Mischief, mistaken identities, young love and a little fairy magic are coming to the Manila stage as Repertory Philippines (REP) returns to Shakespeare with A Midsummer Night’s Dream.
Directed by REP Artistic Director Jeremy Domingo, the production runs from September 12 to 27, 2026, with performances scheduled across three weekends at Saint Cecilia’s Hall, a National Cultural Landmark located inside St. Scholastica’s College in Manila.
The production marks REP's return to Shakespeare after the company last staged Hamlet in 2008. It also brings one of the playwright's most accessible comedies back to Filipino audiences ahead of REP's upcoming 90th season.
For theatergoers who have encountered Shakespeare mainly through films, books or modern adaptations, the production offers a chance to experience the original language and comic timing on stage.
Why is REP returning to Shakespeare?
Shakespeare has long been part of REP's history as a company devoted to English-language theater.
For Artistic Director Jeremy Domingo, the upcoming production is an opportunity to let Shakespeare's language take center stage rather than substantially rework the play for a contemporary setting.
Domingo describes the production as a faithful adaptation focused on the playwright's text and themes. His approach emphasizes the humor, wordplay, double meanings and sarcasm embedded in the dialogue.
That makes the production particularly interesting for audiences who may know the basic story of A Midsummer Night's Dream but have not experienced it as a live theatrical performance.
REP President and CEO Mindy Perez-Rubio said Shakespeare has been an important part of the company's history and that the production allows REP to revisit that tradition as it approaches a milestone season.
What is A Midsummer Night’s Dream about?
First performed in the late 16th century, A Midsummer Night's Dream is a Shakespearean comedy that intertwines several stories involving four young lovers, a group of amateur actors and a world of fairies.
The plot unfolds around the wedding of Theseus, Duke of Athens, and Hippolyta, Queen of the Amazons.
Meanwhile, four young Athenians become caught in a complicated romantic triangle. Their confusion intensifies when they enter an enchanted forest inhabited by fairies, including the powerful fairy king Oberon, fairy queen Titania, and mischievous Puck.
A magical potion becomes the source of even more romantic chaos.
The play's combination of romance, fantasy and comedy is one reason it remains among Shakespeare's most frequently performed works.
Why does Shakespeare's comedy still work today?
Although the play was written more than 400 years ago, its central themes remain familiar.
People fall for the wrong person. Friends misunderstand each other. Parents try to influence their children's choices. Couples argue. And everyone seems to make questionable decisions when emotions take over.
The language may be Elizabethan, but the situations are surprisingly recognizable.
That contrast is part of the appeal of seeing Shakespeare performed rather than simply reading the text. Actors have to make the rhythm, jokes and emotional shifts understandable to a modern audience without removing the language that makes the work distinctive.
Who is in REP's A Midsummer Night's Dream?
REP has assembled an ensemble featuring established performers alongside younger actors.
Randy Villarama, a Leaf Awardee for Best Featured Actor, takes on the dual roles of Oberon and Theseus.
Lesley Leveriza Lina and Giannina Ocampo-Van Hoven alternate as Titania and Hippolyta.
The four young lovers are played by Dani Roque and Isabelle Prado, alternating as Helena, Sevee Eslabra as Hermia, Luis Marcelo as Lysander, and GK Diola as Demetrius.
Joey Cosio-Mercado plays Puck and Philostrate, while Joel Parcon takes the role of Egeus, Hermia's father.
The Mechanicals, the amateur actors who become responsible for some of the play's funniest moments, include Tristan Bite as Nick Bottom, Alexa P. Sandiego as Peter Quince, Rico del Rosario as Francis Flute, Ysh Bautista as Robin Starveling, Robert Bradly Hao as Tom Snout, and Bella Alejandro as Snug.
The fairy ensemble features Bella Alejandro as Peaseblossom, Dana Lee as Cobweb, Rosea Ansay as Moth and Lorrie Figueroa as Mustardseed.
Who is behind the production?
Domingo leads the production as director, with Andie Villegas serving as Assistant Director.
The creative team includes:
- Jay Pangilinan – Musical Director
- Jomelle Era – Choreographer
- Ohm David – Set Designer
- Meliton Roxas – Lights Designer
- Carlos Siongco – Costume Designer
Siongco is the 2026 Gawad Buhay winner for Best Costume Design.
The production team is headed by Production Manager Bojo Barnes, with Phalie Medina as Assistant Production Manager, Nicole Chua as Stage Manager and Marta Muñoz as Deputy Stage Manager.
With costumes, lighting, music, choreography and set design playing significant roles in a Shakespearean fantasy, the production gives the creative team plenty of opportunities to distinguish the enchanted forest from the more formal world of Athens.
Where and when can you watch A Midsummer Night's Dream?
REP's A Midsummer Night's Dream has a limited run at Saint Cecilia's Hall inside St. Scholastica's College in Manila.
Performance dates: September 12 to 27, 2026
Venue: Saint Cecilia's Hall, St. Scholastica's College, Manila
Because the production runs for only three weekends, audiences interested in seeing the show should check REP's official channels for the complete performance schedule, ticket prices and availability.
Why see Shakespeare live?
Reading Shakespeare can be challenging, particularly when encountering unfamiliar vocabulary or expressions. Theater changes that experience.
Actors use movement, facial expressions, timing and vocal delivery to provide context that is not always immediately apparent on the page.
Comedy benefits especially from this format.
A pause can change the meaning of a line. A physical reaction can reveal a joke. And an audience laughing together can make an old piece of dialogue feel surprisingly current.
That is perhaps the most interesting reason to see REP's production: A Midsummer Night's Dream is not simply a literary classic being preserved. It is a play designed to be performed.
A Shakespearean classic with plenty of room for fun
For REP, bringing back Shakespeare is also a reminder of the company's long relationship with English-language theater.
For audiences, A Midsummer Night's Dream offers something lighter than Shakespeare's tragedies while retaining the wordplay, theatricality and observations about human behavior that have kept his works relevant for centuries.
Whether you're already comfortable with Shakespeare or encountering the Bard on stage for the first time, the combination of romance, comedy and fairy magic makes this one classic that does not require a tragic ending.
Repertory Philippines' production of A Midsummer Night's Dream brings Shakespeare back to the Manila stage from September 12 to 27, 2026, at Saint Cecilia's Hall in St. Scholastica's College.
With a cast of established and emerging Filipino theater performers and a creative team led by Jeremy Domingo, the production puts Shakespeare's original language, humor and themes at the center of the experience.
For anyone looking for a live theater experience this September, this Shakespearean comedy offers an entertaining reminder that stories about love, confusion and human folly can remain remarkably familiar, even four centuries later.