Musicals, original or inspired is season’s favorite

The written classics have often served to inspire modern-day ventures into theater, film, ballet, even the plastic arts such as sculpture, wood carvings, bas-relief, and installations. 

 In theater, The Philippine Educational Theater Association (PETA) is particularly known for having utilized adaptations of William Shakespeare in the past as in William the rap-musical that helped make Shakespeare interesting to the youth; a concert for Valentine’s day transforming Shakespeare’s sonnets into Filipino songs; the adaptation of King Lear translated into Haring Lear by National Artist Bien Lumbera into prose with Nonon Padilla directing; a project with The British Council of the classic comedy Twelfth Night; and now, again D’ Wonder Twins of Boac where PETA has turned Twelfth Night into a swinging ’60s musical mixing fashion, music and film, a thoroughly enjoyable experience the bard of Avon would be happy to watch.

  The story involves around the brother-sister pair of Cris Villonco and Chrome Cosio, from Boac, Marinduque, veterans of regional singing contests who dream of making it in showbiz. On the boat bound for Manila, they are shipwrecked and the twins are separated.

Cris auditions, disguised as a male at a big film studio Campanilla owned by Bodjie Pascua (Sampaguita Studio?), and becomes love intermediary to BLV studio (LVN?) with Shamaine Buencamino as owner. It is a rollicking comedy of errors written by Rody Vera, directed by Maribel Legarda, scheduled at PETA Theater for 30 shows from Feb. 1 to March 3. For inquiries, call PETA at 725-6244 and 0916-5675400 or log on to [email protected].

Meantime, our attention has been caught by an announcement of the staging of the hit Cinemalaya indie film, The Musical: Ang Pagdadalaga ni Maximo Oliveros by Bit by Bit Company in cooperation with the PETA Theater Center.

Latest information we got from its executive producer lawyer Darwin Mariano is that certain artists have already been confirmed like Palanca Hall of Fame awardee Nicolas Pichay for book and lyrics; music by a group of young musicians William Elvin Manzano, Arkel Mendoza and JJ Pimpinio; and direction and choreography by Dexter Santos.

Auditions have been set for March 9 (Saturday) and 10 (Sunday) at the Studio A of the PETA Theater Center, No. 5 Eymard Drive, New Manila, Quezon City. Registration starts at 12 noon. Auditions are from 1 p.m. to 8 p.m. For more information, call Nick Guila at 0915-1916384.

In our brief conversation with lawyer Mariano, he told us that his company has been involved in theater since early 2000 as a block buyer of plays. He went into production first last year with Orosman at Zafira, a remake of Francisco Baltazar’s comedia at the Mall of Asia. Maxie is his second venture, and the company intends on concentrating and promoting Filipino materials for his succeeding productions.

Corollary to this, we have been made aware of another musical theater drama produced by the Albay provincial government-based on the legend of Mayon Volcano. Daragang Magayon, ang Istorya ni Mayon utilizes National Artist for Literature Virgilio Almario for the lyrics, and Ramon Pagayon Santos for music. This will be shown on Feb. 8 at the CCP Main Theater.

With research by multi-awarded Albayano Abdon Balde Jr., and choreography by Gerald Mercado, the musical will treat the audience to ancient Bikol rites such as the Halia, a ceremony for the new moon, the Atang ritual for the god Gugurang with its breath-taking duel for the Kalayo or fire, between mighty and wise Gugurang and the evil Aswang.

The project tells the story of beautiful Magayon who grew up with many suitors vying for her love. When she fell in love with Panginorin, a rival Pagtuga who couldn’t accept his defeat swore he would kill them both. He did, and the lovers died in each other’s arms and were buried together. As the days followed, the grave started rising higher and higher, accompanied by rumblings, earthquakes, and red-hot boulders bursting from the crater. They named the volcano Bulkang Magayon, until it became known as Mayon.

(E-mail us at [email protected].)