The Teatro Kolehiyo ng Miriam (TKM), the official theatre organization of Miriam College, showcases its first-ever musical production billed Sinagtala. The original musical, penned by Soc Delos Reyes and set into music by Krina Cayabyab, traverses the worlds of reality and fantasy tackling parallel issues that pervade the two domains. Sinagtala, the second production of the group for the school year, will be staged on May 2, 3, 4, 5 and 6 at the Mini Forest area within the school campus at 6:30 p.m.
Delos Reyes made his play writing debut at the 2016 Virgin Lab fest, a venue for “untried and untested” theatrical pieces at the Cultural Center of the Philippines (CCP), with his work Dahan-Dahan ang Paglubog ng Araw. Cayabyab, singer, songwriter and music teacher, composed the music for the full-length musical, Ang Huling Lagda ni Apolinario Mabini, staged at the University of the Philippines – Diliman in 2014.
The three themes running through the good versus evil set-up of Sinagtala include familial relationships focusing on the sacrifices made by family members in expressing their love for one another, the alarming rate of environmental destruction and its adverse effects, and the consequences brought on by an oppressive regime.
Sinagtala is directed and choreographed by Ricardo Magno with the overall production supervised by Opaline Santos. Magno – who was with the Actor’s Company of Tanghalang Pilipino, the CCP’s resident theatre arm – is also a dance artist. He essayed the role of Aguinaldo in the restaging of Ballet Philippines’ La Revolucion Filipina. Santos, an actor and a cultural worker, is the moderator of TKM since 2014. She is also a lecturer at Miriam College. Magno and Santos were the Philippine delegates to the Asian Performing Arts Forum in Tokyo, Japan in November 2016 where they collaborated with other artists from participating countries and collectively produced seed pieces.
The other members who compose the artistic team are lighting designers Tagay Galit and Geri Regondola with consultant for technical direction and lights D Cortezano; sound designer Monica Mendoza; video designers Mendoza and Kristine De Leon; set and shadow puppetry designer Patricia Resuta with consultant Sig Pecho; propmakers Cha Roque and Jolina Capadocia; costumer Marga Tulaylay with consultant Trency Caga-anan; and makeup artists Cho Fernando and Chi Wasan.
TKM alumnae Peachy Policarpio and Jovic Cadungog respectively helmed the marketing and publicity efforts of the musical.
The main cast members for Sinagtala include TKM alumnae Annika Gamo as Tala, Mindy Ordoñez as Danggoy, Monique Laurel as Agila, and Maan Dela Paz as Aswang. Guest actors invited to the production are Gino Ramirez as Edgar and Daluyong, Hazel Maranan as Corazon, Ren Medina as Alejandro, and Noel Blanco as Lakay. Student-actors in the musical are Thene De Guzman as Lualhati, Jascha Sarmiento as Hukluban, and AC Vergara as Alitaptap.
Ticket is priced at P300 with discounts for Miriam College students and senior citizens at P250. Students from other schools could avail tickets at P280 each. For ticket inquiries and reservations, please call or text Kristine De Leon at (0927) 451-9602.