Oas, Albay— Nestled at the south-westernmost tip of Sorsogon, this group of artists called the Bulan Artists’ League United for Drama (BALUD) Theatre Company will stage its maiden production titled, ‘Nano Daw Kun?’ (What if?) this coming Novembers 17 to 19, 2023 at the Sabang Pavilion in Bulan, Sorsogon.
Featuring a twin bill adaptations of critically acclaimed theater plays, Pagsubli by Aizel Cabilan-Soliba and Ang Goldfish ni Prof. Dimaandal by Eljay Castro Deloc, ‘Nano Daw Kun?’ aims to attempt and change the narratives of the two plays by creating a different ending for the both original shows while still showcasing the artistic potentials of Bulaneños and intricate tapestry of Bikol’s rich culture, including its folk songs, festivities, and more.
Directed by proud Bulaneños Drew Espenocilla and Iggy Zuñiga respectively, Pagsubli will follow the journey of a young lady and her quest to her real father before facing an impending marriage. Ang Godlfish ni Prof. Dimaandal on the other hand, uncovers a farcical and comedic tale which centers on the unexpected death of a goldfish, sparking a chain of uproarious confrontations among the characters.
Both of the said theater plays were part of the annual ‘Virgin Labfest’ by the Cultural Center of The Philippines (CCP) adapted for the production of Nano Daw Kun?
The Lost Bulan Theater
More than just a theatrical performance, ‘Nano Daw Kun?’ is a celebration of Bulan’s cultural richness, a platform for local talent to shine, and a promising reawakening of the town’s theater scene.
Zuñiga’s great grandfather Valerio Zuñiga plays a crucial role in the motivation of theater in Sorsogon. Valerio Zuñiga is a once famous Bicolano playwright, zarzuelista, poet and actor who predominantly influenced the culture of theater in the province.
His great talent was then passed to his son, Rizal Zuñiga, who founded the first drama club in Bulan, sometime in 1941 during the Japanese Occupation in the country, which was then known as the Bulan Drama Club.
Unfortunately, due to the birth and advent of technology brought by the American colonizers, this significant artistic history forcibly fades into the background, erasing the rich and already existing talents of Bulaneños in the theater field.
This very reason sparked the motivation for Iggy Zuñiga to establish the BALUD Theatre Company as one of his ways to reawaken the lost and sleeping potentials Bulaneños in the theater.
The BALUD Theatre Co.
In an interview with BicoldotPH, Espenocilla and Zuñiga, shares their sentiment for founding BALUD Theatre Company.
According to the co-founder, Drew Espenocilla, one of their main reasons in putting up the theater company is to cultivate the potential of Bulan not just in the theater, but also in the various fields of arts such as visual arts, dance, and music.
“One of the things we really envisioned is to cultivate the very potential (of artists) that we have here in our town. There is a lack of platform for these kinds of figures para sa mga bata na nandito and we wanted to be able to provide that for them,” Espenocilla said.
As both products of the theater in the Metro, Espenocilla and Zuñiga through BALUD Theatre Co., aims to use their knowledge and talent in theater by catapulting the very potential of their town in creating promising productions and to serve as a platform in honing the already existing yet unripe talents of Bulaneños in the field.
Io Frenzy Bautista, a Bulaneña and one of the members of BALUD Theatre Co. said that becoming a member of the company gave her the opportunity to showcase her talent to other Bulaneñas.
“Fourth year (college) na ako nakapag-start sa theater, so I am happy na nasimulan itong BALUD kasi mas closer na sa home and I can showcase my skills and talent sa kapwa ko Bulaneño,” Bautista said.
Moreover, Bulan as a part of the region that uses a rather odd and unique language widely referred as ‘BisaKol’ which is the convergence of Waray (Bisaya) and Bicolano languages, BALUD will also serve as a gateway to promote this very dialect by using their vernacular as the main medium for Nano Daw Kun?
“It’s been a long debate, our vernacular, at hindi kami kino consider na legitimate part ng Bicol and hindi rin sa Bisaya. Kaya kung maglalabas man kami ng play na mapapanood ng mga taga-Bulan or Sorsogon, we want it to resonate with them. Kasi iba yung play na naka-tagalog and iba yung play na language na ang maririnig mo is native to your ears,” Espenocilla said.
Should this be of success, Nano Daw Kun? production will help mark an identity and representation to the sometimes neglected language and town in the region.
Why Sorsogon Theater?
To say that every artists has a distinct artistic feature that separates them from other artists is already an overstatement. But if we’re going to delve in to the roots of Sorsogon Theater, we can definitely find a certain set of features that is purely authentic to the province’s theater.
The ‘Bisakol’ vernacular and cultural context behind the production of Nano Daw Kun? is the fuel to the embers of Sorsogon’s theater stage. It serves as a glimpse to the reality of Bulaneños and what they can offer to the artistic theater realm in the region.
Espenocilla and Zuñiga encourages and invites every theater enthusiasts not just in Bulan and Sorsogon, but also in the Bicol Region to watch Nano Daw Kun? and witness the history-making of the rebirth of Bulan theater.
“Sabayan niyo kami sa daluyong at alamin kung ano ba talaga ang kayang ibigay ng Bulan. Huwag niyong imiss-out ang dekalidad na produksiyon ng Nano Daw Kun at huwag sana kayong magpahuli sa ginagawa naming history, instead, be part of that history,” Zuñiga positively shared.
Nano Daw Kun? will run from November 17 to 19 at the Sabang Pavilion in Bulan. For more information and ticket reservations, please visit BALUD Theatre Co’s Facebook page or contact 09171787736. | via Ken Oliver Balde.