Works

Scripts from Filipino playwright, Dr. Joem Antonio, are available online for personal reading. If you wish to stage, publish, or publicly discuss any of them, please seek written permission

Plays

The Domestic Problems of Good King George (formerly entitled Gabrielle)

A One-Act Play

Princess Gabrielle lacks suitors because she’s no damsel in distress. Enter Dolly the Witch to save the day. And so it begins, the Domestic Problems of Good King George...

Gabrielle won the Second Prize in the One-Act Play in English category at the 2006 Don Carlos Palanca Memorial Awards.

Read the script  >>

Photo of a scene from "The Domestic Problems of Good King George" by Filipino playwright, Joem Antonio

William Shakespeare Has Left the Building

A One-Act Play

Three students are setting up a mandatory class exhibit on William Shakespeare. The Bard is not pleased.

Read the script  >>

Photo of a scene from "William Shakespeare Has Left the Building" by Filipino playwright, Joem Antonio

The Most Spectacular Sloths in the World

A Ten-Minute Play

San Honorico is the cleanest town on earth. It's also where the most industrious people live. But that's not what San Honorico is really famous for.

Read the script  >>

Photo of a scene from "The Most Spectacular Sloths in the World" by Filipino playwright, Joem Antonio

An Operatic Template for a Basic Plot

A Ten-Minute Play

Exactly what the title says.

Read the script  >>

Love Cafe Project

Stories that spark conversations on love

Love Cafe Project is a set of narratives that hope to spark conversation on how we, human beings, love. Initially a cycle of four one-act plays by Filipino playwright and author, Dr. Joem Antonio, Love Cafe Project has now expanded into more stories and other media.

The Stories of Love Cafe

Visit the website >>

exesanonymous.com

The end of relationships can be a very messy business. A man and a woman visit exesanonymous.com as means to deal with their respective relationships. While they might not find the closure they seek, there is a chance that they find catharsis in the stories they find.

exesanonymous.com won the Second Prize for the Full-length Play in English category at the 2016 Don Carlos Palanca Memorial Awards. An excerpt of the play was staged during the awards night.

Read the script  >>

View the website >>

Photo of a scene from "exesanonymous.com" by Filipino playwright, Joem Antonio
Fred Lo and Rissey Reyes perform an excerpt of exesanonymous.com at the awards night of the 67th Carlos Palanca Memorial Awards.

Heavy Meta

A cycle of ten-minute plays that are reflections on theatre as a medium

And So Replied Niemand (On the Audience)

A Ten-Minute Play

Zarathustra has been speaking for quite a while now… It’s time someone replied.

Read the script  >>

In the Maw of Radagar (On Directing and Design) 

A Ten-Minute Play

Ten minutes to twelve and a Primordial Evil is about to spell doom to the world… if primordial evils do exist to begin with.

Read the script  >>

The Masters of Modus (On Acting)

A Ten-Minute Play

Learning a revolutionary acting technique... how bad can it be?

Read the script  >>

Photo of a scene from "The Masters of Modus" by Filipino playwright, Joem Antonio
Modus at Short+Sweet Manila 2015

Death in Ten Minutes (On Theatre)

A Ten-Minute Play

Two people discover that they’re just characters in a play; greater knowledge leads to greater powers, until one of them discovers that he is slated to die when the play ends.

Death in Ten Minutes received the following awards at Short + Sweet Manila Theatre Festival 2014:

Read the script  >>

Watch on YouTube >>

Photo of a scene from "Death in Ten Minutes" by Filipino playwright, Joem Antonio
Death in Ten Minutes at the first Short + Sweet Manila Theatre Festival

Playwright's Revenge (On the Playwright)

A Ten-Minute Play

Tired of performers and audiences speculating what he means to say, renowned playwright Joem Antonio takes it on himself to be as explicit as he can be… by being in his own play as himself.

Read the script  >>

Historical Plays

Lorenzo

A Full-length Play

Dr. Joem did the research for this play about the life of St. Lorenzo Ruiz. The book and lyric were by Juan Ekis and Dr. Paul Dumol, with music by Ryan Cayabyab.

Photo of a scene from "Lorenzo" by Filipino playwright, Joem Antonio
Lorenz Martinez stars in "Lorenzo," a rock opera on the life of St. Lorenzo Ruiz.

The Last Filipino

A Full-length Play

From the moment of his capture to his deportment to Guam, Apolinario Mabini takes a firm stand on Philippine Independence at the twilight of the Philippine-American War. When the champions of the Revolution have either died fighting or taken an oath of allegiance, Mabini is left as the last man to defend the Filipino cause. But Mabini’s fight is not merely a matter of Philippine Independence, but a matter of the Filipino soul.

The Last Filipino won the Second Prize for the Full-length Play in English category at the 2014 Don Carlos Palanca Memorial Awards.

Read the script  >>

The Floret Road

A Full-length Play

In 1891—a time so distant from our advancements in long-distance communication—the three-year silence between a couple is broken with the end of their long distance relationship. The man grieves over the woman he has not seen for over eight years. What experience with her is so alive that a man would cling to memory over the myriad of alternatives before him?

The Floret Road won the First Prize for the Full-length Play in English category at the 2016 Don Carlos Palanca Memorial Awards. An excerpt of the play was staged during the awards night.

Read the script  >>

Read the 20-minute abridgments: Version A | Version B | Version C

Photo of a scene from "The Floret Road" by Filipino playwright, Joem Antonio
Noel Rayos plays Jose Rizal at the staging of The Floret Road at the awards night of the 66th Don Carlos Palanca Memorial Awards.

Compact Shakespeare: Abridgments of Shakespeare's Plays

Dr. Joem Antonio created Compact Shakespeare to bring the Bard's stories, words, and theatricality to theatre enthusiasts and audiences of the 21st century. He and his students have abridged Shakespeare plays to the ten-minute format only by deleting words. The result is a set of scripts that can be staged within limited budgets, schedules and performance spaces, as well as by cast and crew of varying skill levels.

Compact Shakespeare website >>

Photo of a scene from "King Lear" abridged by Filipino playwright, Joem Antonio
The staging of a ten-minute King Lear

Children's Stories

Ang Ampalaya sa Pinggan ni Peepo (The Bitter Gourd on Peepo’s Plate)

Peepo's father wants him to eat his ampalaya, but he doesn't like its bitter taste. Little does he know that it comes down to eating or being eaten!

Ang Ampalaya Sa Pinggan Ni Peepo won the Second Prize for the Maikling Kuwentong Pambata category at the 2007 Don Carlos Palanca Memorial Awards.

It is published by Lampara Books and is available in bookstores nationwide.

Book cover of "Ang Ampalaya sa Pinggan ni Peepo" by Filipino children's author, Joem Antonio

Sa Tapat ng Tindahan ni Mang Teban (In Front of Mang Teban’s Store)

There are many good things about the town of San Honorico, but people come for one thing: the two curious characters in front of Mang Teban's store.

Sa Tapat ng Tindahan ni Mang Teban won the Second Prize for the Maikling Kuwentong Pambata category at the 2011 Don Carlos Palanca Memorial Awards.

It is published by Lampara Books and is available in bookstores nationwide.

Book cover of "Sa Tapat ng Tindahan ni Mang Teban" by Filipino children's author, Joem Antonio

Narding Carpio and the Monstrous Wall

Narding Carpio can do anything. He can hold his breath for hours, lift heavy objects, and even talk to diwatas. But when giant waves sank Barangay San Geronimo, Narding’s power was tested to its fullest.

Narding Carpio and the Monstrous Wall is published by Chikiting Books. Copies are available in bookstores nationwide and on the Chikiting Books website.

Book cover of "Narding Carpio and the Monstrous Wall" by Filipino children's author, Joem Antonio

Nestlé NIDO Free Story Books

In 2020, Nestlé NIDO commissioned Joem Antonio to write Let's Make Pancakes!, Let's Play Outside!, and Let's Eat Lunch! The books were distributed for free along with their products. Joem produced another series for them in 2022 with Let's Get Up!, Let's Learn More!, Let's Work Out! and Let's Eat Yummy! 

Beware the Snake

It's Little Mouse's first time to be away from Big Mouse. Big Mouse warns her about Snake and what Snake does to little mice. Big Mouse prepares Little Mouse for Snake's tricks, how to notice them, and what to do if Snake makes his move.

Beware the Snake by Joem Antonio and Ar-Em Bañas