PHOTOS: PETA's UNDER MY SKIN Opens; Cherry Pie Picache Leads the Cast

During the whole run of the play, after every end of the show, we will have debriefing and discussion with the audience, which will be facilitated by our actors and partners. We hope that it will further deepen the understanding of HIV (Human Immunodeficiency Virus)." - Maribel Legarda, PETA Artistic Director

Manila, Philippines - The Philippine Educational Theater Association (PETA) opened last weekend its final offering for its 52nd season, Rody Vera's Under My Skin, a collection of urban narratives that tackle the HIV epidemic in the country. TV-film actress Cherry Pie Picache, who shares the role of HIV expert Dr. Gemma Almonte with theater veteran Roselyn Perez, leads the cast.

A pandemic disease since the early '80s, HIV, which may lead to AIDS (Acquired Immunodeficiency Syndrome), remains a health threat to millions of people worldwide, especially in South Africa, where 20 percent of the adults, ages 15-49, are living with HIV.

In the Philippines, the average number of people who are diagnosed reactive to HIV is now 36 per day, which was only two per day over a decade ago.

During the whole run of the play, after every end of the show, we will have debriefing and discussion with the audience, which will be facilitated by our actors and partners. We hope that it will further deepen the understanding of the subject matter," said Maribel Legarda, PETA artistic director.

Picache shared: "Before the play, my knowledge of HIV was limited. The first thing I learned about HIV is that HIV is not a death sentence anymore. Of course, reading the script, studying my character add up to the learning. I learned a lot of new things."

PETA's new play Under My Skin, which is the frontline of PETA's "Acting on HIV" awareness campaign, together with non-profit organizations The Red Whistle and LoveYourself, tells the real-life stories of Filipinos who are living with HIV. Among them, the teenager Dino who discovers he has HIV through a contraction of tuberculosis, Mary Rose, who unknowingly passes down the virus to her young son after contracting the virus from her husband, and a gay employee at a salon who faces discrimination in the workplace.

Besides Picache and Perez, the production also features actors Anthony Falcon, Mike Liwag, Gio Gahol, Eko Baquial, Miguel Almendras, Gold Villar-Lim, She Maala, Mico Esquivel, Bene Manaois, Lotlot Bustamante, Kitsi Pagaspas, Dylan Talon, Ekis Gimenez, Dudz Terana, Jarred Jaicten, Erold Enriquez, Jason Barcial, Joseph Madriaga, Rach Gimpes, Reggie Ondevilla, Roy Dahildahil, and Casia Habla.

The creative team has Rody Vera, the playwright; Melvin Lee, director; Eric Dela Cruz, dramaturg; Migs Cortes, music composer; Teresa Barrozo, music and sound composer-designer; Benjamin Padero and Carlo Tabije, production designers; Ian Torqueza, lights designer; Steven Tansiongco, video designer, and Nicole Primero and Carlos Deriada Jr. of Airdance, choreographers.

PETA's Under My Skin plays at PETA Theater Center, 5 Eymard Drive, Brgy. Kristong Hari, New Manila, Quezon City, now through 22 March 2020.

Get the best deals on tickets to PETA's Under My Skin HERE.

Photos: Oliver Oliveros

Cherry Pie Picache

Dylan Talon, Kitsi Pagaspas

Miguel Almendras, Gio Gahol

Miguel Almendras, Gio Gahol

Miguel Almendras, Gio Gahol

Dudz Terana

Cherry Pie Picache, Miguel Almendras

Cherry Pie Picache

She Maala

Gio Gahol

Dudz Terana

Cherry Pie Picache