GUEST DIRECTOR INVITED
In March 1995, Gil Virtusio who hailed from Batangas but he had joined the ‘93 “Moryonan” production as an actor came to Bahaghari unexpectedly. He thought that with a few weeks to Ash Wednesday, Balangaw was in the middle of a new “Moryonan” play.
“But you did not present anything for Holy Week last year!”, he argued, “and this would be the second year in a row now...”
“Are you willing to direct a play this time?”, Eli asked.
“You write a new script!”, was Gil's daring answer.
“Who will be our actors? School’s over! Many are vacationing in Manila. And we have no money!”, that was Rudy.
“Let’s go to town!”, Eli proposed. (The available cast would surelybe there.
“MORYONAN: IKALAWANG YUGTO” was being written by Obligacion page by page while daily rehearsals were going on. The students, mostly living at the town center were only too happy to join since school was over. It was clear that the project would be an exercise in ‘focus and determination’. for us.
No money for costumes, meals and snacks, lights and sound. Even the venue was a problem. The covered court was blocked for political speeches. The election campaign period had commenced.
But old costumes could still be used, there could be some supporters and friends who could provide snacks, bamboo torches, lots of them, could be used in place of stage lights, a dried up circular fountain in front of the Rizal monument (opposite the covered court), measuring four (4) meters in diameter - and the area around it - could serve as the acting area. Theatre in the round!
At dress-tech, the bamboo torches were extinguished by the summer wind one after another, voices were completely drowned out by the blaring political speeches from right across. In just 10 minutes all the torches were out, the final rehearsal went on illuminated only by street lights and the moon. At the end of the rehearsal the actors were completely quiet staring at the floor. They were ready to uphold the “show must go on” tradition in theater but only if they could be seen by the audience.
“Yes, we will find a way. We will have lights and sound by tomorrow!”, Obligacion said with muffled voice.
Michael Seno who was acting as campaign leader for Bong Carrion accidentally passed by and came to the rescue. The mobile system they used for the campaign was available the next day and he would only be too happy to allow us to use it, gratis. Rico Sanchez offered to also provide soft drinks and snacks for the cast.
RECORD TIME
The play was done in record 10 days from the writing of its script to premiere night. “MORYONAN: IKALAWANG YUGTO” was the first production of Balangaw that had a re-run in Boac, brought to Gasan and Mogpog before a jampacked audience. For these free shows support came in for coverage of lights and sound, transportation, meals and snacks. The costumes and props improved. Mostly students from Immaculate Conception College and a few studying in Manila who had returned for vacation were among the cast.
Gil’s two Filipino friends from “Migrante” in Hongkong came to lend a hand in the production of the Boac re-run.
Mandia who was pre-occupied in Manila with his own affairs came, protested the assignment of Virtusio as guest director, during a visit, argued that he had the right to stop the performances as “artistic director of Balangaw” finding imagined defects in a play that had been premiered successfully and shown in two towns outside Boac. The “I am the God of theater in Marinduque” and “I am the Messiah” lines were thickening the Bahaghari air (my place) this time. Quotes like that are, of course, a dime a dozen in this country but really, it was just all about who was the better director between the two.
“Him with his stage managing and masteral degree that he has yet to earn, and me with my experiences and all the books I’ve read, yes, let us have a debate on theater directing!”, a forceful Virtusio argued.
But it was not hard to see who between the two would pass off as the better director, one who knew his art better and religiously practiced the basic: understanding the material at hand.
As ‘hermano’ again for the Lupac barangay fiesta on June 1, Mandia and Montenegro had a talk in Manila. The latter wanted “IKALAWANG YUGTO” presented in Lupac to entertain the community on the eve of fiesta with Mandia as director this time. The company director /playwright acquiesced. With the exception of a couple of actors who had acted in “Ikalawa…”, the new group trained by Virtusio were utilized for the now-controversial play.
