Lee Cundangan

Tanghalang Pilipino (TP), in partnership with United Nations Children's Fund (UNICEF), is currently touring Layeta Bucoy's one-act play 'Melanie,' one of BroadwayWorld.com's most unforgettable plays of 2013.

Proving that theater is a powerful tool not just to entertain, each performance showed unforgettable life lessons for the audience. BroadwayWorld.com has narrowed down to 13 of these theatrical productions: 2013's most unforgettable plays and musicals.

'Sandoseng Sapatos' returns for a Christmas run from Saturday, December 7 to Sunday, December 15 at the Cultural Center of the Philippines' (CCP) Tanghalang Huseng Batute.

BroadwayWorld.com Awards-Philippines' 2012 Best Actress in a Musical, Rachelle Ann Go, is poised to play the role of Gigi Van Tranh, a disillusioned prostitute, in the highly anticipated 25th anniversary revival production of 'Miss Saigon,' which opens at the Prince Edward Theatre in London on May 3, 2014.

Closing this weekend is Tanghalang Pilipino's brilliantly crafted retelling of William Shakespeare's 'Der Kaufmann' ('The Merchant of Venice').

Repertory Philippines presents its 76th theater season's closing production, Tony Award-winning musical "The Producers," which opens on Friday, November 15 at Onstage Theater in Greenbelt 1, Makati City.

As an early Christmas gift, Trumpets, Asia's first professional gospel theater group, known for original Filipino musicals such as 'First Name' and 'Little Mermaid'--shows with strong moral and spiritual messages--brings to Meralco Theater another family-centric production, 'The Bluebird of Happiness,' which runs until Sunday, October 20.

BroadwayWorld.com (BWW) and Dulaang UP, University of the Philippines (UP) resident theater company, are giving away two pairs of tickets to Dulaang UP's 38th season play "The Duchess of Malfi/Dukesa ng Malfi." Those lottery tickets will be accepted on Sunday, September 29, for the 10 a.m. and 3 p.m. closing performances at UP's Wilfirido Ma. Guerrero Theater.

For more than a decade now, the Philippine Stagers Foundation (PSF) has been growing steadily by producing original Filipino plays, which not only reaped major awards but have also developed a strong following all over the country. Unlike PSF's earlier productions 'Cory ng Edsa' and 'Joe, The Filipino Rock'sical,' the group's latest production,'Bonifacio, Isang Sarsuwela,' seems to have something different compared to its predecessors.

Multi-awarded Filipino film actor Christopher de Leon is the executive producer of 'Lorenzo,' a new rock musical, featuring music by Maestro Ryan Cayabyab and book and lyrics by Juan Ekis, Paul Dumol and Joem Antonio. It runs at SDA Theater, 5/F College of Saint Benilde in Malate, Manila until Saturday, September 14 with 1 p.m. and 6 p.m. performances.

Dulaang UP (DUP), a student theater organization at the University of the Philippines (UP), stages 'The Duchess of Malfi,' one of the most controversial and shocking Jacobean tragedies--written during the reign of King James I of England. The play opens tonight, September 11, at Wilfrido Ma. Guerrero Theater at UP Diliman. DUP Founding Director and Professor Emeritus Tony Mabesa directs.

As an early Christmas gift, Trumpets, Asia's first professional gospel theater group, known for original Filipino musicals such as 'First Name' and 'Little Mermaid'--shows with strong moral and spiritual messages--brings to Meralco Theater another family-centric production, 'Bluebird of Happiness,' starting Friday, September 27.

Repertory Philippines for Young Audiences (formerly Rep's Children's Theatre) celebrates 21 years via its third restaging of 'Alice in Wonderland' from last month until Sunday, December 15 at Onstage, 2/F Greenbelt 1, Makati City.

Revisiting scenes from the tumultuous Martial Law era in the Philippines to the People Power Revolution, up to Leandro Legara Alejandro's untimely death in 1987, the play "Lean," based on respected singer/songwriter Gary Granada's "Lean, the Musical" (1997), runs at UP's Dalisay Aldaba Recital Hall from Monday, September 9 to Saturday, September 21.

Dulaang UP (DUP), a student theater organization at the University of the Philippines (UP), stages 'The Duchess of Malfi,' one of the most controversial and shocking Jacobean tragedies--written during the reign of King James I of England. The play opens on Wednesday, September 11, at Wilfrido Ma. Guerrero Theater at UP Diliman. DUP Founding Director and Professor Emeritus Tony Mabesa directs.

Fresh from its successful two-day performance in Legazpi City, 'Ibalong,' produced by Tanghalang Pilipino, returns to the Cultural Center of the Philippines' (CCP) Tanghalang Aurelio Tolentino from last night to Sunday, September 15.

With the coming of hit Broadway musical “Wicked” to Manila, James Cundall, CEO of Lunchbox Theatrical Productions Limited, one of the lead producers, is aware that not everybody is pleased with it. Without going into details, the producer points out that local theater companies are doing great in their own right; these negative reactions are unnecessary because there is room for both local and foreign shows. In as much as “Wicked” Manila would like to employ local talents, the touring company may only have administrative job openings for Filipinos--due to the show's limited run.

BroadwayWorld.com and World Theatre and Music Project, a non-profit endeavour, in cooperation with MusicArtes and Theater Actors Guild (TAG) of the Philippines, are giving away two pairs of tickets to French playwright Jean Genet's "The Maids" (Les Bonnes).

Once again, expect the unexpected from one of the country's avant-garde directors, Professor Jose Estrella ('Umaaraw, Umuulan, Kinakasal ang Tikbalang'), in Dulaang UP's 'Adarna,' the theater company's 38th season opener.

Resorts World Manila (RWM), a one-stop entertainment and tourism destination, brings to the stage its third Richard Rodgers and Oscar Hammerstein II's production, “Cinderella,” which opens at Newport Performing Arts Theatre on Wednesday, October 9. According to RWM, “Cinderella” is bound to enchant Filipino audiences anew with its beautifully crafted sets and “Marie Antoinette-ish” costumes.