Fringe Manila will showcase plays and musicals coming from big production houses to university theaters. It runs Feb. 12 to March 1 in venues such as the Cultural Center of the Philippines, school buildings and community cafés. Here’s your quick theater guide.

CSB-SDA Black Box Theater
School of Design and Arts Building, College of Saint Benilde, Malate

“Friction: A New Musical,” presented by Ejay Yatco—The journey of a brilliant writer who finds help from a stranger who challenges his whole concept of reality.

“Heads or Tails,” by Mapua Tekno Teatro—Two friends meet in a bar and play a game of dares.

“Playback Theater Performance,” by Manila Playback Theater—The audience tells their story, and the troupe interprets them on the spot, with live music.

“Hope Floats,” by Denise Mordeno Aguila—An original solo theater performance presenting different stories of hope.

“Maikling Dasal, Mahabang Gabi,” by The Scenius Pro—An experimental work of scene studies on how we perceive our human flaws, and how to survive a lonely and absurd life.

“Bulong: Ang Ating Sigaw ng Pagbabago,” by Saint Louis College, Center For Culture and the Arts—Four short one-act plays depicting how people claim to want change but fail to act on it.

“Usapang X,” by FEU Theater Guild—A humorous view of what real people do inside the comfort of their bathrooms. A UP Curtain Call Award winner, written and directed by Dudz Teraña.

“Testigo,” by Dulaang Elyu—A series of monologues on solving the case of the death of a gifted child named Imboy; an antibullying piece children may watch.

“PNU Diaria,” by The Thespian Society—Stories on being “under” (underpaid, undergraduate), with performances motivated by racism, beauty pageants and leadership.

CSB-SDA Theater
School of Design and Arts Building, College of Saint Benilde, Malate

“Haring Lear,” by  Studio Connections International—Adaptation of the Shakespeare tragedy “King Lear” that follows the descent of a king into madness, set in a postnuclear landscape.

“Makikitawag Lang Ako,” by FEU Theater Guild—Risa Jopson’s adaptation of “I Only Came to Use the Phone,” a short story by Gabriel Garcia Marquez tackling the answers to the question, “What would I do for love?” Directed by Dudz Teraña.

“Kyemestry” (Sex, Gender, Love, Experiments),” by Black Canvas—A dramedy that tackles the idea of coming in or out of a relationship.

Augusto-Rosario Gonzalez Theater, CSB
College of Saint Benilde, Taft Avenue, Malate, Manila

“Crossroads 12,” by De La Salle University—A theater festival and competition open to all De La Salle students and alumni. Competing entries are “Who is Alexa,” “Kapatiran,” “Konundrum,” “Friend of Mine,” “That Thing Called Paglimot,” “Apologetics,” “Haraya” and “This is Who We Are.”

Mutien Marie Hall
De La Salle University, Taft Avenue

“Haunted Hall VI,” by DLSU Harlequin Theater Guild—A creative reorchestration of the typical horror house teasing the five senses of the audience.

CCP Main Theater
Cultural Center of the Philippines, Roxas Boulevard

“Manhid: The Pinoy Superhero Musical,” by Ballet Philippines—A dance musical featuring heroes and villains, and a people sick with kamanhiran (apathy) living in an alternate present-day Philippines where the Edsa revolution failed.

Tanghalang Huseng Batute (CCP Little Theater)
Cultural Center of the Philippines, Roxas Boulevard

“The Boy In The Bathroom,” by The Sandbox Collective—A quirky yet compelling musical that explores the relationship between a boy named David and his mother Pam.

“The Pillowman,” by The Sandbox Collective—A postapocalyptic drama that tells the story of brothers Katurian and Michal who are interrogated for a series of child murders.

“Maniacal,” by  Egg Theater—An adaptation of Molière’s “Les Femmes Savantes” which transports the play’s 17th-century bourgeoisie into present-day Manila’s theater.

“Dance Until You Shatter Yourself,” by Green Glass Door—An exploration of the individual’s pursuit of truth throughout one’s lifetime.

“Kwentong Komyut, #MiddleClassProblems,” by ADHD Productions—Everyday struggle of commuters dealing with difficult taxi drivers, confrontations with eccentric copassengers.

“Tungkol kay Angela,” by Destiyero Theater Commune—A couple’s attempt at  a peaceful evening is broken when a young man seeks refuge.

Sev’s Café
Legaspi Towers 300, Roxas Boulevard cor. Ocampo Street, Malate

“Spoken in Tandem,” by Boss Machine—A spoken-word experiment between Bym Buhain and Ber Reyes featuring opposing opinions on love, loss and existence. Irene C. Perez