Drama — an Apostolate!

Father Patrick Peyton went on the air with “Family Theater” on February 13, 1947. It was carried over 300 outlets of Mutual Broadcasting, saturating the whole United States. And this went on, weekly, for 22 years!

His film on the Fifteen Mysteries of the Family Rosary reached millions more in Canada, in Latin America, in Spain, in Mozambique in Australia, and in the Philippines. The first role that James Dean played on television was John the Evangelist, in the Peyton production of “Hill Number One.”

Father Peyton went into media because he knew that it was the only way to reach the children of God all over the world. His target audience was not only Catholics. It was Protestants, Buddhists, Muslims, Hebrews, even people who had no religion.

And he concentrated on drama because he felt that he could deliver the word of God over the footlights, on the TV screen, and over the air more effectively than he could from the pulpit. For him, drama was an apostolate.

Here in the Philippines, we began to use drama to carry the truths of the Gospel eight years before Father Peyton began in the United States. From 1939 the Chesterton Evidence Guild was doing dramas on the “Commonweal Hour” — a radio program that  was on the air every Sunday evening for two hours: 7 pm to 8 pm in English, 8 pm to 9 pm in Tagalog.

The principal writer was Father Horacio de la Costa, who was later chosen as the finest Filipino Catholic writer of the 20th century. It was on this program that he created “Kwentong Kochero”, which went on for years.

And the actors were strong: Leon Maria Guerrero, Narciso Pimentel Jr., Jess Paredes. It was filled with humor, portraying the simple unpretentious joyful poor in the City of Manila.

Then came the Cathedral Players, acting on radio. The performers were mostly college students, or young college graduates, using their talent for the service of God: Vic Silayan, Mitos Sion, Sixto Roxas III, Celia Diaz Laurel, Bong Tangco, Leticia Tubangui, Bert Ampil, Tessie Ojeda Luz, Ole Orbeta, Tita Duran, Pancho Magalona.

They were real troopers. They would take any role – from star to last supporting actor. When Vic Silayan went on to commercial movies, he did exactly the same thing. For years he played supporting roles. But he felt that the spirit of the Ateneo athletes applied to him:

“If I should win, let it be by the code

With my head and my honor held high. . . .

But if I should lose, let me stand by the road

And cheer as the winner goes by.”

All of our dramas were live. In those days there was no way of pre-recording. This took great concentration, because we had to do the whole show in 27 minutes, to the second! When we went to television, it was the same way — live! The actor could not afford to make a mistake, because we were always on the air, carried nationwide.

For 11 years we did “Santa Zita and Mary Rose” — a weekly drama on maids, from 5 pm to 5:30 pm every Sunday evening.  Santa Zita is the patron saint of maids.

Our maids were Tessie Villegas, the good maid, who did everything right.  Ding Dumawal did everything wrong. Cormarie Atayde was the stormy Batangueña, who provided all the action. Moses Sia was the comic atchoy.  Zeneida Amador was the adventurous one, and Patsy Monzon was their natural leader. Gary Lising, Leo Martinez, Noel Tolentino and Nena Reputente were regular actors. The Doña was Baby Barredo.

“Santa Zita and Mary Rose” was nominated for the CAT Awards — the Catholic Awards for Television — every year, for 11 years.

Tommy Abuel did his first TV show in “Santa Zita and Mary Rose”. One occasion June Keithley acted in it, the Revilla sisters, Subas Herrero and Noel Trinidad, Celeste Legaspi. It might have gone on for many more years. . . . but with Martial Law Mary Rose Jacinto Ezpelleta went into exile with her family and it became impossible to televise anything that the dictatorship did not like.

All of these dramas presented the deep human values of the Gospel in a way that people could understand and appreciate.  For the audience it was vicarious experience. They saw themselves in the actors.

Our current media men and media women should realize that their job is an apostolate.. . . . . And they  would not lose their following if they tried to present the truths of the Gospel. . . . .In the heart of every Filipino there is a hunger for God.

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