Cover Repertory Theater for Young Audiences’ ‘Cinderella: The Tale of the Glass Slipper’ offers a fresh take on the classic fairy tale, featuring familiar characters like Cinderella’s step family played by Pinky Marquez, Arielle Magno and Paul Atienza (Photo: Krizhal Daryl Ordas, Indio Creatives)
Repertory Theater for Young Audiences’ ‘Cinderella: The Tale of the Glass Slipper’ offers a fresh take on the classic fairy tale, featuring familiar characters like Cinderella’s step family played by Pinky Marquez, Arielle Magno and Paul Atienza (Photo: Krizhal Daryl Ordas, Indio Creatives)
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Repertory Philippines (REP) proves that classic tales still hold the magic to captivate both young and young-at-heart audiences today
Inside an educational institution’s auditorium, the raucous laughter of an audience echoes perfectly through the wide spaces of a proscenium stage. Though devoid of complex technical machinery, the acoustics are impeccable, and the professional lighting transforms the hall into a vibrant, ethereal forest left for the audience to imagine. Sitting inside St Cecilia’s Hall at St Scholastica’s College, one gets transported to the distinctive, enchanting world of a Repertory Philippines (REP) stage. This dual reality—merging the historic with the magical, the old with the new—is the very heartbeat of REP’s latest theatrical season. By breathing new life into a Shakespearean comedy and a cherished fairy tale, the theatre company reminds us that comedy remains our greatest tool for navigating life’s difficulties.
Running from September 12 to 27, A Midsummer Night’s Dream marked a significant milestone for the company. Directed by REP’s artistic director Jeremy Domingo, the production was the company’s first foray into Shakespeare since a 2008 staging of Hamlet. Yet, instead of a dusty, archaic museum piece, this rendition was refreshed with pop hits that kept the energy high, staying in the vein of the practise of contemporising Shakespearean theatre that endures to this day.
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Above Joey Cosio-Mercado creates chaos as the trickster fairy Puck (Photo: Krizhal Daryl Ordas, Indio Creatives)
Joey Cosio-Mercado creates chaos as the trickster fairy Puck (Photo: Krizhal Daryl Ordas, Indio Creatives)
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“We present our rendition of Shakespeare's most popular comedy as a celebration of language, imagery and the very craft of live performance,” notes Domingo, who emphasised the joy of exploring the playwright’s use of iambic pentameter on stage.
The choice of venue added an extra layer of sentimentality to the production. Staged at the historic Art Deco St Cecilia’s Hall at St Scholastica’s College, the play fulfilled a long-held ambition for REP president Mindy Perez-Rubio.
“St Scholastica's College is my dearly beloved alma mater... returning here with REP is especially meaningful to me,” Perez-Rubio shares, reflecting on her days performing on that very stage for piano recitals and school plays. She adds, “For many years, I have dreamed of producing a Shakespeare play for REP. I was often cautioned that Shakespeare might not attract an audience. But dreams have a way of waiting for the right moment.”
Above The court of Theseus, Duke of Athens, watches the Mechanicals’ unintentionally hilarious ‘The Most Lamentable Comedy and Most Cruel Death of Pyramus’ (Photo: Krizhal Daryl Ordas, Indio Creatives)
The court of Theseus, Duke of Athens, watches the Mechanicals’ unintentionally hilarious ‘The Most Lamentable Comedy and Most Cruel Death of Pyramus’ (Photo: Krizhal Daryl Ordas, Indio Creatives)
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While fairies and foolish mortals caused chaotic misunderstandings in Manila, another kind of magic continues to unfold in Quezon City. Premiered last August 22 and running until December 13, Cinderella: The Tale of the Glass Slipper is currently charming audiences at the REP Eastwood Theater.
Also utilising a proscenium setup, this production was designed to be intensely intimate. It is impossible not to hear the audible gasps from the audience as they take in the spectacularly colourful lights, inventive puppetry and striking set and costume designs. Co-directed by Joy Virata and Cara Barredo, the musical features a fresh adaptation with book, music and lyrics by the acclaimed playwriting duo Mark Friedman and Janet Yates Vogt.
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Above Putterman (Stephen Viñas) and Cinderella (Katie Bradshaw) prove that they can weather any storm with their friendship (Photo: Krizhal Daryl Ordas, Indio Creatives)
Putterman (Stephen Viñas) and Cinderella (Katie Bradshaw) prove that they can weather any storm with their friendship (Photo: Krizhal Daryl Ordas, Indio Creatives)
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The result is a highly interactive show that feels remarkably contemporary. The young audiences easily catch the actors’ references, making the punchlines land with effortless precision. It is a fairy tale updated just enough to resonate with modern sensibilities without losing its classic charm.
“True to REP tradition, Cinderella: The Tale of the Glass Slipper is a fabulous production filled with imagination and magic—from delightful puppetry and charming mice to beautiful costumes and outstanding sets,” says Perez-Rubio.
This particular production of the Repertory Theater for Young Audiences carries a special emotional weight, as it is dedicated to the memory of Letty Barredo, a steadfast supporter of the children's theatre programme and the mother of REP artists Cara and Ayam Barredo. “She played an important role in helping REP build and strengthen its Children’s Theater, generously opening doors through her many contacts with schools throughout Luzon and Metro Manila,” Perez-Rubio recalls, acknowledging the legacy that allows the magic of theatre to reach countless youths.
Above Meet the Mechanicals played by Ysh Bautista as Robin Starveling, Robert Bradley Hao as Tom Snout, Rico Del Rosario as Francis Flute, Bella Alejandro as Snug, Alexa P SanDiego as Peter Quince and Tristan Bite as Nick Bottom (Photo: Krizhal Daryl Ordas, Indio Creatives)
Meet the Mechanicals played by Ysh Bautista as Robin Starveling, Robert Bradley Hao as Tom Snout, Rico Del Rosario as Francis Flute, Bella Alejandro as Snug, Alexa P SanDiego as Peter Quince and Tristan Bite as Nick Bottom (Photo: Krizhal Daryl Ordas, Indio Creatives)
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At a glance, a 16th-century romantic comedy and a quintessential children’s fairy tale might seem entirely disparate. However, they harmonise perfectly under REP’s current season. Both shows teach us fundamentally about relationships. They step away from purely romantic ideals to show us why we must nurture our relationships with our friends, our family, and ourselves. Whether it is a silly rat named Putterman helping Cinderella reach her dreams, or amateur actors bumbling their way through an enchanted wood, the characters remind us that life is best faced with a sense of humour and a reliable companion by our side.
Ultimately, these two productions highlight a universal truth: we never outgrow our need for a good story. By staging productions that encourage audiences to laugh together, REP continues to prove that the theatre is not just a place for entertainment, but a vital communal space where the magic of shared dreams can truly flourish.
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Franz writes about the local cultural scene and rediscovering the country’s storied past and rich heritage. He earned his bachelor’s degree in Journalism from the University of Santo Tomas and is currently pursuing a master's degree in Art Studies at the University of the Philippines Diliman. Besides working on this luxury lifestyle magazine, Franz is an avid book reader, local traveller, museum-goer, chorister, and community theatre playwright. But above all this, this Aether main spends more time in Teyvat than anywhere else.
