The award-winning Carlo Vergara, creator of Zsazsa Zaturnnah, explores the influence of social media in Filipino political fandoms in the full-length production entitled Indayugang Banal: Isang Superpowered Komedya.

A study on Filipino political fandoms, it inspects the platform of entertainment, politics, and propaganda and how online presence shapes the mindset of Filipinos towards idolization of public figures.

The two-hour hybrid play transports the audience into a fictional city with growing fanbases for Philippine gods and goddesses. It follows the adventures of the masked hero Buana, who is out to cleanse the metropolis of criminals and supernatural creatures, particularly aswangs; the young Lourdes Remedios, who dreams of becoming a successful vlogger and content creator; and her supportive boyfriend Paolo, who keeps with him a strange and unsettling truth.

Indayugang Banal: Isang Superpowered Komedya is directed by Gawad Buhay Philstage awardee and De La Salle-College of Saint Benilde Theater Arts Program chairperson Tuxqs Rutaquio with dramaturgy by performance scholar Dominique La Victoria. It is produced by Maiba 18 Productions and Teatro 77, two groups of young thespians from the Theater Arts Program of the School of Arts, Culture, and Performance, with the support of fellow student-artists from the Music Production, Multimedia Arts, Production Design, and Architecture programs.

Indayugang Banal is open to the public. It will be on view live at the DAC Theater of the Benilde Design and Arts Campus on 10 and 17 November at 10 a.m. and 3 p.m. and 24 November at 10 a.m. The pre-recorded performances will likewise be available for streaming from 7 to 21 November at 7 a.m., 2 p.m., and 7 p.m.

Live performance tickets are available for P300 at bit.ly/3eOaPFU, while online show tickets are at P280 through ticket2me.net/e/35929. For more information, visit the official Facebook pages of Maiba Productions (www.facebook.com/maiba18prod) and Benilde Theater Arts (www.facebook.com/benildetheaterarts).