'Pingkian: Isang musikal' returns to ignite the stage once more

After a triumphant run and a sweep of major awards, Pingkian: Isang Musikal is making its much-awaited return. The acclaimed production, which won Best Musical at the 2024 Aliw Awards and Outstanding Musical at Gawad Buhay 2025, officially opens Tanghalang Pilipino’s 39th theater season, “IGNITE” (TP39-IGNITE).

The new season celebrates “stories that spark transformation,” according to Tanghalang Pilipino. “Through compelling productions, educational programs, and outreach projects, we aim to sustain the flame ignited by the great minds of our nation’s heroes: Emilio Jacinto, Gregoria de Jesus and Apolinario Mabini, who ignited revolutions of thought and action. This season invites us to carry forward their fight for justice and freedom through theater,” the company stated.

Pingkian, a full-length original musical written by Juan Ekis, follows the life of Emilio Jacinto — often remembered as the “Brains of the Katipunan” — as he grapples with the burdens of leadership during the final years of the Philippine Revolution and the dawn of the Philippine-American War.

Since its premiere, Pingkian has captured both audiences and critics with its stirring narrative and powerful music. It garnered four Aliw Awards, including Best Musical Play, Best Composer for Original Musical (Ejay Yatco), Best Lead Actor in a Musical (Vic Robinson), and Best Featured Actor in a Musical (Marco Viaña).

Its achievements continued at the 2025 Gawad Buhay, where it earned seven awards: Outstanding Musical, Male Lead Performance in a Musical (Robinson), Outstanding Book of a Musical (Ekis), Outstanding Original Score (Yatco and Ekis), Outstanding Musical Direction (Yatco), Outstanding Stage Direction for a Musical (Jenny Jamora), and Outstanding Projection and Video Design (GA Fallarme). Additionally, the text brought home a Carlos Palanca Memorial Award for Literature for Ekis, and the production won a Good Design Award PH for Fallarme’s projection design.

This staging’s cast is led by Vic Robinson as Emilio Jacinto, with Gab Pangilinan as Catalina de Jesus and Florencio Reyes, Tex Ordoñez-De Leon as Josefa Dizon, Kakki Teodoro as Jose Rizal, and Paw Castillo as Andres Bonifacio. Almond Bolante portrays Pio Valenzuela, Joshua Cadeliña plays Lucio/Isyo and Marco Viaña takes on the role of Duktur.

Behind the curtain is an equally impressive creative team: music by Ejay Yatco, direction by Jenny Jamora, choreography by Jomelle Era, production design by Carlo Villafuerte Pagunaling, lighting design by D Cortezano, projection design by GA Fallarme (with JM Jimenez as associate), and sound design and engineering by TJ Ramos.

Pingkian: Isang Musikal runs at the Tanghalang Ignacio Gimenez, CCP Complex, Pasay City, from 12 September to 12 October. Performances are scheduled every weekend, with evening and matinee shows.

With its stirring story, award-winning artistry, and renewed relevance, Pingkian promises to ignite hearts and minds once again — reaffirming the power of theater to illuminate the struggles of the past while sparking hope for the future.