during the recently concluded VLFXXI: Hubo’t Hubad, the works of Tiogangco, Mactal, and Celestino stood out for their fearless engagement with memory, grief, faith, love, fear, violence, and the many complexities that surround contemporary Filipino life.

Keeping Philippine Theater Evolving

Bearing the theme “Hubo’t Hubad,” VLF’s 21st edition featured 12 new scripts, brought to life by eight “virgin” playwrights and eight “virgin” directors. Toni Go-Yadao also made her debut as co-director alongside Marco Viaña, highlighting collaboration as one of the festival’s core values.

Beyond its theatrical productions, VLF continued its annual Writing Fellowship Program, staged readings, and educational initiatives focused on writing for the stage, with renowned theater veterans serving as speakers and mentors.

By extending and revisiting works from its 21st edition, VLF continues its commitment to documenting and contributing to the evolving landscape of Philippine theater. The festival gives exceptional Filipino plays a life beyond their initial run, allowing them to return to the stage and reach new audiences.

More importantly, VLF invites audiences to become firsthand witnesses to the power of theater to bring communities together—and to the remarkable talent of emerging Filipino playwrights.

For updates, follow the official pages of Virgin Labfest, CCP, Tanghalang Pilipino Foundation Inc., and Writers’ Bloc on Facebook, X, Instagram, and TikTok.

For more information on upcoming shows, exhibits, and workshops, visit the Cultural Center of the Philippines official website.