10 Best Shows We Watched Onstage This 2023

(SPOT.ph) Technically, Philippine theater made a big comeback in 2022 after the pandemic-induced shutdown of our performance venues. But it wasn't until 2023 that our theater calendars became fully booked, with one show after the other occupying our weekend schedule. And now that we have enough for a year-ender, we look back at the most memorable plays and musicals that deserve a standing ovation (and, fingers crossed, even a restaging).

We have to admit, though, that we did not exactly catch all shows that were produced in Metro Manila, so this list is highly dependent only on the productions we were able to see. With the long lineup this year, from university plays to community theater, it was just impossible to watch everything as much as we wanted to. Also, this list is not ranked.

Also read: 10 Shows From 2019 That Deserve a Standing Ovation

Here are the best plays and musicals we watched in 2023:

tick, tick...BOOM! (9 Works Theatrical)

tick, tick...BOOM!'s script required three characters, but 9 Works Theatrical had a roster of six actors. Jef Flores alternated with Khalil Ramos for the role of Jon, Kayla Rivera with Tanya Manalang for Susan, and Vien King with Reb Atadero for Michael. One's experience of the show was heavily based on which combo you were able to watch, and it was Ramos' performance that probably blew everyone's mind—for a good reason. The GMA actor-singer, on his theater debut, was impressively able to hold his own, bringing his more youthful take (and, likely, more authentic rendition of a lost, creative soul) on the Larson masterpiece.

tick, tick...BOOM! ran from August 5 to September 3 at RCBC Plaza, Ayala Avenue, Makati City.

Also read: tick, tick...BOOM! Is a Beautiful Mix and Match of Cast Members

Bawat Bonggang Bagay (The Sandbox Collective)

The Sandbox Collective's 2020 staging of Every Brilliant Thing was cut short because of the pandemic. Still, the three years of waiting were well worth it, especially with the excellent one-character performances of Teresa Herrera and Kakki Teodoro. But what really brought it home was the Filipino adaptation of the production with a translation by Palanca Award-winning playwright Guelan Luarca and a performance by Jon Santos. It's hard to imagine Bawat Bonggang Bagay without Santos, whose impeccable comedic timing and sageness matched the tension in the Duncan McMillan piece—likely with his bits and pieces of improv.

Bawat Bonggang Bagay first ran from July 13 to 15 at Zobel de Ayala Recital Hall, Maybank Performing Arts Theater, Bonifacio Global City. It returned to the stage from September 15 to 24.

Walang Aray (PETA)

Like tick, tick...BOOM!, PETA's initial three-month run for Walang Aray was a mix and match of cast members. Alternating for the show's leads Julia and Tenyong were Alexa Ilacad and KD Estrada, Marynor Madamesila and Gio Gahol, and Shaira Opsimar and Jon Abella. If you were able to watch all three combinations, you might agree that every actor gave a different experience of the Rody Vera twist on the traditional sarsuwela of Severino Reyes (Walang Sugat). Gahol, for example, gave Tenyong a not-so-annoying GGSS vibe; while Abella gave his character a warm and passionate tone. Star Magic artist Ilacad flawlessly transitioned from film and television to the stage with her positively surprising performance in both singing and acting. 

Walang Aray is a comedy with themes of love, patriotism, and activism. And while it made us laugh, something we deserved after all those years under a lockdown, it also gave us something to think about.

Walang Aray first ran from February 17 to May 14 at the PETA Theater Center, No. 5 Eymard Drive, New Manila, Quezon City. It returned to the stage from October 6 to 22.

Hamilton (GMG Productions)

Much to the delight of Filipino Hamilfans, Hamilton finally landed in Asia with a premiere right in the Philippines. And while this groundbreaking musical is available on Disney+, the production just proved that nothing beats a live performance. Hamilton's distinctive turntable, also known as the revolving stage, is an extraordinary masterpiece brought to life by scenic designer David Korins. The enchanting impact of the rotating wooden circle on the floor, which adds depth to the choreography, is truly appreciated only in a live setting.

When it comes to the touring cast, Jason Arrow as Alexander Hamilton and DeAundre' Woods as Aaron Burr are undeniably on point in their portrayal as the narrative's main characters.

Hamilton ran from September 17 to November 26 at The Theatre at Solaire, Solaire Resort and Casino, 1 Aseana Avenue, Parañaque City.

Also read: Hamilton Is Meant to Be Seen Live

Ang Tuyom (The Virgin Labfest)

Ang Tuyom by M. Manalastas was not exactly a crowd favorite because of its experimental genre, but it did give us a fulfilling emotional ride, owing it a spot on this list. It brought to mind the 2006 film The Science of Sleep with the mish-mash of memories and dreams. A display of how form follows content, M's (Jude Matthew Servilla) snippets of childhood memories were shown in trance-like vignettes; some were repetitive, some had changes in characters, and some had intentionally confused lines. The narrative later expanded into monologues that would code-switch between Tagalog and Bisaya, the words of which were artfully strung together to at least convey the somber tone to a non-Bisaya-speaking individual.

Regine: The Fairy Gaymother (Virgin Labfest)

While coming-out narratives aren't entirely new, playwright Chuck Smith made the concept fresh by telling its nuances and complexities in just four characters. Regine (played by Anton Diva, then later Phi Palmos for one performance), in particular, added tension to the story as she represented societal pressures of how it is to be gay—a different kind of norm that's ironically perpetuated in queer circles. Adrian Lindayag, in his portrayal of Diego, gave an outstanding performance of a closeted gay who's pulled in all directions, whether by his family, society, culture, or even himself—until that moment of self-affirmation that each one of us desires.

Sadly, The Virgin Labfest did not include Regine: The Fairy Gaymother in its roster of revisited plays for 2024, but we do hope that local productions will pick this up for a restaging.

The Virgin Labfest 2023 ran from June 7 to 25 at Tanghalang Ignacio Gimenez, Cultural Center of the Philippines Complex, Pasay City.

Also read: What We Think of the Virgin Labfest 2023

The Last Five Years (Barefoot Theatre Collaborative)

The beauty of live theater is that when you thought you had already seen a show years ago, seeing it again is an entirely different high. The Last Five Years, for example, already had a local production courtesy of 9 Works Theatrical in 2014; as well as a movie musical adaptation starring Anna Kendrick and Jeremy Jordan. But Barefoot Theater Collaborative's 2023 production gave it a fresh and memorable take with an innovative direction by Topper Fabregas; a unique set design by Joey Mendoza; and an outstanding performance by Gab Pangilinan, whose singing and body language captured her character's complex emotions without faltering.

The Last Five Years ran from September 29 to October 29 at Power Mac Center Spotlight, Circuit Makati, Makati City. More shows were added from November 10 to 12.

Also read: Time Is a Character in The Last Five Years

Kung Paano Nanalo sa Karera si Rosang Taba (Dulaang UP)

Kung Paano Nanalo sa Karera si Rosang Taba is a theater adaptation of Dean Francis Alfar's children's book, How Rosang Taba Won a Race. At the center is Rosa (Kiki Baento), an inspiring character who mustered enough courage to challenge Spanish Pietrado (Victor Sy) amid insults hurled towards her. It's amazing how a play of light design coupled with a stellar performance by Baento can make you believe she was actually in a race in their hometown, a work of magic only theater can do. Set design, led by Mark Daniel Dalacat, was also key in the show as beautiful and small-sized building replicas were pushed around in trolleys to indicate changes in time and space.

Kung Paano Nanalo sa Karera si Rosang Taba ran from March 23 to April 2 at the University Theater Main Stage, University of the Philippines - Diliman, Quezon City.

Lungs (The Sandbox Collective)

When the first few notes of Bloc Party's "Modern Love" dropped in the intro of Lungs, we were immediately transported back to days of youth in the mid-2000s at Cubao X, reminding us that M and W could very well be our friends. The characters are a 30-something couple weighing the pros and cons of bringing another human being into this soon-to-be dystopic world riddled with unbearable heat, low food supply, and extreme weather changes. This intimacy and relatability were further amplified by the setting: an in-the-round performance space with a string of lights flickering, which served as a cue for the rise and fall of emotions within the narrative.

While this isn't the first time that The Sandbox Collective staged the Duncan MacMillan piece, the collaboration between director Caisa Borromeo and actors Brian Sy and Justine Peña, alternately, Reb Atadero and Sab Jose made waves in the post-pandemic comeback of the local company. Peña's performance, in particular, is note-worthy: a fast-paced delivery to complement moments of W's anxiety, a forlorn look in scenes of tenderness, and whatever else the sequences needed.

Lungs ran from June 17 to July 15 at Zobel de Ayala Recital Hall, Maybank Performing Arts Theater, Bonifacio Global City.

Uncle Jane (CAST PH)

Tension was palpable in every move and word spoken by Jane (Missy Maramara), who got stuck looking after the countryside estate of her sister (played by Sarah Facuri). And it's a warranted tension for a story that's all about a group of people mourning their wasted lives, always at the brink of snapping (if they haven't yet). This makes Nelsito Gomez' adaptation of Anton Chekhov’s Uncle Vanya a play that stays with you, especially with a pivotal change to make the titular character a queer woman. Jane's frustrations are not only magnified, but also textured amid gender norms. Maramara's portrayal made almost everyone uncomfortable, but that's what art should do—knock the wind out of you.

Uncle Jane first ran from February 24 to 26 at The Mirror Studios, 5/F SJG building, 8463 Kalayaan Avenue, Makati City. It returned to the stage from September 2 to 10.

Also read:
10 Shows From 2018 That Deserve a Standing Ovation
10 Shows From 2017 That Deserve a Standing Ovation