9 Works Theatrical to Stage ‘Yemaya’ Filipino Translation this June

9 Works Theatrical to Stage ‘Yemaya’ Filipino Translation this June

9 Works Theatrical, now in its 17th year since its debut production in 2009, marks its first venture into straight plays with Yemaya, a Filipino translation of Yemaya’s Belly by Quiara Alegría Hudes, who won the 2012 Pulitzer Prize for Drama for Water by the Spoonful.

Hudes is best known for writing the book for the musical In the Heights, which opened on Broadway in 2008, as well as the screenplay for its 2021 film adaptation.

First written in 2003, Yemaya’s Belly marks Hudes’ debut play. Now titled Yemaya, the production features a Filipino translation by Eljay Castro Deldoc and marks the directorial comeback of Ed Lacson Jr., who also serves as set designer.

Yemaya follows a young boy’s epic journey as he traverses land and sea in search of his true place in the world. What begins as a wondering of “what if” becomes an adventure of “what could be” in this fantasy-driven tale of perseverance, hope, and the restless pull of the tides.

Deldoc’s Filipino translation aims to bridge the gap between Hudes’ vibrant Latin American roots and the shared archipelagic experiences of the Philippines, bringing the story closer to Filipino audiences.

Yemaya runs this June 2026 at The Black Box at The Proscenium Theater in Rockwell, Makati. Ticket details and full cast announcements will be released soon.