Mad Child Productions to stage Anna Ziegler’s ‘Boy’ as their 2026 season finale
Mad Child Productions to stage Anna Ziegler’s ‘Boy’ as their 2026 season finale
SINEGANG.ph published this press release as shared by Mad Child Productions. No staff writer participated in writing this article.
In their third season, Mad Child has staged stories led by young directors exploring complicated journeys of self-discovery. First was Trophy Boys by Emmanuelle Mattana, directed by Jillian Ita-as. More recently was Guelan Varela-Luarca’s Mga Binago ng Araw, directed by Monty Uy.
For their season finale, the company is set to stage Boy, a contemporary play by Anna Ziegler (BFF, Photography 51), this November. The play debuted internationally in the Philippines, where it was directed by Ed Lacson Jr. for Tanghalang Ateneo in 2016, with actor Cholo Ledesma playing the titular role. This year, Ledesma returns to the production as its director in an attempt to revisit and reframe the complex issues that Boy brings to light.
Set in the 1960s, Anna Ziegler’s Boy begins with a well-intentioned doctor who convinces the parents of biologically male Adam to raise him as a girl following a terrible accident. Two decades later, as the repercussions of that choice continue to unfold, Adam experiences love amidst confusion over his gender identity. The play is loosely based on the real-life story of David Reimer, which became one of the early hallmark cases used in discussions of gender identity and nature vs. nurture.
Zoë de Ocampo (Trophy Boys, Patintero sa Ayala Avenue) as Adam and Topper Fabregas (Ang Huling El Bimbo, Bar Boys) as Dr. Wendell Barnes lead the five-person ensemble with Jam Binay (Mga Binago ng Araw, Next to Normal) as Jenny, Toni Go-Yadao (Kisapmata, Ang Pag-uusig) as Trudy, and Marvin Ong (Side Show, Man of La Mancha) as Doug.
Continuing Mad Child’s commitment to nurturing young artists and creating opportunities for creative risk-taking, the production features a cast and creative team of seasoned artists combined with some of the brightest young theatermakers and cultural workers in the local scene. Cholo Ledesma steps on as Director following previous directorial stints with Tanghalang Ateneo and the Virgin Labfest, with Rafael Jimenez (Patintero Sa Ayala Avenue, Breakup Play or Baucis and Filemon) as Assistant Director, Sabrina Basilio (Gregoria Lakambini, Balete) as Dramaturg, Julio Garcia (Bar Boys, Man of La Mancha) as Set Designer, Jethro Nibaten (Quomodo Desolota Es?, Si Faust) as Lighting Designer, Sage Ilagan (Paano Man Ang Ibig) as Sound Designer and Composer, Paul Martinez as Costume Designer (Art, The Notebook), and Lesley Cao as Projection Designer.
Boy will run from November 27 to 29 and December 4 to 6 on its limited two-week staging at the 5/F Mirror Theater Studio, Makati City. Matinee shows are at 3PM, while evening shows are at 8PM.
Limited early bird tickets are now on sale at PHP 1,300 each and may be purchased at tinyurl.com/mcpboy2026. Once early bird tickets are exhausted, regular tickets will go on sale for PHP 1,500. Blind Box Pass holders have also been sent an email with instructions on how they may claim their tickets.
For updates on their current and upcoming productions, follow Mad Child Productions’ social media accounts at Mad Child Productions on Facebook, and @madchildprods on Instagram and Tiktok.
