Sue Ramirez returns to theater with ‘The Effect’

The actress takes on Connie Hall in CAST PH’s September production of Lucy Prebble’s acclaimed psychological drama.

Actress Sue Ramirez is returning to the theater stage as she takes on the role of Connie Hall in the upcoming fully staged production of Lucy Prebble’s acclaimed drama “The Effect.”

Directed by Sarah Facuri for the Company of Actors in Streamlined Theatre (CAST PH), the limited run will take over the Doreen Blackbox Theater at Areté from Sept. 19 to 27.

Ramirez stars opposite Brian Sy, who plays Tristan Frey, as two volunteers in a clinical antidepressant trial who unexpectedly fall in love. As their romance deepens, the play explores a sharp psychological dilemma: When their feelings begin to blur the line between chemistry and choice, how can they know what’s real?

The four-hander also features veteran stage actors Cathy Azanza-Dy as Dr. Lorna James and Dean Daniel Rosen as Dr. Toby Sealey, with Chaye Mogg serving as Ramirez’s understudy.

This marks Ramirez’s second official theater project following her celebrated stage debut in July 2024, when she earned critical acclaim and standing ovations as Audrey in The Sandbox Collective’s production of “Little Shop of Horrors.”

While the screen star is still in the early chapters of her live theater career, taking on a nuanced, text-heavy drama like “The Effect” signals that she is steadily finding her footing and building her credibility as a stage actress.

First presented as a staged reading in 2025 under CAST PH’s “Theoria Omnium” series, the production is staged in partnership with Areté and presented by special arrangement with Concord Theatricals. Tickets range from ₱1,800 to ₱2,000 and are now available through Areté’s official ticketing portal, Helixpay.

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