It’s almost impossible not to know anyone who hasn’t read The Little Prince by Antoine de Saint-Exupéry.

Published in 1943, Saint-Exupéry’s tale has touched the hearts of many, serving as a reminder about the importance of remaining young at heart. Its story centers around a pilot encountering a little boy after his plane crashes in the Sahara Desert. As he repairs his plane, the little boy tells him about his tales before arriving on Earth. He speaks of planets from far-off places and the adults he would encounter in each one. 

Now, one of the best Filipino theaters, Teatrong Mulat ng Pilipinas, will be putting out its special spin on the beloved classic. Entitled Prinsipeng Bahaghari, the show acts as a Filipino puppetry adaptation. To give the story a local spin, the play will center around the journey of the Rainbow Prince in search of a companion who would help him care for his flower, the Gumamela, and keep her safe on his home planet. In this quest, he is set to run into several extraordinary characters and makes a friend, the Storyteller, with whom he shares his joys and hardships.

This new take honors the rich tapestry of Filipino culture, folklore, and language, aiming to create an easily understandable play, particularly for children. The puppets in the production are crafted from rattan, and local materials were incorporated into the manufacturing process.

“The use of the Filipino language and stories are drawn from the experiences of our people to narrate the magic and challenges of growing up, of the many ways of taking care of this world, of faith in different forms of love within and beyond the reach of the physical senses,” said playwright Vladimeir Gonzales.

The play has garnered acclaim and received positive reviews since its initial presentation when it was conceived as a thesis project directed by Aina Ramolete. It first premiered in November 2023 at the Amelia Lapeña-Bonifacio Teatro Papet Museo. It was also featured at the 14th Annual Meeting and International Conference of the Asian Theater Working Group in Quezon City and at the Puppet Power 2022: Celebration! in Calgary, Canada.

The production was also one of the six finalists from across the globe in The Red Curtain International’s Good Theater Festival for Young Audiences held in India. An international jury gave recognition to the play and it received Best Direction (Joint Winner) for Ramolete, Best Production, Best Production Design, and an honorable mention for Best Script for Gonzales.

Its team consists of a remarkable crew with playwright Vladimeir Gonzales, Aina Ramolete as the director, illustrator, and overall production designer in the forefront. Amihan Bonifacio-Ramolete serves as an assistant director and producer. The rest of the team consists of Steven Tansiongco (graphics and video design), Ohm David (set designer), Arvy Dimaculangan (music and sound designer), Jessamae Gabon (music composer), Darwin Desoacido (costume designer), Gabo Tolentino (lights designer), Sig Pecho (additional shadow puppet designer and publicity manager), Clariz Caingat (character illustrator), Shenn Apilado (technical director), Shania Lee Cuerpo (stage manager), and Joshua Ceasar Chan (production manager).

Prinsipe Bahaghari can be viewed at Power Mac Center Spotlight Blackbox Theater, Circuit Makati, from Jan. 19 to 21 and from Jan. 26 to 28. There will also be an outreach run in Palawan on Feb. 23, as part of the outreach program of the Cultural Center of the Philippines.

Culturalcenter.gov.ph