Lost in Ritual: Lent in Marinduque

Some scenes from my Teatro Balangaw passion play Ang Kristo: Pasyondula were part of Living Asia Channel's (LAC) feature, Celebration: Lost in Ritual - Marinduque published in 2013. Watch some of these scenes from 11:04 - 11:31 on this LAC video. 

Ang Kristo: Pasyondula remounted in Buenavista, Marinduque

Buenavista, Marinduque: Ang Kristo: Pasyondula is a 3-hour passion play first mounted in 2006 by Teatro Balangaw, a Marinduque community theater group. It has been presented since then in Buenavista, Gasan and Boac and this year 2015, returns to the original town where local artists and municipal officials hope to make it an annual Holy Week event in this scenic and laid-back locale at the foot of the mystical Malindig volcano. 
 

Pax Riego of Buenavista as Kristo; Joseph Biggel as Longhino

 The 2015 version features Joseph Biggel of PBB (see video), as the blind centurion Longinus who regained his sight when blood and water poured from the body of the crucified Christ when he pierced His side with a spear.
Presented bv the Municipal Government of Buenavista under the leadership of Mayor Russel S. Madrigal in cooperation with Liga ng mga Barangay and Teatro Balangaw.

Curtain call.

 

Director's notes on the original 2006 production reposted below from an old blog. 

"ANG KRISTO: PASYON-DULA", BUENAVISTA, MARINDUQUE ABRIL 12 & 13, 2006 

Preparing for Pasyondula dress-tech rehearsal, 2015 production. Photo: Jovijane Sotto-Reanzares

MGA TALA NG MANUNULAT AT DIREKTOR ELI J. OBLIGACION TUNGKOL SA DULA: (Bahagi ng teksto ng Programa para sa Pagtatanghal)
‘SINAKULO’
“Sinakulo” ang tawag sa alin mang pang-Mahal na Araw na dula tungkol sa kalbaryo ng Panginoong HesuKristo. Karaniwang sinisimulan ito sa Banal na Hapunan (“senakulo” ang turing sa silid na pinagdausan ng ‘Huling Hapunan’ ni HesuKristo at mga apostoles ayon sa ‘Pasyong Mahal’) at natatapos sa ‘Pagkabuhay Muli’.

Tila laging bantulot naman ang mga kritiko ng sining na ihanay sa tinataguriang lehitimong teatro ang ‘Sinakulo’ tulad ng noo’y ‘Zarzuela’ at ‘Moro-moro’ at modernong teatro ngayon dahil diumano sa ‘kapayakan’ ng mga ito. Ibang pamamaraan at pamantayang estetiko raw ang ginagamit sa mga ito na higit na umaasa sa mga ‘payak’ na personal o pinaghalong interpretasyon ng mga gumaganap bilang tauhan at mga namamahala ng ‘Sinakulo’.

Naroong makita natin, halimbawa, na para makilala ng mga manonood si San Pedro ay kailangang may dala itong panabong dahil itinatwa nito si Hesus ng tatlong beses bago tumilaok ang manok, sa iba naman ay kailangang may hawak na susi ng langit ang mahabaging Pedro. Naroong makita natin na upang pahalagahan ang mga apostoles ay kailangang lagyan sila ng mga sinag (‘halo’) sa ulo tulad ng pamosong larawan.

Bagama’t ang lihim na pag-iibigan nina Claudia at Longhino tulad ng sa ilang lugar ay hindi maaring sabihing ‘payak’ kung ang basehan ay kaisipan ng sumulat nito na inimport pa nga naman. At lalong hindi masasabing ‘payak’ kung libo-libong piso (o milyon-milyong piso kaya), ang ginagasta para sa pagpapatayo ng palasyo ni Pontio Pilato na ang disenyo ay tipong Disneyland o ‘Camelot’. Subalit ‘Sinakulo’ pa rin ang mapuwersang turing ng lahat sa mga ito. At ‘senakulistas’ naman ang tawag ng mga gumaganap sa kanilang sarili, gayundin ang tawag ng mga manonood.

Rehearsal pic with director, 2006.

“ANG KRISTO: PASYON-DULA”
Ano’t ano man iyon, nagkaroon ng pagkakataong mabuo ang “ANG KRISTO: PASYON-DULA” sa bayan ng Buenavista, Marinduque ngayong taong 2006. Sa mga kadahilanang nabanggit na, hindi nga ito ‘Sinakulo’. ‘Passion Plays’ ang tawag sa Ingles sa mga dulang naglalarawan sa buhay at pasakit ni HesuKristo, mula sa Oberammergau (Alemanya), hanggang sa Estados Unidos na kung saan ito itinatanghal at dinarayo upang panoorin. Kaya’t bago ito tawaging ‘Sinakulo’ ay maiging idikit na ng maaga ang salitang “Pasyon-Dula” sa titulo ng “ANG KRISTO”. Nang may kasimplehan o ‘kapayakan’. Ang tawag sa kabuuhan ng gawain mula pag-iisip, pananaliksik, pag-eensayo, hanggang sa pagtatanghal ay simple rin: Pasyon-Dulaan.

Ang kaibahan nga lamang, upang higit na maunawaan ng mga manonood ng pasyon-dulang ito kung saan nagmula ang mga pangyayaring naging kadahilanan sa pagpako sa Krus at pagkamatay ng Panginoong HesuKristo, na hindi maaaring makita kung ang dula ay sisimulan sa Huling Hapunan, kinailangang simulan ang kuwento mula sa pagbautismo kay Hesus ni Juan Bautista at ipakita ang mga mahahalagang pangyayari ayon sa kuwento ng buhay Niya mula ng panahong iyon. Ang mga mahahalagang pangyayaring ito ang binigyang buhay sa unang bahagi ng dula. Kaya’t ang ikalawang bahagi ay magsisimula naman sa pagsalubong sa Kanya sa Herusalem.

Kinailangan ang masusing pananaliksik. Ginamit ang ‘Magandang Balita Biblia’, King James Version ng Biblia, ‘Kasaysayan ni Longhino’ (Eli Obligacion, dulang itinanghal sa Gasan, Marinduque 1997),’Gospel of Luke’ (Catholic Pastoral Edition), ‘The Lost Teachings of Jesus’ (Summit Univ. Press),’The Story of Redemption’(Ellen White), ’Pasion ni Hesukristo’ (Mariano Pilapil), ‘The Life of St. Longinus’ (Caxton’s English Text), ‘Detached Account of Longinus (Emmerich), ‘Detached Account of Abenadar’ (Emmerich), Internet search finds tungkol kay Claudia Procula, Longinus, Pontius Pilate. Pinanggalingan din ng ilang materyal ang mga pelikulang “The Passion of the Christ”, “Jesus Christ Superstar”, ”Jesus of Nazareth”, “Jesus”. Ang mga teksto sa iskrip na may kaukulang marka ay direkta o halos direktang hinango sa ‘Magandang Balita Biblia’.

PAGBUBUO AT DIWA NG BOLUNTERISMO
Natapos ang unang balangkas ng iskrip noong Pebrero 24, 2006. Nagsimulang mamili ng mga magsisiganap sa dula noong Marso 4, 2006, at sinimulan kaagad ang pag-eensayo bagama’t wala pang kaliwanagan kung paano magkakalap o saan manggagaling ang pondong gagastusin sa ganito kalaking produksiyon. (Higit sa 60 ang kailangang magsisiganap). Subali’t tulad ng paulit-ulit naming sinasabi sa mga artistang tumugon sa panawagan, ang ano mang mabuting bagay o magandang panaginip ay hindi mawawalan ng tagasuporta at lahat ay matutugunan – kung may pananampalataya sila sa buti ng kanilang ginagawa.

Sumaklolo na nga ang Pamahalaang Bayan ng Buenavista sa pangunguna ni Mayor Madrigal at kanyang mabubuting mga kaibigan. Gayundin ang mga kaibigan ng Balangaw. Sumuporta ang mga magulang ng mga kabataang kasali (mga mag-aaral at mga out-of-school youths), na nakaunawa na maaaring gabihin sa pag-uwi ang kanilang mga anak sa pag-eensayo. Nagbigay ng suportang moral ang DepEd sa pagsali ng ilang mga guro.

Ang lahat ng may kinalaman sa pagbuo ng dula ay maagang tinanggap sa kanilang sarili na ang pangyayaring ito ay sinasalihan ng bawa’t isa sa Diwa ng Bolunterismo at hangad na maging bahagi ng pagpapayabong ng sining at kultura (o pag-unlad ng turismo man), sa magandang Buenavista. At sa pagsasagawa nito ay maging bahagi ng paghugis ng modernong pangkulturang kasaysayan ng kanilang sariling bayan at komunidad. Iyon lamang!

TAMPOK NA MGA TAGPO
Bangungot ng isang mandudula na sumulat ng isang drama na di naman maiisagawa sa ibat-ibang kadahilanan, mga limitasyon. Subalit depende na nga iyon sa pagkamalikhain ninuman. Sa kaso ng “Ang Kristo”, base sa ipinamalas na kakayahan ng mga artistang gumaganap ay nadagdagan pa ang unang balangkas nito at sa huli ay naisakatuparan ang mga sumusunod na eksena sa loob ng limang linggong pag-eensayo:

UNANG YUGTO “MESIYAS”
1. PAGBAUTISMO KAY JESUS
2. PANUNUKSO NI SATANAS
3. PROKLAMASYON NG MISYON NI HESUS SA NAZARETH
4. MGA PANGARAL NI JESUS / PAGPAPAGALING
5. SI MARIA MAGDALENA
6. SA TANIMAN NG MAIS / ISYU NG SABADO
7. JUAN BAUTISTA IPINABILANGGO!
8. BEELZEBUL
9. BABAENG NAHULI SA PAKIKIAPID
10. “MALAKAS ANG DATING NG JESUS NA ITO!” (MGA KRITIKO)
11. PAGPILI SA LABINDALAWA / BEATITUDES
12. GALIT ANG DIYABLO
13. BABAENG MAKASALANAN SA BAHAY NG PARISEO
14. TRANSFIGURATION
15. ANG TAONG GRASA
16. BUKAS AT WALANG TAKOT NA PAHAYAG NI HESUS
17. SENTIMYENTO NG MGA APOSTOLES
18. SI LAZARO
19. HERODES (DECADENCE)

IKALAWANG YUGTO “KRISTO”
1. MGA KETONGIN
2. PAGPASOK SA JERUSALEM
3. ANG GALIT NA KRISTO
4. KRISTO / MAGDALENA/ APOSTOLES
5. PAGHUHUGAS NG MGA PAA / BANAL NA HAPUNAN
6. GETHSEMANE AT PAGDAKIP KAY KRISTO
7. SANHEDRIN (CAIPHAS, ANNAS, ESCRIBAS, PARISEOS, JUDAS
8. SA HARAP NI PILATO / PAGKAMATAY NI JUDAS
9. HERODES
10. PAGBALIK KAY PILATO
11. PAGHAGUPIT / PAGLIBAK / BARABAS /PAGHUGAS KAMAY
12. PANAGINIP NI CLAUDIA PROCULA
13. PAGTATALO NI PILATO AT CLAUDIA
14. VIA CRUCIS HANGGANG SA PAGLIBING (At mga Piling Salita ni HESUKRISTO) - Pagkadapa; mga kababaihang nanangis; mga Apostol; Maria (Ina), Magdalena, Juan, Veronica, Simon ng Cyrene, kilos ng mga Pariseos, mga Kawal, mga mamamayan, Pagpako, Pagkamatay, Libing.
15. PATOTOO NI LONGHINO / HIMAGSIK NG BUDHI NI PILATO
16. ANG PAGKABUHAY NA MULI NI KRISTO/
PAGPAPAKITA NI KRISTO SA MGA APOSTOLES

PRODUKSIYON
Minabuting period costumes ang idisenyo na sinaliksik ni Ian Sotto ng Escolta. Mga katutubong materyales at disenyo naman para sa props at entablado na dinisenyo ni Alvin Ereso ng Caigangan. May karanasan siya sa ganitong gawain sa mga pang-komersiyal na tanghalan sa Maynila. Si Bobby Labay ng Pinggan ang nagplano ng pang-ilaw na disenyo dahil naging lightsman naman siya sa CCP noong araw. May kaalaman din siya sa paggawa ng fog machine na dry ice ang gamit para sa ilang eksena.

Ang karamihan sa nagsiganap ay sa kabayanan ng Buenavista nakatira. Ang ilan nama’y mga taga Caigangan, Bancoro, Bagtingon, Malbog, Libas, Yook, Antipolo at Lipata. Ang ilan ay hatid ni Ian pag-uwi sa kanyang tricycle.

Wala sa orihinal na plano ang mag-anyaya ng mga panauhing artista (dulaan o pelikula), subalit nabuksan ang pagkakataong makasalamuha naman ng mga kabataang artista ang isa sa kanilang mga hinahangaan na kahaliling gaganap bilang Kristo.

PANANALIG
Sa huli, maliwanag na ang “ANG KRISTO: PASYON-DULA “ ay isang buhay na patotoo na “anuman ang hingin natin sa panalangin, manalig tayong natanggap na natin iyon at matatanggap nga natin!” (Mc 11:24). Amen!

Balangaw artist from Buenavista directs "Cats"

Mia Nica Zeleena Sadiwa, or Nica to her friends, first joined the Teatro Balangaw production of “Bulong” in 2005 in Buenavista, her picturesque hometown. The following year, the community theater group mounted “Ang Kristo: Pasyondula” where she played multiple roles even as we already had a huge cast of 80, mostly students of the local high schools as well as out-of-school youths.

(Nica in a scene from Pasyondula)

Nica would be in all the Pasyondula productions in Buenavista, Gasan, Boac since then - both as actor and as stage-hand at the same time, that's how community theaters operate.

(Backstage during a high school program)

Nica was quite active in school and non-school activities, joining various competitions and was SK president of Barangay Dos, crowned “Miss Youth IFI”,” Miss Cooperative”, “Miss Huling Hirit sa Tag-init”. She graduated valedictorian from the Buenavista National High School in 2009.

(Taken during a photoshoot at Bellarocca)

NICA DIRECTS "CATS" AT CEU

18-year old Nica is fast moving forward now exploring those same old interests - on a bigger scale and in the big city this time. Just very recently at the Centro Escolar University (CEU) where she is currently taking up Mass Communications, majoring in broadcasting, (and is a Dean’s Lister), Nica successfully staged her first directorial debut with a full-production of the all-singing, all-dancing musical, Andrew Lloyd Webber’s “Cats”. (see footage here).

She’s busy preparing for a new project now that will feature a Filipino dramatic play for a bigger theater festival.

To Nica, your friends and colleagues in Teatro including myself, your... ehem, mentor, are indeed, extremely pleased and proud of you, girl! Congratulations!

Earthquake Felt in Marinduque; Turin Shroud Authentic

By coincidence, an earthquake rocked Metro Manila and environs on April 30th at 12:46 a.m., exactly 30 hours to the minute after I posted that CNN Newsbreak Video on a possible earthquake hitting Manila (but this isn't yet the big one, of course).

The said tremor was also felt in Marinduque and in the following places in the metro: Valenzuela, Sucat, Pasay, Ermita, Manila, Makati, Cainta, Lucban (Quezon), Daet, Camarines Norte and Camarines Sur. Read Marinduque Quake History

Also by coincidence, it was interesting to watch the news last night that said "Pope all but endorses the authenticity of the Shroud of Turin".

As our community theater group, Teatro Balangaw, successfuly mounted "Ang Kristo: Pasyon-dula (Passion Play)" in Tagalog last Holy Week in Marinduque in cooperation with the Cultural Center of the Philippines and the Provincial Government of Marinduque, I was naturally interested as a Catholic (albeit not devout), on the Life of Christ, and chanced upon a Youtube video, "Shroud - new evidence - BBC Special".

Dated Sept. 6, 2009, I also posted that video here on April 15, 2010, as my "Postscript to Easter". This blogger wrote and directed the said Passion Play with a cast and staff of 120.

Today's Christian Science Monitor website reported thus:

"Pope Benedict says Shroud of Turin authentic burial robe of Jesus. Dismissing skeptics on Sunday when he visited the Shroud of Turin, Pope Benedict XVI said the burial cloth was none other than the same robe that once 'wrapped the remains' of Jesus Christ."

Item by AP said: "During a visit to the Shroud in the northern Italian city of Turin, Benedict didn't raise the scientific questions that surround the linen and whether it might be a medieval forgery. Instead, he delivered a powerful meditation on the faith that holds that the Shroud is indeed Christ's burial cloth.

"This is a burial cloth that wrapped the remains of a crucified man in full correspondence with what the Gospels tell us of Jesus," Benedict said. He said the relic — one of the most important in Christianity — should be seen as a photographic document of the "darkest mystery of faith" — that of Christ's crucifixion and resurrection.

"The 14-foot-long, 3.5-foot-wide (4.3-meter-long, 1 meter-wide) cloth has gone on public display for the first time since the 2000 Millennium celebrations and a subsequent 2002 restoration. Kept in a bulletproof, climate-controlled case in Turin's cathedral, it has drawn nearly 2 million reservations from pilgrims and tourists eager to spend three to five minutes viewing it.

"The Shroud bears the figure of a crucified man, complete with blood seeping from his hands and feet, and believers say Christ's image was recorded on the linen's fibers at the time of his resurrection."

I love coincidences...for

"Nothing is hidden that shall not become evident, nor anything secret that shall not be known and come to light. Therefore take care how you listen; for whoever has, to him shall more be given; and whoever does not have, even what he thinks he has shall be taken away from him." - Jesus (Luke 8:17,18)

"LOST IN RITUAL": LIVING ASIA FEATURE ON MARINDUQUE

WATCH OUT FOR THIS ONE! Saw today over LIVING ASIA CHANNEL its truly exciting trailer on Marinduque's lenten traditions to be aired soon. Entitled "LOST IN RITUAL" the TV documentary feature focuses on the men and women flaggelants, pataraka boys, popua women, Via Crucis, processions, Battle of Morions and "Ang Kristo: Pasyondula".

MORIONES 2009 IMAGES: ANG KRISTO: PASYONDULA

Governor Bong Carrion and P.A. Allan Velasco, based on general feedback, initiated the introduction of something new to the evening cenaculo presentations in Boac, stressing that culture should be dynamic and not static. The said cenaculos, a provincial government project introduced in the late 70s, are divided into three parts and shown on Holy Wednesday, Maundy Thursday and Black Saturday. All music and dialogues were pre-recorded in 1979 "in highly dramatic fashion", by Manila-based radio talents (most of whom are now presumably dead) and used to this day.

To quote Will Peterson from his published work on the said Boac cenaculo, it's “as if every word is meant to be etched on stone tablets for eternity”. These cenaculos have since been mimed by players composed of capitol employees, students, morions and other participants and have kept the same directorial patterns set down in the 70's.

“ANG KRISTO: PASYONDULA”, (written and directed by this blogger), that had its successful premiere in Buenavista in 2006, (with actor J.E. Sison as Kristo), and in Gasan in 2008 (with award-winning actor John Arcilla as Kristo), was given the Thursday slot in the Boac schedule of activities. (The Holy Wednesday and Black Saturday cenaculos were still presented in-toto by the capitol group). For Pasyondula, done in live theater style, a technical group was hired to handle the sound and lighting requirements of the production that had a cast and crew of about 150 and utilized a vast acting space.

Teatro Balangaw cast were pooled from members from Buenavista, Gasan, Boac and Mogpog (majority are out-of-school youth), with a few selected actors from the capitol. Kristo was played by Janmart Lacdao of Buenavista.

The 2 ½ hour play (beginning with the Baptism of Christ by John the Baptist and ending in Resurrection), was mounted in a period of three weeks. For two straight hours it rained heavily then stopped at 9:oo pm at which time the play started.

Pasyondula played to a capacity crowd at Boac’s Moriones Arena (above photo), the biggest audience in the community theater group’s history. (Pasyondula is a major part of Living Asia Channel special feature on the Moriones Festival '09).

Photos by Gerry Jamilla.

"ANG KRISTO: PASYONDULA" - THE GASAN PREMIERE

POLITICS AND CULTURE OR THE CULTURE OF LOCAL POLITICS?

Three years ago the mounting of the annual Black Saturday evening stage presentation of the "Sinakulo-Pugutan" of Gasan was handled by the public high schools in the municipality. It was to be the turn of Tiguion National High this year. Until teachers from the school reported to the mayor that 'someone' had given the order for the school not to participate in this year's Holy Week activities sponsored by the municipal government and that their hands were tied. The participation of the 'DepEd family' in Gasan was eventually missed in all of the cultural activities.

"Ang Kristo: Pasyon-Dula" which Teatro Balangaw staged in Buenavista two years ago was therefore mounted in Gasan to fill an artificial vacuum. The very same group that prevented "Pugutan" from being staged this year cried "wala na ba ang tradisyon?" through flyers distributed and posted all over town, and raised the question "bakit may artista?"

In her very direct speech before the play was presented, Mayor Vicky Lim stated that "Pugutan" just did not have the chance this year in view of what transpired.

Governor Carrion was more emphatic in his speech: "I will not allow politics, not anywhere in Marinduque's six municipalities, to mess up with efforts for culture and the arts and tourism!" He pointedly lambasted DepEd's no-participation stance in Gasan.

The "artista" apparently referred to, to which the local actors in the play quipped "at hindi rin ba kami pwedeng tawaging artista dahil hindi kami senakulista?" was top-caliber stage and movie actor JOHN ARCILLA, recipient of Urian Best Actor and Best Supporting Actor awards. He played the role of "KRISTO".

Culture being 'dynamic not static' and not exclusive to a few as defined in Philippine statutes, and the same being an accurate reflection of the society in point, the Gasan case is a classic example of the tug-of-war between politics and culture in the Philippines. The emcee, Enrico San Juan pointed this out before the start of pasyon-dula (passion play).

PASYONDULA RECEIVED A STANDING OVATION FROM THE GASAN AUDIENCE AND THE REGIONAL MEDIA GROUP THAT CAME TO WATCH THE NOW 'CONTROVERSIAL' THREE-HOUR PLAY!

(Written and directed by Eli J. Obligacion; staged by the Teatro Balangaw Ensemble of Buenavista and Gasan - in two weeks' time. - Photo shows John Arcilla being made-up by Patrick Sadiwa who played Pilate.)