Tony Award winner Lea Salonga will be joined by eight accomplished actresses in Theatre Group Asia’s (TGA) upcoming production of “Ang Tahanan ni Bernarda Alba,” a Filipino adaptation of Federico García Lorca’s classic drama. The play, adapted by Chay Yew and translated by Guelan Varela-Luarca, opens in February 2027 at the Power Mac Center Spotlight Blackbox Theater in Circuit Makati.
Salonga takes on the title role of Bernarda Alba, a formidable matriarch whose strict authority over her household sparks conflict between tradition and the desire for freedom. Joining her are Sheila Francisco as María Josefa, Bernarda’s elderly mother, and Maita Ponce as Angustias, the eldest of Bernarda’s five daughters.
The other daughters will be portrayed by Toni Go-Yadao as Magdalena, Maronne Cruz as Amelia, Mikaela Regis as Martirio, and Gabby Padilla as Adela, the youngest daughter whose desire for independence challenges her mother’s control. Completing the ensemble are Frances Makil-Ignacio as Poncia, Bernarda’s longtime servant and confidante, and Jam Binay as Blanca, the household’s second servant.
The production brings together performers with extensive experience in theater, film, and television. Francisco is known for her award-winning roles in “Bar Boys: A New Musical” and “Ang Huling El Bimbo,” as well as her international theater work at London’s National Theatre. Ponce’s credits include “Orosman at Zafira,” “Jesus Christ Superstar,” and “Avenue Q,” while Go-Yadao is a senior member of Tanghalang Pilipino’s Actors Company and co-festival director of Virgin Labfest XXI.
Cruz has appeared in productions such as “Hair,” “Waitress,” “The Band’s Visit,” and “Ang Huling El Bimbo.” Regis has performed in “A Chorus Line,” “Shrek The Musical,” “Mula sa Buwan,” and “Bar Boys,” while Padilla is recognized for her film performances, including “Kono Basho,” for which she won Best Actress at the 2024 Cinemalaya Philippine Independent Film Festival. Makil-Ignacio brings experience from numerous stage and screen productions, including a previous staging of “Bernarda Alba,” while Binay’s theater credits include “Spring Awakening,” “Next to Normal,” and “Bar Boys: A New Musical.”
The actresses see the play as an opportunity to explore the different ways women navigate family expectations, power, and personal freedom. Francisco describes María Josefa as the only character who can openly express what the other women are feeling, while Ponce points to the contradiction of women upholding patriarchal standards even in a matriarchal household. Padilla, meanwhile, sees Adela as someone wise enough to recognize that another life beyond the one prescribed for her is possible.
Through the women of the Alba household, the production examines authority and independence, tradition and change, and the expectations imposed on women by family and society. Its Filipino adaptation also highlights familiar family dynamics, particularly the influence of strong matriarchs alongside persistent patriarchal structures.
“Ang Tahanan ni Bernarda Alba” is the second offering of Theatre Group Asia’s 2026–2027 Season of Power, presented by Ayala Land and Theatre Group Asia. It follows the company’s previous productions, including “Request sa Radyo,” “Into the Woods,” “A Chorus Line,” and “The Notebook: The Musical.”
The production will run in February 2027 at the Power Mac Center Spotlight Blackbox Theater in Circuit Makati. According to the announcement, only 15% of tickets remain, with tickets available exclusively through TicketWorld.
