Plays and Musicals to Watch This May

The Philippine theater scene shows no signs of slowing down, offering a rich landscape of world-class spectacles, contemporary adaptations, and thought-provoking experimental works. Ticket2Me and PETA Plus' Endo. is still running until May 10.

Here are other plays and musicals to catch this May:

The Olivier Award-winning production of Tim Rice and Andrew Lloyd Webber’s Jesus Christ Superstar arrives in Manila as part of its major international tour. This reimagined rock opera explores the final weeks of Jesus Christ’s life through the eyes of Judas Iscariot, delving into the complex relationships and internal struggles among Jesus, his disciples, and the Roman Empire. The production stars Manila’s own Gab Pangilinan as Mary Magdalene, performing alongside an international cast that includes Luke Street as Jesus and Javon King as Judas. Helmed by director Timothy Sheader and choreographer Drew McOnie, the show features the iconic 1970s score, including "I Don't Know How to Love Him" and "Gethsemane".

It runs from May 2 to 31, 2026, at The Theatre at Solaire, 1 Aseana Avenue, Entertainment City, Tambo, Parañaque City. Ticket prices range from P1,900 to P7,000. Available through TicketWorld.

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Within and Without End is an experimental "open rehearsal" by Langgam Performance Troupe that functions as part behind-the-scenes documentary, part laboratory, and part interactive workshop. Moving beyond the derogatory label of "performative," the show explores performance as a radical act of "becoming" and a search for truth. Directed by Jenny Logico-Cruz with dramaturg Blonski Cruz, the production follows actors Opaline Santos and Serena Magiliw as they revisit their previous roles through journal entries and old costumes, essentially re-inhabiting their past characters like mediums. The show also posthumously features the journals of Joel Garcia, raising haunting questions about the sustainability of art and whether an artist ever truly stops creating.

It runs on May 8 and 9, 2026, at Langgam's Studio, 99 Mahiyain corner Madasalin St., Sikatuna Village, Quezon City. Available through Langgam Performance Troupe’s official ticketing links.

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Terrence McNally’s Tony Award-winning play Master Class offers a fictionalized account of the legendary opera masterclasses led by Maria Callas in the 1970s. The production stars Menchu Lauchengco-Yulo as the formidable diva. Set against the backdrop of a rigorous vocal session, the play explores the sacrifices, discipline, and uncompromising artistry required to reach the pinnacle of the operatic world. As Callas critiques her students, her own memories and vulnerabilities surface, revealing a gripping portrait of a woman whose life was as dramatic as the roles she performed.

It runs from May 15 to 30, 2026, at the Carlos P. Romulo Auditorium, RCBC Plaza, Makati City. Ticket prices range from P2,300 for the Second-Level Balcony to P4,000 for Orchestra Center Premium. Available through Ticket2Me.

a dance in a day in a dance is a full-length dance theater production by Mari Dance that offers an unfiltered reflection on the lived realities of performers. Founded by JM Cabling and a collective of fellow artists, the piece explores the internal and external pressures of the field—from a choreographer's frustration and the fierce competition for roles to the complex navigation of identity and creative voice. The production features an ensemble of scholars from the Guang Ming College alongside reprising cast members Al Garcia, Michael Barry Que, and Sarah Samaniego, with Janine Myrtel Arisola joining the May run.

It runs from May 16 to 31, 2026, at the Doreen Black Box Theater, Areté, Ateneo de Manila University, Quezon City. Ticket prices are P2,000 for regular and P2,500 for premium. Available through Ticket2Me.

The third season of the Act Avenue Theater Festival returns with the theme "MULAT – Awakening From Apathy," showcasing the strength and courage of local theater groups from across Luzon. This festival serves as a platform for diverse companies to present stories that challenge social blindness and encourage audiences to take a stand. The event is divided into four distinct performance sets: Malaya (Set A), Tindig (Set B), Pagbabago (Set C), and Act Avenue (Set D), each featuring a collection of short plays—ranging from experimental works like "She" and "Ant Control" to poignant dramas like "Balikbayan." Participating groups include established student and professional organizations such as PUP Sining-Lahi Polyrepertory, Tanghalang Batingaw, and the UE Drama Company.

It runs from May 16 to 17, 2026, at the Tanghalang Leandro V. Locsin, NCCA, Intramuros, Manila. Regular tickets are priced at P400, VIP at P550, and a full Festival Pass is available for P1,500. Registration links are available through Act Avenue's official social media channels.

Artistang Artlets, the official theater guild of the University of Santo Tomas Faculty of Arts and Letters, presents Hanggang Humupa as its 45th-anniversary major production. Written by Kyte Villanueva and directed by Chloei Angeleine Fornea, the play centers on Barangay Hanggan, a village that has remained submerged in floodwaters for six months. The story explores the community's struggle as the waters refuse to recede—not from rain, but due to a combination of geographical proximity to the lake and a series of failed or unfinished local infrastructure projects.

It runs from May 14 to 16, 2026, at the Girl Scouts of the Philippines Auditorium, Padre Faura St., Manila. Tickets are available through Artistang Artlets' official social media and registration channels.

Dulaang ROC, the pioneering student theater organization of the University of Asia and the Pacific, concludes its 36th season with a staging of Paul Arvisu Dumol’s postmodern Filipino classic, Ang Paglilitis kay Mang Serapio. Directed by alumni Patricia Villacorta and Jomari Villanueva, the play follows the "Federacion," an organized community of beggars that subjects Mang Serapio to a predetermined public trial. His crime: the act of caring for a child, a transgression that violates the cold, survival-based regulations of the collective. This production interrogates the harshness of rigid social systems and the cost of human connection within them.

It runs from May 6 to 9, 2026, at Telengtan Hall, University of Asia and the Pacific, Pasig City. Ticket prices range from P400 to P500. Available through Dulaang ROC’s official contact channels.

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