Arts & Culture (12/04/25)

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Stephanie Syjuco goes to Ayala Museum

THE SECOND iteration of Stephanie Syjuco’s show Inherent Vice is now in Ayala Museum. First shown at Silverlens Manila in 2024, the exhibit culminates five years of exploring American museums and institutional archives for representations of the Philippines during the American occupation. In it, she leaves documentary photographs unedited, reveling in their materiality, presented in thematic piles with editorial marks, handwritten labels, and portions of envelopes. It highlights evidence of material that passed through the hands of journalists, editors, librarians, archivists, and researchers for over half a century, featuring photos from the defunct Manila Chronicle now housed in the Lopez Museum and Library archives, with additional material from the Filipinas Heritage Library. It runs until Feb. 26 at the Ayala Museum in Makati City.

Manila Society of Theater Reviewers formally launched

A NEW collective of longtime Manila theater critics has formally come together with the launch of the Manila Society of Theater Reviewers (MSTR). The group aims to deepen public conversation around the fast-expanding theater landscape in the capital. It brings together reviewers whose bylines have shaped coverage across major print and digital platforms for years. MSTR hopes to fill the gap in thoughtful discussion by championing reviews that offer context, clarity, and perspective. A central online hub, mstrawards.com, will host member information, updates, and published work as the group rolls out its initiatives. MSTR is now on Facebook and Instagram.

Theatre Group Asia reveals full cast for A Chorus Line

AFTER a six-month casting process spanning New York, Manila, Cebu, Bacolod, and Davao, Theatre Group Asia (TGA) has announced the full cast of its production of A Chorus Line, to be directed and choreographed by Emmy Award-winner and Broadway director Karla Puno Garcia. Joining Tony and two-time Grammy Award nominee Conrad Ricamora as Zach, and Fil-Am Broadway triple threat Lissa de Guzman as Cassie are Renee Albulario, Angelo Soriano, Michaela Marfori, Jordan Andrews, Rapah Manalo, Ken San Jose, Stephen Viñas, Mikaela Regis, Iya Villanueva, Universe Ramos, Ricardson Yadao, Julio Laforteza, Brie Chappell, Sam Libao, Alyanna Wijangco, Jessica Carmona, Luca Olbes, Jim Ferrer, Winchester Lopez, Rofe Villarino, Lord Kristofer Logmao, Paulina Luzuriaga, Anna del Prado, Vince Denzel Sarra, Franco Ramos, and Anyah de Guzman.

MOL becomes gold donor of Museo del Galeón

SHIPPING company Mitsui O.S.K. Lines, Ltd. (MOL) has officially become a gold donor of the Museo del Galeón, the Philippines’ first immersive maritime heritage museum located in Pasay City. The Museo Del Galeón will showcase the Philippines’ historical and contemporary contributions to maritime global commerce. Through interactive exhibits and educational programs, the museum will honor the legacy of Filipino seafarers and the nation’s enduring connection to the sea. It is set to open in 2026, with the goal to highlight the Philippines’ role in maritime history, from precolonial seafaring traditions and the Manila-Acapulco galleon trade to the global impact of today’s Filipino seafarers, spanning 9,000 square meters and anchored by an explorable, full-scale representation of a 17th century galleon.

PETA producing Ang Babae Sa Septic Tank 4

THE Philippine Educational Theater Association (PETA) has announced the newest addition to the iconic Ang Babae Sa Septic Tank universe. After two blockbuster films and one hit series, the franchise will leap from screen to stage with its live theatrical installment, set to run from June 19 to Aug. 16, 2026, at the PETA Theater Center. It aims to be a chaotic, sharp-witted look at the world of Philippine theater-making, taking audiences behind the curtain and exposing the ego, ambition, absurdity, and mess that fuels the industry today. Returning to the lead role is Eugene Domingo as herself, joined by everybody else in the theater world as themselves. Audience members who sign up until Dec. 7 via bit.ly/PETASepticTank4Waitlist will be next in line to purchase.

Tugtugan Pamorningan gets book award

THE 25th Madrigal Gonzalez First Book Awards has given a special recognition citation to Susan Claire Agbayani for her book Tugtugan Pamorningan: The Philippine Music Scene (1990-1999). It recognized the book’s “documentation of the 1990s Philippine music scene with precision, affection, and historical insight, tracing how alternative rock, OPM, jazz-bar subcultures, indie movements, and club nightlife converged into a generational movement.” It acknowledged Ms. Agbayani’s work which “transforms music journalism into an act of cultural stewardship, reminding us how sound can shape identity, resistance, and memory.”

Areté unveils second season

ARETÉ has revealed the lineup for the second season of “Pumpon ng Rosas,” which showcases original in-house theatrical productions. The announcement was made by Areté technical director D Cortezano following Si Faust, the final show in the company’s debut season. Slated from 2026 to 2027, Areté’s sophomore season will have a trio of productions: Subversive Lives, a play exploring the struggles of a family during the Martial Law era, to be directed by Delphine Buencamino; an adaptation of the opera Carmen, to be directed by Jaime del Mundo; and Fili, an adaptation of Jose Rizal’s novel El Filibusterismo, with Guelan Luarca as writer and Nelsito Gomez as director.

Benilde launches publication arm

IN ORDER to support and recognize authors and content creators, the De La Salle-College of Saint Benilde (DLS-CSB) has launched the Benilde Romançon Press as its official imprint and publishing arm. It is accredited by the Intellectual Property Office of the Philippines, which manages the publishing license issued by the National Book Development Board to the college. The initiative was spearheaded by the Center for Intellectual Property Management. The Benilde Romançon Press will provide avenues for publishing original creative works of fiction, research, and new ideas. Interested applicants are encouraged to participate in the annual Intellectual Property (IP) and Publishing Workshop, followed by the open call for book proposal submissions. Entries will undergo a blind review before a panel of experts. For more details, visit DLS-CSB’s social media pages.