Making St. Bernadette Sobirous interesting to modern audience

“St. Bernadette Sobirous’ time is not our time, it’s her time,” said Delia Aliño-Villacastin, the artistic director of “Song of Bernadette: A Musical of Our Lady of Lourdes Story” staged last June 29 at the SM City Cebu Cinema 1.

“We need to preserve the ambience of the period, at the time the story was happening. I cannot give it a new version for the sake of making it modern. Only that I have to use the language of modern time, the language understood by our audience, the language of movement, dance and music.”

The three-act musical, adapted from the 1942 novel of Franz Werfel of the same title and the 1943 movie and Academy-award winner also of the same title, has successfully narrated within two hours a 150-year-old story to today’s crop of theatre enthusiasts.

With Villacastin’s reputation and versatility in the performing arts, she was able to allow audience to see the character of Bernadette which is “very beautiful.”

“I just hope that they will see the character of Bernadette in them. I know that young people are easily influenced by people who are larger than life. This musical shows that there is another role model aside from Lindsay Lohan ug atong mga local stars nga mapasigarbohon pa kaayong moingon nga nag-live in na sila sa ilang boyfriend,” she said.

Schooled in Immaculate Heart College, Los Angeles , California with a degree in Speech and Drama in 1959, Villacastin immersed herself to the rigors of theatre – directing, choreographing, acting and dancing. As artistic director of “Song of Bernadette”, she shared that she has very good background in religious plays.

“I am responsible for the artistic product of the musical. Can you imagine, the music is original, the script is based on the novel and we are greatly helped by the movie. I have to present the story of Bernadette through music while staying true to the letters of the script,” she said.

“It’s my responsibility on how the audience will see Bernadette. I oversee the design of the whole show, the overall concept. I have to overcome technical problems in an artistic and feasible way, like what happens in between changing of scenes,” she added.

The artistic director has to face the challenge of getting everyone to be involved emotionally. Be inspired by the character of Bernadette. To be affected by apparitions at Lourdes, France as witnessed by Bernadette 18 times at the grotto of Massabielle near the Gave River beginning February 11, 1858.

Indeed, the musical has deeply touched this writer for it has successfully presented Bernadette as one of us – and very much like us. But she cherished values that she lived, values that we can certainly identify deep within us if we only let go of materialism, live a life of reverence in God, and let Him work his mysterious ways within us.

“What people can expect from the musical? It’s the awakening of Bernadette’s values in people without being too preachy or didactic,” Villacastin said.

It’s a laudable move for the Archdiocesan Shrine of Our Lady of Lourdes in barangay Punta Princesa to have responded to the call of Archbishop Ricardo Cardinal Vidal to come up with special activities for the Jubilee celebration of the Lourdes Apparition through the theatre being a collaborative creative process of presenting broad knowledge of the human condition.

Also, theatre is but one of the many venues available for the Salesian ministry. It was learned that a Salesian mind is always ready to enter where there are many young people – relaying the message through sports, arts, songs, different youth organizations, and theatre.

As with all areas of the arts, theatre effectively puts the message across that each one of us is called to a life of evangelization, catechism, and veneration for the Our Lady of Lourdes - a life of simplicity, humility and obedience.

Catch “Song of Bernadette” penned by playwright Niño James Bañares, original songs with lyrics and music provided by Jude Thaddeus Gitamondoc and arranged by Elvis Somosot, today, July 6 at SM City Cebu Cinema 1 with matinee shows at 10 a.m. and 3 p.m. and gala at 7 p.m.  For tickets, please call 2616935, look for Glenda Dales Berenio, production/PR and promotions manager.