Mounting a theatre production is a very challenging task and is physically and financially exhausting. Theatre encompasses a broad range of dramatics, musical and visual presentations. It is generally designed to enlist an emotional response and to be experienced directly by an audience. We, a group of twelve AB English students, with the cooperation of two BSEd English students, had never experienced mounting a REAL theatre production. Of course, some may argue that we, the AB English, have already experienced stage presentations by our previous performance in Humanities I and the recent Poetry in Concert but never a theatre production that is covered by the conventions of such scripts, scenarios, proper blockings, music and lights. If there were a term camera-shy, then I guessed most of us have this new-coined word “stage-shy”. We have cold feet whenever we are on-stage. Most of us did not have difficulty in acting but we are definitely ignorant and inexperienced when it comes to the real portrayal of the characters and the proper blockings. As the director, at first I have to admit that I don’t know how to execute the seemingly insurmountable task of directing a play and dealing with people who had different attitudes and diverse personalities. But one thing I greatly emphasized to my cast is that “WE ARE ALL IN THIS TOGETHER and ALL FOR ONE, ONE FOR ALL”. Maybe you have heard these words in the movie High School Musical and these words may sound cliché but it definitely epitomized the bond and trust we gave to each other in the short span of time we worked as one for this production. We did support each other and brought out the best in each of us. Let me recount the group experiences we had before, in the four months that we worked as a team and as we finally became one.
July 09, 2009. It was a Thursday afternoon and Sir Larry Laroco had finished selecting all the cast of the play “The House of Bernarda Alba”. The cast was spearheaded by Liza Verna Besinga as Bernarda Alba, the protagonist in the play and the manipulative mother to her daughters. Rizza Mae San and Lani-Lou Salinda was originally casted as Poncia and the servant respectively, but were later replaced as mourners, Lannie-Lenn Mercado was cast as the eldest daughter, Angustias, Lea Rozzane Ayo as the derisive Magdalena, Charmaine Contridas as the submissive Amelia; Bery Bareja as the sickly Martirio and Haifa Abdusalam as the carefree Adela, completes the five daughters of Bernarda Alba. Aibie Bola, our ever beloved make-up artist and production designer played a dual role: the characters of the grandmother Maria Josefa, and the beggar. Judelyn Torrefiel, the Production Manager, was to play the role of one of the mourners but was designated the role of Poncia due to her effectiveness in portraying Poncia, as well as Shella Mae Rodillas who was also to play as one of the mourners, later became the servant in the play. The role of the little child fitted Michele Rioja’s childlike looks. Kareen May Campos, the Stage Manager as well as the sounds-in-charge was cast as one of the mourners. I, Hazel Daze Flores was shockingly picked as the director and cast as one of the mourners. After the announcement of the cast, the whole group stayed on the back portion of the mini theatre observing the other group’s as they were also cast one by one, and while waiting for Sir Larry’s next instruction.
Unfortunately, I was hospitalized the next day and the responsibilities of the director were shifted to Kareen, the stage manager, and Jud, the production manager. During my absence, they first secured the script and rehearsed it by throwing line with the other cast and internalizing their characters. I have great faith that they were taking the task seriously and giving much effort to it.
July 27, 2009, Monday, was our first blocking and fortunately, it was also the time I went back to school after weeks of absence. They were surprised to see me inside the mini theatre and weren’t expecting my return. I was happy because we were complete at last. I was very nervous when Sir Larry asked me about the divisions of the scenes, for I have yet to read the script and was not yet around during their practices. The group was a bit struggling on the first blocking and was confused of their blockings. Sir Larry consoled us that our confusion was normal since most of us has yet to memorize their lines and were conscious while throwing their lines. He told us to practice more on our blockings and internalize deeply our characters. However, the first blocking run smoothly and we have also much fun and learning about blocking.
During the times we’re not the ones’ scheduled for blocking inside the mini theatre, we stayed in the Anchorian’s cottage rehearsing our lines and gestures. During these times, some were not seriously portraying their roles while others’ were actually eating and busy talking. This sometimes annoys me since their noise disturbs the other’s characterization. I want all of us in the group to be serious when it comes to practice and rehearsing and we should always concentrate on our roles and interaction to the other characters. I am thankful that my group mates understand this and agreed to practice hard even rehearsing during the Intramurals. Some of the other group’s cast was questioning us why we were practicing during the intramurals and not enjoying the said event. The answer is simple. We do not want to be under-rehearsed and we want to have mastery in our lines and portrayal of our roles as early as possible and eliminate the gestures and habits that are inappropriate in the play. I must admit that not all of us were able to practice during the intramurals thus forcing some of us to have dual roles. One unfortunate event had happened before the intramurals. It was a tragic and moment that devastated Ate Lea’s life and her family. Her loss was also our loss. Some of us were unable to extend our condolences personally since the three of us, Kareen, Merckz and I had a championship game that afternoon of the funeral. The next day, we were also devastated by the news of the death of the father of one of our classmates, who was also stage manager of the other group. We understand Ate Lea’s mourning and grief that we did not even dare to pressure her to go back to the group and resume the role of Magdalena. If she would decide to quit, we will understand her and sympathize with her. That time, we were preparing ourselves for the worst: that is receiving Ate Lea’s decision of quitting. On her absence, we assigned Kareen to assume the role of Magdalena since she memorized most of Magdalena’s line. The three remaining mourners were adjusting to the sudden change. Fortunately, God did not allow us to perform incomplete. On our third blocking, Ate Lea surprisingly rejoined the group. We were not expecting her return but nevertheless, we were delighted. This lifted our spirits higher and that our confidence level was oozing. We were still intact and we are definitely all in this together.
“The House of Bernarda Alba” play, according to Sir Larry was a costume play since we have to actually portray the characters as they are so we have to design our costumes fit to the play’s time and place setting and as well as the characters’ personalities. We have searched the internet for possible designs of the gowns. Some actually designed their own costumes or gowns, while the mourners, used the costumes that the Death performers in the Poetry in Concert wore. We hired Ate Honey’s mother to sew the gowns. Ate Honey also lends her hand for helping us choose the right textile for our gowns. We had the first glance of the gowns during our pictorial for the tarpaulin in Silway 8, Polomolok, and we were all amazed by the impressive outcome of the gowns.
Six days before our actual presentation, we had our pictorial for the tarpaulin and posters in Silway 8. Polomolok, at Ate Liza’s aunt’s house. The house was spooky and its old edifice brings chills to our spines. That afternoon, after our class in Research Method, we rendezvous to Richielyn’s house in Sampalok to fix ourselves and put on the make-ups. Fortunately, Sir Paul Llanos extended his help and brought his car. Some of the cast who already finished their make-up won’t agree to walk to Fitmart to meet Ate Liza and the rest. So we decided that they shall go first to Polomolok and shall wait for us in Silway 8. We went to Fitmart to meet Ate Liz who was also waiting for her sister’s arrival and the car that we will ride in to Polomolok. However, we waited for almost forty-five minutes for her sister’s arrival. We were already worried since it was already past four. Ate Liza’s sister arrived and we rode in the car. The car’s inside cannot accommodate all of us so some had no choice but to ride in the back. While we’re on our way to Polomolok, Ate Jing jokingly commented that our dandruffs (if we have any of it), were flying everywhere. We arrived at Silway 8 almost five in the afternoon. The house was an old and scary one with huge trees surrounding it. We started to put on our make-up while waiting for our gowns that was to be brought by Ate Honey. After Ate Honey’s arrival, we wore our gowns and start the pictorial. Unfortunately, there were a power failure and it was getting dark already. The unfortunate circumstances somehow made us nervous of whatever ghostly manifestations (since Ate Liza admitted the house was indeed a haunted house and they actually experienced ghostly manifestations in the past) might occur. We only used candles and some portable flashlights as our source of light throughout the photo shoot. We actually enjoyed posing in front of the camera. After the pictorial and as we changed our outfits, coincidentally, the electricity returned. How strange it was that before we start the pictorial, the electricity went out and it only returned after we finished and it happened while we were inside an old haunted house. Coincidence indeed moves in mysterious ways. Nevertheless, we enjoyed the experience. We had a great joy ride back to Gensan....
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