Under My Skin

Online Streaming
November 26 to 28; November 30 – December 5, 2021

Philippine Educational Theater Association (PETA)
PETA THEATER CENTER No. 5 Eymard Drive, New Manila, 1112 Quezon City, Philippines

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Official ticketing and streaming partner:
www.ticket2me.net

Ticket Rates:
Php 180.00 for Livestream
Php 250.00 for Video on Demand

For tickets:
bit.ly/undermyskinonline

Two weeks before the closing of Under My Skin at the PETA Theater Center in March 2020, PETA and other theater groups were forced to stop their shows because of the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic. Although the play’s run was cut abruptly because of the COVID-19 lockdown in March 2020, PETA revamps the play from stage to video, in partnership with esteemed HIV advocacy organizations LoveYourself PH and The Red Whistle, and UNILAB, Inc., PETA’s major co-presenter.

Under My Skin is a culmination of multiple stories about Filipinos living with HIV gathered from their friends and relatives, HIV advocates, existing studies on HIV, doctors, and health practitioners.

The story revolves around Dr. Gemma Almonte, who is an epidemiologist at the Department of Health. She was studying the spread of HIV in the Philippines. She re-worded the existence of “gay” people into “men who have sex with men” as the local government had been subtly denying the existence of their sexuality.

Her research had shown that there was a 90% spike in the number of HIV cases among men who had sex with men along with a steady rise of mother-to-child transmissions.

One case is the story of Dino, a persistent DOTA player, who finds that he is HIV positive through a contraction of tuberculosis. His mother discovers her son’s unspeakable practices and learns that not only is HIV a family issue, but a community issue as well, and should be solved as such.

Next is the story of Mary Rose, who discovers that her young son had an HIV-related gastro-intestinal infection. She learns that she had passed down the virus and had contracted it from her husband.

The last story is about a flamboyant gay beauty parlor employee who sues his employer for discriminating against those with HIV. We hear about partners who delve in unsafe sex, work-related discrimination, and people who start inflicting the stigma onto themselves. They begin contemplating suicide instead of pursuing treatment if it meant inexposure to the public eye.

The rate of HIV-related cases has been progressively increasing in the Philippines, abetted by the stigma, lack of resources, prevailing misconceptions, ignorance from several government and religious institutions, and the absence of an effective strategy.

Dr. Gemma’s prediction of the future is bleak and her only hope is a change in public perception, an increase in compassion, and a society afflicted not with ignorance and prejudice, but with compassion and understanding.

PETA’s Under My Skin is Reborn Online

Cherry Pie Picache Advocates for HIV with PETA’s “Under My Skin”

CAST AND STAFF

STREAMING CAST

Dr. Gemma Almonte
Cherry Pie Picache

Syd
Eko Baquial

Greg
Gio Gahol

Jonathan
Mike Liwag

Mario/Borta
Jarred Jaicten

Aling Loida
Kitsi Pagaspas

Dino
Dylan Ray Talon

Comedy Bar Singer / May-ari ng Parlor
Dudz Teraña

Mary Rose
She Maala

Louie
Bene Manaois

Borta/Ensemble
Erold Enriquez, Jason Barcial

Parlorista
Joseph Madriaga

Ensemble
Rach Gimpes, Reggie Ondevilla, Roy Dahildahil, Gerard Dy, Ekis Gimenez

CREATIVE STAFF

DIRECTOR
Melvin Lee

PLAYWRIGHT
Rody Vera

DIRECTOR OF PHOTOGRAPHY
Niel Daza

ASST. DIRECTOR (FOR VIDEO)
Mico Esquivel

LIGHTS DESIGNER
Ian Torqueza

DRAMATURG
Eric Dela Cruz

MUSIC & SOUND
Teresa Barrozo, Migs Cortes, Kabaitan Bautista

TECHNICAL DIRECTOR
Barbie Tan-tiongco

PRODUCTION DESIGNERS
Benjamin Padero, Carlo Tabije

CHOREOGRAPHERS
Nicole Primero, Carlos Deriada, Jr.

MUSIC COMPOSER
Migs Cortes

VIDEO DESIGNERS
Steven Tansiongco, Bene Manaois

VIDEO EDITOR
Carl Ruiz

“UNDER MY SKIN” GAWAD BUHAY 2020 CITATIONS:

Outstanding Original Script
Rody Vera

Outstanding Stage Direction for a Play
Melvin Lee

Outstanding Play (Original)

Outstanding Original Score
Teresa Barrozo & Migs Cortes

Outstanding Lighting Design
Ian Torqueza

Outstanding Sound Design
Teresa Barrozo

Outstanding Projection and Video Design
Steven Tansiongco & Bene Manaois

Female Lead Performance in a Play
Cherry Pie Picache & Roselyn Perez

Female Featured Performance in a Play
Lotlot Bustamante, Kitsi Pagaspas, Gold Villar-Lim

Male Featured Performance in a Play
Eko Baquial, Anthony Falcon, Gio Gahol, Dylan Talon, Dudz Teraña

Showdates
February 7 – March 22, 2020
Fridays (8:00pm)
Saturdays & Sundays (3:00pm & 8:00pm)

Ticket Prices:
₱1,800.00 VIP
₱1,500.00 ORCHESTRA Premium
₱1,000.00 ORCHESTRA Regular
₱1,500.00 BALCONY Premium
₱800.00 BALCONY Regular

ARTISTIC STAFF

Written by Rody Vera
Directed by Melvin Lee
Dramaturgy by Eric Dela Cruz
Production Design by Benjamin Padero and Carlo Tabije
Lights Design by Ian Torqueza
Music and Sound Design/Arrangement by Migs Cortes
Video Design by Steve Tansiongco
Choreography by Nicole Primero and Bubbles Deriada