USC Theater Guild presents 3-act play "NARS"

CEBU, Philippines - It's stage play season once again for the University of San Carlos-Theatre Guild (USC-TG), which mounts one socially relevant production per semester for the last 35 years of its existence. This Feb. 12 at SM Cinema 1, the organization presents "NARS", a three-act play that delves on the acceptance and courage to face death and how one's chosen profession can be an instrument to be of service and inspiration to others.

Alternating for the central role of the nurse Rona Quinto are Loraine Anne Marie Baguio and Danica Louise Duero. It is directed by Jennifer Brioso, Joephen Daryl Gonzaga and Augusto Caesar Machacon, Jr.

It is the story of a licensed nurse named Rona who is applying for a clinical instructor position in an institution. Asked for the reason why she wants the job, she mentions three of her most meaningful experiences during her two years of practice. This is where the three acts come in.

First act is on her first experience when she was assigned to the geriatric ward, an area where less fortunate senior citizen patients are housed for health assistance. While giving them therapy, Rona realizes that they are all in denial of the fact that their days are numbered. She tries her best to not only attend to their medical and physical needs, but to their emotional issues as well.

Second act finds her assigned in a private room to take care of a mother who has lost an unborn baby twice. Filled with anger and bitterness, the mourning patient lays the blame on God for her unfortunate fate. Rona strives to let her see that there is life after death, and that she needs to go on with life for the sake of the people who love and need her.

In the third and last act, Rona is moved to the Intensive Care Unit where she is tasked to care for a child suffering from stage four cancer-leukemia. The young patient spends her last few months hoping that the father she has long not seen would finally return. Rona helps her live the remaining days to the fullest and with the utmost faith in God.

These three stories are what Rona would like to impart to her future nursing students — that they may know the true meaning of service and to all of us, that we may appreciate that everything will really come to an end so we must live each day as if it’s our last.

"NARS" is written by Gonzaga (one of the three directors), a fourth year Nursing student whose practicum experiences mirror most of the scenarios in the play. He wants to share his stories so that others may also be inspired.

"Being a nursing student made me realize that it is not about the badge I have achieved and the degree that I will hopefully hold. It made me witness that nursing is all about caring and for whatever that means to each of us, we all have to partake in giving service and care to mankind," said Gonzaga, a USC-TG member for almost five years and is now serving as one of the guild’s VP.

Tickets, priced at P120, are available for purchase at SM Cinema 1 during the production's playdate or you can call USC-TG's office at 253-1000 local 185. Show schedules are as follows: 10:00-11:30 am, 12:00-1:30 pm, 2:00-3:30 pm, 4:00-5:30 pm, 6:00-7:30 pm and 8:00-9:30 pm. (FREEMAN)