‘Sayaw ng mga Ilaw’ by Tanghalang Pilipino Set to Open This September
Tanghalang Pilipino is set to stage Sayaw ng mga Ilaw, Juan Ekis’ stage adaptation of Cheeno Marlo Sayuno’s children’s story, beginning this September at the Tanghalang Ignacio Gimenez.
Featuring music by Krina Cayabyab, the play with music is the company’s second production in its 40th season, following the limited run of Farewell, Let’s Go to the South last July.
Described by the company as “a movement-based theater piece for young audiences and a moving tale of hope, family, and healing,” Sayaw ng mga Ilaw follows young Laya, who dreams of learning the traditional Pandanggo dance with the help of her older sister. But when their father, a construction worker, fails to return home after the 1981 Manila Film Center collapse, their family is plunged into uncertainty and grief.
As they navigate loss and search for healing, Laya discovers that true light can be found not only in dance, but also in the strength and love of family.
Sayuno’s Sayaw ng mga Ilaw children’s book was recognized as an International Board on Books for Young People (IBBY) Honour List selection.
The cast features Wincess Jem Yana and Annika Co alternating as Laya, Noel Rayos as Tatay Ondeng, and Shiela Valderrama as Nanay Lucia. Joining them are members of the Tanghalang Pilipino Actors Company: Ynna Rafa as Kala, Earvin Estioco as Tony, and Mark Lorenz Rey, Heart Puyong, Sarah Monay, and Lhorvie Nuevo-Tadioan as the ensemble.
The production is directed by Jonathan Tadioan. Joining him, Cheeno Marlo Sayuno, Juan Ekis, and Krina Cayabyab on the creative team are dramaturg Kat Batara, choreographer Al Bernard Garcia, set and costume designer Marco Viaña, lighting designer D Cortezano, video projection designer Justin Santiago, sound designer TJ Ramos, and technical director Jo Ann Requiestas.
Sayaw ng mga Ilaw runs from September 18 to October 11, with performances from Fridays to Sundays at the Tanghalang Ignacio Gimenez. Tickets are priced at ₱2,000 (VIP) and ₱1,800 (Regular) and are available through the company’s Linktree.
You can watch a first look at the production, presented during the company’s season launch, below.
During the season launch, Ekis shared that while Sayaw ng mga Ilaw is intended for young audiences, its subject matter and themes are “pang-matanda at mabigat.”
The play draws from the 1981 collapse of the Manila Film Center during its rushed construction under the Marcos Sr. administration ahead of the inaugural Manila International Film Festival. The scaffolding collapse claimed the lives of dozens of construction workers and remains one of the deadliest construction disasters in Philippine history.
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