In times of struggle, comes a response.”
Laurence De Vera, a Bulacan-based theater and film writer-director on founding BULAKTA THEATER as one of splurging independent theater companies challenges the elitist narrative on the theatermakers’ agency in creating.
De Vera studied a degree in Performing Arts at Bulacan State University. He has directed two short films with his first being the short film Ang Mabuhay, 2022 which was an official selection for two international film festivals. His second short film was fifty-fifty (2024) which was an official selection for the 50th MMFF Student Shorts Competition.
An alumni of CCP’s VLF: Writing Fellowship Program where he conceived Isang Gabi, a timely play about the drug war. He was also a two time Best Director winner for the Tanghalaya Theater Festival and also the playwright of the regional award winning play Mali Ba Ang Mangarap Sa Mundong Puno Ng Takot? (Maling-Mali!).
The Philippine Theatre, to many headlines, is “alive” with its splurging Westernized plays. In the form of full length ‘filipino’ musicals with its expensive ticket shows. Held in prestigious venues, show tickets and unjust commute fair maxes the most out of its general audience.
The Necessity of Bulakta Theatre
With Laurence De Vera’s background in the local art scene, first as a filmmaker and now also a theater practitioner, it was only natural for him to have the goal in creating Bulakta. This driving force is to shed light onto an amazing artform that must be done, he asserts.
The lightbulb moment that led De Vera into founding the theater company was when he discovered a local theater group, Centerstage Performing Arts Group (CPAG). The first independent group to hold shows in a small space in Malolos, Bulacan during the Post-pandemic new normal shift in 2020.
There are so many talented artists in Malolos—not only in theater but in the scene as a whole. I figured while a theater group exists, there is almost none that caters to the contemporary audience that showcases contemporary stories.”
On championing regional talent, De Vera also affirms that there is always an identity that comes from a specific place. Derived from the lack of space for rehearsals and shows, De Vera opened the comfort of his home for film viewings and show rehearsals — now The Back Studio, as its place-name located at the heart of Alido, Malolos.
In today’s political climate, crazy things are happening in our country. If this causes shows to be postponed or not created at all—-artists will find another way.”
All it takes is a small space, and a few like-minded people to share beers with.
What pushes artists to go Indie
Despite having the same intentions in order for the artform to fully thrive, the industry landscape is still struggling with logistic and financial barriers. For independent creatives like De Vera, going independent is the only way to stage their works out.
It’s not as inclusive as people think it is. As a theater practitioner, I can say that it was kind of easy for me to get into it. But theater is expensive and of course with a dash of gatekeeping from the community, it is a very hard artform to get into. “
As he attempts on reclaiming the independent making on stage, De Vera iterates that it took him years to finally get a “big break” when he was selected as a writing fellow participant at the CCP’s VLF Writing Fellowship Program.
Being in the prestige writing bubble, he was able to meet great people from the industry. Some became peers that he has collaborated with.
Laurence De Vera also affirms that opportunities like these, despite meeting standards and being great, still requires an amount of ‘luck’, especially to younger theatre practitioners who weren’t fortunate enough to watch plays and network with fellow creatives.
Bulakta opens The Back Studio
As many independent theatermakers believe, theater is not alive. Too many broadway fans as it is, a grand musical number does not reflect the current pulse of the nation.
Like many things in this country—distractions happen night and day.”
It is significantly harder to mount big performances nowadays. Lately, stage readings have become increasingly popular in the local theater scene.
Why?
Stage readings happen because it is a response to an era of art where there is a lack of space and time to make and mount something. In the midst of an energy crisis, stage readings just seemed like an easier and cheaper alternative to mount a show—but now, it is a product of its time, our time.
The theater scene is starting to reclaim their voices with a music stand and script. An event that solely focuses on the text, allowing audiences to be more literate on the current world. Staged Readings is no news to this day. The only limiting pool is that everything happens in Manila. Held in cafes and rental studios. For Bulakta, Staged Readings should know no place. As De Vera says, it’s a hard industry to get into,
So why not make our own?”
The Back: Stage Reads
Laurence De Vera and BULAKTA THEATER launched its first ever Staged Reading Show that features three one-act straight plays written by Bulakenyo Playwrights. “The Back” is the company’s makeshift studio space where the pocket shows will take place. Staged readings, cultural events, and workshops. Coined under the title The Back: Staged Reads, the featured plays include: Lukob by Cloudette Hidalgo, and Quatro Kantos by Miguel Adriano.
Along with the featured plays of The Back: Staged Reads is his feature play “Isang gabi”, a timely play about the drug war which he conceived at the CCP’s VLF: Writing Fellowship Program. The story follows a young journalism student who meets face-to-face with an EJK hitman after capturing him at work in the streets of Caloocan City.
Catch “The Back: Staged Readings” as it’s a one-night only show and will be held at the cozy home of De Vera’s family in 118 Everlasting Street, Alido, Malolos, Bulacan. The door opens at 05:00PM, May 30, 2026, Saturday.
In a time, where it is the most difficult to gather people in a space to partake in a cultural activity, is also a time where it is most important to do it.
Now, why do you need to support independent theater? Because independent shows are often a reminder of the now.
Of what is really happening.
Because we desperately need to remind ourselves—ano ba ang kasalukuyang pulso ng bansa?
Connect with BULAKTA THEATER.
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