It is highly likely that there is not one person alive who has not even once in their lives asked for advice — whether it be about identity, real life, coming-of-age and, most importantly, matters of the heart. Some people have even made a living out of it, doling out advice on the daily via the newspaper, online newsrooms, radio programs, or podcasts.

Such is the life of Sugar, the anonymous advice columnist at the center of Cheryl Strayed’s book Tiny Beautiful Things: A Play About Life — In Letters (TBT), inspired by the author’s own life.

Reimagined into a play by actress Nia Vardalos, this story makes it to the Philippine stage as The Sandbox Collective’s 10th anniversary season ender, headlined by actress Iza Calzado and directed by Jennie Jamora. As the curtains go down, perhaps there will exist “an informal community built between advice giver, letter writer and listeners…to become a proxy in being able to open up questions in life one’s been dying to ask but just haven’t had anyone to ask it to,” says Jamora.

In the midst of juggling their busy lives and rehearsal schedules, Calzado and Jamora took the time to ponder how reaching out, and knowing there is someone listening at the other end can make all the difference. Both ladies are taking inspiration from Strayed’s life, picking up lessons from TBT, and her autobiography, Wild, as they prepare for opening night. “I want it to be my own interpretation of Sugar, but still honor Cheryl Strayed,” says Calzado. “I found a lot of parallelisms. The challenge is to shed more of me. I am befriending Cheryl Strayed, and becoming Sugar.” Jamora chimes in saying, “She has the huge and selfless heart of Sugar and the mettle of Cheryl Strayed. We are safe in her hands,” of Calzado.

The task of imagining time and place was Jamora’s, creating a nebulous space that stems from, yet stays within Sugar’s apartment, building the narrative around it as she ‘meets’ her letter writers. How much Sugar shares of herself is reflected in how she and the letter writers share the physical space,” she shares. “The space is physically the same, but toward the end of the play the way they use it should also reflect the community this group of people has become.”