Kickstarting 2025 with a bang, PETA (Philippine Educational Theater Association) is back with a fresh line-up of innovative works! Control + Shift: Changing Narratives Festival promises a vibrant exploration of Filipino stories retold for the theater stage.

J-mee Katanyag, the festival director and PETA’s newly appointed artistic director, has curated a compelling selection of original works. Get ready to be challenged and surprised by diverse performance forms including puppetry, movement, interactive elements, and even digital theater. These creative forces combine to breathe new life into traditional Filipino folklore, values, and contemporary issues. The result? Powerful narratives that weave together the past, present, and future.

The festival’s centerpiece is a highly-anticipated remounting of Melvin Lee’s critically-acclaimed trilogy, Kumprontasyon. But that’s not all! Control + Shift also features a dynamic mix of new and experimental works, improv performances, live music jams, and more. Mark your calendars because the festival runs from February 6 to 23, 2025, happening live at the PETA Theater Center in New Manila, Quezon City. Here’s a glimpse of what awaits theatergoers:

Main Theater Performances

Kumprontasyon (February 6-9, PETA-Phinma Theater)
Hailed by critics as a ‘theatrical masterpiece,’ Kumprontasyon delves into unresolved historical and political events through three powerful one-act plays. The stellar cast includes Teroy Guzman, Sherry Lara, Romnick Sarmenta, Ron Capinding, Missy Maramara, Adrienne Vergara, Gillian Vicencio, and Uzziel Delamide. Prepare to be transported as these talented actors bring to life Allan Palileo’s Lakambini, Guelan Luarca’s The Impossible Dream, and Joshua Lim So’s A Color for Tomorrow.

Twin Bill (February 14-15, PETA-Phinma Theater)
Travel back in time and explore the future with Twin Bill! This exciting program features two revisited plays from Control + Shift 2024. Dominique La Victoria’s Kislap at Fuego will whisk you away to a revolutionary love story, while Mixkaela Villalon’s Children of the Algo tackles the digital age and the struggles of a generation obsessed with technology.

Control + Shift + SPIT: An Improvised Show (February 16, PETA-Phinma Theater)
Calling all fans of spontaneous hilarity! Don’t miss this one-night-only show featuring The Silly People’s Improv Theater (SPIT), Manila’s top improv group. Get ready for an evening of laughter and unscripted fun as SPIT takes the stage at the Control + Shift 2025 Festival.

Studio Theater Performances

PETA’s Studio Theater transforms into a platform for eight brand-new works, running February 7 to 16, 2025. Here’s a quick look at the featured productions:

Studio Theater Set A: Unboxing – Felinda V. Bagas’ The Little Girl in a Box invites audiences on a heartwarming journey of self-discovery and empowerment. This captivating story follows a young girl’s search for her true home.

Studio Theater Set B: Time and Tide – Sig Pecho’s Failed Puppeteer and Felinda V. Bagas’ Noche Buena offer a thought-provoking look at how Filipino family values evolve through generations and navigate times of crisis.

Studio Theater Set C: Codes of Corruption – Herlyn Alegre’s Monit-oh! Monit-ah! and John Custer’s hUst1Sy@.exe pose a challenging question: can Filipino values withstand the temptations of corruption? These productions explore both classic and modern ethical dilemmas.

Studio Theater Set D: Breaking Free – Teatro Balagtas’ Ang Kuwento ni Babae, PETA ARTSZone Youth ARTvocates’ Taya! Sabay Yakap, and Tanghalang Bagong Sibol and Mikaela Regis’ At Nagkatawang-Tao Ang Verbo all tackle the theme of breaking free from societal constraints, exploring gender roles, childcare, and faith.

Exclusive Offer for Metrobank Cardholders

Planning to catch a show? Metrobank cardholders can enjoy exclusive discounts! From January 15 to 19, 2025, avail of a 10% discount on tickets to any Control + Shift Arts Festival event when you purchase through TicketWorld. Metrobank is proud to be PETA’s official 2025 theater season bank partner and a platinum partner of Control + Shift: Changing Narratives Festival.

Don’t miss out on this exciting festival! Tickets are now on sale via bit.ly/PETACS2025Tickets.

• Studio Theater: Tickets start at Php 700
• Main Theater: Tickets start at Php 1,000

For more updates, follow PETA on social media:
@petatheater (Facebook, X, Instagram, and TikTok).

Visit the PETA Theater Center at New Manila, Quezon City, this February and be part of this transformative theatrical experience. See you at the Control + Shift: Changing Narratives Festival!