Twelve new plays for Virgin Labfest 19 revealed

After its successful 2023 run, the Virgin Labfest announced the selected one-act plays for its 19th staging.

The 12 new plays which will be staged in 2024 are Sentenaryo by Herlyn Alegre; Vengeance of the Gods by Hans Pieter Arao; Si Hesus naa sa US by Neil Azcuna; Ningas by Lino Balmes; Ang Munting Liwanag sa Madilim na Sulok ng Isang Serbeserya sa Maynila by Dustin Celestino; The Foxtrot by Chesie Galvez-Cariño; The Divine Family by Dip Mariposque; Love on the Brain by Rick Patriarca; Sa Babaeng Lahat by Elise Santos; Pagkapit sa Hangin by Joshua Lim So; Identité by Jhudiel Clare Sosa; and Abo-Kaykay Ang Ikalawang Yugto by Ara Jenika Vinzon.

Photograph courtesy of fb.com/rick patriarca
RICK Patriarca

The 12 untried, untested and un-staged plays were selected from the 145 submissions received early this year. The selection committee was composed of festival directors Tess Jamias and Marco Viaña, VLF founders Writers Bloc Inc.’s Rody Vera and director-playwright Herbie Go.

Three plays from the 18th staging will be restaged on its 2024 run — Zheg Arban’s Room 209, directed by Delphine Buencamino; Andrew Estacio’s Ang Awit ng Dalagang Marmol, directed by Nazer Degayo Salcedo; and Dingdong Novenario’s Dominador Gonzales, National Artist, directed by George de Jesus III.