The Sandbox Collective has officially revealed the full cast for its highly anticipated production of SPRING AWAKENING, marking the company’s 12th year and opening the 2026 season with a dynamic blend of theater veterans and rising stars. The Tony Award–winning musical, with book and lyrics by Steven Sater and music by Duncan Sheik, is based on Frank Wedekind’s groundbreaking play that explores the turbulent journey of adolescence.
SPRING AWAKENING tackles the themes of mental health, sexuality, family, and growing up, resonating deeply with audiences across generations. Director Andrei Nikolai Pamintuan emphasized the relevance of the show’s narrative in today’s society, highlighting the continued presence of oppressive systems and the struggle of youth against the status quo. “The struggles faced by the young characters—teen pregnancy, abuse, mental health challenges—are the very issues young people still face, especially in the Philippines,” Pamintuan noted.
Leading the powerhouse cast are Philippine theater icons Menchu Lauchengco-Yulo and Ana Abad Santos, who will share the role of Adult Woman, while Audie Gemora takes on the role of Adult Man. Lauchengco-Yulo and Abad Santos both bring decades of award-winning theatrical experience, with performances spanning from Evita and Sweeney Todd to A Streetcar Named Desire and Quezon. Gemora, a multi-awarded actor and director, is celebrated for roles in Pippin, Les Misérables, and Sweeney Todd.
Joining these luminaries are Nacho Tambunting and Alex Diaz, alternating as Melchior Gabor; Nic Chien and Omar Uddin, sharing the role of Moritz Stiefel; and Sheena Belarmino as Wendla Bergmann. Tambunting, returning from New York, originated Felix Starro, Jr. in the first Filipino-American musical Off-Broadway, while Diaz is a Gawad Buhay-nominated actor known for Disney’s Newsies and Bar Boys: The Musical.
Supporting roles feature an impressive ensemble: Angelo Martinez as Hänschen Rilow, Vino Mabalot as Otto Lämmermeier, Jam Binay as Ilse Neumann, Angia Laurel as Martha Bessell, Mijon Cortez as Anna, Felicity Kyle Napuli as Thea, Elian Dominguez as Ernst Röbel, and Davy Narciso as Georg Zirschnitz. Each cast member brings a wealth of experience from both local and international stages, ensuring a vibrant and emotionally charged production.
The artistic team behind SPRING AWAKENING is equally formidable, with Ejay Yatco as musical director, Nunoy Van Den Burgh as choreographer, Missy Maramara as intimacy director, and a creative crew led by set designer Wika Nadera, costume designer Raven Ong, and lighting designer D Cortezano. This collaboration promises a visually and musically stunning interpretation of the beloved musical.
SPRING AWAKENING will be the inaugural show at The Black Box, The Proscenium Theater in Rockwell, Makati, running from February 13 to March 22, 2026. Tickets are already available via Ticket2Me, and anticipation is high for what is set to be a landmark event in Philippine theater.
Presented through special arrangement with Music Theatre International (MTI) in New York, SPRING AWAKENING is expected to spark important conversations and resonate with both new and seasoned theatergoers. For more information and updates, follow The Sandbox Collective on social media @TheSandboxCo or visit www.thesandboxco.com.