20 things to know about the 20th Virgin Labfest

This year, The Virgin Labfest (VLF), the annual festival that champions new Filipino plays, celebrates its 20th edition, marking a major milestone.

Whether planning your must-see shows or simply curious about what makes VLF special, here are 20 things you should know about this landmark event.

1. Date, time and venue.

The 20th VLF runs from 11 to 29 June at the Tanghalang Ignacio Gimenez (CCP Black Box Theater). Shows are scheduled twice daily at 2 p.m. (matinee) and 8 p.m. (gala), with educational side events at 5 p.m.

2. New scripts and playwrights.

This year features 12 new one-act plays written by eight “virgin” playwrights, first-time participants, plus four returning writers, showcasing diverse voices and stories.

3. Theme.

The theme for VLF XX is Hinog (Ripe), reflecting stories and characters at pivotal moments of growth, decision, and transformation.

4. What exactly is The Virgin Labfest?

VLF is the Philippines’ only festival dedicated exclusively to untried, untested and unstaged one-act plays, each no longer than 40 minutes. It provides a platform for playwrights to experiment and for audiences to experience original theater.

5. Festival format.

The festival is divided into five sets labeled A, B, C, D, and E. Each set features three new plays, except set E, which revisits standout plays from previous years.

6. Joint production.

VLF is a collaboration between the Cultural Center of the Philippines (CCP), Tanghalang Pilipino Foundation Inc. (TP), and The Writer’s Bloc, a community of playwrights dedicated to new Filipino drama.

7. Founder.

Playwright and veteran theater artist Rody Vera founded VLF and heads The Writer’s Bloc.

8. Set A: Bubot.

Takbo, Batang Tondo by YOJ (directed by Chic San Agustin-De Guzman), about kids’ conflict over theft; Ang Bata Kag Ang Ilaga by Liane Carlo Suelan (directed by siglo), following an orphan boy’s moral dilemma about a lost baby rat; and Polar Coordinates by Ade Valenzona (directed by Paolo O’Hara), about a student struggling with exams, family issues and identity.

9. Set B: Manibalang.

Minating Ni Mariah Ang Manto Ng Mommy Ni Mama Mary by Eljay Castro Deldoc (directed by Dexter M. Santos), about a reformed scammer seeking redemption while guarding a holy relic; Unang Araw by Ivan Villacorta Gentolizo (directed by Cholo Ledesma), about two men on a tense highway journey for political power; and Presidential Suite #2 by Siege Malvar (directed by Johnnie Moran), focusing on a senator accused of corruption and her family facing scandal.

10. Set C: Kinalburo.

Mga Magindara sa Siyudad by Chris Joseph Junio (directed by Riki Benedicto), about two women performers at a peryahan facing the decline of their craft; Ang Problema sa Trolley by Imuthis (directed by Adrienne Vergara), which follows three people confronting personal crises on a bridge at night; and The Late Mister Real by Rolin Migyuel Obina (directed by Maynard Manansala), about a divorced couple facing their past while sending their son abroad during the pandemic.

11. Set D: May Asim Pa.

Anniversary by Nelsito Gomez (directed by Sarah Facuri), about a man revisiting painful memories after his wife’s death; Mommy G by Jobert Grey Landeza (directed by Lhorvie Nuevo-Tadioan), about family tensions at a reunion; and Don’t Meow for Me, Catriona by Ryan Machado (directed by Toni Go-Yadao), about a daughter and her elderly mother confronting regrets while waiting for a bus in Cubao during the pandemic.

12. Set E: Panghimagas.

Identité by Jhudiel Claire Sosa (directed by Meann Espinosa), about a mother and daughter forced to confront a family secret; Pagkapit sa Hangin by Joshua Lim So (directed by José Estrella), about healthcare workers making life-or-death decisions at the height of the Covid-19 delta wave; and Sa Babaeng Lahat by Elise Santos (directed by Caisa Borromeo), about three Catholic schoolgirls grappling with faith, identity, and young love during Bible Week.

13. Founder.

Rody Vera revealed at a recent presscon that VLF began as an informal project among The Writer’s Bloc members in 2005, inspired by a similar Japanese festival. The first year featured eight plays without a public call for submissions, with collaboration among directors and actors from various theater groups.

14. Growth and CCP partnership.

CCP became a full partner in the festival’s second year, sustaining what started as an experiment during June’s “dead months.” That same year marked the birth of Cinemalaya, making June vital for Philippine arts.

15. Educational side events.

Beyond performances, VLF offers staged readings, theater talks, the Playwrights’ Fair, a dramaturgy fellowship exhibit and the Writing Fellowship Program and Showcase to nurture talent and engage audiences.

16. Staged readings.

Selected scripts by Andy Abellar, Matt Ordoñez, M.E. Mejaro and Rex Sandro Nepomuceno are performed as stripped-down readings.

17. Theater talks and Playwrights’ Fair.

Forums explore creative and production processes with conversations featuring renowned playwrights, curated by Vera.

18. Dramaturgy Fellowship Exhibit.

Mentored by Jonas Gabriel Garcia, participants delve into dramaturgy and explore how scripts evolve and shape stage productions.

19. Writing Fellowship Program and Showcase.

Led by award-winning playwright Glenn Sevilla Mas and directed by CCP’s Dennis Marasigan, this two-week mentorship culminates in a public presentation highlighting promising new writers.

20. Celebrity debut: Angelica Panganiban.

A highlight this year is the theatrical debut of acclaimed actress Angelica Panganiban, who will star in Don’t Meow for Me, Catriona (Set D). At the press conference, she shared, “The first thing I told my husband was, ‘Oh no, what now?’ Looks like I’m going to have to work again because I liked the script. The story’s message resonates because it tells the lives of many Filipinos. I’m looking forward to new audiences experiencing this world together.”