Daily Tribune‘Dalaga na si Maxie Oliveros: A Drag Musical Extravaganza’ continues the story of Maxie of the film classic ‘Ang Pagdadalaga ni Maximo Oliveros’ as she explores the world drag and come to terms with a childhood trauma.
After 20 years, the beloved gay film, Ang Pagdadalaga ni Maximo Oliveros (The Blossoming of Maximo Oliveros), is getting a sequel, but it will be a stage musical.
The original film, ‘Ang Pagdadalaga ni Maximo Oliveros’ (2005), has become a beloved classic.
Photograph courtesy of Cinemalaya Foundation
Presented by J+ Productions and line-produced by PETA Plus of the Philippine Education Theater Association (PETA), Dalaga na si Maxie Oliveros: A Drag Musical Extravaganza goes onstage from 13 to 22 June at the Illumination Studio in Makati City, in time for the celebration of LGBTIQ+ Pride Month.
Directed by Auraeus Solito (Kanakan Balintagos) and written by Michiko Yamamoto, the original 2005 film is about the coming-of-age story of a 12-year-old boy from a family of petty thieves who love him, who falls in love with an idealistic, handsome police officer. When it premiered at the first Cinemalaya Philippine Independent Film Festival, the movie broke ground for presenting a very truthful and poignant LGBTQ+ story when there was still a dearth LGBTQ+ representations and narratives, and immediately became a landmark film, beloved by the LGBTQ+ community, as well as the general public.
In 2013, a stage version, Maxie the Musicale, was created by Bit by Bit Company with book and lyrics by Nicolas B. Pichay, and direction and choreography by Dexter M. Santos, and it also became a hit.
“Bihira naman talaga ang mga material (Material comes rarely) to begin with, specifically talking about the experience of an LGBTQ and a representative of the community. Parang importante siya na material (It seems an important material) to represent also the development of the community, the drag culture. Itong production na ito (This production), it can contribute to that narrative, ‘yung sa canon na ‘yon (of that canon),” said Melvin Lee, a PETA actor who is directing Dalaga na… for the first time.
Debut to drag
The reference point of Dalaga na si Maxie Oliveros is Maxie the Musicale, especially in terms of the character’s timeline. Dalaga na… follows Maxie as a 17-year-old transgender girl, who would turn 18 within the span of the play, which is set in 2018, during the height of the infamous and bloody “war on drugs” of the administration of then President Rodrigo Duterte. Maxie suffers from the trauma of witnessing her father being killed by a police officer, and finds her way into drag.
Lee revealed that Maxie has been joining beauty contests but is set on leaving the beauty contest world because of a bad experience. A drag queen would bring her to a drag bar and introduce her to the drag community.
“In her journey in the drag community, she will find a new kind of family and a support system,” Lee said.
Dalaga na… is also an exploration into and, for some, an introduction to what drag is about.
“Parang sa akin…lagyan natin ng kaluluwa at persona at pagsilipin natin ng tunay na buhay ng mga (For me, let’s put some soul and persona and examine the lives of) drag queens. Hindi lang sila (They are not just) all about lip-sync and bigness and all that. There is a reason for that. It’s their way of asserting their role in the community, and Maxie is just a representation, it’s a ploy actually, to look into the drag culture,” Lee explained.
“Ako personally as a director na parang when you look at drag now, you don’t just look at the facade of it and the fabulosity of it, but also, there’s a dimension already,” he added.
“I want the audience to see the human side of drag performers. Let us go beyond the facade, the fabulosity, but there is a person behind it, and there is in every performance that they do is actually their expression and their statement to whatever context that they are in,” the director emphasized.
Updating the context
Drag, a queer creative expression that was once considered “underground,” has become popular and seeped into mainstream culture in recent years. It has also found its way to theatrical productions, the latest of which is the ongoing Delia D.: A Musical Featuring the Songs of Jonathan Manalo at the Newport Performing Arts Theater in Pasay City. For Lee, it is also an element to “update” the queer landscape in the Maxie Oliveros story.
He shared that he met the people behind the public relations and events company, J+Productions, in February 2025 and they were planning to restage Maxie the Musical for their 15th anniversary on 23 June. He suggested bringing the story to the current times rather than stay with the original context set in 2013. Because drag culture is so rich nowadays, he thought of making the character enter the woprld of drag.
“So, I conceptualized it and proposed it to J+Productions and then I collaborated with the new writers from PETA, Julia Icawat Enriquez and Mikaundre Gozum Santos,” he said.
The creative team also includes JJ Pimpinio, who handles the musical direction and arrangement, and wrote three original songs for the play; Meann Espinosa as assistant director; J-mee Katanyag as script consultant; Gio Gahol as choreographer; Charles See as set designer; Tata Tuviera as costume designer; Jana Jimenez as video projection designer; David Esguerra as lighting designer; Loren Rivera as technical director; Happy Constantino and Arvy Dimaculangan as sound designers; and Ghie Bernardo as sound engineer.
The production employs real drag queens — Zymba Ding, Corazon, Mrs. Tan, and Winter Sheason Nicole — acting alongside actors playing drag queens, Jem Manicad, Gerhard Krystoppher and Gabriel Villaruel. The rest of the cast is composed Ado Villanueva, Air Paz, Gerald Magallanes, Honey Bravo, Jay Cortez, Marit Samson, Misha Fabian and Robert Macaraeg.
The cast of ‘Dalaga na si Maxie’ includes real drag queens Zymba Ding, Corazon, Mrs. Tan and Winter Sheason Nicole.
Photograph courtesy of PETA
Drag queen Mrs. Tan in a major number in the play.
Corazon, known for her stint in ‘Drag Race Philippines,’ with Jamila Rivera as Maxie Oliveros.
Taking the role of Maxie is a relative theater newbie — Jamila Rivera, a queer college student from Naga City.
Jamila Rivera takes on the role of Maxie Oliveros, who transforms into a drag queen.
Passion project
Dalaga na si Maxie Oliveros is the first original production of J+ Productions, which usually mounts shows and events for their clients.
“This whole project is a true passion project for our team. It’s our way of creating a safe, welcoming space for the LGBTQIA community and shining a spotlight on the incredible impact of the drag community, which has always been bold, brave and beautifully unapologetic. A community whose impact continues to shape culture and spark conversations that truly matter,” said Precious Cruz-Bautista, J+ Productions chief operating officer and marketing director.
Aside from being their way of celebrating their anniversary, the musical is made more special as their offering in the celebration of LGBTIQ+ Pride Month.
“Pride Month is always a special time, but for us, it’s more than just a celebration. It’s a powerful tribute to courage, love and authenticity. And it’s a hopeful reminder of the future we believe in. A future where everyone, no matter who they are or who they love, is seen, valued and free to live with dignity and equal rights,” Cruz-Bautista said.
She added: “Pride began as a protest. Today, it’s a celebration and a call to action and we are so proud to be part of that movement.”
Not just capitalizing on the occasion, J+ Productions also finds a way of contributing to the LGBTIQ+ cause and giving back to the community.
“We’re incredibly proud to be partnering with PANTAY, a powerful youth-led movement championing equality and human rights,” Cruz-Bautista shared. “As our beneficiary, a portion of our proceeds will support their vital work in pushing for gender transformative legislation and creating safe, inclusive spaces for all. Together, we’re helping build a future grounded in respect, dignity and justice for every SOGIESC identity.”
Dalaga na si Maxie Oliveros: A Drag Musical Extravaganza will run on 13 June at 8 p.m.; 14 and 15 June at 2 p.m. and 8 p.m.; 17 to 20 June at 8 p.m.; and 21 and 22 June at 2 p.m. and 8 p.m. Tickets are now available for purchase through https://ticket2me.net/dalaga-na-si-Maxie at P2,500 each. For further information, follow https://web.facebook.com/dalaganasimaxie, https://www.instagram.com/dalaganasimaxie/ and https://x.com/dalaganasimaxie.
