Tagalog 2026 - Press Kit

TAGALOG 2026: Festival of One-Acts Returns to Bindlestiff Studio

Three U.S.-premiere plays from Manila's Virgin Labfest come to San Francisco's SOMA Pilipinas, performed in Tagalog with English supertitles

SAN FRANCISCO, CA — September 30, 2026. TAGALOG 2026, a festival of one-act plays experienced in our Mother tongue, with integrated English supertitles, opens November 5 and runs through November 21 at Bindlestiff Studio — the nation's only professionally-run venue dedicated to showcasing the performing arts of the Philippine diaspora.

TAGALOG 2026 is dedicated to the memory of co-founder Joyce Juan-Manalo, who died of cancer in 2023. This is the first TAGALOG production since her passing, continuing her work as a passionate advocate for language preservation. The festival arrives at a moment when Filipino culture has garnered more mainstream attention (with pop-stars like Olivia Rodrigo, Bruno Mars, and H.E.R., tennis phenom Alex Eala, and the upcoming Dreamworks animated film, Forgotten Island) Yet, simultaneously, anti-immigrant/anti-woke policies seek to erode and silence communities of color.

Founded in 2016 by Lorna Velasco and the late Joyce Juan-Manalo, TAGALOG was created to reclaim Tagalog as a living theatrical language and affirm Filipino stories in a space where language is often lost to migration and assimilation. The festival pairs contemporary Manila-based playwrights with Filipino American artists and audiences, building cultural exchange across generations and geographies. Bindlestiff Artistic Director Aureen Almario has described the festival as offering artists "solace and a deep sense of pride" through the chance to make theater in their mother tongue.

This year's lineup features the U.S. premieres of three plays drawn from Manila's Virgin Labfest, the annual festival created by internationally renowned playwright Rody Vera, who serves as dramaturg:

● "Ang Pag-Uulyanin Ni Olivia Mendoza" (The Forgetting of Olivia Mendoza) by Rolin Cadallo Obina, directed by Allan Samson Manalo — a 71-year-old woman's Alzheimer's begins to unravel a secret she has hidden to protect a hard-won love.

● "Mommy G" by Jobert Grey Landeza, directed by Joe Cascasan — a mother's 65th birthday dinner becomes the setting for a family-altering announcement.

● "Identité" by Jhudiel Clare D. Sosa, directed by Aureen Almario — a mother and daughter confront a hidden secret that tests their bond and their sense of self.

TAGALOG 2026 is made possible with support from Bindlestiff Studio, the San Francisco Arts Commission, the Theatre Bay Area CA$H grant program, and SOMA Pilipinas Cultural District, which is marking its 10th anniversary this year.

About Bindlestiff Studio Opened in 1989, Bindlestiff Studio is the only professionally-run black box theater in the nation dedicated to showcasing the performing arts of the Philippine diaspora, offering theatrical productions, music, comedy, and film festivals, and workshops in directing, production, acting, stand-up, and playwriting.

FACT SHEET

WHAT:
Tagalog 2026
A collection of one-act plays written and performed in one of the national languages of the Philippines.

WHO:
“Ang Pag-Uulyanin Ni Olivia Mendoza” (The Forgetting of Olivia Mendoza) by Rolin Cadallo Obina directed by Allan “Samson” Manalo

“Mommy G” by Jobert Grey Landeza directed by Joe Cascasan

“Identité” by Jhudiel Clara D. Sosa directed by Aureen Almario

Featuring: Trixia Apiado, Paolo Asuncion, Raphael Louis Buenaventura, Jay Bordon, Nic Feliciano, Eve Ganderosa, Nix Guirre, Archie Lacanilao, Faye Lacanilao, Kiki Lopez, Samantha de la Serna, Nikki Santiago, and Patrick Silvestre

WHERE:
Bindlestiff Studio
185 6th Street @ Howard San Francisco, CA 94103

WHEN:
November 5 -21, 2026
Thursdays -Saturdays @ 7:30 pm
November 5, Community Preview Night @ 7:30 pm
Opening Night, November 6 @ 7:30 pm. Reception immediately following
November 14, Matinee @ 2:00 pm

HOW MUCH:
$35 General
$25 Students/Seniors
$50 Support-the-Artists

Tickets on sale NOW!