July 5, 2025 - Jun Robles  Lana's award‑winning psychological drama Anino sa Likod ng Buwan is returning to the stage this October.

Based on an award-winning play turned award-winning film, Anino Sa Likod ng Buwan returned to the stage after 30 years last March with rave reviews.

As a play written by Jun Robles Lana in 1993 back when he was just 20 years old, Anino Sa Likod ng Buwan won the grand prize of the Bulwagang Gantimpala Playwriting Competition. In 2015, The IdeaFirst Company (a television production company and talent agency founded in 2014 by filmmakers Jun Robles Lana and Perci Intalan, responsible for films such as Die Beautiful and And the Breadwinner Is...) produced a film version which had its World Premiere at the Karlovy Vary International Film Festival in the Czech Republic and won major awards at the Pacific Meridien International Film Festival in Russia including Best Director (for Jun Robles Lana), Best Actress (for LJ Reyes), and the FIPRESCI Critics Prize and NETPAC Awards. 

Lauded by The Hollywood Reporter as a “tense and taut drama oozing sex, sweat and social chaos,” the film went on to win an Urian for Best Actress and another international Best Director award at the Kerala International Film Festival in India. 

Set in 1993 Marag Valley during the New People’s Army and the Philippine military war, the play introduces three fictional characters: husband and wife Emma and Nardo (Elora Españo and Ross Pesigan) and their unconventional friendship with a soldier, Joel (Martin del Rosario).

The 2025 theatrical staging is the debut production of IdeaFirst Live! (the live performance arm of The IdeaFirst Company) under the direction of Gawad Buhay awardee Tuxqs Rutaquio and was described by critiques as "powerful" and "provocative."

The selection process for the cast was rigorous, ultimately bringing together an exceptional group of performers.

Film and TV actor Martin del Rosario has won acting awards at Gawad Urian, Asian Television Awards, Golden Screen, Pista ng Pelikulang Pilipino, and Star Awards. 

Elora Españo is known for her roles in Gomburza, Your Mother’s Son, Pushcart Tales, Topakk, and Her Locket where she won Best Supporting Actress in the Sinag Maynila Film Festival. 

Ross Pesigan is a film and theater actor who participated recently at the Cannes Film Festival for starring in Arvin Belarmino’s short film “Radikals” which premiered at Semaine de la Critique. He earned a Gawad Buhay nomination for Outstanding Male Featured Performance in a Play for Barefoot Theatre Collaborative’s “Laro” and has performed in a play in Germany under the direction of Josefina Estrella.

Director Tuxqs Rutaquio is a theater designer, director, and actor, and educator who worked with Dulaang UP, then became the Associate Artistic Director of Tanghalang Pilipino, and later the Festival Director and Dramaturg of the Virgin Labfest. He was also the Philippine representative to the annual Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) Performing Arts Festival in Tokyo and was a Gawad Buhay awardee for Outstanding Set Design and Outstanding Stage Direction.

For the October run, the understudies, Edward Benosa, Denise Esteban, Vincent Pajara, will now be joining the main cast as alternates. 

Be sure to check the cast schedule.

Anino sa Likod ng Buwan will run from October 17 to November 9, 2025 at the PETA Theater Center, Q.C.

Tickets for the October run are already available at https://ticket2me.net/AninosaLikodngBuwan.