Laviste, Escuyos fight for nailing in ‘buhing Kalbaryo’

Never has there been so much religious fervor in the ten years of staffing of the institutionalized Lenten presentation, "Buhing Kalbaryo", as it has now.

Five young actors have expressed seriously their intention to be nailed on the cross on its staging on Good Friday, April 6.

Director Al Evangelio, whose brainchild it is, is flabbergasted by this unusual turn of events, but he feels proud that this could have been probably resulted from the regular exposure to Jesus’ passion that the actors somehow established a personalized affinity with His persona resulting to desires for an actual physical emulation.

Playwright/director Evangelio first thought of an annual reenactment in the mid-nineties after his European tour where he was introduced to one of the actors in Germany of the internationally known Oberramergau Passion Play that happens only every ten years. Inspired by what he learned, he proceeded to draw plans for a yearly dramatization that he knew would certainly make a cathartic impression on the viewers at large. The rest is history.

Lance Laviste and Mark Escuyos are vying for the privilege to play Jesus and to be nailed on the cross. Clefren "Balugitok" Dumaguit, Rashkin Lucob and Jeffrey Dabe are fighting over the roles of the two crucified thieves, Dimas and Hestas. If Evangelio succumbs to the young actors "nailing" demands, major alterations of the script have to be made to accommodate these scenarios, as the famed director wants both situations amply viewed, recorded and contemplated on. After all, it is going to be a first, a benchmark in religious theatrical pursuits anywhere in the world.

With a cast of almost two hundred young people from Guadalupe, Calamba and San Nicolas, expect "Buhing Kalbaryo" 2007, a most dramatic purging exercise on Good Friday from 11:30 a.m. at the Abellana Sports Complex to the long asphalted stretch V. Rama to the Church of Guadalupe.