Tough love

Theater, like all art, inspires people,” shares Attorney Darwin Mariano, a young lawyer from the University of the Philippines who has taken upon himself, the challenge of restaging Dulaang UP and Francisco Baltazar’s obra komedya, Orosman at Zafira on a bigger, brighter, and more ambitious stage.

Dressed in casual jeans, a T-shirt, while holding laptop, he shares the journey of the celebrated original Filipino masterpiece from the Wilfrido Ma. Guerrero Theater in UP to the SM Mall of Asia Centerstage Theater — a piece that garnered nominations for both Best Musical Production and Best Stage Director at the 21st ALIW Awards. He adds, “Theater equally inspires people to do all sorts of crazy things. This particularly mad adventure began in 2008 when I first saw Dulaang UP’s Orosman at Zafira.”

Seeing it with a bunch of his pals, he knew at that time that a commercial run of the show was viable and written in the stars. But they hadn’t so much as aligned since the timing was simply off. Though Mariano quips, “When Dulaang UP re-staged it in 2010 — shortly after a successful national election and a wave of optimism sweeping the country — we knew the timing was right.”

Mariano cites many reasons why anyone would reckon that he restage the original Filipino masterpiece on a commercial stage.

For starters, he hails from the same town in Bulacan as Francisco Baltazar, known to most literary connoisseurs as “Balagtas,” the penman behind it all. While the former joins the leagues of modern Renaissance men who enable the arts through commerce and strong business acumen, the latter holds the esteem of being one of the greatest Tagalog writers of all time. Balagtas is in fact touted as the William Shakespeare of Tagalog literature, given that he also penned, among others, the national gem that is Florante at Laura.

On another note, perhaps the piece is genuinely Filipino, and therefore genuinely our own. Mariano adds, “The Philippines is home to the best theater talent in the world-actors, directors, writers, composers, designers, and choreographers. Yet most of the commercial productions staged by the theatrical scene in the country are foreign.” Orosman at Zafira is thus the brilliant antithesis to a wave of locally produced Western contemporary work, joining the select ranks of original Filipino material that have received commercial success.

Mariano has also been a theater fan for decades, having seen his first play as a young college student at UP Diliman. But for all three reasons he simply states, “This is not why I am producing this show.”

Orosman at Zafira is a story of the struggle for power of three kingdoms: Marueccos, Tedenst, and Duquela, which are symbolic of three island groups comprising the Philippine archipelago. Amid hatred and war where two individuals find love, this contemporary adaptation of Baltazar’s text highlights the fortitude of the sacred feminine in the form of Zafira, and celebrates the uniqueness of Philippine culture told through a complex tapestry of original world music by Carol Bello and keen direction and contemporary tribal choreography by Dexter Santos.

Groundbreaking for its passion, poetry, music and dance, he says that he is producing the show because not enough Filipinos realize the genius of Francisco Baltazar and the values of good citizenship, discipline, and faith that underlie his works. “I am producing this show because it showcases Filipino theater talent at its finest,” he sums up, adding, “And also because I’m crazy.”

According to publicist Toots Tolentino, “Imagine living in a time when poetry was simply an everyday language. Beauty was magnified tenfold, pandemonium was disguised in lyrical verses, and love was simply glorious. But what happens when chaos is translated into poetry?” Well, then, you’ve got an original Filipino masterpiece that has kept audiences, including yours truly, always and forever wanting more. Our cup runneth over and our hunger remains deliciously insatiable.

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Orosman at Zafira features Jay Gonzaga (Orosman), Maita Ponce, Delphine Buencamino (Zafira), Tao Aves (Zelima), Roeder Camañag (Abdalap), Red Concepcion (Aldervesin), Kevin Concepcion (Zelim), Acey Aguilar (Zelim), Jacinta Remulla (Gulnara), Jean Judith Javier (Gulnara), Nazer Salcedo (Boulasem), Neil Tolentino (Mahamud), Felipe Ronnie Martinez (Ben-Asar), and the Dulaang UP Ensemble.

Headed by director Dexter Santos, the artistic team includes Tuxqs Rutaquio (production designer), John Batalla (lighting designer), Anril Tiatco, Katte Sabate and Patrick Valera (dramaturgs), Mara Marasigan (assistant director), Via Antonio (associate choreographer), Irish Pangilinan (associate musical director) and Lao Rodriguez (accessories designer). The show is produced by Darwin Mariano with associate producer Carlo Francia.

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Orosman at Zafira will run until Feb. 26 at SM Mall of Asia Centerstage Theater with Friday and Saturday gala shows at 8 p.m., and Saturday and Sunday matinees at 3 p.m. For tickets, call Ticketworld at 891-9999 or 470-2222. As a special treat to all students, you may catch matinee performances at only P350. For information, call 0949-4345239 or visit www.orosmanatzafira.com.