Back in 2013, the local arts scene celebrated Andres Bonifacio’s 150th birth anniversary through different exhibits and staged shows, one of which is Dulaang Unibersidad ng Pilipinas’s (DUP) Teatro Porvenir: Ang Katangi-tanging Kasaysayan nina Andres Bonifacio, Macario Sakay, at Aurelio Tolentino sa Entablado. This year, as the theater industry takes a digital leap, the famed stage play goes virtual on Nov. 30.
Penned by Tim Dacanay and directed by Alexander Cortez, Teatro Porvenir, Spanish for “theater of tomorrow or future,” is a reimagined tale of Katipunan’s heroes Andres Bonifacio, Macario Sakay, and Aurelio Tolentino as thespians of a moro-moro troupe Teatro Porvenir, and not just valiant revolutionaries. According to the company, the show “underlines that in war and peace, art is a potent force that affects the lives of people and contributes to the making of a nation.”
The show cast were led by TV and theater actors Romnick Sarmenta, Jojit Lorenzo, and Joel Saracho who portrayed Bonifacio, Sakay, and Tolentino, respectively. Also on board is director and playwright Floy Quintos as the company’s creative consultant and Hong Kong-based UP alumnus Faust Peneyra as set designer.
Through a Facebook post, Palanca-winning playwright Tim recalls the journey of his work, before it’s brought to life on stage.
“Noong 2013, nakatanggap ako ng tawag kay Floy Quintos. Kinakalap niya ang mga dula ukol kay Bonifacio para sa selebrasyon ng UP ng ika-150 taon o sesquicentennial ng pagkapanganak ng Supremo. Nalaman niyang may sinulat akong dula ukol kay Bonifacio at hiniling niya itong mabasa (Back in 2013, I received a call from Floy Quintos. He was collecting stage plays about Bonifacio for UP’d celebration of the 150th or sesquicentennial birth anniversary of the Supremo. He learned that I was writing a play about Bonifacio and wished to read it),” he posted.
“Noong nabasa niya at nalamang ‘di pa ito naisasaentablado ay nirekomenda niyang ito na lamang ang gawin ng Dulaang UP. Hindi na niya itinuloy ang paglilikha ng obra mula sa mga nakalap na dula ni Bonifacio, (When he read and learned that the play was yet to be staged, he recommended the play to be used by DUP, and no longer pursued the other plays he got).”
"Ipagdiwang natin ang buhay ng Supremo sa naging obrang pantanghalan nina direktor Alex Cortez at mga propesyunal at estudyanteng mga aktor at taga-disenyo sa sining ng tanghalan (Let’s celebrate the life of the Supremo that became the masterpiece of director Alex Cortez, and the professional and student actors and designers of the stage play),” he ends.
Teatro Porvenir will be played on DUP's Youtube Channel on Nov. 30 at 6 p.m.