Passing of the 'virgin' Torch

Another bad pun--from one “virgin mader” to another. Right after the close of the very last play (Floy Quintos' Evening at the Opera) at the Virgin Labfest 7 last Sunday, VLF co-founder Rody Vera, the festival director for the last seven years, announced that he was now passing the baton to actor-director Tuxqs Rutaquio, who'll take the reins beginning VLF8 next year. An apt choice, Rutaquio himself being among the Labfest's clearest successes, one of a new breed of theater directors who cut their teeth on festival materials, in particular through his long-running partnership with playwright Layeta Bucoy which has resulted in some of the Labfest's most significant entries over the years, such as Ellas Inocentes and Doc Resureccion: Gagamutin ang Bayan. Good job, Rody Vera! And best wishes, Tuxqs Rutaquio!