One year before it turns 20, Virgin Labfest (VLF) is truly living up to its name.

Prolific playwright Rody Vera noted that this year saw debuting writers dominate this annual theater festival of “unpublished, unstaged, untested and untried” one-act plays. Of the 12 new works for VLF 19, chosen from 144 qualified entries, seven were by “virgin” playwrights — Dip Mariposque, Elise Santos, Hans Pieter Arao, Are Jenika Vinzon, Chesie Galvez-Carino, Jhudiel Claire Sosa, and Neil Azcuna.

Once criticized for its seemingly cliquish selection process, the post-pandemic VLF under festival co-directors Marco Viana and Tess Jamias has made significant strides not just in opening up to new talent and narratives, but also in terms of curation. For instance, Azcuna's charming ’Si Jesus Na’a sa US’ was originally written in Bisaya.

Once again, this year's plays were grouped into four thematic sets and presented at the much larger blackbox venue, Tanghalang Ignacio Gimenez, which was transformed into a bustling hive of creativity from the sale of theater books at the lobby and the dramaturgy exhibition at the third floor, where talks and staged readings were also held. Even the basement with its food and retail concessions provided additional gathering space for the theater-loving community.

Last year’s VLF was the strongest we’ve seen and this year’s lineup, while more uneven, still brought genuine excitement among theater fans.

JC Santos and Liesl Batucan in 'The Foxtrot.' Vladimir Bunoan, ABS-CBN News 

Who wouldn’t be roused by the smoldering stage pairing of film and theater star JC Santos as a dance instructor and veteran Liesl Batucan as a lonely society matron in Galvez-Carino’s “The Foxtrot,” with its Quintosian dialogue and surprisingly intense dance sequences?

Or the return of VLF favorite Rick Patriarca with his most mature work to date, “Love on the Brain,” a contemporary tale of a gay couple whose relationship is shaken when one tests positive for HIV.  

 The cast of 'Love on the Brain' at curtain call. Vladimir Bunoan, ABS-CBN News

Another VLF veteran Herlyn Alegre brought the house down with "Sentenaryo," a terrific ensemble piece about a family squabble that erupts on the 100th birthday of their patriarch, with director Ian Sagarra going for an old school Pinoy style of physical comedy that left the audience in stitches.

That said, here are the top four plays in this year’s Virgin Labfest, which I personally liked (in order):

1. ‘Pagkapit sa Hangin’ by Joshua Lim So

 A scene from ‘Pagkapit sa Hangin.’ Erickson Dela Cruz 

This play is why, at least for me, VLF exists — as a platform for playwrights to explore important topics and issues regardless of commercial risk. Previous VLF plays have tackled the COVID-19 pandemic but nothing like this — a chilling medical drama set in a public, rural hospital running out of supplies, oxygen in particular, as the harried doctors and nurses are forced to make difficult life-or-death choices. Jose Estrella and Mark Dalacat’s unflinching direction and the committed cast will leave you shaken, bringing back unwanted memories, and triggering nightmares.

2. ‘Ang Munting Liwanag sa Madilim na Sulok ng Isang Serbeserya sa Maynila’ by Dustin Celestino

A scene from ‘Ang Munting Liwanag sa Madilim na Sulok ng Isang Serbeserya sa Maynila.’ Photo from the play's Facebook page 

I have to admit I am a fan of Dustin Celestino and once again he delivers in ‘Ang Munting Liwanag sa Madilim na Sulok ng Isang Serbeserya sa Maynila,’ where he again tackles Pinoy masculinity in crisis. The play is set in that bastion of Pinoy machismo, the KTV joint, but in the post-FHM era. Having two older millennial professors on a night out allowed Celestino to intellectualize woke beliefs and even psycho-analyze their intentions in a humorous clash of toxic masculinity instincts and Gen Z awareness. But that last image when the GRO smiles was just an unexpected, teasing touch that should warm your old-fashioned heart.

3. ‘Identite’ by Jhudiel Claire Sosa

Kitsi Pagaspas and Ash Nicanor at curtain call. Vladimir Bunoan, ABS-CBN News

‘Identite’ is a rare gem, a staunchly modern feminist piece that is also funny and undeniably Filipino about a typical rural Pinoy mother who discovers that her daughter who has left for the city has a collection of sex toys. The naughty pink Barbie-like set captured the play’s overall vibe while Kitsi Pagaspas shines as the confused mother struggling to understand her daughter’s liberal values as they navigate through their generational divide.

4. ‘Sa Babaeng Lahat’ by Elise Santos

The cast at curtain call. Vladimir Bunoan, ABS-CBN News

Perhaps the runaway audience favorite this year is virgin playwright Santos’ “Sa Babaeng Lahat,” which also marked the VLF directorial debut of Repertory Philippines’ regular Caisa Borromeo. Reminiscent of “Unica Hijas” by Mikaela Regis from VLF 17, this is similarly set in an all-girls Catholic school but with a more nostalgic appeal (yes, 2005 now qualifies as old) and a naturally funny premise with a clueless lass thinking she was chosen to be the next Virgin Mary.

VLF 19 runs until June 30 at the CCP Tanghalang Ignacio Gimenez Black Box Theater.