Official promotional artwork for Rizal 3000 . Image courtesy of PhilStagers Theatre Foundation. The most interesting thing about Rizal 3000 is not simply that it places José Rizal inside a science fiction story. It imagines a future where remembering him has become illegal. PhilStagers Theatre Foundation opens its new original Filipino musical on August 8 and 9, 2026 at St. Cecilia's Hall, St. Scholastica's College Manila. Written and directed by Vincent M. Tañada, the production sends Rizal's ideas into a fictional Philippines almost a thousand years into the future. RIZAL 3000: QUICK FACTS August 8, 2026 at 6:00 PM August 9, 2026 at 5:00 PM St. Cecilia's Hall St. Scholastica's College Manila Written and directed by Vincent M. Tañada Music by Pipo Cifra Presented by PhilStagers Theatre Foundation A Philippines where history is forbidden Rizal 3000 is set in a co...

Four films by Benilde faculty members and alumni are competing at Cinemalaya 2026: The River Flows in Different Places , A.ni.mál , Status: Rejected , and Elenita Elena Elaine . Composite image by Unsaulicited using posters courtesy of De La Salle-College of Saint Benilde. Benilde will not be represented by just one film at Cinemalaya this August. Four works by members of the De La Salle-College of Saint Benilde faculty and alumni community are in competition, and they could hardly be more different from one another. One follows two Filipino-Palestinian mothers rebuilding their idea of home after fleeing Gaza. Another turns political complicity inside a provincial family into black comedy. The other two follow an older woman looking for love after another visa rejection and three women moving through a Manila where people can no longer dream. Quick facts Festival: Cinemalaya 22: Reel Reflections Dates: August 6...

At a glance: On Your Feet! The Story of Emilio and Gloria Estefan is entering the final stretch of its Manila run at the Proscenium Theater in Rockwell Center, Makati. Presented by Rockwell and 9 Works Theatrical, the production stars Kayla Rivera and Molly Langley, alternating as Gloria Estefan, opposite Cuban-American actor Jason Canela as Emilio Estefan. The Manila production of On Your Feet! brings the music, movement, and story of Gloria and Emilio Estefan to the Proscenium Theater. Photo courtesy of Rockwell. If a production is selling Gloria Estefan, it has to look like it can move. The Manila staging does. On Your Feet! arrives with bright lights, a full ensemble, bodies constantly in motion, and stage pictures that seem to come with their own rhythm. It pushes toward the edges of the Proscenium Theater stage without losing the people at the center of the music. That movement is part of what makes the production work. Audiences arr...

Manila is getting its own Yule Ball this September, and this one invites Harry Potter fans to become part of the celebration rather than simply watch it happen. Harry Potter: A Yule Ball Celebration opens on September 3, 2026 at The Space at Solaire in Parañaque City. The approximately two-hour experience gives guests room to dress for the occasion, support a Hogwarts house, dance, join the evening’s activities, take photos, and explore the ballroom at their own pace. The Manila engagement follows previous editions in Milan, Montreal, Sydney, and Mexico City. It is presented by Warner Bros. Discovery Global Themed Entertainment and Fever in collaboration with GMG Productions . Public ticket sales begin through TicketWorld on July 21. Fans can also join the waitlist through the official Harry Potter Yule Ball Manila website . Harry Potter Yule Ball Manila: Quick Facts Opening date: September 3, 2026 Venue: The Space at Solaire, Solaire Resort En...

Michael Dalke as Willy Wonka with Oliver Wong as Charlie Bucket. Photo by Saul de Jesus / Unsaulicited. Review by Saul de Jesus Quick review The Manila staging of Charlie and the Chocolate Factory surrounds its cast with lavish stagecraft without allowing technology to replace the human performances. Karylle as Mrs. Bucket gives the story its emotional anchor, Oliver Wong makes Charlie’s goodness feel active, and Michael Dalke finds both the charm and menace in Willy Wonka. Review details Performance reviewed: July 9, 2026 gala night Venue: The Theatre at Solaire Willy Wonka: Michael Dalke Charlie Bucket: Oliver Wong Mrs. Bucket: Karylle Grandpa Joe: Steve McCoy A story does not have to be new to surprise you in the theater. At the July 9 gala night of Charlie and the Chocolate Factory at The Theatre at Solaire, I already knew where the Golden Tickets would lead. I knew the children entering Willy Wonka’s fa...