TEATRO BALANGAW Act Three 1996

Act Three: 1995-1996

After watching a performance at Travelmart (SM Manila), of Iloilo’s Dagyaw” and a dance-drama performed by the Leyte Dance Company group of Jess de Paz, Obligacion and Mariposque agreed that it was not impossible for Balangaw to come up with a similar winner. “Mara Unduk” could be re-staged so that the group had a ready material it could bring anywhere outside Marinduque. It was evident, however, that the group could not take any chance with another “hoy, tama na ‘yan!” novelty.

The verbal exchange was between the founder of Balangaw and Mandia this time. The latter strongly opposed the idea of staging a new Mara Unduk though he was preoccupied with work in Manila.

“As a colleague, I only ask one word for you to say: “GO!”, said the founder in exasperation after a long, heated discussion that lasted from night till morning. They were long-time friends yet the standing rule must now be upheld: “Nobody is indispensable in theater”.

“Who is going to direct it? Who is going to choreograph it?”, Mandia asked.

“I am in charge. They will be found!”

Roni Abario of Mindoro, a stage actor who also worked as dubbing supervisor at ABS-CBN like Mandia was welcomed by Eli and Rudi to the Balangaw home.

“Tinanong ako ni Danny kung paano ko gagawin ang mga sayaw ng Mara Unduk. Nakita ko ang video nung ginawa niya na hindi ko maintindihan. Ang sabi ko lang, ‘basta mas maganda diyan’!” Roni said.

“MARA UNDUK” became Balangaw’s biggest winner. This collaborative work among Abario, Mariposque and Obligacion was good for over 30 performances in Boac and Gasan. Within one year, invitational performances at Nayong Pilipino, Museong Pambata and Raha Sulaiman Theater for the Philippine Educational Theater Association (PETA)-sponsored National Youth Theater Festival were concluded.

Gil Virtusio who was visiting Marinduque was not impressed with the costumes and volunteered to do the production design for the Fort Santiago presentation. Montenegro offered his spacious office with a huge rehearsal hall at Espana to serve as the group’s quarters.

“May I see it?”, asked Mandia who came after the final rehearsal at the studio. The group had seen to it that he would not be allowed to make ‘kuransa’ (theater lingo for the act of somebody messing up to feel some imagined power) or to have any hand in the project.

“No, after the long travel the cast is tired.”, Obligacion replied.

“What can I do to help?”, Mandia asked.

“You, perhaps, could take charge of the numbered music tapes tomorrow!”
With an audience consisting of young artists from different schools and universities in Manila and nearby provinces, cheering as “Mara Unduk” was performed, Balangaw members felt they finally made it to the ‘big theater’.

At curtain call, Mandia, unbidden, went up the stage to join Roni and Rudi who were offered a bouquet of flowers each. Eli and Gil who were half their way froze at such display of audacity. Mandia took the flowers, grabbed the microphone and made an exhortation for “kabataan”. Goose-pimpled Eli and Gil gaped in disbelief and just sat on the floor covering their faces.

Obligacion’s appointment as the newly-elected governor’s private secretary and ‘cultural director’ for the province paved the way for cultural challenges. In this new capacity, projects were undertaken on a broader scale in all the arts. The concept of “putting Marinduque back in the cultural and tourism map” found official support as it was also consistent with a national call for the promotion of culture and the arts and similar undertakings in preparation for the Philippine centennial.

Provincial competitions in culture and the arts (on-the-spot painting, choral competitions, sabayang bigkasan, essay-writing, folk and modern dance competitions, kundiman contests, band and lyre competitions), were initiated by Obligacion as official projects, new festivals organized and traditional ones revitalized (“Tubungan Festival, “Kalutangan”, “Moryonan”, “Moro Moro” in Mogpog, “Pugutan” in Gasan, “Freedom Run”), and provincial participation in regional and national cultural events ensured (“Southern Tagalog Festival”, “Travelmart”, “Rizal Park Independence Day Celebration”, “Southern Tagalog Kundiman Fiesta” where Marinduque played host, “Daupan II Festival for the Centennial of Philippine Revolution”).
Balangaw’s “Mara Unduk” dance-drama was kept alive and constantly improved with new dancers and actors joining the ever-changing faces of chorus dancers.

The Philippine Rural Reconstruction Movement (PRRM) commissioned Obligacion for a play about local heroes to be presented at the DAUPAN II Festival for the Centennial of Philippine Revolution. “MIS LAGRIMAS A TI” (My Tears to Thee), based on the revolutionary exploits of Herminigildo Flores, Remigio Medina, Cayetano Vida (“Alapaap”, and Maximo Abad, was completed and premiered at Gasan’s covered court. The audience consisted of festival participants from all over the country. Students of Immaculate Conception College (ICC) went through auditions for the various roles. PETA’s Jonjon Tuazon directed the play.