PUP Sining-Lahi Polyrepertory proudly presents their 44th season-ender production, Orasho Empirata.
Orasho Empirata, a triple-bill production featuring “Sa Babaeng Lahat” by Elise Santos, “Mga Halimaw Rin Kami” by Jules Pamisa, and “Anino ng Pagtubos” by Aldrine Anzures, will now set its stage on September 2-3 and September 10-12 at the Bulwagang Balagtas and Tanghalang PUP. Presented at the Virgin Labfest and recognized by the Carlos Palanca Memorial Awards for Literature, this production delivers heavy truths under the guise of thrill and laughter, inviting youth audiences to engage in timely conversations.
The title Orasho Empirata takes inspiration from Oratio Imperata, reimagined as a child-like mishearing. A metaphor for how young people inherit, reinterpret, and should challenge the beliefs and traditions handed down to them. Bound by a shared language of satire and socio-cultural critique, the three plays confront society and humanity’s norms. All three plays explore guilt, moral choices, and the struggle for redemption—whether through the lens of violent crime (Anino), supernatural beings facing human corruption (Mga Halimaw), or adolescent faith and sexuality (Sa Babaeng Lahat). Rather than offering easy answers, we turn the stage into a space where uncomfortable questions are allowed to linger: Sino ang nagtatakda ng mga bawal, at sino ang may karapatang magtakda kung ano ang tama?
“As time evolves, PUP-SLP goes beyond the traditional spotlight. We march alongside the masses to bring their stories to the stage. In the years ahead, we aim to build a theater movement that contributes directly to social commentary, echoes justice, and protects human lives,” said Istifen Dagang Kanal, Polyrep’s current Artistic Director. With laughter masking discomfort, shadows carrying heavy stories, and uncanny creatures that refuse to stay within the boundaries of the stage, Polyrep invites audiences to look again at the realities they encounter every day, raise questions, and serve as a catalyst for realization.
So, hold your prayers and come not only to witness three compelling stories, but to encounter a plea that dares to become a question: Orasho Empirata.
For tickets and updates, follow PUP Sining-Lahi Polyrepertory on Facebook and Instagram or register through the official ticketing form: https://forms.gle/6iB3hyXayS5Nb7Xs7
