‘Gabriela: The Musical’ to be Staged by Barefoot Theatre Collaborative in 2026

Barefoot Theatre Collaborative is set to stage Gabriela: The Musical in 2026, an original work centered on the life and legacy of revolutionary leader Gabriela Silang. Open auditions for the production will be held this April.

Set in Ilocos in 1762, the musical unfolds against the backdrop of early resistance in the Philippines—long before the formal notion of a “nation” or a unified Filipino identity. It traces the rise of Diego Silang’s revolt against Spanish colonial rule, a movement that briefly carved out a vision of freedom in the North before his assassination.

While history often frames Gabriela Silang in the aftermath of this loss—as a widow propelled by grief and vengeance—the musical expands that narrative.

Blending elements of myth, magic, and mystery, Gabriela: The Musical revisits Gabriela not as a footnote to her husband’s death, but as a co-author of the revolution. The story positions her as an active force from the very beginning, later navigating the immense burden of sustaining a fractured uprising.

The production also explores Gabriela’s identity beyond her role in the revolution, portraying her as a woman reconnecting with her indigenous Itneg roots. Moving between cultural worlds—evoked through contrasting soundscapes of bells and gongs—the musical frames her as both the battleground where worlds collide and the bridge that could unite them.

At its core, the work is described as a love story shaped by a shared belief in the possibility of a different life—and the heartbreak that follows when that vision is tested by the realities of resistance.

Gabriela: The Musical features a book and lyrics by Pat Valera, music by Myke Salomon, and direction by Mikko Angeles.

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