Four decades of mounding sharp Filipino voices on stage.
Lights fade in, enter Tanghalang Pilipino.
As the resident theater company of the Cultural Center of the Philippines, Tanghalang Pilipino (TP) has been making serious waves since it first launched back in 1987. TP has been well-known for bringing bold, powerful, and hard-hitting stories to the stage that completely grips the audience.
From staging banger full length plays like Manila Notes (2018), Ang Pag-Uusig (2017), Nekropolis (2023), to its long-run of historical season with Bayaniverse last year featuring Pingkian: Isang Musikal, Gregoria Lakambini (A Pinay Pop Musical), and Mabining Mandirigma (A Steampunk Musical).
All in Filipino, raw, and rock and roll.
Consequently, for establishing its firm theatrical poetics for years, it’s been evident that TP served as a big contributor in influencing the young independent theatremakers of the now.
Past Forward
Looking ahead, Tanghalang Pilipino is all about pushing Philippine theater to new heights of artistic and professional excellence.
Moreover, while deeply dedicated to training the next generation of Filipino actors, playwrights, and designers, TP affirms huge focus on producing completely original local plays. From the country’s history, alongside fresh translations of international works. They bridge the best of local and global traditions for both the artists and the audience.
Ultimately, they want to spark a deeper cultural consciousness in the community.
Not just through their main stage performances.
But also through hands-on workshops, lively discussions, and direct interactions.
The Line Up: Banger after Bangers
Now on its 40th anniversary, TP reveals their newest theatrical season “Past Forward” with five featured shows.
The season begins with Farewell, Let’s Go to South on July 10 and 11 at the Tanghalang Ignacio Gimenez.
The production utilizes Asian bodies, poetic language, and an imagistic performance space. Reclaiming human qualities diminished by power and control.
Tracing the final reflections of Argentine revolutionary Che Guevara and South Korean labor activist Jeon Tae-il, the performance unfolds as a meditation on conviction, memory, and the cost of resistance.
For this leg, actors from Tanghalang Pilipino are joined by artists from Korea, Japan, and Taiwan, incorporating selections from Filipino revolutionary poet Emmanuel “Eman” Lacaba’s Salvaged Poems.
Following this, Sayaw ng mga Ilaw. Which will run from September 18 to October 11, Fridays to Sundays, at the Tanghalang Ignacio Gimenez.
Based on a children’s short story by Cheeno Marlo Sayuno, adapted by Juan Ekis. The play follows young Laya, who dreams of learning the traditional Pandanggo dance. When her construction-worker father fails to return home, the family is plunged into grief. Laya must navigate her search for healing through the strength of her family.
The Line Up: Classics!
Next, Gregoria Lakambini: A Pinay Pop Musical returns from November 13 to 29, Thursdays to Sundays, at the Proscenium Theater, Rockwell.
Told through the sound and energy of a P-pop girl group, the musical focuses on the journey of Gregoria de Jesus, tracing her transformation from a spirited young woman to the Lakambini of the Katipunan alongside Andres Bonifacio.
In early 2027, Ricardo Segundo will run from February 19 to March 21, Fridays to Sundays, at the Tanghalang Ignacio Gimenez.
Translated in Filipino by Guelan Luarca is William Shakespeare’s Richard II.
The political tragedy explores legitimacy, leadership, and the consequences of corruption as a king’s poor governance fractures his kingdom and sparks a fierce struggle for power.
The milestone concludes with Life Begins! Tanghalang Pilipino’s 40th Anniversary Concert in May 2027 at the newly renovated CCP Main Theater. The concert serves as a tribute to the Filipino playwrights, directors, actors, designers, musicians, and theater makers who have shaped the company’s stages and legacy.
Mark them red on your calendars and don’t miss!
TP40 SEASON PASS
If you want to catch every single show, you can grab a TP40 Season Pass at bit.ly/TP40SeasonPass.
The TP40 Pass includes a guaranteed house seat for each production and a free souvenir program.
Pass holders get a 10% discount on both official merchandise and up to two extra tickets, a 20% discount on costume or prop rentals, and exclusive early bird access to special events.
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