Para kay B,’ From Page to Stage

“Pag-usapan natin ang pag-ibig,” Ice Seguerra says as he opens the media conference February 11 at the Fire & Ice offices in Quezon City, setting the tone for an afternoon of heartfelt conversations.

How do we define love?

Love exists in many forms and moves in mysterious ways. Love is blind. Love is patient. Love is kind. It comes unexpectedly, in different kinds, and sometimes against all odds. Love conquers all. Love wins. But they say only one in five who takes a gamble on love truly gets their happy ending. Totoo ba?

From page to stage, the beloved best-selling novel “Para Kay B” by National Artist for Film & Broadcast Arts Ricky Lee, is now a full-fledged theatrical production. 

The story revolves around love and a writer’s search for “the one”— that one life-changing story. “Para Kay B” delves into how writers write, how stories evolve, and how love unfolds in ways we least expect. But in a world where heartbreak often resonates more than a happy ending, the novel embraces the bittersweet reality of love. As Ricky Lee himself puts it, “Mas gusto ng mga Pinoy ang mga masasakit na kuwento kaysa happy ending. Hindi sila ganun ka-satisfied.” 

“Gusto ata nila ng nasasaktan,” he quips.

Yet, love, in its truest form, is enduring. “Love keeps no record of wrongs. It always protects, always trusts, always hopes, always perseveres.”

 This timeless truth echoes through “Para Kay B,” as its characters navigate the joys and pains of loving and losing.

“People need to see ‘Para Kay B’ because it speaks to a lot of generations. It is a literary masterpiece that serves as a roadmap to a generation looking for love, loss, moral, and social issues. Love letter din namin ito sa mga manunulat at sa artists na patuloy naghahanap ng mga kwento,” says Director Yong Tapang, Jr.

Playwright Eljay Castro Deldoc

brings this adaptation to life under the guidance of Lee.

Director Yong says of Lee,

“Sobrang dali kausap, katrabaho, at ka-collaborate ni Sir Ricky.”

Produced by Lambert Angeles, Voltaire de Jesus, and Liza Diño, the play features a stellar cast led by Liza Diño Seguerra, Gold Aseron, Jay Gonzaga, Via Antonio, Nicco Manalo, Ava Santos, among others.

This play is co-produced by Fire & Ice Live

in partnership with Tungo at Liwanag sa Teatro Inc.

“Being part of this production, both as an actress and as a producer, feels like coming home to a story that has touched so many hearts. Playing Ester is deeply personal, as it mirrors my own journey of discovering love beyond expectations,” says Liza Diño, CEO of Fire & Ice Live.

The play runs from March 14 to 30, 2025, at the Doreen Black Box Theater, Ateneo de Manila University.