'Mga Kwento ni Lola Basyang' brings classic Filipino tales to a new generation through interactive theater
For the team behind Mga Kwento ni Lola Basyang, inspiring children to love theater isn't just about getting them into the audience—it's about giving them a reason to truly connect with the experience.
The latest iteration of the Philippine Educational Theater Association production brings the classic stories of Severino Reyes to the stage through an interactive format, encouraging young audiences to move, sing, answer questions, and become part of the storytelling.
“Every show, iba-iba yung audience natin and it’s an opportunity for us to makipagkwentuhan,” Kiki Baento, who plays Lola Basyang, said during the media briefing at the PETA Theater Center.
For CB Garrucho, who plays the also plays the iconic storyteller, seeing children actively participate is one of the most rewarding parts of being an actor.
"They are participating, they're answering, moving, singing. Diba, there's such little space for children to do that. So here in this space, they're free and you can see them," Garrucho said.
Knowing that Lola Basyang might be a child's very first theater experience adds a layer of magic for the cast. For JC Sunto, who plays Uriel, a "curious modern girl," it’s an exciting privilege to help create a core memory that could last a lifetime.
Making that kind of lasting impression is especially meaningful in today's digital age.With children increasingly surrounded by gadgets and short-form videos, the production team said theater should not necessarily be positioned as something that competes with technology.
“Medyo mahirap na din talagang tanggalin sa world ng mga bata yung gadgets,” Mico Esquivel, who plays Kawal, said. "So, kahit i-kwento natin siya, ibang experience padin yung madala natin sila sa ganitong space to really witness in actual yung ganitong kamagical na experience."
For Nyla Festejo, who plays Sharay, the best answer to a child asking, "What's theater?" is simply letting them experience it for themselves. She hopes the performance will spark their imagination and inspire them to dream—or even step onto the stage one day, just as she did.
A two-way conversation
“Lola Basyang is interactive,” Maribel Legarda, director of the excerpt and mobile version, said. “Dapat active yung buong mind and heart mo. And that way, that learning experience can really be buo. So, it's really a practice. That is conscious in terms of how we try to develop our children and young people work."
Rather than treating children as passive spectators, the show breaks the fourth wall and invites them to respond to what is happening onstage.
Phil Noble, the full-length director, described the performance as an opportunity for adults to reconnect with storytelling, too, asking when was the last time adults read a book to a child instead of handing them an iPad.
“Technology isn't going away. It's a reality that we have to accept,” Noble said, "Read a story, a real story, from your tablet, from your phones... [Read the kids] stories with substance. Stories that make children feel good. Give them hope, open up their imagination."
Keeping Lola Basyang current
While the production draws heavily from Reyes’ classic 1920s stories, the team also leaves room for contemporary narrative twists. The current iteration features three tales, with the third slot reserved for a rotating story. The first two remain permanent staples due to their universal themes and long history of international performances.
These anchored classics include Ang Prinsipeng Mahaba ang Ilong, which teaches that appearances do not define a person's worth, and Ang Binibining Tumalo sa Hari, about a young woman who challenges those in power with her wit and bravery.
Meanwhile, the rotating third story—written by current artistic director Jamie Cataniag—grew out of a digital project created during the pandemic. Its themes touch on social media and modern realities immediately familiar to today’s youth.
The production also explores the relationship between tradition and technology through its characters. Uriel represents contemporary, technology-driven culture, while Lola Basyang represents Filipino storytelling and tradition.
Rather than treating these worlds as opposites, the team said the production explores how they can meet.
"I feel like that's also why a character like Uriel is so important sa story ni Lola Basyang. Kasi it's someone na the kids can see themselves in; she's really a representative of something new, technology, anything that's trendy these days. As opposed to Lola Basyang, which is tradition, theater, folk tales, old stories. And so, I hope that this production can show na hindi divided talaga 'tong worlds," Sunto said.
After all, the team believes storytelling does not have to end when the curtain closes—it can continue with the children who experienced it.
Mga Kwento ni Lola Basyang will return for an extended run in February 2027.
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