Duncan Macmillan's PEOPLE, PLACES, AND THINGS Gets a Staged Reading for One Weekend Only
The staged reading will be held at The Blackbox at the Proscenium Theater, from August 15-16, 2026.
Manila, Philippines—The Manila theater community is treated to a strictly one-weekend-only staged reading of Duncan MacMillan’s acclaimed play “People, Places, and Things.” The Sandbox Collective’s Artistic Director, Sab Jose, directs this special engagement, which closely aligns with the theater company’s mission to push boundaries and normalize difficult yet necessary conversations.
Macmillan’s “People, Places, and Things” is widely regarded as one of the most important contemporary plays of the last decade; it’s fierce yet compassionate, layered with dark humor.
The story follows Emma, an actress whose carefully constructed life shatters as she enters a rehabilitation facility to confront her addictions.
Bela Padilla, who makes her theatrical debut, plays Emma. Known for her acclaimed work in TV and films, such as “100 Tula Para Kay Stella” and “Meet Me in St. Gallen,” Padilla steps into the demanding shoes of an artist in crisis, alongside her alternate Gabby Padilla, who starred in plays “Tiny Beautiful Things” and “I Love You, You’re Perfect, Now Change.”
Another TV and film star, Jake Cuenca, returns to the stage to play Mark. Cuenca is no stranger to doing live theater—having previously delivered an acclaimed performance in The Sandbox Collective’s production of another Macmillan play, “Lungs.”
Also in the cast are Menchu Lauchengco-Yulo (Doctor, Therapist, and Mom), Audie Gemora (Paul and Dad), Robbie Guevara (Foster), Reb Atadero (T), Brian Sy (Shaun and Mark understudy), Mariella Laurel (Laura), Pamela Imperial (Charlotte), Miel Abong (Jodi), and Salve Villarosa van Schoonhoven (Narrator).
Adding to the urgency of this strictly limited run is its venue: The Blackbox at the Proscenium Theater in Rockwell, Makati. Unlike large venues, where the set design and distance from the stage can create a barrier, a blackbox setting strips away the spectacle to put the spotlight on the MacMillan’s text and the actors’ raw craft.
“People, Places, and Things” premiered at The Dorfman Theatre, National Theatre, London, in a co-production with Headlong in 2015.
Photos: Paw Castillo
