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.

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.

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.

The old Cubao cinemas (called New Frontier Theatre) have had a major makeover and has just been…read morerelaunched as Kia Theatre. It opened this week with it's first show: Disney Live! It really is a great place for plays and small concerts. The spacing between rows is just right that even those in the back parts can clearly hear and see everything. The seating is super comfortable even if it's just cushioned folding chairs. The theater is carpeted and has really great acoustics. There's a ticket booth in front and a food concessionaire inside. It's being poised as the newest entertainment landmark inside Araneta Center and with big names such as Disney being it's first show, I think they're on the right path. I do hope they keep it this clean and fresh in the years to come.

Someone better be careful booking here. They. I kyle and dime for everything. Contracts seems…read morefairly simple then once you're roped in, hidden fees start piling up. 2 stars for a beautiful venue, but shady business practice. Sorry. Not recommending this place.

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.

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.

We all dream of studying at Hogwarts, but do you know there are some of us who get lucky? Every…read moreyear, the Philippine High School for the Arts, the so-called "Hogwarts of the Philippines", opens its doors to around 40 students who are gifted in the arts (that's like saying "imbued with magical powers", right?) Those who are chosen via the school's Annual Nationwide Search for Young Arts Scholars will get to study in a boarding school up Mount Makiling (home of the goddess Maria, yes) on a full government scholarship! Students there take up a double curricula that combines regular high school subjects like English, Math, Filipino, and Science; with advanced training in their art field of choice: dance (folk dance and ballet), theater arts, music (voice and instrument), visual arts, and creative writing. But much like the students of Hogwarts, it's not all work for the school's scholars. They get to have fun, too! (I should know. My sister and I both graduated from there.) The nationwide search usually begins in September and end in December. Head to the school's website for more information.

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!

How many cities in the Philippines have their own theater? Marikina is one…read more I once attended a summer art workshop organized by the Marikina City Government. All recitals and exhibits were held in Teatro Marikina. Though it was not as big as CCP's Main Theatre or Ateneo's Henry Lee Irwin Theatre, it was quite spacious. I couldn't remember exactly how big it was because the recital happened a long time ago, but, it was surely bigger than CCP's Tanghalang Huseng Batute or even Ateneo's Rizal Mini Theater. If I am not mistaken, it could be the same size as a regular movie house. Not bad for a community theater. Unfortunately, Marikina does not have a resident theater group so this establishment is not really used for its main purpose quite often. Yes, Marikina organizes a summer art camp almost yearly and the recitals are held here. But, I hope that sometime in the future we can regularly stage plays and have cultural shows here too.