Ambayec, Mounicha C.

October 23, 2018

12- Our Lady of Grace Contemporary Arts

Behind the Curtains of Soleil: Batas ng Api

Needless to say, the first quarter performance task or the Stage Play
performance was a great opportunity for us to learn, to get involved, to uncover and
appreciate the beauty of theatre. Before, I had witnessed stage plays performed here in
Cebu City such as The Song of Bernadette and Oliver Twist and as part of the
audience, I was left in awe with how the production was amazingly done and after the
entire performance, that was when all the people behind and in front the curtains were
exposed. The magnificence of the production was achieved and attributed to all of the
staff, artists, choreographers, actresses and actors who contributed their individual
efforts, skills and talents. Having that expectation and standard that all stage plays work
likewise, I was really hyped and felt much interest and motivation when it was
introduced to our class as our performance task but of course, with the knowledge that it
will be less complicated than those that I’ve witnessed. Nevertheless, it was a wonderful
work in progress and a good starting exposure for us.

First, let’s talk about the process. Along the process, I had come to realize that
one of the most challenging stages of a stage play is the organization of people and
conceptualization. It took a while for us to think of a theme and concept as we had a
goal of creating an impact to the audience through embodying a current social issue
that will send a message and stimulate reflection from people. So, apparently, we
decided to incorporate the plight of people affected by the actions of the mining industry
here in the Philippines. The organization of members, on the other hand, was also a
tough task since we really had to match their potentials to whatever roles assigned to
us. For actresses and actors, we created an activity to test their acting skills and it was
a helpful tool for them to gain confidence and prepare for the final performance. Part of
the process were the planning and practices that we had wherein we really allotted our
time for it was a stage play itself, not an individual product but a collaborative task
crafted from individual efforts. Though there were misunderstandings and some
difficulties that arouse such as wrong dissemination of instructions and information,
absence of some members, and conflict in time schedule due to compliance of other
performance tasks, we stand to say that every sweat and hard work we pour on it was
worth the risk. Second, let’s talk about the outcome. Soleil: Batas ng Api was not a
perfect performance for us but how it appeared and how it went was commensurate to
the efforts that we made for the show. During the entire play, every member did his or
her role; no one was just sitting around and wasn’t attentive to the needs of the entire
class. It was cooperation that geared us to meet if not all, at least some of the
expectations and goals of our stage play and bring forth fulfillment eventually. Let me
end this by quoting Babe Ruth’s meaningful thought: “The way a team plays as a whole
determines its success. You may have the greatest bunch of individual stars in the
world, but if they don't play together, the club won't be worth a dime”.