Ang Balyena, a bold new stage play tackling toxic Filipino masculinity and male sexual assault, will premiere on July 19, 2025 at the De La Salle-College of Saint Benilde (DLS-CSB) Design + Arts Theater in Manila.
The production is led by Aninag Theatre, the student-run company of Benilde’s School of Arts, Culture, and Performance (SACP). It offers a rare and emotional look into the struggles of male survivors in a culture where such issues are often silenced.
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Directed by Joy Delos Santos and written by Baby Jay Crisostomo, a Don Carlos Palanca Memorial Awardee, the two-hour play centers on Jonah, a man who seems successful on the outside but is quietly battling trauma from his past. During a small family celebration, buried truths begin to surface.
Told through shifting timelines, Ang Balyena follows Jonah’s life from childhood to adulthood. It explores how harmful ideas of manhood fuel silence, repression, and shame.
“Jonah explores victimhood, all while taking the impact of toxic Filipino masculinity,” the production team said. “It captures that trauma through the metaphor of an all-consuming and ever-pursuing whale, as well as the analogies of isolation and vastness that come with water.”
The play blends sound, lighting, movement, and ocean-inspired visuals to deepen the story’s emotional impact. It stays grounded in Filipino culture, with a setting and characters that reflect familiar family and societal dynamics.
Aninag Theatre aims to shine a light on issues often left out of mainstream media. “One of our objectives with this production – and by extension our research – is to add to the limited supply of media about the issue,” the producers shared.
Ang Balyena opens on July 19 at 1 PM, with regular shows running from July 21 to 25 at 6 PM. A special Gala Night will be held on July 26 at 1 PM. Tickets are priced at ₱320 for persons with disabilities and senior citizens, ₱350 for Benildeans, ₱400 for general admission, and ₱500 for the Gala Night, which includes exclusive Aninag Theatre merchandise. Tickets can be purchased at tinyurl.com/AngBalyena, and more information is available at facebook.com/aninagtheatree.
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