How Virgin Labfest pulled Angelica Panganiban back to acting

Angelica Panganiban-Homan is charting unfamiliar territory as she prepares to make her theater debut in “Don’t Meow for Me, Catriona,” a play by Ryan Machado and directed by Toni Go-Yadao. The show is among the plays featured in this year’s Virgin Labfest (VLF), a theater festival which will run from June 11 to June 29 at the Tanghalang Ignacio Gimenez (CCP Black Box Theater).

“Don’t Meow for Me, Catriona” revolves around the familial love between a mother (Peewee O’Hara as Reting) and a daughter (played by Angelica as Phoebe). “It’s about responsibility and yung hangganan ng pagmamahal natin sa ating pamilya,” direk Ryan told The STAR at a presscon.

The synopsis reads: “At a nearly empty bus terminal in Cubao during the pandemic, a daughter waits with her elderly mother for a bus bound for Bicol. After years of caring for her mother alone, she has decided it’s time to finally pursue her own dreams. But as the bus refuses to arrive, they are forced to confront old wounds, unspoken regrets and the complicated weight of familial love that binds — and sometimes breaks — families.”

Angelica agreed to do the play because she loved the script and didn’t feel burdened with the demands of this particular project.

“It’s not that overwhelming as compared to other plays that would drain your energy and paniniwala mo sa sarili mo. I think this one, mas pang- ‘virgin’ siya,” she told this paper.

“Also because you’re with a group of people so it’s a different support system. Mas maigsi so it’s not that overwhelming and it’s fit for newbies. When they offered it to me and I read the script, I told my husband (Gregg Homan), ‘I think I’ll be working.’ Hahaha! Because I really liked it (the material).”

According to direk Toni, it was an “opportune time” for the Kapamilya actress to venture into theater acting. She recalled, “We saw her while watching a play in Ateneo. And then the age (of Phoebe) sakto sa kanya. I think Angelica was also looking for the right time to come back to acting.

“It was direk Andoy (Ranay) who urged her to try the Virgin Labfest because it’s short-term. There are only two actors (in the play) and it’s a good opening to try theater.”

As a newcomer in this field, Angelica reflected on the lessons that she learned from theater acting.

“I’ve learned a lot na hindi ko akalain na mare-reach ko before. It would really push your limits and challenge you. We know na paulit-ulit mo siyang gagawin, parang every time na uulitin mo siya, you would really discover… I’ve been acting for years but I didn’t expect na meron pa akong mahuhugot na different feeling and how to deliver (emotions) in every scene.”

During the first few days of rehearsals, Angelica confessed that she repeatedly doubted herself. “I would ask myself, ‘Bakit ko siya pinasok? Why did I do this? Can I really do this?’”

She shared to the team what she felt and fortunately, the director and the crew helped her overcome her fears and struggles.

On how she balanced her duties as a first-time mom and as a theater actress, she said, “I’m very thankful that I have a supportive partner. For three years, I took a break from showbiz and ibinuhos ko lahat sa pagiging ina. And then at some point, nakikita niya na ina-artehan ko na lang din siya bahay so he said, ‘I think you need to go back to work because kami na yung ina-artehan mo.’”

Angelica and Gregg are very hands-on parents to their two-year-old daughter Amila Sabine, the former added.

Does Angelica’s theater debut signal her showbiz comeback?

“I accepted this project because I’m slowly testing the waters. Kung kaya ko na ba ulit? Kung kaya ko na bang iwan, not full-time, ang eksena sa bahay namin? What will be our dynamics as a family?” she replied.

“So far, so good. Nakikita ko naman na parang kinakaya naman namin, especially with me. Ako ba kaya ko ba talaga na nalalayo ng matagal sa anak ko? They’re based in Subic and if I have work, I’m here in Manila.”

She further revealed that she has received film and TV acting offers, but her focus right now is the play. “Nagkakaintindihan naman kami ng management na after this, I will give my attention to them.”

Aside from “Don’t Meow for Me, Catriona,” the other participating plays in the Virgin Labfest 2025 edition, dubbed “VLFXX: Hinog,” include Eljay Castro Deldoc’s “Minating ni Mariah ang Manto ng Mommy ni Mama Mary,” Ivan Villacorta Gentolizo’s “Unang Araw,” Nelsito Gomez’s “Anniversary,” Harvey “Imuthis” Rebaya Sallador’s “Ang Problema sa Trolley,” Chris Joseph Junio’s “Mga Magindara sa Siyudad” and Jobert Grey Landeza’s “Mommy G.”

Also part of the lineup are Siege Malvar’s “Presidential Suite 2,” Rolin Migyuel Obina’s “The Late Mr. Real,” Liane Carlo Suelan’s “The Orphan and the Rat,” Ade Valenzona’s “Polar Coordinates” and Mikaella Yoj’s “TBT: Takbo, Batang Tondo.” The theater event will also revisit three plays from last year’s edition, namely Jhudiel Clare Sosa’s “Identite,” Joshua Lim So’s “Pagkapit sa Hangin” and Elise Santos’ “Sa Babaeng Lahat.”

“VLFXX: Hinog” will likewise mount Staged Readings, Theater Talks, Playwrights’ Fair, Dramaturgy Fellowship Exhibit, and the Writing Fellowship Program and Showcase.

(For details, check out the official social media accounts of VLF, CCP, Tanghalang Pilipino and Writers’ Bloc on Facebook, X, Instagram and TikTok).