EAT + PLAY

I recently came across a video discussing the difference between Broadway productions and community theater in the United States. Its argument was surprisingly simple: more often than not, it comes down to resources. Give community theater the budget, the creative support and the technical expertise, and the gap becomes much smaller than people imagine.

That thought stayed with me after watching “Mapanakit,” the Manila debut of YPC Stage, a community theater company from Biñan, Laguna.

YPC’s mission — to bring its homegrown artists to bigger stages and introduce them to new audiences — is one that deserves genuine applause. Manila audiences are fortunate enough to have access to theater almost every week, but talented performers from the regions rarely enjoy the same visibility. Productions like this help bridge that gap while giving emerging actors invaluable experience performing before larger and more diverse audiences.

In many respects, YPC made all the right decisions.

The company paired its performers with established Manila theater actors, creating opportunities for meaningful artistic collaboration while giving audiences familiar faces alongside emerging talent. Behind the scenes, the production also assembled an experienced creative team whose work on the set, lighting and overall presentation gave the evening a polished, professional look. It is a reminder that community theater, when given the right support, can stand proudly alongside larger commercial productions.

Just as importantly, the performers prove they belong on this stage.

YPC’s actors confidently held their own beside their Manila counterparts. Jury Sanchez brings conviction to a difficult role in “Ang Liknayan ng Ating mga Katawan” opposite Ross Pesigan. Euden Moje’s quiet strength complements Gab Pangilinan’s affecting performance in “Ilihan at Kalinga.” Loudette Barias displays terrific comic timing in “Ganito ang Pinangarap Kong Kasal,” and proves an engaging scene partner for Phi Palmos.

But the one who really shone here was film and TV actor Kokoy de Santos. After showing promise in last year’s “Ateng,” he steps comfortably into the role of romantic leading man. The audience’s enthusiastic reaction whenever he appeared suggested that local theater may have found a performer capable of drawing an entirely new generation of fans.

If there is one area where “Mapanakit” falls short, it is in its curation.

Viewed individually, each of the three plays offers compelling ideas worth exploring, yet leaves a lingering sense of disappointment. Moreover, taken together, they never quite find a unifying identity. “Ang Liknayan ng Ating mga Katawan” introduces provocative ideas but struggles to justify its unsettling central relationship. “Ilihan at Kalinga” is arguably the strongest-written piece of the evening, though its mythic setting feels disconnected from the two contemporary plays surrounding it. By the time “Ganito ang Pinangarap Kong Kasal” arrives — despite its crowd-pleasing humor and charismatic performances — a sense of fatigue has developed. 

The pacing also suffers. At more than three hours, the production occasionally lingers longer than necessary, diluting the impact of otherwise strong performances. A leaner running time and a more focused selection of material might have allowed the company’s strengths to shine even brighter.

Yet those shortcomings never diminish the promise of the artists themselves.

If anything, “Mapanakit” suggests that YPC Stage has already solved the harder challenge: finding gifted performers and surrounding them with capable collaborators. Choosing material that fully showcases those talents is a much easier problem to solve.

That is why I left the theater feeling optimistic rather than disappointed.

For a company making its Manila debut, selling out performances and introducing a new audience to its artists is already a significant achievement. 

I sincerely hope this isn’t the company’s last visit to Manila. The ambition is there and the potential is undeniable. All it needs now is material that shines just as brightly as the artists bringing it to life.

“Mapanakit! Mga Dulang Bittersweet” runs until August 9, 2026 at the IBG-KAL Theater, University of the Philippines – Diliman, Quezon City.