From ballet lessons, watching plays, and hanging out during breaks, to graduating high school,…read moreAssumpta Theatre will always have a special place in my heart. We have performed numerous times on stage before. I made a quick Google search and found this on Yelp. Oh, my childhood, how it flew by. I hope the next coming students find a way to love our home and find that it is their home, too.

This theater is an official satellite venue of the Cultural Center of the Philippines, which is why…read moreit's called the "CCP of the East." It was built and inaugurated in the early 2000s and has since put on many shows and performances both by the local school community and the neighboring communities. I personally have fond memories of playing an Annie orphan, a King & I princess, a stone-faced Singkil fan-dancer, and doing countless chorale shows and ballet recitals in the past, heehee! It's a beautiful theater and visiting theater companies, musical artists, and touring shows have performed here, wonderfully bringing cultural education and exposure over to the folks at the East side of Manila. No need to go all the way downtown! The massive Assumpta is a fully functional performance venue with modern light & sound equipment, a large stage with stage wings and a docking area at the back; there's an orchestra pit, air-conditioned dressing rooms with their own bathrooms, a nice big lobby, and guest comfort rooms. The theater seats over 2,000 guests! It's pretty novel to have this kind of venue on this side of town, so a lot of schools and organizations from around the area have taken it up on its facilities for graduations, their own productions, and other events. You can just call the school to inquire about renting because they're very open for that.

If you want to see something that'll change your life, catch a show by the Quezon City Performing…read moreArts. You have dance performances and music as well, but here's the clincher - these kids are street children. QCPA gets them off the street and grants them a scholarship that puts them in the theater or in the dance studio. Funded by the Quezon City government in hopes they'll pursue careers in the arts, most of these kids come from families that can't afford to send them to school, buy a house, or even feed them regularly. They could have been drug dealers, slaves to physical or sexual abuse, or worse, but this foundation transforms their lives and instead teaches them to play the guitar, to sing, and to pirouette. Through the QCPA Development Foundation, the scholars have led better lives. They have had the chance to travel, study, and earn money to support themselves and their families. Dancing, singing, making music, and creating art becomes their way out of all their hardships. To see them perform onstage and smiling, knowing the past they have, is beautiful. It really shows what a difference art can make to save this country.

If it's iconic architecture that you're looking for in the Philippines, the National Arts Center…read more(NAC) Theater or Tanghalang Maria Makiling is definitely is among them. Designed by National Artist for Architecture Leandro Locsin, this structure, said to be inspired by the Pyramids in Egypt, has been a widely-recognized symbol of the Philippine High School for the Arts, but it's technically not the school's domain anymore. Managed by the Cultural Center of the Philippines (and may be booked through their offices), the NAC Theater is a huge open-air performance venue. It is equipped with state of the art sound and lighting requirements for music, theater, or dance performances; and can accommodate an audience of up to 1,000 guests. Our high school recitals, graduation ceremonies, sportsfests, and other special occasions were held here.

For those bitching about how Art should be more accessible to everybody, may I present to you the…read moreTiu Theater. Formerly the old Louie's THX Cinema, the theater has recently been reinvented as an events venue back in 2014, and has hosted a number of concerts, plays, recitals, and performance art pieces. But what sets the Tiu apart from other event venues is how committed it is to making Art more accessible. The management of the Tiu will go out of their way to look for worthy art groups to sponsor. They have even staged a couple of free shows, just to get people more chances to watch these kinds of works. Time will tell if the Tiu can sustain and thrive with this kind of setup, but I'm happy we have such a venue for the arts.

Back in the day, the Tiu Theater used to be Louie's THX, the most high-tech movie theater in Makati…read moreat the time. These days, the Tiu Theater has become an events venue. I had the opportunity to come here for the Luna Art Festival in early 2015, and I loved the intimate, community-like vibe that was present all throughout. Inside the main theater, performers like the Adinkra Lumads group and other ethnic Filipino musicians and dancers performed to a crowd of art enthusiasts, and at some point, people took off their shoes and started dancing in the middle of the aisles! There were also a bunch of merchants outside the theater, selling shirts, food, jewelry and more. The back part of the theater is dimly-lit (adds to the vibe, I think), and has large murals painted on it, cementing the Tiu Theater's position as a haven for artists to showcase their work - be it performance art, visual art, handmade crafts, and more! I always enjoy events that are hosted here because it's always a good time with quality people in attendance.

A great venue for puppetry theater and museum. I didn't ask but I'm sure the place can also be…read morerented out for events. I went there to see the yearly show of the Paper Pasyon. Designed for but not limited to kids. I even carried one of the puppets and it is not easy to control or hold for long periods of time so I commend the puppeteers and actors that produced and performed the play. It was a great show and they have been doing it for 33 years. A little bit of shadow play was on there too.

I love watching plays. CCP has got some serious competition as a venue where plays can be mounted…read more Newport Performing Arts Theater is an unexpected delight inside Resorts World Manila. It is huge, majestic and elegantly set. The place has a seating capacity of 1,500. Given the size, make sure you get front row seats or at least the ones closest to the stage when watching a play. Since the venue is that big, those in the top rows would barely see the action on stage -- the classic nosebleed seats, really. The stage is also very modern boasting the biggest LED screen in Asia. This means that they can provide a dynamic backdrop for shows and concerts. They also have a revolving stage. I love that they use a digital audio system which produces crisp sound quality such that even those in the very last row can hear everything clearly (be it as it may that the actors seem like tiny toy soldier when seated there, at least they can follow the script). The seats are very comfortable with spacious legroom so watching an hour-long play is not an issue. The other thing that I love about this is how classy the theater vestibule is. Carpeted, private elevator service, mirror sculptures and a hanging chandelier make it feel like you're inside a hotel. Such a nice, classy place.

My first time here and was impressed by how they set up the Rak of Aegis stage - it had water! I…read moreliked how the audience could see the stage perfectly - we were at the Balcony center and had a good view. I guess those at the topmost right/left side would not be able to see the stage in full. The sound system was awesome, the temperature was just right. Seats were just monoblock chairs but it adds to the vibe of the place. I loved this theatre! It's just too far from the south but I wouldnt hesitate going back to watch another play.

Watched three stars and a sun last night! It was a show that you shouldn't miss! Hands down to all…read morePETA members for giving us a wonderful and entertaining night!

RCBC's Carlos Romulo Auditorium is an irony in itself to me. It's small, but it has big productions…read moremore often than not. There are countless performances showed here that're actually the big names in Broadway. The most favorite of mine that I've seen here is Rock of Ages Philippines. I've been a fan of the musical way back since I've heard about it. I mean, why wouldn't I be? It's like a musical with 80's stuff! What more could I ask for? Anyway, it wasn't long after Rock of Ages Japan ended their tour (see? I know these useless stuff!), and the 2012 movie trailer was shown in the movie that ROA Philippines was announced to be showing in the Philippines. I almost screeched in public when I've read it online. So I immediately bought front row seats. I think it was the fourth seat to the front? (egh, the seventh and eight row were already taken at that time). I wasn't thinking clearly though, I was so into seeing Mig Ayesa upclose that I forgot that no matter where you are in this theatre, it's still a nice view. I could've saved like a thousand then! Yeah, it's that small. So the next time you are trying to save up and you still want a great show, it doesn't matter where you are here. Oh, and because it's a small theatre, the audience tend to be awkward towards each other because of its intimacy. If you want a total kick-ass show with all the fireworks and dancing and crowdsurfing awesomeness (okay, not really), make sure you get the tickets to the last show. It's usually where all the awesome occurs. Of course those are just my own tips for having nothin' but a good time (See what I did there?). You can always get the best seats at the best convenient schedule to you.

Avenue Q, RENT, In The Heights, and recently No Filter, have all been staged at Carlos P. Romulo…read moreAuditorium (RCBC Plaza), which should tell you something about the quality of the plays they produce. I mean, Avenue Q was by far the funniest, most uproarious musical I have ever seen in my life! Who knew puppets played by Rachel Alejandro and Felix Rivera could make me bend over so hard from laughter to the point that I was already crying? And No Filter was a breakout play of epic proportions, delivering quick-fire monologues and witty banter with a solid cast, interrogating what it really means to be defined as a millennial. Before I delve too deeply into the awesome-sauce plays they've staged, which are too many to count, I want to say that although the Carlos P. Romulo Auditorium might look small and intimate for a theater, it's those qualities precisely that make going to the theater here such a visceral experience, drawing loud reactions from everybody in the audience. Other theaters will make you feel like you need to dress up fancy for the occasion, but the truth about the theater is that it's accessible to everyone and not just rich snooty people. I wish we could clear that misconception in our country.

The Black Box Theater at Ateneo de Manila is literally as the name states. It's a black box. This…read moretheater is uniquely designed in the shape of the box with the walls, floors, and ceiling painted black. This is an interesting set-up that allows for viewers to have an enriching and exciting experience. The design of this theater makes everything more interactive. The space is quite tiny and can only seat at most 100 people (not so comfortably) but this way you really get to see everything up close. This makes you way more engaged in the play itself. This tiny space makes the audience focus on the actors and the story and less on the set and theatrics of it all (which I love). The set itself is usually done simply, the actors play more with the space itself and in their movements versus using props and stands as their main objects for expression. I truly enjoyed my experience watching at The Black Box Theater and I can't wait for the next.

I booked Zenas for my sister's garden wedding last year, and honestly, she made the whole thing…read morefeel like a dream we didn't even know we had. We gave her a modest budget and a loose vibe--soft pastels, lots of greenery, nothing too fussy--and she turned our simple venue into something straight out of a magazine. The floral arches were breathtaking, mixing fresh blooms with these delicate hanging vines and little fairy lights that lit up perfectly at golden hour. She even surprised us with these gorgeous escort card displays using vintage books and tiny succulents that tied everything together. Super patient with all our last-minute tweaks, always smiling, and her team was so professional on the day. Every guest kept raving about how elegant and personal it looked. If you're planning anything special, trust me, Zenas is worth every star. 5/5 forever!

Zenas is a rockstar…read more She's an awesome lady who has all the talents that make her a good event & party planner. She listens well and shows you her ideas, so there are no unexpected surprises. She has a great taste and knows of the latest international trends, so she makes great recommendations. She has a great network of suppliers, so she can execute your dreams at a reasonable price. She has humor and is sweet so she is patient with you when you change your plans and comforts you if you are feeling insecure. Nothing less than 5 stars.