MAKATI CITY — Two compelling stories about memory, history, and the lasting impact of political violence will take the stage at the Power Mac Center Spotlight Blackbox Theater in Circuit Makati this September. Bantayog: Alaala at Gunita, a limited staged reading cycle by theater company Scene Change and co-presented by Areté, brings together two plays that explore dictatorship, disappearance, and the responsibility of remembering. Drawing connections between Chile under Augusto Pinochet and the Philippines under Ferdinand Marcos, the production creates a dialogue between two nations shaped by difficult histories.
Exploring the Meaning of Memorials
The cycle opens with Villa on September 19 and 20 at 7:30 PM, written by acclaimed Chilean playwright Guillermo Calderón and translated and directed by Giancarlo Abrahan, who recently received Best Director and Best Film honors at Cinemalaya. The staged reading centers on three Chilean women, all named Alejandra, as they gather around a table to debate how Villa Grimaldi should be remembered. The site was once a detention and torture center where political prisoners were held and killed during Pinochet’s military dictatorship. Through their conflicting perspectives, the play examines the challenges of memorializing painful events and deciding how history should be remembered. The cast features Martha Comia, Meann Espinosa, and Ness Roque.
Confronting a Legacy of Disappearance
The cycle concludes with Desaparesidos on September 26 and 27 at 7:30 PM, adapted by Guelan Varela-Luarca from Lualhati Bautista’s 2007 novel of the same title. Varela-Luarca directs alongside Kat Batara, with the story following Anna and Roy, activists who survive the violence of Martial Law and attempt to rebuild their family life following the 1986 Revolution. Their search for Anna’s daughter from a previous marriage brings unresolved family conflicts to the surface, while the couple is also forced to face the guilt, loss, and difficult choices surrounding people they knew during their years in the NPA. The cast includes Sheenly Gener, Marco Viaña, Jojit Lorenzo, Jam Binay, Ge Villamil, Gio Gahol, Yshma Aquino, Toni Go-Yadao, and Maliana Beran.
Plan Your Visit
Bantayog: Alaala at Gunita runs from September 19 to 27, 2026, at the Power Mac Center Spotlight Blackbox Theater, Circuit Makati. Tickets are priced at P850 and are available through the official ticket link. The staged reading cycle is presented as part of Ayala Land and Circuit Makati’s Palanca Awardees Residency Program, offering audiences an opportunity to experience theater that connects Philippine history with stories from beyond the country.
