‘Claudia Procula’ is a timely tale for Lent and the elections
CEBU, Philippines — For a woman mentioned only once in the Bible – Matthew 27:19 – the tale of Claudia Procula has been reimagined many times in literature, film, and television. She serves as a cautionary figure of what happens when her husband, the Roman governor Pontius Pilate, ignores her instincts in favor of corrupt self-interests and the pursuit of power.
Among these adaptations is a Cebuano play staged by Teatro de San Pedro Calungsod (TSPC), starring veteran Cebuana thespian Mary Rose Villacastin-Maghuyop in the titular role.
Written by Msgr. Agustin V. Ancajas, it’s a one-and-a-half-hour dramatic monologue where Procula recounts her life as Pilate’s wife and how he ignored her warnings not to condemn Jesus Christ – a decision she foresaw in a nightmare.
As audiences enter the Chapel of San Pedro Calungsod’s Little Box Theater, there is an immediate feeling of tension and dread. The theater is dimly lit, and eerie music plays throughout, setting the mood for a dark and somber story. Even during the curtain call, actors took their bows solemnly, and the audience was kindly asked to leave the theater in silence.
“It’s important for the theatergoers to prepare for what they are getting themselves into, so we tried to set this mood before and after the show,” Ancajas told The FREEMAN.
First conceived in 2021, the production premiered in 2023 to positive reception, which led to its 2025 re-staging in March and April in time for Holy Week.
Ancajas explained why he hand-picked Villacastin-Maghuyop for the role. “The person who came to my mind was Mary Rose. We did a project before, and I wanted to give her the chance to perform as Claudia Procula because she’s a gem in the local theater and arts.”
Villacastin-Maghuyop recalled how nervous she was to portray such a “mysterious character” in the Bible, especially when she learned she had to memorize 14 pages of dialogue for a monologue told entirely from Procula’s perspective.
“It was exciting and scary at the same time because I am not young anymore, and remembering can be a challenge,” she said. “That’s the challenge of being on stage. You don’t have the opportunity to say cut and re-do the scene. It’s all live. It makes the experience exciting and thrilling.”
It took her months to memorize the script, especially with Ancajas’ insistence that none of the actors ad-lib. Since she found the material strong, she relied on keywords and stage blocking to help her remember what to say in each scene.
“You have to immerse yourself, just as you want your audience to immerse themselves in the story. If you forget more than a few words, you forget entire paragraphs,” she added. “It’s important to maintain this presence of mind, which is exciting because you get to use many parts of your brain as you try to remember and emote while acting.”
Ancajas is known for intimate productions that often center on dialogue-heavy scenes exploring characters’ inner conflicts.
“I have a different method and style, so I told her that she had to unlearn many things and change her acting style for this play. What I do is intimate theater where less is more. It helps people be drawn to your characters and listen to you,” he explained.
Relating to the characters
Actors Arnel Pahang and Florencio Villacorta, who play Pilate and the high priest Caiaphas, respectively, also reprised their roles from the 2023 original staging. Like Villacastin-Maghuyop, they were handpicked by the playwright based on previous collaborations.
While they had significantly less dialogue than the lead, portraying the villainous roles still came with challenges.
“I would never say that any role is easy. You have to study your character, embody them, and internalize their thoughts. We are not just acting – we have to be the character,” Pahang said.
Villacorta added, “My role is quite strong, so I have to really bring the Caiaphas out of me. That’s a challenge for me because I am a devoted Catholic, yet here I am pretending to be the person who was responsible for Christ’s death.”
Though the story takes place in the past, the cast noted that many of its characters and their dilemmas are strikingly relevant today – something that helped shape their performances.
“What touches me about Claudia Procula is that she represents so many women. She’s a real person who lived before us, yet she was presented with the same problems we have now, especially with their husbands,” said Villacastin-Maghuyop. “I think that’s what makes Claudia a beautiful character to me. It’s the fact that she can be any woman, and they relate and see themselves in her. She was so sure she wanted to stand by the truth [about Jesus].”
“We have a bit of Caiaphas in us. Although I am a devoted Christian, there are some flaws that I share with Caiaphas. That helps me enter into this role because I was looking for that little Caiaphas in me,” Villacorta added.
While biblical characters are often mythicized, Pahang believes they are real people with relatable struggles.
“The Bible is fraught with people who are part of all of us. Much like there is a bit of Caiaphas in some, there is also a bit of Pontius in me. That’s being human. I realized that while circumstances can get the best of us, it doesn’t make us evil. It only makes us human. That’s why Pontius’ humanity resonated with me,” Pahang said, adding that he was personally emotional during the story’s climax when his character condemned Christ that led to His crucifixion.
The importance of truth
Ancajas based the script on a letter allegedly written by Procula, discovered in 1864, and expanded on it with other biblical sources surrounding Christ’s crucifixion to form a strong, cohesive monologue.
While aware that the authenticity of the letter is still debated, Ancajas said the purpose of the monologue is to remind people of the truth, especially considering how misinformation continues to shape today’s political discourse.
“The monologue is a mirror of our reality. It’s historical fiction. What’s important is that it allows a person to enter into the truth about Christ. He died because of the circumstances and the power play at hand. That’s my approach, especially for this coming election, where people cling to power – but the truth of the Lord always prevails,” he said.
“I wanted to present this play during the elections because there’s too much thwarting of the truth that is being twisted with lies. If you go back to the Lord’s time, there were people who twisted truths so that Jesus gets blamed,” he added.
For Pahang, the story of Jesus is about humanity, the people, their ambitions, and their agenda. “It’s very reflective of our political climate. One thing that stood out for me is that Jesus is a son of God who stands as a beacon of light in this murky world of lies and deception. It reminds us that while the world has a lot of sham and broken dreams, it can still be a beautiful world if we focus on the one person who can give us the truth that he stood for centuries,” he shared.
Villacastin-Maghuyop hopes that audiences will awaken their social consciousness, especially as they consider their candidates this election season.
“It shows that we perceive things differently, and how we interpret the truth in different ways. I do hope people who can vote can watch our play so that the story can ring in their minds when it’s close to election time. When they have the ballots in their hand, would they think if the person they are voting for is telling the truth?” she said.
Follow Teatro de San Pedro Calungsod’s Facebook page (https://www.facebook.com/teatrodesanpedro) for announcements on upcoming productions, including a possible re-run of “Claudia Procula.” — (FREEMAN)
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