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Sheena Belarmino echoes the call for protection of women

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The latest Manila production of the 2006 stage musical Spring Awakening challenges generational issues that persist no matter the era and location. Whether in 19th century Germany or present day Philippines, themes on sexual awakening and forced maturity open up the discourse to more current conversations on women’s rights and gender equality.At the emotional core of Spring Awakening is Wendla, a 14-year old girl who faces these issues with the most curious of hearts. Singer, dancer and actor Sheena Belarmino inhabits the role in The Sandbox Collectives’ staging which is the inaugural show at The Black Box at the Proscenium Theater in Rockwell, Makati and is running until March 22, 2026. Sheena shared about the daunting responsibility of giving life to a dated but still relevant character originated by Lea Michelle on Broadway and has been played by numerous actors around the world.Aside from being her first lead role, the pressure came in terms of the acting depth needed to portray Wendla, as well as the physicalization demanded to embody the character, so script analysis was vital for her to understand the points of view of a kid who is exploring her sexuality as a young adolescent.Mentally too, Sheena had to bear the weight of the portrayal, “Kasi ang hirap pa lang mag-act as a 14-year-old who doesn&#x27;t know a thing in this world,” she admitted. “I&#x27;m a Gen Z na privileged enough to have different media where I could get all of these things with much easier access.”All preparations paid off as Sheena took on Wendla with a deliberate and clear innocence, employing a young girl’s speaking tone wanting to learn more about the act of conception beyond the old stork’s tale. But when she sang, the maturity and depth of yearning creeped out through a richer and more womanly voice. Known as a power vocalist rooted in her various singing stints on television, Sheena truly shines when using her instrument in storytelling, a craft she truly has come to love.She continued to share that they went through intimacy direction, which is now becoming a staple for work in theater and film, to contextualize delicate scenes in the show. Sheena said she had to develop trust especially when learning to be intimate onstage with not one but two co-actors, Nacho Tambunting and Alex Diaz, who alternately play Melchior. With proper guidance, she affirmed that the act became less sexual, which was fitting because for her, “Wendla just wanted to know what was going on.”For her, too, she tended to forget about the romanticism of the play, “Some people see it as a love story. It can be, but at the end of the day, it&#x27;s a tragedy. A tale about children who were suppressed about sexual education that led to a big reality check.”Asked about the relevance of a 20-year old show about a story set over a century ago, Sheena was emphatic in sharing that these are the topics that need to be resurfacing especially in light of recent trending issues about objectification of women. For her, the timing is perfect to share awareness. “We should protect each other. We should protect the women, we should protect the children who are learning to discover themselves, their sexualities, their bodies, their values as human beings in this world.” She lamented that the stigma and those double standards are still present. “Hindi pwede na habang buhay na lang kami lumalaban. Dapat naman nire-respecto din yun and this should act on it right away.”Sheena confidently concluded, “I believe that Spring Awakening is a calling to everyone. We should protect each other, especially women.”Sheena, Alex and Nacho share the stage with other impressive new-breed theater actors, as well as veteran thespians Audie Gemora, and Menchu Lauchengco-Yulo alternating with Anna Abad Santos who, as they play multiple adult characters in the story, provide the necessary gravitas serving as a stark backdrop against the youngsters’ teenage struggles. Tickets to Spring Awakening are still available on Ticket2Me (tinyurl.com/SandboxSpring2026). For more information, follow The Sandbox Collective on Facebook, Twitter and Tiktok – @TheSandboxCo, and visit <a href="//www.thesandboxco.com">www.thesandboxco.com</a><div>By Domileo Espejo</div>

Sheena Bellarmino shines in her first lead role in The Sandbox Collective's staging of 'Spring Awakening', running until March 22 at The Black Box of the Proscenium Theater in Makati.

Sheena Bellarmino shines in her first lead role in The Sandbox Collective's staging of 'Spring Awakening', running until March 22 at The Black Box of the Proscenium Theater in Makati.

Sheena Belarmino echoes the call for protection of women and children as the lead of Spring Awakening

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Sheena Belarmino echoes the call for protection of women and children as the lead of Spring Awakening

Push Team

Published March 16, 2026 07:34 PM PHT

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Spring Awakening

Sheena Bellarmino

The Sandbox Collective

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