For years, Philippine theater has largely relied on familiar sources: Western classics, local social realism, biographical musicals and adaptations of popular films. Mythology, when explored, often centers on Greek tales, fairy tales or local folklore.

But YEMAYA, the upcoming production of 9 Works Theatrical, introduces a spiritual tradition still uncommon on the Filipino stage — one originating from the Yoruba religious traditions of West Africa and later practiced across parts of Latin America and the Caribbean through Afro-diasporic communities.

Originally written as Yemaya’s Belly by Pulitzer Prize-winning playwright Quiara Alegría Hudes, the story takes its name from Yemaya, a maternal water deity worshipped in Yoruba religion and later embraced in Afro-Caribbean traditions such as Santería and Candomblé. Yemaya is commonly associated with motherhood, water, protection, fertility and healing.

That world now arrives in Filipino through the translation of playwright Eljay Castro Deldoc.

A mythology unfamiliar — yet familiar

What makes YEMAYA particularly interesting in the Philippine context is how its cultural and spiritual imagery echoes experiences recognizable to many Filipinos despite originating from another part of the world.

The Philippines, like many Caribbean and Latin American nations influenced by Yemaya traditions, is an archipelago closely tied to the sea. Water separates families, supports livelihoods, causes destruction and connects communities across islands. In that sense, the world surrounding Yemaya may feel unfamiliar in origin but recognizable in spirit.

The production follows a young boy journeying across lands and seas in search of where he belongs. Beneath the fantasy is a story about identity, longing and the search for place — themes that resonate in a country familiar with migration and movement across islands and borders.

Expanding worlds seen onstage

While Philippine theater has long embraced mythology and folklore, YEMAYA introduces audiences to spiritual traditions and cultural imagery less commonly seen in local mainstream productions.

The play combines fantasy with a coming-of-age story about identity and belonging. It also highlights parallels between Latin American storytelling traditions and Filipino sensibilities.

Though separated geographically, both cultures share histories influenced by colonialism, Catholicism, oral storytelling traditions, and close relationships with the sea. Deldoc’s Filipino translation presents Hudes’ work through a local linguistic and cultural lens.

In doing so, YEMAYA places Afro-Caribbean mythology alongside themes recognizable to many Filipino audiences, including migration, spirituality and life connected to the sea.

Intimate storytelling 

The production also arrives at a time when Philippine theater continues to experience renewed commercial momentum after the pandemic, with large-scale musicals, celebrity casting, and social media-driven attention bringing audiences back into theaters.

Against that backdrop, YEMAYA differs from the larger commercial productions often associated with 9 Works Theatrical. Instead of emphasizing spectacle or familiarity, the production appears to prioritize intimate storytelling, mythology and character-centered narrative.

Its staging at The Black Box at The Proscenium Theater rather than a larger venue also suggests a more contained staging experience. In that sense, YEMAYA also reflects an ongoing conversation within Philippine theater about the place of smaller and more reflective works alongside blockbuster productions.

YEMAYA runs on Fridays, Saturdays, and Sundays from 13 June to 5 July at The Black Box at The Proscenium Theater, Rockwell Makati.