‘Ang Tahanan ni Bernarda Alba’ Announces Cast Joining Lea Salonga
Theatre Group Asia (TGA) has announced eight actresses joining Lea Salonga in Ang Tahanan ni Bernarda Alba, which opens in February 2027 at the Power Mac Center Spotlight Blackbox Theater in Circuit Makati.
Salonga stars in the title role of Bernarda Alba, a matriarch whose strict rule over her household sets up the play’s conflict between tradition and the desire for freedom.
Sheila Francisco plays María Josefa, Bernarda’s elderly mother, whose words reveal truths that the rest of the household struggles to articulate.
“She’s the only one who can actually verbalize exactly what the other women are feeling,” Francisco says. She also sees the story as particularly relatable to Filipino audiences because of the prominence of matriarchs in Filipino families. “Akala ko, dito talaga story na ’yan sa mga Pilipino, because it’s so relatable to us with how strong the matriarch is here in the Philippines.”
Bernarda’s five daughters each respond differently to the expectations imposed on them.
Maita Ponce plays Angustias, Bernarda’s eldest daughter. Ponce is interested in exploring the complexities beneath the character’s conventional characterization as the plain and bitter eldest sister. “Maybe she’s a lot more complex than that,” she says.
She also points to the contradiction of women holding authority within families while continuing to enforce patriarchal expectations. “What makes it scary is even if we’re a matriarchal society, the standards women impose on one another are fundamentally patriarchal.”
Toni Go-Yadao plays Magdalena, the second daughter, who supports her sisters while navigating her own position within the household.
“Magdalena offers an interesting perspective on the family because she is both part of the sisters’ world and someone who must find her own place within it,” Go-Yadao says. “I look forward to exploring her relationships with the other women and how she navigates the expectations placed upon her.”
Maronne Cruz plays Amelia, whose more reserved nature distinguishes her from some of her sisters.
“Amelia is more reserved than the strong characters I usually portray, so I’m excited to explore her inner world and bring that side of her to the stage,” Cruz says.
Mikaela Regis plays Martirio, a character she hopes to approach with empathy rather than judgment.
“I want to understand Martirio without judging her and portray her as a human being who is struggling, rather than simply as a villain,” Regis says.
Gabby Padilla plays Adela, Bernarda’s youngest daughter, whose desire for freedom brings her into direct conflict with her mother’s authority.
“I think she is also wise beyond her years to know that she can resist and to know that there is a life beyond what her sisters have already accepted for themselves,” Padilla says.
The household’s two maids offer perspectives shaped by their proximity to the family and their knowledge of its conflicts.
Frances Makil-Ignacio plays Poncia, Bernarda’s longtime servant and confidante. Makil-Ignacio describes Poncia as “one of the most human” characters in the play and looks forward to exploring the different layers of her relationships with Bernarda, her daughters, and the other members of the household.
Jam Binay plays Blanca, the household’s second servant. For Binay, the character offers another perspective on how patriarchal expectations operate within the Alba household.
“Expectations can persist even in a household where men are absent,” Binay says. “Through Blanca, I look forward to exploring the character’s place within the family and the dynamics that shape the sisters’ relationships.”
Ang Tahanan ni Bernarda Alba is Chay Yew’s adaptation of Federico García Lorca’s The House of Bernarda Alba, translated into Filipino by Guelan Varela-Luarca. The play follows Bernarda after the death of her second husband, when she imposes eight years of mourning on her household and keeps her five daughters under her strict authority. Their individual desires and frustrations increasingly come into conflict with their mother’s expectations.
The creative team is led by director Chay Yew, with Guelan Varela-Luarca serving as translator and assistant director. Joining them are composer Fabian Obispo, set designer Joey Mendoza, lighting designer and technical director D Cortezano, costume, hair, and makeup designer Carlos Siongco, musical director Farley Asuncion, choreographer JM Cabling, and vocal coach Lani Ligot.
The production marks Salonga’s first time performing an entire role in Filipino. It is the second offering in TGA’s 2026–2027 Season of Power, following The Notebook: The Musical.
Tickets are priced at ₱4,000 for VIP (Tahanan), ₱3,500 for Reserved A (Simbahan), and ₱2,800 for Reserved B (Bayan). According to TGA, only 15% of tickets remain as of the cast announcement.
Photo Credits:
Property of Theatre Group Asia
Artistic Director: Clint Ramos
Executive Director: Christopher Mohnani
Art Direction & Concept by Ernest Ill
Photos by Jyllan Bitalac; Assisted by Sherie Bolo & Kyle Espiritu
Hair and Make Up by Don de Jesus, Cindy dela Cruz, Miggy Carbonilla
Styling by Team Ryuji Shiomitsu
Production Design by Justine Arcega-Bumanlag
Lighting Design by D Cortezano; Assisted by Rafa Sumilong
Movement Direction by JM Cabling
Produced by and Art Direction by Jaz Orbe
PR: Visions and Expressions
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