PETA’s ‘Control + Shift’ Returns This November with 5 Works Exploring Care and Collective Responsibility
The Philippine Educational Theater Association (PETA) is bringing back Control + Shift: Changing Narratives StudioLab LIVE from November 20 to 29, 2026, at the PETA Studio Theater, featuring five works exploring mental health, memory, bodily autonomy, cultural identity, and collective responsibility.
This year’s edition carries the theme Tangan, Tahanan, Tulay, at Tinig: Narratives of Care, Survival, and Collective Responsibility, bringing together five works incorporating music, movement, poetry, and theatrical storytelling. The performances explore mental health, memory, bodily autonomy, cultural identity, and the role of communities in supporting individuals through difficult circumstances.
The five works will be presented across four thematic sets: Tangan (What We Carry), Tahanan (What Carries Us), Tulay (Who Meets Us Halfway), and Tinig (Who Gets to Be Heard?). Some productions will appear in multiple sets, exploring different aspects of the overarching theme.
The Five Featured Works
BYOB (Bring Your Own Baon) is an interactive theater performance exploring mental health and the culture of violence in schools. Centered on three students dealing with personal struggles, the work examines the roles of peers, families, schools, and communities in addressing mental health concerns.
Written by Michelle Ngu-Nario and directed by Johnnie Moran, it features Sam Marasigan, Moi Gealogo, Jessie Huyo-a, and Air Paz.
Paglisan is a staged reading of a theatrical adaptation of Carl Joseph E. Papa’s animated film. The story follows a theater-artist couple confronting illness and memory loss, exploring how their relationship changes as the memories that connect them begin to fade.
Adapted by Yeyin de la Cruz and directed by Gio Gahol, the production features Rody Vera, Shamaine Buencamino, Ayla Garcia, Mico Esquivel, and Bene Manaois.
Pagsilang ni Dimaya, written and performed by Noelle Polack and directed by Gold Villar-Lim, combines performance poetry and movement to explore female sexuality, bodily autonomy, and transformation. The work follows a woman reclaiming agency over her body and creative life while challenging narratives of shame and silence.
Ding Parul Ning Bale-Balayan is a cultural performance by Bale-Balayan Museum for the Poor and Center for Transformation through the Arts, a youth arts collective from Pampanga. Through music, movement, and storytelling, the group explores cultural heritage, identity, and the role of the arts in fostering community and belonging.
The work is written by Felinda V. Bagas and directed by Raul Alfonso and the creative team of Anak Bale-Balayan.
Baga ng Gumuguhong Langit is a movement and devised theater piece following orphaned children attempting to survive amid the devastation of war. The production examines displacement, resilience, and the need for collective protection and support.
Written by Anj Heruela and directed by Ian Segarra, it features Zoe Damag, Rei Millete, Martina Parallag, and Wade Dizon.
Performance Sets and Schedule
The five works will be presented in four thematic sets, each approaching the central theme from a different perspective.
Set A: Tangan (What We Carry) focuses on personal struggles, including grief, shame, illness, and bodily autonomy. It features BYOB (Bring Your Own Baon), Paglisan, and Pagsilang ni Dimaya.
Performances are scheduled for November 20, 21, 28, and 29 at 7:00 PM.
Set B: Tahanan (What Carries Us) examines community, belonging, and the support systems that sustain individuals through difficult circumstances. It features Ding Parul Ning Bale-Balayan and Baga ng Gumuguhong Langit.
Performances are scheduled for November 21, 22, 28, and 29 at 2:00 PM.
Set C: Tulay (Who Meets Us Halfway) explores the barriers that prevent people from receiving care and support, and what happens when others reach out to them. It features BYOB (Bring Your Own Baon), Pagsilang ni Dimaya, and Baga ng Gumuguhong Langit.
The performance is scheduled for November 22 at 7:00 PM.
Set D: Tinig (Who Gets to Be Heard?) focuses on experiences and perspectives that are often overlooked or silenced. It features Paglisan and BYOB (Bring Your Own Baon).
The performance is scheduled for November 27 at 7:00 PM.
Through these four sets, Control + Shift 2026 examines the relationship between individual experiences and broader social conditions, particularly how care, responsibility, and community support shape people’s ability to navigate difficult circumstances.
Tickets are priced at ₱700 per set and are available through PETA’s ticketing link. For inquiries, audiences may contact Irish at 0924 592 9883 via Viber or email [email protected].
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