THE news of various theater productions coming to the Philippines has caused quite a buzz among actors, fans, and performers. With great passion, Gen Z performers are ready to step into the light and turn passion into purpose; with dedication and pride, these youngsters are proving that art isn’t barely surviving—it’s thriving.
Many talented Filipino performers have made their mark in local and international theater. For aspiring artists, they serve as a motivation to work hard to hopefully one day take center stage.
Stepping into the Spotlight
Aira Maglinao has been acting for as long as she remember. Coming from a humble background, Aira and her parents ventured into acting and commercial modeling for extra income. However, it wasn’t until she was six that she received directions on set from directors and producers.
Her passion eventually grew when she discovered musical theater. While competing internationally in California, she and her peers used to envision how life-changing it would be to perform on Broadway.
Jaceann Orosco, on the other hand, initially saw singing as her first love, but acting naturally came in. She recalls how people often told her that her singing felt like storytelling, making the words flow beautifully. Growing up, she always loved recreating teleserye scenes and memorizing movie lines. Carrying her love from home to school, she eventually got professional training at DLSU’s Harlequin Theatre Guild, where she was mentored by artistic trainer Mr. Raffy Tejada.
The First Act
The stage has always been familiar territory for Aira, often acting in commercials and performing in singing competitions as a kid. Her upbringing played a big part in her penchant for performing, growing up with an amateur singing contest performer dad and a festival street dancer mom. While representing the country at an international talent competition, she discovered musical theater—combining all her passions into one art form.
Over the years, she honed her craft through various productions, “I do professional musical theater around the Metro, and I also used to be a stage performer. Now, I get booked as a host. The very first show I did was The Lion King, which premiered in Singapore back in 2011, where I got to alternately play young Nala. The last one I did was Ibarra the Musical (Noli Me Tangere) by Tanghalang Una Obra in 2023, where I was an ensemble member and covered the role of Sinang.” she shared.
Jaceann, meanwhile, began acting in school productions when they staged Wicked, where she won the Best Actress award as Glinda. Her deep love for theater allowed her to act in a multiple-day show just last year, “A major turning point in my acting journey came in 2024 when I performed on a bigger stage for several days. The experience was different from anything I had done before, and it truly felt like I was doing it professionally. I immersed myself in this industry because I believe it’s meant for me. Even though I’m naturally shy and sometimes full of doubts, my passion for performing speaks louder than my fears.” she recalls.
Behind the curtain
Aira and Jaceann both have had experience working on and offstage. For Jaceann, acting allowed her to come out of her shell as a performer, ”Being on stage feels surreal; words can’t fully capture how fulfilling it is to become the voice of a character, to represent a group of people, and to tell a story your way. That’s the true beauty of theater: for a moment, you step away from being yourself and become an instrument for the story. Hearing the audience react to your delivery, movements, and emotions, and knowing that they remember you for it—is an indescribable feeling.” she explains.
In addition to performing, Jaceann has worked in the Public Relations side of the production, reaching out to partners and sponsors to help bring the shows to life. This experience reinforced her belief that it takes a village to complete a production, with each role a part of the magic theater has to offer.
Aira shared that apart from her experience onstage, she also gained experience learning from seasoned veterans in TV and film. She recalls performing alongside Piolo Pascual, who was genuinely humble throughout their experience, “Our lead was Mr. Piolo Pascual, he admitted that knowing the rest of his castmates were already established or experienced musical theater actors, he came into rehearsals shy and timid, seemingly intimidated by everyone. But I still saw that he is incredibly hard-working, and is very serious and genuine in his craft, and I think that’s one of the experiences I’ll always remember.” she shared how humility is a necessity in the industry.
Big Dreams and Big Stages
With various acting experiences under her belt, Aira believes there is still so much more to achieve. As of now, one of her biggest dreams is to perform on a big stage in Makati, “I truly wish to perform or be part of a production held at the Samsung Performing Arts Theater, or as the teatristas call it, CPAT (Circuit Performing Arts Theater in Ayala Circuit, Makati). I adore that theater because it gives off such a modern vibe from the audience’s point of view, while still encapsulating that vintage, wide-set, amazing proscenium stage from the perspective of the actors and stagehands… It is a dream of mine to be there onstage. I’ve heard that they have an amazing green room lounge for the actors, well-ventilated sidestage wings, backstage nooks, non-squeaky and innovative stage materials, premium curtains and flies, and great people who work around the theater.”
Meanwhile, Jaceann’s long-term goal is to pursue theater full-time, locally or internationally. Taking inspiration from various Filipino artists. With this in mind, Jaceann is working hard to ensure this dream can become her reality, “My heart has always belonged to theater, and someday, I hope to pursue it as a full-time career, whether locally or internationally. I aspire to follow in the footsteps of incredible artists like Lea Salonga, Rachelle Ann Go, Eva Noblezada, and Abigail Adriano. Right now, I’m an active member of the DLSU Harlequin Theatre Guild, continuously honing my craft.” she shared.
Both Aira and Jaceann are keeping an eye on theater companies in the Philippines that hold open-call auditions, casting calls, and internships to deepen their understanding of the local theater industry.
A Curtain Call
Whether a seasoned actor or a novice performer, dreaming of stepping onto a grand stage is a part of every performer’s journey; from one performer to another, Jaceann shares a piece of her mind, encouraging her fellow artists to never let doubts hinder their growth, “Embrace every challenge, cherish every performance, every moment in rehearsals, every backstage thrill, and every bow you take. You are meant to share your gift with the world. And whenever you feel uncertain or drained, may you always find your way back to the arts—it will always be there to remind you of who you are and why you started. Keep believing and never stop trying, we’ll get there!” she shares.
Aira adds that as artists, being bold, brave, and creative is a must, “As Gen Z students, or even for future generations, we can sometimes become overly conscious of ourselves and our self-esteem, especially when self-doubt creeps in. But I truly believe in the saying, “You miss 100% of the shots you don’t take.” This is especially true in the arts industry, where the saying “Di uso ang hiya” really rings true. If you know you have the talent and skills, even the tiniest bit of experience can help hone them.” As a performer, she hopes theater kids out there can take the plunge, not let shyness overcome them, and let their passion take the lead.
The show must go on, and these Gen Z actors are ready to take the stage to keep the passion for performing shine through.
