The Return of
3Upuan: A New Cast, A New Perspective, Same Intimate Power
October 8, 2025
After a string of sold-out runs, 3Upuan — the tender, time-bending family drama from Scene Change — returns this October with an entirely new cast and a renewed emotional core.
A Story That Lingers Beyond Time and Space
Written and directed by Palanca Hall of Famer, Guelan Varela-Luarca, 3Upuan continues to capture audiences with its meditation on time, grief, and the fragile ties that bind families together. The play unfolds in quiet moments shared by siblings as they await their father’s passing — a deceptively simple premise that unravels into a layered exploration of memory, loss, and acceptance.
Since its premiere in late 2024, 3Upuan has evolved through each iteration: from the intimate run in Campos Laboratory Areté Ateneo de Manila in February 2025 to the atmospheric staging at Archivo 1984 in Makati last August.
Now, Scene Change comes full circle, returning to Areté at the Ateneo Art Gallery, where the company first began its journey.
From left to right: Paolo O’Hara, Jasmine Curtis-Smith, and Cris Pasturan
Paolo O’Hara as Jers originally played by Jojit Lorenzo
Passing the Baton: A New Ensemble of Storytellers
Original cast members Jojit Lorenzo, JC Santos, and Martha Comia—also founding partners of Scene Change—now hand over the reins to a powerhouse trio of performers: Paolo O’Hara, Cris Pasturan, and Jasmine Curtis-Smith.
Jasmine Curtis-Smith as Jai originally played by Martha Comia
A Continuing Intimacy
What makes 3Upuan unforgettable is its intimacy. Staged for only 60 audience members per show, the production invites viewers to sit within the emotional heartbeat of the story — close enough to feel every pause, breath, and silence between the siblings. It’s theatre stripped down to its most human elements.
As Scene Change continues to carve its place in Philippine contemporary theatre, 3 Upuan stands as its most defining work — one that reminds audiences that endings, no matter how inevitable, are also beginnings.
Show Details
Venue: Ateneo Art Gallery, Areté, Ateneo de Manila University, Q.C.
Dates: October 17 | 7pm, 18 &19 | 2pm and 7pm and October 24, 25, 26 |7pm|
Tickets: ₱1,600 — available at bit.ly/SC3UpuanOctober2025
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Photos courtesy of Scene Change.
Cris Pasturan is Jack originally played by JC Santos.