Since it has been more or less a year since the last time I've seen a stage musical; there was a feeling of excitement and anticipation when we went to see Kung Paano ako Naging Leadung Lady at Onstage Greenbelt 1

"Kung Paano Ako Naging Leading Lady" is that rare musical that knows exactly what it wants to be: a superhero story wrapped in social commentary, dressed in sequins and powered by heart. At its center is the magnificent Bituin Escalante [alternating with Frenchy Dy], whose presence on stage is like watching a force of nature channeled through perfect pitch.

The plot, on paper, sounds like a comic book fever dream: A poor Filipino maid gets hired by superheroes while her sister joins the villains. But in execution, it's a sharp-edged mirror held up to Philippine society. The superheroes (called Fuwerza Filipinas) represent the country's infatuation with Western ideals, while their adversaries (the Kayumanggilas) embody a darker strain of cultural resistance.

What makes this work is how director Chris Martinez never lets the social messaging overwhelm the fundamental humanity of the story. At its heart, this is about two sisters, Merly and Viva, navigating a world that seems designed to keep them down. Their struggle feels authentic, lived-in, real - even when surrounded by caped crusaders and theatrical pyrotechnics.

Vincent De Jesus's score (yes, the same composer known for the deliciously morose "Songs to Slash Your Wrist By") provides the emotional scaffolding, while the minimalist stage design proves that sometimes less truly is more, especially when enhanced by intelligent lighting that turns fight sequences into ballet.

The production's greatest achievement is how it smuggles its themes - about colonial mentality, class struggle, and the peculiarly Filipino worship of English fluency - into what presents itself as a superhero romp. It's like watching a magic trick where the real illusion isn't the obvious spectacle, but the deeper truths hiding in plain sight.

This is the kind of original Filipino theater that deserves to break out of its "niche market" label. It's playing at Onstage Greenbelt 1 in Makati City, and if you care about where Philippine theater is heading, you owe it to yourself to see it. Sometimes the best way to understand a culture is to watch how it reimagines its heroes - and its villains.