Watch free theatrical productions from PHILSTAGE members

Buhay!: Tanghalan at Bayan, a theater festival that showcases works by PHILSTAGE member-companies focusing on various themes and expressions of the principles of good public governance and good citizenship, continues with performances in the cities of Pasig, Manila, and Pasay. All performances are presented FREE to the public.

On Sunday, December 7, 10:00 a.m., the Triumphant Peoples Evangilistic Theater Society (TRUMPETS) performs Pamilya Maleta, a two-part musical drama about the social displacement of Filipino families whose members are caught in the global diaspora of Overseas Filipino Workers. Written by Itchell Lacsamana, Raquel Villavicencio and Roselyn Perez with stage and musical direction by Sweet Plantado-Tiongson, the production presents the struggles of the OFW's as they pursue a better life - abusive foreign employers, death of loved ones, financial difficulties, loneliness and depression. Featuring the TRUMPETS Actors Ensemble, Pamilya Maleta will be performed at the Word Community, Pasig City.

Tanghalang Pilipino, the resident theater company of the Cultural Center of the Philippines, presents Pragres on Monday, December 8, 1:00 p.m. at the Far Eastern University Auditorium, Morayta St., Manila. A musical adaptation of the short story by National Artist for Literature F. Sionil Jose, Pragres is set during the Martial Law and shows the travails of a provincial senior clerk of a government agency as she seeks endorsement of her service promotion. As she encounters one bureaucrat after another, she drowns in incompetence and corruption. To be performed by the Tanghalang Pilipino Actors' Company, the play was directed by Herbert Go from the adaptation by Dulaang Sipat Lawin.

Ballet Manila presents a special performance of Mga Kuwento ni Lola Basyang on Saturday, December 13, 10:00 a.m., at the Aliw Theatre, CCP Complex, Pasay City. Based on the stories by Severino Reyes, the Ballet Manila production comprises three parts: Ang Prinsipe ng Mga Ibon (Choreographed by Osias Barroso, Music by National Artists as arranged by Mon Faustino), Ang Kapatid ng Tatlong Maria (Choreographed by Lisa Macuja-Elizalde, Music by Joey Ayala), and Ang Mahiwagang Biyulin (Choreographed by Tony Fabella, Music by Ryan Cayabyab)

As part of the Festival, the Philippine Educational Theater Association (PETA) staged Batang Rizal at the PETA Theater Center in Quezon City last November 23.

On Saturday, December 13, a focused group conference-workshop will be conducted where selected students, teachers and public sector viewers of each production will be invited together with theater practitioners, public officials, and social critics for critical interaction and ventilation of informed opinions and ideas on various issues tackled in the productions. The proceedings of the conference-workshop will be published and disseminated among theater practitioners as well as opinion and policy makers.

For inquiries, please call or send an text message to 0916-591-8815 or 0929-4447888.