Mad Child Productions stages Anna Ziegler’s ‘Boy’ in November

MANILA — Mad Child Productions will stage Anna Ziegler’s play “Boy” from November 27 to 29 and December 4 to 6 in Makati City, with actor Cholo Ledesma returning to the production, this time as director.

The contemporary play, which debuted internationally in the Philippines in 2016 in a Tanghalang Ateneo production directed by Ed Lacson Jr., explores gender identity and the consequences of decisions made in the name of medical treatment.

Set in the 1960s, “Boy” follows Adam, a child who was born biologically male but was raised as a girl after a doctor persuaded his parents to make the change following a serious accident. Two decades later, Adam experiences love while struggling with questions about his gender identity.

The play is loosely based on the real-life story of David Reimer, whose case became a prominent example in discussions of gender identity and the influence of nature and nurture.

Zoë de Ocampo will play Adam, while Topper Fabregas will portray Dr. Wendell Barnes. The five-person cast also includes Jam Binay as Jenny, Toni Go-Yadao as Trudy, and Marvin Ong as Doug.

Ledesma, who played Adam in the 2016 production, returns to the play to revisit its complex themes from a directorial perspective.

“Boy” is the season finale of Mad Child’s third season, which has featured productions led by young directors exploring questions of identity and self-discovery. Previous productions were Emmanuelle Mattana’s “Trophy Boys,” directed by Jillian Ita-as, and Guelan Varela-Luarca’s “Mga Binago ng Araw,” directed by Monty Uy.

The creative team for “Boy” includes assistant director Rafael Jimenez, dramaturg Sabrina Basilio, set designer Julio Garcia, lighting designer Jethro Nibaten, sound designer and composer Sage Ilagan, costume designer Paul Martinez and projection designer Lesley Cao.

The production will run at the Mirror Theater Studio in Poblacion, Makati City. Matinee performances are scheduled for 3 p.m. and evening performances for 8 p.m.

Early bird tickets are priced at P1,300 each and are available here. Regular tickets will cost P1,500 after the early bird allocation is sold out.