PETA's Under My Skin: Review and why we should not stop talking about HIV

Last night in a special preview of the Philippine Educational Theater Association "Under My Skin," it has shed more light in understanding HIV, the disease and more about humanity towards people who have it. I haven't seen the production on stage but the streaming version gives a different approach and I thought as impactful to everyone.

"Under My Skin" is an anthology on different cases of HIV/AIDS. And as an eye-opening production, it shatters notions that it only affects gays. It tells us that homo or hetero relationships can also be affected through unprotected sex, blood transfusion, needle sharing or even at birth. A wrong mistake due to curiosity can change one's life slowly if it was ignored.

PETA, in partnership with LoveYourself and The Red Whistle, helps everyone affected or unaffected to be informed, and with this production, it reaches out to the individuals, their families and communities to understand people living with HIV. As for now during the pandemic, it is feared that cases may have tripled in reasons that might have been in the dark.

I like how Under My Skin gives a backgrounder on the frailty of the victims. Promiscuity and curiosity in the name of self-expression and love. The advocacy of playwright Rody Vera and director Melvin Lee produced a very informative, emotional, and no-nonsense production. Ms Cherry Pie Picache gives a straightforward but caring delivery of her dialogues as a non-discriminatory epidemiologist that patients would like to have. And also as a person, she shares the struggles of the victims and fights for them, and gets sad when she loses a life. The ensemble also immerses us to the journey that you'll think you're the infected and puts your heart to it. The magic of pre-recorded production and editing sends a new signal with its "in-your-face" graphics that tells us to watch out for signs especially that we are social individuals.

Under My Skin is a commendable, provocative, informative, scientific production that should not be missed. It sheds the light to everyone, not just the victims but also to the people around them to know how approach it and even avoid to stop the spread of disease. LoveYourself and The Red Whistle opens their lines for those who'd seek help and encourages everyone to get tested and to stop the stigma.

Under My Skin will be streamed online via ticket2me.net starting November 26 to December 5, 2021.

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PETA Theater's Under My Skin steps into streaming platform

Not long after it started playing at the PETA Theater, Under My Skin was forced to close because of the COVID-19 pandemic in March 2020. The advocacy play written by Rody Vera and directed by Melvin Lee comes into a revival to pursue information drive on understanding the HIV epidemic and to encourage a support system in the community for people living with HIV (PLHIV+).

Under My Skin is an anthology on the lives of PLHIV+ and narrates how a person gets it, how it changes the lifestyle and opens our eyes to how we can fight the stigma and support the person as he faces this great obstacle.

Now with the concerns of the pandemic, Under My Skin will be available for streaming via Ticket2Me.net. Running from November 26-28 and November 30 to December 5, coinciding with World AIDS Day on December 1. It will now be available to more audiences all over the world in the pursuit of reaching out to educate the whole community.

The Under My Skin streaming cast is lead by Ms. Cherry Pie Picache as Dr. Gemma Almonte, an epidemyologist understanding the spread of the HIV virus. She is joined by Eko Baquial, Gio Gahol, Mike Liwag, Jarred Jaicten, Kitsi Pagaspas, Dylan Ray Talon, Dudz Teraña, She Maala, Bene Manaois, Erold Enriquez, Jason Barcial, Joseph Madriaga, Rach Gimpes, Reggie Ondevilla, Roy Dahildahil, Gerard Dy, and Ekis Gimenez to complete the ensemble.

Under My Skin - Cherry Pie Picache

Under My Skin - Ensemble

Under My Skin was also cited to many awards in last year's Gawad Buhay awards including Outstanding Play, Outstanding Stage Direction for a Play for Melvin Lee, Female Lead Performance for a Play for Ms Cherry Pie Picache and Roselyn Perez, Female Featured Performance in a Play for Lotlot Bustamante, Kitsi Pagaspas, Gold Villar-Lim and Male Featured Performance in a Play for Eko Baquial, Anthony Falcon, Gio Gahol, Dylan Talon, and Dudz Teraña.

Tickets are now on sale via Ticket2Me.net or you can go to bit.ly/undermyskinonline. Tickets are at P180 for livestreaming or P250 for video-on-demand. You may also get from show buyers listed below.

Under My Skin is an original production of PETA (Philippine Educational Theater Association) in partnership with LoveYourself, The Red Whistle and Unilab.

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