The curtains part to reveal a small stage with beautifully-crafted black and white furniture. Actors in colorful ternos appear onstage to perform a household comedy of manners – Kailangan Isang Tsaperon (Wanted: A Chaperon) – a classic one-act comedy by Wilfrido Ma. Guerrero.
The performers belong to the revived theater group that Guerrero himself started in 1962. Now called Lakbay Dulaang UP mobile theater, the troupe is continuing where its predecessor had left off more than 20 years ago: traveling the country and bringing theater to the people.
The concept of the mobile theater is simple—with a retractable set and a few actors and crew, the troupe will journey to different provinces in the country to entertain the communities. In the early 60s when they started, the country's economy was in the doldrums and the crime rate, alongside population, increased.
Guerrero wrote in the 1964 UP Alumni Yearbook that their performances were not merely for art's sake. "I feel that people in the provinces have a hard enough time, so our aim is to make them laugh and with a message in every play."
This driving force sent the Mobile Theater to different parts of Luzon—from La Union, Mt. Province, Pangasinan and Tarlac up north to the provinces of Malabon, Batangas, Bataan, Zambales, and Sorsogon down south. During its prime, they did 2,500 performances across the country.
The group was composed of students and performances were done during the weekends and semestral breaks. Local communities warmly welcomed them, watched avidly, and invited the group in town fiestas. The group was able to survive through town donations and from Guerrero's and other colleagues' pockets.
Guerrero wrote in the Yearbook that he dreams of the mobile theater performing in every town, barrio, and sitio in the country. "This will take over a hundred years, but it's worth living that long."
But, just like a play, the curtains eventually closed down on the theater group due to lack of financial support, coupled with Guerrero's demise. No one could confirm when the group stopped performing but it was believed to be sometime in the 1970s.
A SECOND DEBUT
Ignacio Gimenez, head of the Buy and Sell Publishing group and a former thespian of the defunct mobile theater, decided to resurrect the theater group. After negotiating for almost a year, Gimenez and the Dulaang UP signed a one-year contract, funding the group's expenses as it tragets to perform in 10 provinces.
The re-launch was done in October 19, 2008 with two classic Guerrero pieces as inaugural offerings. The staple Kailangan Isang Tsaperon (Wanted: A Chaperon) was performed alongside Laban ng Basketbol (Basketball Fight).
"For its re-launch, it's fitting that we do both Guerrero plays." Dexter Santos, director of the two plays told abs-cbnnews.com. In succeeding productions, the troupe aims to showcase a Filipino playwright's work with one Guerrero masterpiece.
More than four decades ago, Wanted: A Chaperon was one of the plays the original UP Mobile Theater staged in the "decrepit" laborer's area on campus for its pilot performance. Unlike the new version, the older one used "the barest furniture" made by the laborers.
Even with the same lines, old pictures of the mobile theater published in the 1964 UP Alumni Yearbook showed the differences between the set designs and costumes. But in both instances, the play was a success.
"Guerrero's plays are easier to relate to because they delve into the Filipino psyche and revolves around Pinoy society." Both Laban ng Basketbol and Kailangan Isang Tsaperon tackle domestic concerns—a topic that, according to Santos, is "very Pinoy."
Wanted: A Chaperon is a classic Guerrero play that revolves around the conflicting views of a rich couple and their two children on bringing chaperones to dates. Despite being a dated piece, the over-all appeal of the play was contemporized. "The challenge is to make it fresher. We made it more vibrant in terms of costumes and stage design," Santos explained.
Laban ng Basketbol likewise underwent the same alterations. "It is easier to contemporize this piece because of the hyped up rivalry between Ateneo and La Salle. The set design and characters' styles are very modern but still minimal so as to not lose the original concept of the material." Laban ng Basketball narrates the story of a soon-to-be-married couple and the problems they encounter because of a college basketball game rift between their families.
THE SHOW IS READY
The group is scheduled to perform in St Louis University, Baguio City from November 29 to 30. They are also tentatively slated to perform in the National College of Business and Arts in Taytay, Rizal from December 19 to 21.
According to Johanna Bautista, coordinator of the Lakbay Dulaang UP, they also got an invitation from a private company in Cebu. The mobile theater performs for free but their sponsors should "provide for the venues, accommodations, and transportation expenses," said Bautista. The price of the tickets will also depend on the sponsors.
The troupe is composed of around 20 cast and crew with 13 to 15 actors who are going to perform dual roles. Santos said, that if ever an invitation comes up, they are ready to go.
"If the tour becomes successful, the contract will hopefully be extended." Santos said. Despite being back on the road, one cannot help but wonder how the troupe will fare in a year's time. Would it close down like its predecessor or will it continue Guerrero's legacy?
"My hopes are high," Santos told abs-cbnnews.com. "We want to continue offering productions that will introduce and re-introduce theater to the people."
--This article was first published in abs-cbnnews.com. Photo courtesy of the UP Mobile Theater.
The concept of the mobile theater is simple—with a retractable set and a few actors and crew, the troupe will journey to different provinces in the country to entertain the communities. In the early 60s when they started, the country's economy was in the doldrums and the crime rate, alongside population, increased.
Guerrero wrote in the 1964 UP Alumni Yearbook that their performances were not merely for art's sake. "I feel that people in the provinces have a hard enough time, so our aim is to make them laugh and with a message in every play."
This driving force sent the Mobile Theater to different parts of Luzon—from La Union, Mt. Province, Pangasinan and Tarlac up north to the provinces of Malabon, Batangas, Bataan, Zambales, and Sorsogon down south. During its prime, they did 2,500 performances across the country.
The group was composed of students and performances were done during the weekends and semestral breaks. Local communities warmly welcomed them, watched avidly, and invited the group in town fiestas. The group was able to survive through town donations and from Guerrero's and other colleagues' pockets.
Guerrero wrote in the Yearbook that he dreams of the mobile theater performing in every town, barrio, and sitio in the country. "This will take over a hundred years, but it's worth living that long."
But, just like a play, the curtains eventually closed down on the theater group due to lack of financial support, coupled with Guerrero's demise. No one could confirm when the group stopped performing but it was believed to be sometime in the 1970s.
A SECOND DEBUT
Ignacio Gimenez, head of the Buy and Sell Publishing group and a former thespian of the defunct mobile theater, decided to resurrect the theater group. After negotiating for almost a year, Gimenez and the Dulaang UP signed a one-year contract, funding the group's expenses as it tragets to perform in 10 provinces.
The re-launch was done in October 19, 2008 with two classic Guerrero pieces as inaugural offerings. The staple Kailangan Isang Tsaperon (Wanted: A Chaperon) was performed alongside Laban ng Basketbol (Basketball Fight).
"For its re-launch, it's fitting that we do both Guerrero plays." Dexter Santos, director of the two plays told abs-cbnnews.com. In succeeding productions, the troupe aims to showcase a Filipino playwright's work with one Guerrero masterpiece.
More than four decades ago, Wanted: A Chaperon was one of the plays the original UP Mobile Theater staged in the "decrepit" laborer's area on campus for its pilot performance. Unlike the new version, the older one used "the barest furniture" made by the laborers.
Even with the same lines, old pictures of the mobile theater published in the 1964 UP Alumni Yearbook showed the differences between the set designs and costumes. But in both instances, the play was a success.
"Guerrero's plays are easier to relate to because they delve into the Filipino psyche and revolves around Pinoy society." Both Laban ng Basketbol and Kailangan Isang Tsaperon tackle domestic concerns—a topic that, according to Santos, is "very Pinoy."
Wanted: A Chaperon is a classic Guerrero play that revolves around the conflicting views of a rich couple and their two children on bringing chaperones to dates. Despite being a dated piece, the over-all appeal of the play was contemporized. "The challenge is to make it fresher. We made it more vibrant in terms of costumes and stage design," Santos explained.
Laban ng Basketbol likewise underwent the same alterations. "It is easier to contemporize this piece because of the hyped up rivalry between Ateneo and La Salle. The set design and characters' styles are very modern but still minimal so as to not lose the original concept of the material." Laban ng Basketball narrates the story of a soon-to-be-married couple and the problems they encounter because of a college basketball game rift between their families.
THE SHOW IS READY
The group is scheduled to perform in St Louis University, Baguio City from November 29 to 30. They are also tentatively slated to perform in the National College of Business and Arts in Taytay, Rizal from December 19 to 21.
According to Johanna Bautista, coordinator of the Lakbay Dulaang UP, they also got an invitation from a private company in Cebu. The mobile theater performs for free but their sponsors should "provide for the venues, accommodations, and transportation expenses," said Bautista. The price of the tickets will also depend on the sponsors.
The troupe is composed of around 20 cast and crew with 13 to 15 actors who are going to perform dual roles. Santos said, that if ever an invitation comes up, they are ready to go.
"If the tour becomes successful, the contract will hopefully be extended." Santos said. Despite being back on the road, one cannot help but wonder how the troupe will fare in a year's time. Would it close down like its predecessor or will it continue Guerrero's legacy?
"My hopes are high," Santos told abs-cbnnews.com. "We want to continue offering productions that will introduce and re-introduce theater to the people."
--This article was first published in abs-cbnnews.com. Photo courtesy of the UP Mobile Theater.
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