A Look Inside the Gabriela: The Musical Rehearsals

A week before opening night, Vogue Philippines joined the cast of Barefoot Theatre Collaborative’s latest show that brings the revolutionary heroine’s story to the stage.

They say behind every great man is a woman, and history shows they also stand behind great revolutions. In Philippine history, Gabriela Silang is known as Diego Silang’s wife, but she was also a military leader, the first Filipina general, and the “Joan of Arc of Ilocandia.” In Barefoot Theatre Collaborative’s Gabriela: The Musical, she becomes even more.

Written by Pat Valera, composed by Myke Salomon, and directed by Mikko Angeles, Gabriela: The Musical is set in 1762 during the Ilocos Revolt against Spanish colonial rule. Rather than starting after her husband’s death, the story portrays Gabriela as a co-author of the revolution from the very beginning. It also explores her Itneg heritage and her struggle to hold the movement together after Diego Silang is assassinated.

The cast features real-life husband-and-wife Gab Pangilinan and Salomon as Gabriela and Diego Silang, supported by cast members CJ Navato as Miguel Vicos, Kerr Allen as Sebastian, Mikaela Regis as Kunyap/Gumayad, Jasper Jimenez as Tagaben, Delphine Buencamino as Dawak, Carlon Matobato as Frayle, Jon Abella as Alcalde, and Jules Dela Paz as Principalia.

The ensemble features Curp Adriano, Joshua Rico Santos, Vincent Sumo, Andre Manguba, Ace Polias, Khalil Tambio, Evan Asuela, Chesko Rodriguez, Janji Gamboa, Ada Tayao, Teetin Villanueva, Mijon Anne Cortez, Denize Castillo, Ronah de la Peña, Lance Reblando, Pappel, and Joie Eborde.

A week before opening, the production was just beginning to move into the theater, doing tech runs and blocking for the show. “I think it’s because it’s new material, and because we interrogate every day what we’re doing: the characters, the text, the music. So for the first time in a while, I’m not sure where this is going to take me,” Pangilinan said between rehearsal sequences.

As one of the co-producers of Barefoot Collaborative, Pangilinan has been involved in multiple productions: she played Roxane in Mula sa Buwan, Cathy Hiatt in The Last Five Years, and appeared in We Aren’t Kids Anymore. But for Pangilinan, Gabriela: The Musical is a special gift.

“Pat Valera, the playwright, started writing Gabriela years ago, and told me in the baby stages that he was writing it with me in mind as Gabriela Silang,” she said. “Knowing what Gabriela Silang stood for, who she was as a person, as a hero, alam ko na it was going to be a challenging task, but at the same time, I’m so blessed to have this opportunity.”

Like Pangilinan, Regis also got a glimpse of the story when it was still a one-act play. “During the early stages of the musical, I was also one of the first that he [Pat] asked to read for him just to hear how it sounds,” Regis said.

After auditioning, she got the role of Kunyap/Gumayad, her first featured role in a theater production. While there aren’t many details released about her character, we do know that they are related to traditional Itneg spiritual and healing rituals. “She has a very specific trait that is different from the rest of the characters, and that’s what sets her apart and moves her character arc forward,” she added.

With the story’s historical context, the creative team researched the provinces of Ilocos and Abra, getting to know the indigenous community and learning about their culture. Together with dramaturg Katte Sabate, the production dug into Gabriela’s Itneg heritage and incorporated it into the musical. At the beginning of rehearsals, the cast received a dramaturgical document explaining the play’s context, period, and the indigenous communities they will be representing.

At the Nueva Segovia church in Vigan, Pangilinan saw Gabriela’s burial record firsthand. “In our hands, parang pwede siyang maging pulbo at any time!” she exclaimed, recalling how it was simply wrapped in manila paper. The experience made her feel closer to the character and also made her hope for better historical preservation. “The stories that we tell through our art form, theater, hopefully that’s something that can help preserve our rich culture and what our ancestors have done,” she said.

While their characters may be from another time period and a different culture, one thing anchored Regis’ and Pangilinan’s portrayal: humanity. Regis explained, “The lesson talaga na itinuro ni Ate Katte is magkaiba man kayo ng pinanggalingan, parehas kayong tao, pareho kayo ng damdamin at danas sa buhay, nagkakaiba na lang sa kung paano kayo manampalataya.”

“For some reason, I just felt strongly that no hero ever dreamt of being a hero,” Pangilinan added. “Pero it was the decisions that she made throughout her life that made her the inspiration, the symbol of feminism, and the known Philippine heroine that she is today.”

Gabriela’s struggles can still be felt by women today, she said. “This musical has proven to me that every day, women continue to fight for their place in society. Continue to fight for who they are and for equality. Until today, though, there have been many broken barriers, ang dami pa rin natin pinaglalaban.”

“The fact that the woman is at the helm, and this is a musical at the center… I don’t think we see that much of those materials often,” Regis said. “I feel so inspired and excited for the people who will see this musical.”

As Gabriela: The Musical prepared to meet its audience, Pangilinan and Regis hoped that the story will offer more than a retelling of a chapter in Philippine history. By bringing Gabriela’s humanity, heritage, and struggles on the stage, the production invites audiences to look beyond the title of heroine and recognize the woman behind it.

Gabriela: The Musical will run from November 14 to December 6, 2026. For tickets and more information, visit Barefoot Theatre Collaborative’s official social media pages.

Associate Digital Editor: Chelsea Sarabia. Producer: Bianca Zaragoza