‘The Art of Breaking Up’ Full Cast Announced
ABS-CBN Teatro Kapamilya, together with PETA Plus, are set to mount The Art of Breaking Up starting this November at the PETA Theater Center.
Based on George de Jesus III’s original play Kung Paano Maghiwalay, which premiered in 2009, the company says The Art of Breaking Up has been updated with new monologues that reflect the present day. The updated script was de Jesus III’s final work before his passing on September 9, 2025.
Exploring the painful and often complicated process of ending a long-term relationship, the play follows a couple who, after years together, confront the reality that love alone may no longer be enough to sustain their relationship. As they navigate unresolved resentments, lingering affection, and the practical consequences of separating, they are forced to ask whether letting go can sometimes be the most loving choice.
Rather than centering on a dramatic betrayal or a single defining event, The Art of Breaking Up explores the emotional complexity of falling out of love, the weight of shared history, and the courage required to move forward. Through intimate conversations and emotional reckonings, the play examines how two people grieve the end of a shared life while searching for acceptance and healing.
The cast features theater artists, television actors, and emerging talents: Teroy Guzman and Carlos Siguion-Reyna (Ben), Ruby Ruiz and Bibeth Orteza (Anita), Jake Cuenca and JC Alcantara (Dino), Janella Salvador and Nikki Valdez (Lou), AJ Sison and Brent Manalo (Jake), Yen Santos (Gab), Anna Luna (Kat), Jel Tarun (Hector), Analain Salvador (Ina), Jude Hinumdum (Erwin), Yesh Burce (Carla), Dingdong Bahan (Ferdz), Kolette Madelo (featured vocalist), Jarren Garcia (featured vocalist), and Meann Espinosa (Everyman).
Director Dudz Teraña said The Art of Breaking Up highlights the different ways people experience heartbreak, showing that no two breakups are ever the same. He described mounting the production as both exciting and challenging and said he looks forward to seeing how it comes together with an ensemble made up of actors from different backgrounds and experiences.
The production will be staged in the round, a deliberate choice to place the audience as intimate witnesses to a deeply personal and painful process. According to Teraña, the design is a stripped-down, symbolic landscape that reflects the emotional journey of separation, from the initial, raw moments to the final, transcendent moment.
Among Teraña’s updates to the production is its use of torch songs from the Star Music catalogue, along with the addition of the show’s prologue and epilogue. He said, “Throughout the entire play, the soundtrack will be a series of painful yet poignant live songs, chosen to articulate the unspoken emotional journey. These songs will not be used as background music but as emotional anchors, swelling at key moments and fading into silence, allowing the audience to hear the echoes of the characters’ heartbreak.”
Teraña added that the songs, performed by Madelo and Garcia, “…tie the entire production together, moving the audience through grief, remembrance, and, finally, acceptance.”
Joining de Jesus III and Teraña on the creative team are Julio Garcia (production designer), Hershee Tantiado (costume designer), Jeff Hernandez (music director), and Ian Torqueza (lighting designer).
The Art of Breaking Up will run from November 6 to December 6, 2026, at the PETA Theater Center. Tickets are priced at ₱2,575 (VIP), ₱2,060 (Orchestra), ₱1,545 (Balcony A), and ₱1,236 (Balcony B), and are available through TicketWorld.
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