Anti-Martial Law rock musical

MANILA, Philippines - It was a scene straight out of Martial Law, circa 1970s.

There were workers on strike, waving placards and chanting “welga kami.” There was a demonstration leader with bullhorn shouting encouragement to the crowd as they circled around, formed a mass and marched in formation. Suddenly, metrocom and riot police materialized. Fear spread among the workers, and some panicked. Confrontation, threats and then a clash.

And there was choreography.

It was a rehearsal. More to the point, it was the press launch of the latest offering from the Philippine Stagers Foundation (PSF) titled Katips (Ang Mga Bagong Katipunero), produced, written and directed by its lead star, Vincent Tañada, president and artistic director of PSF.

It is a rock musical, with musical direction by Pipo Cifra.

The most recent musical by PSF was Pope-pular, which cast the character of the beloved Pope Francis as a Tagalog-speaking, singing and dancing Pontiff. It chalked up 565 perfomances all over the country and was well received, Vince reported, in a Muslim community in Mindanao.

The press launch was held at the PSF studio in Sampaloc, Manila.

Vincent Tañada (third from left), president and artistic director of PSF, with the cast in Hawaiian get-up

Katips is set in Manila during the 1970s, with the country in the grip of Martial Law. Those who lived through that dark era will surely relate to the play. The story follows the fortunes of four main characters: Greg (Kierwin Larena), an editor of a school paper; an attractive artist, Lara (Maya Encila); Panyong, an activist writer (Vince himself); and Alet, an updated Tandang Sora although she is young (Adelle Ibarientos-Lim).

The activists protest against the atrocities of Martial Law and the Marcos dictatorship, then fear grips them when three of their comrades are abducted. There is a villain in their midst, a police asset played by young Jericho Ponce.

“This is my personal advocacy,” Vince said during the press conference. “I really would like to fight the historical revisionism, the lies in social media. As you know, my grandfather Tanny (Sen. Lorenzo Tañada) was incarcerated. I have to do this.”

Katips is not all clenched fists and makibaka, however. It is, as stated, a rock musical and the choreography by the ensemble is rousing. There will be a live band on the stage, and the musicians will be treated as performers in the unfolding drama.

And, of course, there is a love story and a love theme, Sa Gitna ng Dilim. In fact, this was sung by four couples, playing lovers, during the press preview, including Vince and Adelle, and Johnrey Rivas and Rospel Gonzales.

Katips had a soft opening at an SM Cinema in Quezon City last July 16 and will have a grand premiere on Aug. 11 at the Adamson University Theater in San Marcelino, Manila (call 0915-4440373). Then it will be staged in theater venues “all over the Philippines” until March 2017.

And — get this — it will be performed in the heart of Marcos country in Laoag City, Ilocos Norte in an auditorium constructed by Gov. Imee Marcos. Text & photos by Amadís Ma. Guerrero