The theater adventure of Mars Cavestany / Spanish books launched

One of the original members of Cecile Guidote-Alvarez’s Philippine Theater Association (PETA), Mars Cavestany left for Sydney, Australia ten years ago. He subsequently founded the first ethnic-migrant community theater in New South Wales called "Filipinas-Petals", candidly admitting having drawn inspiration from Cecile’s pioneering work. Indeed, Mars points to Cecile as his guru and idol.

According to him, the performance of Cecile’s critically acclaimed Earthsavers Dreams Ensemble, which the UNESCO cited as "Artists for Peace", has led the choice of the Philippines as host country to the International Theater Institute Congress in May of 2006.

Mars managed to keep his community theater in Australia alive despite the comings and goings of his migrant members. For survival, he had to direct pop concerts of imports from Manila. Now, he has definitely kept away from popular entertainment.

During all those years, he earned a Ph.D. in Theater and Film Studies from the New South Wales U. in Sydney and La Trobe U. in Melbourne, the first Asian migrant to receive the highest post-graduate award in the arts from the Australian government. He also took specialization courses in Citizenship and Migration so he could serve TNT’s for free.

Currently in Manila, Mars is looking into the possibi-lity of bringing his troupe over to put an end to his Manila importations.

Now on its 9th annual repertory season, Filipinas-Petals plans to mount Leonor Orosa-Goquingco’s play My Son, Jose, which PETA had produced years back in Tagalog translation and serialized over radio. Also Alejandro Roces’ musical theater Something to Crow About which is based on his short stories.

Further, Mars plans to translate, adapt and reconstruct the musical The King and I into a Phil-Muslim version, Ang Sultan at Ako. One of the prospective performers is Natalie Mendoza who starred in Miss Saigon and Moulin Rouge. She and Mars have been chosen in a nationwide audition in Australia to play substantial roles in the soon-to-be-released movie The Great Raid.

As for Ang Sultan at Ako, Mars hopes to have it premiered in Australia and brought to Manila with performers Natalie, Roanne Monte and RJ Rosales who are known to Manila audiences.

Another major project of Mars is the Search for the Filipino-Australian Pop Idol (Battle of Champions). Coordinators are Fe Enriquez, company production manager; Noel Reyes, and Mars’ creative partner Armando "RC" Reyes, associate artistic director. Local coordinator is TV personality Boy Abunda. The winner will be announced in December.

Spanish books launched

Spanish writers Pedro de la Peña and Jaime Rosa jointly launched their respective books: Los Primeros de Filipinas, a novel which garnered the 2003 Ciudad de Salamanca Award, and an anthology of contemporary Filipino poetry, Lo Ultimo de Filipinas.

Various local poets read their poems at the launching which was held at the Instituto Cervantes headed by Director Javier Galvan.