Update (05/15/20): The Virgin Labfest has released their official schedule for Jun. 10 to 28, with timeslots at 3 p.m., 5 p.m. and 8 p.m on the first week. The first week will prominently feature VLF 2020’s new works, with three revisited works and the playwrights’ fair.
While the world may be on pause, more stories have yet to be released onto this closed-off society. Several film fests and plays have been put on hold, but that doesn’t mean the storytelling has to stop altogether. Thanks to technology, gatherings like this year’s Virgin Labfest (VLF) have taken a turn for the digital.
Slated for Jun. 10 to 28, Lab in The Time of COVID: A Virtual Labfest Lockdown Edition is all the same goods from the annual theater festival, now coming to you straight from the storytellers’ homes. VLF 2020 will feature nine new works, including “Blackpink,” “Doggy,” “Titser Kit,” “Mayan Bubot sa Tag-araw,” “Multiverse,” “Gin Bilog,” “Dapit Hapon,” “Pilot Episode” and “Papaano Turuan Ang Babae Humawak ng Baril.”
Making a comeback on the Virgin Labfest stage are the three plays “Anak Ka Ng,” “Wanted: Male Borders” and “Fangirl.” Outside of the usual sched, VLF is hosting the program “VLF Cross-media: From Page to Stage to Movies,” and will be gathering some of theater’s greats for roundtables featuring directors, designers, stage managers and production managers. Their writing fellowship and playwrights fair will also join their digital lineup.
Read more: Enjoy regional films in this online film festival
“Madaming mga problema ng kailangan nilay-nilayan. Madaming mga kuwento tungkol sa pamilya, sa sekswalidad, sa kalayaan at kung ano-ano pa,” says VLF 2020 director JK Anicoche on an announcement video. “Sa palagay ko, mahalaga. Mahalaga na makuwento pa rin natin ito. Mahalaga na magsama-sama tayo at mahalaga na tayo ay patuloy na magkukuwento sa kahit anong paraan.”
Watch VLF’s announcement here.
Art by Aira Ydette