Cover The cast and director of 'Tiny Beautiful Things,' Rody Vera, Ketchup Eusebio, Jenny Jamora, Iza Calzado, Gabby Padilla, Regina De Vera, and Brian Sy
The cast and director of 'Tiny Beautiful Things,' Rody Vera, Ketchup Eusebio, Jenny Jamora, Iza Calzado, Gabby Padilla, Regina De Vera, and Brian Sy
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The Sandbox Collective wraps up its 10th anniversary with ‘Tiny Beautiful Things’
Featuring true stories and letters from real people, Tiny Beautiful Things is a book-turned-play-turned-limited TV series based on author, Cheryl Strayed’s tenure as Sugar—an anonymous advice columnist who won the hearts of many through her empathy. The bestselling book was published in 2012 and later adapted into a play by Nia Vardalos, screenwriter for the My Big Fat Greek Wedding franchise. On November 16, it comes to the Power Mac Center Spotlight Black Box Theater under the direction of Gawad Buhay awardee Jenny Jamora. Here’s what you can expect from the show.
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Above The cast of 'Tiny Beautiful Things' giving a sneak peek performance during a press conference
The cast of 'Tiny Beautiful Things' giving a sneak peek performance during a press conference
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The role of Sugar will be played by actress and TV host, Iza Calzado, who will be making her straight play debut. She will be joined on stage by Rody Vera, Gabby Padilla, Ketchup Eusebio, Regina De Vera, and Brian Sy as the letter writers—portraying different characters with different problems each time they’re on stage. The play will be told in epistolary form and is set in Sugar’s kitchen as she attends to the myriad of letters she has been sent.
Themed around love, loss, self-discovery and healing, Tiny Beautiful Things teaches us not to fear uncertainty. Since the play is based on real accounts, it’s easy to immerse oneself in the lives of letter-writers—one could even use Sugar’s advice in real-world scenarios to solve their unique problems. “Sugar reminds the letter writers and senders that it’s okay to go through these hard times. There is always a light at the end of the tunnel,” shares Vera. From infidelity and grief to depression and tests of faith, audiences can expect some letters to strike a nerve—hitting close to home but leaving enough space for wisdom to take root.
While each letter writer seeks advice for different struggles, Tiny Beautiful Things highlights a common thread between our experiences. Emotional baggage and anxieties are part of the human experience. Nonetheless, Sugar reassures us to always choose our happiness and stay true to ourselves, however unconventional the path may seem. To “Bring your needy self when you go on that next date with a potential lover, and bring all your other selves too. The strong one. The generous one.” Ultimately, Sugar urges us to lean into being deeply human.
Tiny Beautiful Things will run from November 16 to December 8 at the Power Mac Center Spotlight Black Box Theater, Circuit Makati. For more information, visit The Sandbox Collective on their social media pages.
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About
Gabriel found his passion for writing through poetry in high school. He sharpened his skills at Ateneo de Manila University and hopes to write a play worthy of Broadway one day. A self-proclaimed geek, he loves to spend his free time playing video games and board games. When he's not clicking heads on Valorant or roleplaying as a barbarian in Dungeons and Dragons, you can find him exploring art galleries or watching stage plays.
Work
A creative writer who writes about anything and everything, Gabriel loves to dive deep into the arts and culture scene—as well as going on long road trips for travel pieces.
You can reach him on Instagram at @gbohol for any leads, casual conversations or game invites.
