How many cities in the Philippines have their own theater? Marikina is one…read more I once attended a summer art workshop organized by the Marikina City Government. All recitals and exhibits were held in Teatro Marikina. Though it was not as big as CCP's Main Theatre or Ateneo's Henry Lee Irwin Theatre, it was quite spacious. I couldn't remember exactly how big it was because the recital happened a long time ago, but, it was surely bigger than CCP's Tanghalang Huseng Batute or even Ateneo's Rizal Mini Theater. If I am not mistaken, it could be the same size as a regular movie house. Not bad for a community theater. Unfortunately, Marikina does not have a resident theater group so this establishment is not really used for its main purpose quite often. Yes, Marikina organizes a summer art camp almost yearly and the recitals are held here. But, I hope that sometime in the future we can regularly stage plays and have cultural shows here too.

If you want to see something that'll change your life, catch a show by the Quezon City Performing…read moreArts. You have dance performances and music as well, but here's the clincher - these kids are street children. QCPA gets them off the street and grants them a scholarship that puts them in the theater or in the dance studio. Funded by the Quezon City government in hopes they'll pursue careers in the arts, most of these kids come from families that can't afford to send them to school, buy a house, or even feed them regularly. They could have been drug dealers, slaves to physical or sexual abuse, or worse, but this foundation transforms their lives and instead teaches them to play the guitar, to sing, and to pirouette. Through the QCPA Development Foundation, the scholars have led better lives. They have had the chance to travel, study, and earn money to support themselves and their families. Dancing, singing, making music, and creating art becomes their way out of all their hardships. To see them perform onstage and smiling, knowing the past they have, is beautiful. It really shows what a difference art can make to save this country.

From ballet lessons, watching plays, and hanging out during breaks, to graduating high school,…read moreAssumpta Theatre will always have a special place in my heart. We have performed numerous times on stage before. I made a quick Google search and found this on Yelp. Oh, my childhood, how it flew by. I hope the next coming students find a way to love our home and find that it is their home, too.

This theater is an official satellite venue of the Cultural Center of the Philippines, which is why…read moreit's called the "CCP of the East." It was built and inaugurated in the early 2000s and has since put on many shows and performances both by the local school community and the neighboring communities. I personally have fond memories of playing an Annie orphan, a King & I princess, a stone-faced Singkil fan-dancer, and doing countless chorale shows and ballet recitals in the past, heehee! It's a beautiful theater and visiting theater companies, musical artists, and touring shows have performed here, wonderfully bringing cultural education and exposure over to the folks at the East side of Manila. No need to go all the way downtown! The massive Assumpta is a fully functional performance venue with modern light & sound equipment, a large stage with stage wings and a docking area at the back; there's an orchestra pit, air-conditioned dressing rooms with their own bathrooms, a nice big lobby, and guest comfort rooms. The theater seats over 2,000 guests! It's pretty novel to have this kind of venue on this side of town, so a lot of schools and organizations from around the area have taken it up on its facilities for graduations, their own productions, and other events. You can just call the school to inquire about renting because they're very open for that.

The Black Box Theater at Ateneo de Manila is literally as the name states. It's a black box. This…read moretheater is uniquely designed in the shape of the box with the walls, floors, and ceiling painted black. This is an interesting set-up that allows for viewers to have an enriching and exciting experience. The design of this theater makes everything more interactive. The space is quite tiny and can only seat at most 100 people (not so comfortably) but this way you really get to see everything up close. This makes you way more engaged in the play itself. This tiny space makes the audience focus on the actors and the story and less on the set and theatrics of it all (which I love). The set itself is usually done simply, the actors play more with the space itself and in their movements versus using props and stands as their main objects for expression. I truly enjoyed my experience watching at The Black Box Theater and I can't wait for the next.

For those bitching about how Art should be more accessible to everybody, may I present to you the…read moreTiu Theater. Formerly the old Louie's THX Cinema, the theater has recently been reinvented as an events venue back in 2014, and has hosted a number of concerts, plays, recitals, and performance art pieces. But what sets the Tiu apart from other event venues is how committed it is to making Art more accessible. The management of the Tiu will go out of their way to look for worthy art groups to sponsor. They have even staged a couple of free shows, just to get people more chances to watch these kinds of works. Time will tell if the Tiu can sustain and thrive with this kind of setup, but I'm happy we have such a venue for the arts.

Back in the day, the Tiu Theater used to be Louie's THX, the most high-tech movie theater in Makati…read moreat the time. These days, the Tiu Theater has become an events venue. I had the opportunity to come here for the Luna Art Festival in early 2015, and I loved the intimate, community-like vibe that was present all throughout. Inside the main theater, performers like the Adinkra Lumads group and other ethnic Filipino musicians and dancers performed to a crowd of art enthusiasts, and at some point, people took off their shoes and started dancing in the middle of the aisles! There were also a bunch of merchants outside the theater, selling shirts, food, jewelry and more. The back part of the theater is dimly-lit (adds to the vibe, I think), and has large murals painted on it, cementing the Tiu Theater's position as a haven for artists to showcase their work - be it performance art, visual art, handmade crafts, and more! I always enjoy events that are hosted here because it's always a good time with quality people in attendance.

Avenue Q, RENT, In The Heights, and recently No Filter, have all been staged at Carlos P. Romulo…read moreAuditorium (RCBC Plaza), which should tell you something about the quality of the plays they produce. I mean, Avenue Q was by far the funniest, most uproarious musical I have ever seen in my life! Who knew puppets played by Rachel Alejandro and Felix Rivera could make me bend over so hard from laughter to the point that I was already crying? And No Filter was a breakout play of epic proportions, delivering quick-fire monologues and witty banter with a solid cast, interrogating what it really means to be defined as a millennial. Before I delve too deeply into the awesome-sauce plays they've staged, which are too many to count, I want to say that although the Carlos P. Romulo Auditorium might look small and intimate for a theater, it's those qualities precisely that make going to the theater here such a visceral experience, drawing loud reactions from everybody in the audience. Other theaters will make you feel like you need to dress up fancy for the occasion, but the truth about the theater is that it's accessible to everyone and not just rich snooty people. I wish we could clear that misconception in our country.

RCBC's Carlos Romulo Auditorium is an irony in itself to me. It's small, but it has big productions…read moremore often than not. There are countless performances showed here that're actually the big names in Broadway. The most favorite of mine that I've seen here is Rock of Ages Philippines. I've been a fan of the musical way back since I've heard about it. I mean, why wouldn't I be? It's like a musical with 80's stuff! What more could I ask for? Anyway, it wasn't long after Rock of Ages Japan ended their tour (see? I know these useless stuff!), and the 2012 movie trailer was shown in the movie that ROA Philippines was announced to be showing in the Philippines. I almost screeched in public when I've read it online. So I immediately bought front row seats. I think it was the fourth seat to the front? (egh, the seventh and eight row were already taken at that time). I wasn't thinking clearly though, I was so into seeing Mig Ayesa upclose that I forgot that no matter where you are in this theatre, it's still a nice view. I could've saved like a thousand then! Yeah, it's that small. So the next time you are trying to save up and you still want a great show, it doesn't matter where you are here. Oh, and because it's a small theatre, the audience tend to be awkward towards each other because of its intimacy. If you want a total kick-ass show with all the fireworks and dancing and crowdsurfing awesomeness (okay, not really), make sure you get the tickets to the last show. It's usually where all the awesome occurs. Of course those are just my own tips for having nothin' but a good time (See what I did there?). You can always get the best seats at the best convenient schedule to you.

Teatrino is one of my favorite venues for concerts/shows. I love it because it is conveniently…read morelocated in greenhills. There's almost-always parking available and there are lots of coffee shops/restaurants to hang out in if you're trying to kill time before entering. I also love it because it is very cozy. It's not too tight and squishy, but it's not massive either. They also serve drinks and food while you're watching, making you feel comfortable. Teatrino makes the perfect venue for intimate concerts and various shows/performers. I love how they have such a wide variation of performers. From old-time and starting singers to stand-up comedian Rex Navarete. They're very diverse with their shows and yet, they almost always sell out their tickets. I can't wait to see who other acts they have in store for the year. I'm looking forward to watching something again there soon. :)

Bad experience with this venue. It was advertised on the their website that one of their…read moreprovisions is security. It was not safe at all. Someone posing as waiter will ask for a payment without giving a receipt, only to find out it was not teatrino's waiter.

A great venue for puppetry theater and museum. I didn't ask but I'm sure the place can also be…read morerented out for events. I went there to see the yearly show of the Paper Pasyon. Designed for but not limited to kids. I even carried one of the puppets and it is not easy to control or hold for long periods of time so I commend the puppeteers and actors that produced and performed the play. It was a great show and they have been doing it for 33 years. A little bit of shadow play was on there too.

The University of the Philippines is known for pushing the boundaries in various fields. The UP…read moreDance Company is made up of the students of the Dance program in the College of Music. They perform inside and outside the campus, and join dance festivals locally and internationally as well. A group of young dancers and aspiring choreographers, the UP Dance Company specializes in contemporary dance and improvisation. Their dancers are trained intensively in classical ballet, contemporary and modern dance. Most of their company members are also adept at Philippine folk dance and incorporate it in their dances. As their campus encourages, the themes of their pieces are usually statements on important issues in society and culture. Their shows are often unconventional and on the radical side of the dance world, and not your typical proscenium stage productions. The UP Dance Company holds shows regularly to train and expose their dancers to the life of a professional artist. Their shows are usually very affordable, especially within campus grounds. Be sure to catch them if you're ready for something different in dance!