With the theme “Revolt,” the newly designated national theater company puts the spotlight on literary works by National Artists adapted for the stage

Tanghalang Pilipino (TP) is no stranger to pushing forward brave, relevant stories for the stage. In their last season, one of their most successful productions was the original musical “Pingkian,” about the oft-overlooked young revolutionary hero, Emilio Jacinto. The musical recently garnered 18 nods for the 15th Gawad Buhay Awards first quarter citations, including outstanding original score, original book, and outstanding original musical.

Continuing this legacy, TP recently launched the lineup for their 38th season, highlighting the concept of “revolt,” and the love found at the heart of this radical and transformative idea.

The season will feature stage adaptations of compelling literary works, two of which are by National Artists for Literature.

Kicking off TP’s 38th season is “Balete,” based on National Artist F. Sionil Jose’s novel “Tree.”

While this is not the first ever production of “Balete,” this 2024 version of the play is a devised work in collaboration with the Tanghalang Pilipino Actors Company, using both the original novel and the adaptation written by award-winning playwright Rody Vera. It is set to open on Sept. 13 and will run until Oct. 6. It features the TP Actors Company and Nonie Buencamino (who, interestingly, was also a pioneering member of the TP Actors Company).

Come November, TP will be staging a rerun of the heartwarming children’s musical “Sandosenang Sapatos,” which is based on the short story of the same title by Palanca Award winner Dr. Luis Gatmaitan. The musical recently won the Gawad Buhay award for outstanding production for children.

When asked why they are restaging the musical again, director and TP Actors Company senior member Jonathan Tadioan notes the timeless relevance of the material, especially with its message on the universal power of love, especially within the family.

“Sandosenang Sapatos” will run from Nov. 15 to Dec. 8.

Ending TP’s “Revolt” season is the stage adaptation of the Mike de Leon film “Kisapmata,” which itself is based on National Artist Nick Joaquin’s crime report “The House on Zapote Street.”

It revolves around what seems to be a perfect, normal Filipino family—until its unraveling, triggered when the family’s unica hija falls in love and subsequently marries.

“Kisapmata” will be adapted and directed by award-winning playwright and director Guelan Varela-Luarca, and will feature the Tanghalang Pilipino Actors Company’s senior members Jonathan Tadioan, Marco Viaña, Lhorvie Nuevo-Tadioan, and Toni Go-Yadao.

The play is set to run from Mar. 7 to 30, 2025.

National performing arts company for theater

At the 38th season launch, TP board member John Arcilla announced that the Cultural Center of the Philippines (CCP) and National Commission for Culture and the Arts (NCCA) have designated TP as the national performing arts company for theater for the years 2024 to 2029.

TP was chosen after deliberations of applications by the CCP and NCCA. National performing arts companies are selected as mandated by the National Performing Arts Companies Act (Republic Act No. 11392), which aims to “provide a framework for the selection of National Performing Arts Companies, designating for the purpose of certain performing arts genres and appropriating funds.”

The national status is conferred for a five-year period for companies representing various performing arts genres such as ballet or contemporary dance, theater, orchestra, choral company, and Indigenous performing ensemble.

Among the responsibilities of the designated national companies include continuing programs for training and education for professional development of artists in their field, conducting research related to their genre, and “[undertaking] documentation of its activities and programs for the preservation and dissemination of Filipino masterpieces in the performing arts” as well as developing a “repertoire of original Filipino works that will help define the country’s national cultural identity.”