Spike Theatre to Make Debut with Rachel Bonds’ ‘Jonah’

Spike Theatre to Make Debut with Rachel Bonds’ ‘Jonah’

Spike Theatre, a new theater company founded by emerging theater practitioners Xavier Tiam, Edith Garcia, Katrina Gamba, and Chris Abecia, will make its debut this August with Rachel Bonds’s Jonah.

According to the company, Spike Theatre aims to create accessible theater experiences with equitable opportunities while fostering a “Brave Space” in its practice.

Winner of the 2024 Laurents/Hatcher Prize, Jonah is a one-act memory play about trust, intimacy, and survival. It follows Ana as she navigates the fractured landscape of her trauma and relationships. As past and present blur, the play explores themes of human connection, confrontation, and the difficult process of healing.

Rachel Bonds is a playwright, screenwriter, essayist, and writer for scripted podcasts. Her plays have been developed or produced by Roundabout Theatre Company, Ars Nova, MCC, Manhattan Theatre Club, Atlantic Theater Company, The McCarter, The Geffen Playhouse, South Coast Repertory, La Jolla Playhouse, Studio Theatre, Marin Theatre Company, Williamstown Theatre Festival, and New York Stage & Film, among others.

The cast features Chelsea Nikole Apolto as Ana, Riel Geli as Jonah, Johnny Maglinao as Danny, and Edward Solon as Steven.

The production is directed by Edith Garcia, whose first professional stage appearance was as Lady Capulet in Everyman Presents’ Romeo x Juliet, directed by Carl Cariño. Joining her on the creative team are lighting designer Satya Edilo, sound designer Malaya Tolibas, and production designer Dylan Lopez.

Jonah runs on August 29 and 30 and September 5 and 6 at 3 PM and 7 PM at Dance Royalties Studio, Pavilion Mall, Mandaluyong. The production runs approximately one hour and 35 minutes. The play is recommended for audiences aged 16 and above. Audience members below the age of 16 must be accompanied by a guardian.

Tickets are priced at P1,000 for Regular admission and P1,500 for Patron admission, which includes guaranteed priority seating. Tickets are available through Spike Theatre’s Google Form.