Fresh faces of stage
Over the next few months, these four faces will light up the stage with serious main character energy – literally and figuratively.
Daily TribuneOver the next few months, these four faces will light up the stage with serious main character energy – literally and figuratively.
It has been said that all the world’s a stage? Philippine theater has taken this declaration literally in recent years, with plays and musicals opening across the metro at a mile a minute. These shows have also become a playground for young artists to flex their acting muscles and powerful vocals in an evolving theatrical space. Among these are four actors — Sheena Belarmino, KD Estrada, Benedix Ramos and Molly Langley — whose passion for performance is reshaping the way stories are told on stage today.
Sheena Belarmino
At just 20 years old, Sheena Belarmino already has quite a storied career since her days as a child star. She made the leap into musical theater playing Eds/Panyang in the PETA’s adaptation of the TV series Tabing Ilog in 2023 and reprising the role for the 2024 rerun. She then gave the stage One More Chance, as Tricia, the girlfriend who helps Popoy heal from heartbreak, in the screen-to-stage adaptation set to the music of Ben & Ben.
SHEENA Belarmino is having a stellar year with one role after another.
Photograph courtesy of Theater group asia
Since then, Belarmino has been a theater mainstay, taking on complex roles that belie her young age. Working with the Sandbox Collective, the actress challenged her acting and singing chops via two dramatic roles — as the neglected daughter Natalie Goodman in Next To Normal, and as Wendla Bergman in Spring Awakening, earning her critical acclaim.
This year, she balances a hectic schedule of school, rehearsals, and shows with much aplomb. Belarmino is in the midst of playing Maya in her first straight play, 9Works Theatrical’s Yemaya, which runs until the first week of July. In between, she juggles her showbiz commitments, while getting ready to play Young Allie in Theatre Group Asia’s The Notebook opening this September.
Benedix Ramos
While singer and actor, Benedix Ramos already had a teleserye and the BL film Better Days under his belt, it was his stint on Pinoy Big Brother: Kumunity Season 10 that made him a household name. Roles in shows like My Fantastic Pag-Ibig and Love In 40 Days soon followed — until theater came a-calling in 2022. And he hasn’t looked back since.
Playing Erik in Bar Boys, The Musical earned Benedix Ramos a Gawad Buhay citation for his performance.
Photograph courtesy of Barefoot Theatre Collaborative
Ramos found himself fully immersed in life on the stage, cast in a wide variety of roles showcasing his versatility as an actor. He started out as an understudy in the long-running Ang Huling El Bimbo: The Musical, but his breakthrough happened playing law student Eric Vicencio in Bar Boys: The Musical in 2024 — earning him a Gawad Buhay citation for his performance. Ramos reprised the role in Bar Boys redux last year.
The actor would be reunited with Tabing Ilog: The Musical co-star Belarmino, where he played Andoy and Rovic, in a number of shows over the next two years. First up was 2025’s Next To Normal, as her elder brother Gabe Goodman. This year, Ramos works with her anew — playing opposite her as Jesus/Mulo in Yemaya, and again, as Young Noah in The Notebook. “It is very comforting to be performing with Sheena again. We’re so used to each other that we know how to balance each other out on stage,” says the actor.
Molly Langley
British-Filipina actress’ Molly Langley’s passion for the stage started at a young age — after watching Wicked on the West End. She would complete formal training at Performers College in the UK, before working as a performer aboard Royal Caribbean, and Celebrity Cruise Lines. But in early 2024, she found herself thrust out on to the stage, and the rest is history.
Gloria Estefan has been one of Molly Langley’s inspirations and getting to play her is a huge honor.
Photograph COURTESY OF 9 works
The actress made her Manila theatrical debut as Mimi Marquez in RENT, firmly placing her as a triple threat actress. After placing sixth in the GMA TV singing competition The Clash, she quickly made her way back with a Gawad Buhay nominated turn as Violet Hilton in Sandbox’s Sideshow, followed by a part in the holiday favorite A Christmas Carol.
Langley was recently cast in what she considers her dream role — Gloria Estefan in the upcoming production of 9Works’ On Your Feet: The Story Of Emilio and Gloria Estefan this July. “Gloria’s journey is one of resilience, passion, and unwavering determination. It is a privilege to help bring that story to life on stage,” she enthused.
KD Estrada
Tall, goodlooking, and talented, KD Estrada is, by all definitions, a movie star. Finding fame post-PBB Kumunity Season 10, he went on to appear in a number of TV series, including 2023’s Pira-Pirasong Paraiso, and the film Fruitcake in 2024. He would also become one half of the popular love team, KDLex, with Alexa Ilacad.
KD Estrada’s career as an actor has taken him from the screen to the stage.
Photograph COURTESY OF Newport Performing Arts Theater
In 2023, Estrada took a leap into the world of theater. He and Ilacad were cast as Tenyong and Julia in the new PETA original musical production Walang Aray, based on Severino Reyes’ zarzuela Walang Sugat. It was a learning experience for the actor, but one that inspired him to add theater to his career repertoire.
Estrada would not return to the stage until 2026 — doing so with two major roles. First up was the coming-of-age spectacle that was PETA Plus’ Bagets: The Musical, as rich kid Arnel, a role originally played by Raymund Lauchengco in the original ‘80s film. Most recently, it was announced that the actor would play down-to-earth folk rock singer Burn in the new original production Bongga Ka ‘Day slated to open in September at the Newport Performing Arts Theater.
Over the next few months, these four faces will light up the stage with serious main character energy — literally and figuratively. KD Estrada, Benedix Ramos, Sheena Belarmino and Molly Langley have claimed their turn in the spotlight as the next generation of theater artists. As the industry rides the wave of its current renaissance, these four are proof of concept that when heart and talent come together, we are rewarded with stories that leap off the script and the stage, sweeping us into new worlds of their imagining.