"No screen bigger than theater."
Is it true? How about the movie houses' screens--the 3D one, a plasma TV or a projector? Aren't they bigger than theater? If you have seen a play even once or an avid play-goer you'll agree with this tagline. If you haven't watched any play, continue reading this blog or research furthermore.
Literally and figuratively, theater is really the biggest screen ever made. Physically, theater stages and backdrops can be so enormous depending on the set-up the director wants. It can be a tiny spot, a platform, a car, a roof, forest, the sea, the entire theater or whatever it is that a creative, wild, crazy and genius mind can imagine. Figuratively, it is the biggest screen because the shows or scenes are extended beyond the actors and the stage. Some plays are made to be interactive and require audience participation. Theatre plays depict the unusual stories and tackles personal to social to universal issues. They are
obra maestras that are always available to the public's eyes. People behind these works create them for the world to see, to feel and to experience. They are not the typical mainstream stories, they are intellectual and substantial. Thus, may cost more than an ordinary film does. Yet, no matter how much a ticket will cost, there are still many people who watch plays. They really look out for the latest shows, be it locally-produced or an internationally-acclaimed ones.
Like these people, I also developed the love for Theatre. I owe it to my Alma Mater and to the curriculum given by my course. I always love dramas, plays, presentations and operas since I was young. I have a great inclination to stages... I love being on the stage and every action that's taking place on it. In my early semesters in college, my subjects would require students to watch at least one play per semester. The first play I watched was called
Shadows of the Reef, directed by world renowned Filipino director Anton Diaz. It was a right timing and opportunity for me to experience a breath-taking, world-class play. The story was inspired by the Muro Ami, a dangerous and illegal fishing technique done by many local fishermen. Everything about it was so splendid-- the music, the actors, the storyline, the conversations, the settings, the props and the entire production. It even had a good ending: a huge net fell on the audiences' heads and we were caught up like schools of fish... our participation in the play became more than just viewers, we became whole with the play.
After that play, my love for theater plays grew bigger. I watched every play shown in UP and I always found myself internalizing too much or embracing the characters' emotions even more. Now that I already graduated, I still find chances to watch plays whenever my schedule and my budget allow me to. The latest play I watched was the stage adaptation of National Artist Lino Brocka's film
BONA. It was PETA's opening show for its 45th season and was staged to "pay homage to one of the treasures of Philippine cinema,
a National Artist who was one of PETA’s founders, to an actress who defined Filipino films, and to Coco Martin’s essential acting lineage."
This adaption directed by Soxie Topacio featured Eugene Domingo as Bona (the fan turned fanatic), Edgar Allan Guzman as Gino (the aspiring, trying-hard, womanizer, gigolo actor), BJ Forbes a.k.a. Tolits, Phil Noble, Joey Paras, Raffy Tejada, Jef Henson-Dee and many more. The play ran from August 24 to September 23, 2012.
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| He is GINO... he is... yes, handsome and hot but a selfish man. Surely, you'd like to hate him for being like that. Photo courtesy: XaiReen Rose (https://www.facebook.com/xyreen) |
I watched the play with my elementary friends and bought our tickets for Php 800.00 each. It's worth it because we sat near the stage and saw the actions up-close plus PETA is a very intimate theatre so the price is okay. Most of the actors played their roles very well and you can see and feel that their talent is genuine.
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| Behind the scene: You can buy souvenirs at the theatre and some also provide photobooths |
