Maris Racal to reprise her character ‘Sunshine’ as she makes stage debut

Maris Racal is set to reprise one of her most acclaimed performances as she takes on the titular role in the coming-of-age drama “Sunshine.” The script will be adapted this time to the stage but with some twists.

The play will also mark Racal's stage debut. According to Deadline, the upcoming production will offer an “immersive,” “choose-your-own-adventure experience,” allowing audiences to become more involved in Sunshine’s story and the decisions she faces.

The project is one of several productions being developed under filmmaker and producer Antoinette Jadaone’s new production house, Ilaya Ilaya. Jadaone runs the company with longtime collaborator and producer Reign Anne De Guzman, who previously worked with Jadaone on “Sunshine” and “That Thing Called Tadhana.”

While Jadaone directed the original film, she will not be taking the director’s chair for the stage adaptation. Mikko Angeles, who co-directed "Bar Boys: The Musical," will direct the production, while Mika Regis, known for her work on "Unica Hijas," will write the script.

"Sunshine" follows an ambitious teenage gymnast whose plans for a future in the sport are thrown into uncertainty when she discovers she is pregnant just days before a major competition.

The stage version is intended to take the film’s exploration of agency, complicity, and choice a step further, giving audiences a chance to experience those themes from a more active perspective rather than simply watching Sunshine make decisions.

“When you’re watching a film, you’re there to just watch Sunshine make decisions,” Jadaone said in a statement. “But what if Sunshine’s story was something you could hold and influence as an audience member?”

The original film premiered at the Toronto International Film Festival (TIFF) in September 2024. Directed by Jadaone, "Sunshine" went on to win the Crystal Bear for Best Film in the Generation 14plus section at the 75th Berlin International Film Festival in 2025. It premiered in Philippine cinemas in July of the same year.

Racal, 29, also won the Best Actress award at the Entertainment Editors’ Choice Awards. 

Preparing for the demanding role required significant commitment from the actress, who revealed she trained for a year to fit the character of the film.

The play also stars Jennica Garcia, Elijah Canlas, Xyriel Manabat, and Annika Co.

As of this writing, details about the stage production’s premiere date and additional cast members have yet to be announced.