Biñan City Culture, Heritage, Arts and Tourism Office (BCHATO) head BJ Borja is returning to his theatre roots as he helms a play for the upcoming Virgin Labfest 2024.
"Ningas" by Lino Balmes, under the direction of Borja and starring Geraldine Villamil and Ross Pesigan, will be staged at the Tanghalang Ignacio Gimenez at the Cultural Center of the Philippines (CCP) Complex in Manila.
The play is one of the 12 new-one act plays under the 19th Virgin Labfest (VLF), a festival of "untried, untested and unstaged" original Filipino plays.
"Ningas" tells the story of a mysterious unnamed woman who seeks assistance from a firefighter. Her only request: for him to give her a name that will free her from the uncertainties of her past and assure her future.
Returning to theater
Borja, under whose helm the BCHATO implemented Biñan City's much-vaunted "culture-based" development, said he is "excited" to return to what, for him, is his true passion.
"Matagal-tagal na rin since I last became engaged in theater, siguro noong 2012 pa when I was an assistant director to now National Artist Tony Mabesa," Borja explained in a message to OpinYon Laguna.
"I was sideswept by government work, and although hindi naman malayo sa core ko na arts and culture, at the end of the day, I think you'll always yearn to go back to your roots and first love," he added.
While the demands of being the head of the BCHATO had proved to be an additional challenge, as evidenced by the recent staging of the Puto Latik Festival last month, Borja noted that "Ningas" has enabled him to re-study the craft.
"Siyempre, bagu-bago na ang mga proseso, may mga new trends na for sure, and VLF is a festival - meaning, you'll have to deal with other plays as well and collaborate with more people than usual," he noted.
"Ningas" will be staged on June 12, 22, 23, 27 and 28, with tickets already sold out, Borja confided.
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