Puregold Teatro Panalo just dropped its top 26

Puregold Teatro Panalo just dropped its top 26 | Daily Tribune

Out of 373 entries, 26 one-act plays were picked for the first-ever Puregold Teatro Panalo, taking this brand-new theater competition a step closer to the stage.

The shortlist features both straight plays and musicals from a mix of established theater creators and fresh talent. After sifting through all the submissions, organizers narrowed the list down to these 26 works for the next phase of selection.

Festival chair and Puregold senior marketing manager Ivy Hayagan-Piedad shared that the response to the inaugural contest showed off just how much talent exists in the local theater scene.

“We received a remarkable level of interest in the first Puregold Teatro Panalo,” Hayagan-Piedad said. “The volume and quality of submissions reflect the depth of Filipino talent and the continued vitality of the country’s theatrical community.”

She mentioned that cutting down the entries was a tough job, with the final 26 giving “a compelling mix of stories, perspectives, and creative voices” that could make it all the way to the stage.

Some familiar names on the shortlist

You might recognize a few names on the list from the Philippine theater scene and broader creative community.

Joshua Lim So, who landed on the straight-play shortlist with Walang Maliit na Bagay, is a Carlos Palanca Hall of Fame awardee. He was inducted into the Hall of Fame in 2024 after winning top prize five times. He holds 11 Palanca awards overall, including a 2024 first-prize win for his one-act play Pagkapit sa Hangin.

Lim So also recently hit the stage in PETA’s Ang Babae sa Septic Tank 4, playing a fictional version of himself alongside Eugene Domingo and other theater and film pros. It marked his very first professional acting gig.

Over on the musicals list, Cebuano theater creator Jude Thaddeus Gitamondoc scored a spot with Ang Maayong Balita Sumala Kang Bibo Bautista, one of the 10 shortlisted musicals. Gitamondoc co-wrote the Cebuano Bisrock jukebox musical Gugmang Giatay, which Philippine Daily Inquirer named Best Musical in 2017. He has also served as musical director on Cebu productions of You’re a Good Man, Charlie Brown and The Addams Family.

Jerom Canlas is another talent to watch, shortlisted for Youngstunna. Canlas made his playwriting debut this year at Virgin Labfest XXI with Footprint, a one-act play following a grieving family coping with tragedy. He dedicated the piece to his late brother, JM Canlas.

Then there is John “Sweet” Lapus, who made the straight-play list with True to Life. Lapus got his theater start with Teatro Tomasino at UST and later performed with Dulaang UP in shows like A Midsummer Night’s Dream and Floy Quintos’ Shock Value. After a long break, he returned to the stage, and in 2026 his work Taksyapo! was staged at Virgin Labfest.

Dolly Dulu, shortlisted for The Boy Foretold by the Stars, is another familiar name across different media. Dulu wrote and directed the 2020 film The Boy Foretold by the Stars, which was based on an earlier play, Ang Hangal. The movie went on to become one of the 10 official entries in the 2020 Metro Manila Film Festival.

The shortlist also features Rhain Arabella Alcoriza for the straight play The Girl Scout Law. Alcoriza was selected as one of eight fellows for the Cultural Center of the Philippines’ Virgin Labfest 18 Writing Fellowship Program in 2023, an intensive two-week dramatic writing workshop.

Meanwhile, Steven Hotchkiss, creator of the shortlisted musical Manang-Mana Nga!, continues to perform in big theater shows. In 2026, he played Padre in Repertory Philippines’ production of Man of La Mancha.

Here are the 26 one-act plays that made the cut: 16 straight plays and 10 musicals.

Puregold Teatro Panalo just dropped its top 26 shortlist

Straight plays

Musicals

Only 12 will reach the festival