Tanghalang Pilipino marks 40th year with 'Past Forward' season

Tanghalang Pilipino is celebrating four decades of Philippine theater with a new season that looks back on its artistic legacy while exploring the future of Filipino storytelling onstage.

The Cultural Center of the Philippines’ resident theater company unveiled its 40th theater season, titled “TP40: Past Forward,” which will feature an international collaboration, a children’s production, a returning P-pop musical, a Filipino adaptation of a Shakespeare classic, and an anniversary concert.

“As Tanghalang Pilipino marks its 40th year, we look back on the stories, artists, and traditions that shaped us, while recognizing our responsibility to carry them forward,” the company said in its season announcement.

Founded in 1987 as the resident theater company of the CCP, Tanghalang Pilipino has staged more than 274 full productions across 39 theater seasons while promoting Filipino theater rooted in the country’s culture, history, and language.

The season opens in July with “Farewell, Let’s Go to the South,” a one-weekend intercultural collaboration involving artists from Taiwan, South Korea, Japan, and the Philippines. The production explores themes of conviction, memory, resistance, and sacrifice through the stories of Argentine revolutionary Che Guevara, South Korean labor activist Jeon Tae-il, and Filipino revolutionary poet Emmanuel “Eman” Lacaba.

In September, Tanghalang Pilipino will stage “Sayaw ng mga Ilaw,” a theatrical adaptation of Cheeno Marlo Sayuno’s children’s story by playwright Juan Ekis. The production follows a young girl named Laya as she navigates grief and healing through family, dance, and hope.

The company’s hit production “Gregoria Lakambini, A Pinay Pop Musical” will return in November following successful runs in 2025 and 2026. The musical tells the story of Gregoria de Jesus, widow of Andres Bonifacio and one of the key figures of the Philippine Revolution, through the music and energy of a P-pop girl group. The production previously earned eight nominations at the 16th Philstage Gawad Buhay Awards.

Also included in the season is “Ricardo Segundo,” director Guelan Varela-Luarca’s Filipino translation and staging of William Shakespeare’s “Richard II.” The production examines themes of power, leadership, legitimacy, and political accountability through the story of a king whose rule begins to collapse.

The season will culminate in May 2027 with “Life Begins!,” a special anniversary concert celebrating Filipino playwrights, directors, actors, designers, musicians, and theater makers who have helped shape Philippine theater over the past four decades.

More than a season theme, Tanghalang Pilipino said “Past Forward” serves as a reflection on how theater can continue to remain relevant, responsive to contemporary issues, and meaningful for future generations. — LA, GMA News