The 16th Gawad Buhay Awards nominations were announced recently. Tanghalang Pilipino’s Kisapmata and The Sandbox Collective’s Side Show” led with 14 nods apiece.

 Kisapmata, an adaptation of the eponymous 1981 film directed by Mike de Leon, garnered nominations across performance, design, direction, with original script by Guelan Varela-Luarca with the TP Actors Company. Side Show, the 1997 Broadway musical about a pair of conjoined twins in vaudeville-era America, scored nominations for the four alternating actresses who played the twins, and for best director. They were also the only show recognized in all design categories.   

Full House Theater Company’s Shrek the Musical, the 2008 Broadway adaptation of the acclaimed animated film, bagged 12 nominations, while Barefoot Theatre Collaborative’s We Aren’t Kids Anymore, a song cycle by Drew Gasparini, followed with nine.

The 16th Gawad Buhay Awards ceremonies will be held on July 28, 2026 at Aliw Theater, Pasay City. 

The 18 eligible Philstage productions were staged between January 1 to December 31, 2025. Nominations were drawn from a pool of 155 citations determined by a 13-person independent jury of theater practitioners, academics, reviewers, and journalists.

 Here is the complete list of nominees by show:

 Kisapmata (Tanghalang Pilipino)

Outstanding Translation / Adaptation (Guelan Varela-Luarca)

Outstanding Choreography (JM Cabling)

Outstanding Costume Design (Bonsai Cielo)

Outstanding Sound Design (Arvy Dimaculangan)

Outstanding Lighting Design (D Cortezano)

Outstanding Set Design (Joey Mendoza)

Female Lead Performance In a Play (Lhorvie Nuevo-Tadioan)

Outstanding Ensemble Performance for a Play

Male Featured Performance in a Play (Marco Viaña)

Outstanding Stage Direction In A Play (Guelan Varela-Luarca)

Outstanding Projection and Video Design (Joey Mendoza, D Cortezano, Justin Santiago, JM Jimenez)

Male Lead Performance in a Play ( Jonathan Tadioan)

Female Featured Performance in a Play (Toni Go-Yadao)

Outstanding Play – Original or Translation/Adaptation

Sideshow (The Sandbox Collective)

Outstanding Musical Direction (Ejay Yatco)

Outstanding Choreography (JM Cabling)

Outstanding Costume Design (Carlos Siongco)

Outstanding Lighting Design (Gabo Tolentino)

Outstanding Sound Design (Aji Manalo)

Outstanding Set Design (Mark Dalacat)

Female Lead Performance in a Musical (Krystal Kane, Molly Langley, Marynor Madamesila, Tanya Manalang)

Male Featured Performance in a Musical (Marvin Ong)

Outstanding Production of Existing Material for a Musical

Outstanding Ensemble Performance for a Musical

Outstanding Stage Direction for a Musical (Toff de Venecia)

Gregoria Lakambini: A Pinay Pop Musical (Tanghalang Pilipino)

Outstanding Book Of A Musical (Nicanor Tiongson, Eljay Castro Deldoc)

Outstanding Original Score (Nica del Rosario, Matthew Chang, Nicanor Tiongson, Eljay Castro Deldoc)

Outstanding Musical Direction (Nica del Rosario, Matthew Chang)

Outstanding Costume Design (Marco Viaña)

Female Featured Performance in a Musical (Heart Puyong)

Outstanding Musical – Original or Translation/Adaptation

Outstanding Ensemble Performance for a Musical

Outstanding Stage Direction for a Musical (Delphine Buencamino)

Via Dolorosa (The Necessary Theatre / WHYNot Manila)

Outstanding Original Score (Gabriel Ramos, Dexter Lansang)

Male Lead Performance in a Play (Bart Guingona) 

Outstanding Stage Direction for a Play (Bart Guingona)

Outstanding Production of Existing Material for a Play

Come From Away (Stages Production Specialists, Inc. with GMG Productions)

Outstanding Musical Direction (Rony Fortich)

Outstanding Sound Design (Luke Swaffield)

Outstanding Set Design (Mikayla Teodoro)

Female Featured Performance in a Musical (Cathy Azanza-Dy, Shiela Francisco)

Outstanding Production of Existing Material for a Musical

Outstanding Ensemble Performance for a Musical

Outstanding Stage Direction for a Musical (Michael Williams)

We Aren't Kids Anymore (Barefoot Theatre Collaborative)

Outstanding Musical Direction (Farley Asuncion, Myke Salomon)

Outstanding Choreography ( Jomelle Era)

Outstanding Lighting Design (D Cortezano)

Outstanding Sound Design (Aron Roca)

Outstanding Set Design (Joey Mendoza)

Female Featured Performance in a Musical (Maronne Cruz)

Outstanding Production of Existing Material for a Musical

Outstanding Ensemble Performance for a Musical

Outstanding Stage Direction for a Musical (Rem Zamora)

Shrek the Musical (Full House Theater Company)

Outstanding Musical Direction (Ejay Yatco)

Outstanding Choreography (Stephen Viñas)

Outstanding Lighting Design (Meliton Roxas Jr.)

Outstanding Set Design (Lawyn Cruz)

Outstanding Projection / Video Design (GA Fallarme, Justin Santiago, JM Jimenez)

Male Lead Performance in a Musical (Jamie Wilson)

Male Featured Performance in a Musical (Topper Fabregas, Alfredo Reyes)

Outstanding Production of Existing Material for a Musical

Outstanding Ensemble Performance for a Musical

Outstanding Production for Children

Outstanding Stage Direction for a Musical (Dexter Santos)

Liwanag Sa Dilim (9Works Theatrical)

Outstanding Projection / Video Design (GA Fallarme)

The Foxtrot (Theater Titas)

Outstanding Original Script (Chesie Galvez-Cariño)

Outstanding Choreography (Paul Alexander Morales)

Female Lead Performance in a Play (Jackie Lou Blanco)

Male Lead Performance in a Play (JC Santos)

Outstanding Play – Original or Translation/Adaptation

Outstanding Stage Direction for a Play (Paul Alexander Morales)

Nobody Is Home (PETA)

Outstanding Original Script (Liza Magtoto, J-mee Katanyag, Nina Gühlstorff, and the cast)

Female Lead Performance in a Play (Meann Espinosa)

Female Featured Performance in a Play (Ute Baggeröhr)

Female Featured Performance in a Play (Susi Wirth)

Outstanding Stage Direction for a Play (Nina Gühlstorff, J-mee Katanyag)

Outstanding Ensemble Performance for a Play

Outstanding Play – Original or Translation/Adaptation

Outstanding Stage Direction for a Play (Nina Gühlstorff, J-mee Katanyag)

Delia D.: A Musical Featuring the Songs of Jonathan Manalo (Full House Theater Company)

Outstanding Projection and Video Design (GA Fallarme, Joyce Garcia)

Outstanding Choreography (Stephen Viñas)

Outstanding Costume Design (Mitoy Sta. Ana)

Outstanding Lighting Design (John Batalla)

Male Lead Performance in a Musical (Phi Palmos)

Male Featured Performance in a Musical (John Lapus)

Alice In Wonderland (Repertory Philippines)

Outstanding Costume Design (Hershee Tantiado, Phillip Domingo)

Art (Repertory Philippines)

Outstanding Sound Design (Fabian Obispo) 

Male Lead Performance in a Play (Brian Sy)

Kaliwaan (Stages Production Specialists, Inc. with MusicArtes, Inc)

Male Lead Performance in a Play (Ron Capinding) 

Let's Do Lunch

Female Featured Performance in a Play (Ash Nicanor) 

Next To Normal (The Sandbox Collective)

Female Lead Performance in a Musical (Nikki Valdez)

Male Featured Performance in a Musical (Vino Mabalot, Benedix Ramos)

 A Christmas Carol (9Works Theatrical)

Male Lead Performance in a Musical (Arnel Carrion)  

Outstanding Production for Children

The Bodyguard: The Musical (9Works Theatrical)

Female Featured Performance in a Musical (Sheena Lee Palad)