Events
Para Kay B Is Getting a September Re-run: Here’s What We Know
Missed its March run? Catch the beloved novel’s return to the stage.
by Leana Vibal
Published on Aug 15, 2025
(SPOT.ph) It wasn't too long ago that National Artist for Film and Broadcast Arts Ricky Lee's beloved debut novel about love, loss, and longing was revitalized for the 2025 stage. Para Kay B just recently closed a sold-out run in March 2025, but it seems that's not the last we'll hear of the play this year.
Good news: Fire and Ice LIVE! and LA ProdHouse are bringing back Para Kay B for a limited re-run this September.
Whether you're an avid theater goer looking for your next show to catch or are a fan of the book looking to dive into Lucas's lovelorn universe, take this as your chance to see Irene, Sandra, Erica, Ester, and Bessie's stories come alive on stage once again.
Here's what we know so far about Para Kay B's rerun this September.
Check out everything we know about Para Kay B's September re-run:
Mark your calendars: Para Kay B is making a theatrical comeback from September 12 to 28 at The Doreen Black Box Theater in the Ateneo de Manila University. Following a sold-out run in March, the production is back to give more audiences a chance to relive the Ricky Lee classic and watch its tangled love stories unfold live.
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The poster for Para Kay B: A Stage Adaptation highlights the fictional writer Lucas alongside the five women starring in this interconnected tale of love. Photo courtesy of Fire and Ice LIVE!.
First released in 2008, Para Kay B weaves together the intertwined love stories of five women, built around the idea that “only one in five people are happy in love.” It's a novel that hits differently every time you pick it up, digging into love, loss, and that never-ending chase for happiness—no wonder it's one of Lee's all-time bestsellers.
Para Kay B has already been staged multiple times through the years, whether that's through university-based theater or in a more professional setup. But this production, directed by Yong Tapang Jr., by playwright Eljay Deldoc for Fire and Ice LIVE and LA ProdHouse, takes a different approach in its storytelling.
"Noong una nilang sinabi sa akin na gagawin nilang stage production itong Para Kay B, ang sabi ko sa kanila ay sana gawin nilang kumpleto," Ricky Lee tells SPOT.ph.
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National Artist for Film and Broadcast Arts Ricky Lee talks about the re-run of Para Kay B: A Stage Adaptation. Photo by Leana Vibal..
Most stage adaptations of Para Kay B stick to the main love stories—either through an anthology format where each chapter stands alone, or by zeroing in on just one tale from the novel. The 2025 production takes it further, weaving the entire book into one continuous narrative—much like the 2018 run at the BGC Arts Center, but now sharper and more refined. It's a welcome surprise for those who caught the first run back in March, and something we will also see this time around.
Deldoc, the production's playwright, jokingly said that when he was first approached about bringing an adaptation of Para Kay B to a 2025 audience, he thought there was little for him to do considering he already penned one years before. However, he was pleasantly surprised at the challenge of condensing all the stories, tying them together for the stage, and making sure he obliged Lee's second and more daunting request.
"Pangalawa, sabi ko sa kanila huwag sana matakpan 'yong kuwento ng writer dito sa Para Kay B kasi hindi siya love stories lang. Tungkol ito sa pagsusulat," says Lee.
From being an underlying, oft-overlooked theme, Lee wanted to emphasize a dive into the creative writing process and reveal a side of writers that not many get to see. For Lee, Para Kay B is more than a love story but a story of creation, of writing, and art.
With this note, Deldoc's 2025 stage adaptation brings all five love stories to life as they weave in and out of each other—and into the world of their fictional author, Lucas—making the very process of writing both a central character and a clever storytelling device. There's also the introduction of more current references to highlight the different political, gender, and identity themes in the overarching plot.
"Isa sa mga pinakamalaking creative decision na isinugal ko para sa play na ito ay iyong pagsama ng audience sa creative process ng writer at iparamdam sa kanila, 'Paano nga ba ito?' But I also had to make sure na hindi ma-alienate 'yong mga non-reader at casual fans kundi sa halip ay mas ma-encourage pa sila na bumalik sa libro at bumili ng libro," says Deldoc.
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Eljay Deldoc is the playwright who faced the daunting task of translating Lee's novel for the stage. Photo by Leana Vibal..
Just like in the March run, it’s up to director Yong Tapang Jr. to bring the story to life as a standalone theatrical work—an art form in its own right. While many of the key details, production elements, and cast from the first staging will return, Tapang still assures audiences that this run is still far from just a repeat.
This September run sees Mario Magallona replacing Nicco Manalo as Lucas, Ava Santos as Bessie, Liza Dino, and new cast member Mosang Bagio alternating as Ester, Martha Comia as Irene, Sarah Garcia as Sandra, and Via Antonio as Erika.
They are also joined by new cast member Phi Palmos as AJ, Manok Nellas and Sarina Sasaki alternating as Sara, Drew Espenocilla as Lupe, Esteb Mara, Jordan Pajara, Jay Gonzaga, Aldo Vencilao, Diving Aucine, and Air Paz.
Expect fresh energy and new perspectives, with new cast members bringing their own spin to the story. But don't worry about the newcomers making the performance too left field, as most, if not all, of them have played roles in previous adaptations of Para Kay B.
Meanwhile, the OG cast and crew are looking to tighten and strengthen previous performances, or as Para Kay B's Erika, Via Antonio calls it, "an opportunity to explore each story deeper" and understand aspects of their characters that were
Simply put, much like picking up the novel after a long time on the shelf, Para Kay B: A Stage Adaptation’s re-run is a chance not only for the cast to step back into their roles, but also for audiences to experience the story with fresh eyes and more open hearts.
When asked why people should catch Para Kay B this time around, Lee has this to say, "The good thing about plays and kaya din nae-excite ako is because nakikita ko siyang nag-g-grow with every performance, gaya ng thoughts ko at natin about love, nag-e-evolve siya."
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Where to get tickets to Para Kay B: A Stage Adaptation?
Para Kay B: A Stage Adaptation runs from all Fridays to Sundays from September 12 to 28, that's a total of only nine shows this time around. You can get tickets to the play online via Ticket2me. Ticket prices start at P2,000 and can go as high as P2,500 for more premium seats.
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Get your tickets ASAP. Don't miss the chance to catch Ricky Lee's Para Kay B on stage. Photo courtesy of Fire and Ice LIVE!.
Para Kay B will run from September 12 to 28 at The Doreen Black Box Theater, Ateneo De Manila University. Tickets are available at Ticket2me. For more information, visit Para Kay B: A Stage Adaptation's Facebook page.
Leana is Spot's go-to for Arts & Culture and Things to Do. On any given day, she’s either glued to her screen—or gliding underwater like the mermaid she swears she is. Contact: leana@spot.ph
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