Local historian Mr. Jong Ramirez came to HTC urging the admin to stage the life story of General Paulino Santos out from his book. The story he wrote was already adapted and mounted by Ireneo NHS that used a standard theater play format with the used of canned voice over-dialogues were lypsynched by the actors. I saw the play at Bernabe Coliseum where the dialogues were lost mostly because of the open setting of the decrepit venue. The story was again staged by veteran director Jovy Sombero-artistic director of the Lagao National High School at the Parish Center. This time the play was more refined with the used of live music and ethno style presentation where the group was known for, but sadly again they still used the canned dialogue used by the first production. Mr. Ramirez, insisted in the meeting that we would do the same and in fact reiterated that we have nothing to work about for the script and the dialogues are just ready for application. We had to explain that if he wants the play to be mounted by us, and this author would direct it, therefore he must accede to what we want artistically. I wrote the script immediately and my interpretation was a mixed-media: the use of dance-drama(my forte in theater), theater with live dialogue, choir as chorus line & visual backdrop using gigantic LCD screen to supplement the storytelling. We divided the story in two acts and I freely used modern dance in the intro and in the break. Again a new technique using intermissions as part of the show. The choir played a significant role in the dialogues for they present the scenes and the story through songs and chants. Another new was the use of numbers before the show to ease down the boredom of waiting spectators. In fact, a director who watched the show, admitted to use that technique in his program. We were given only three weeks to come up with a large production that even veteran directors would refuse given the hectic and limited timeframe. It was a challenge that I have to accept for the name of the school was stake at that time. Ms. Vana Abecia from the high school organized the participants and we conducted auditions and I insisted to use elementary pupils as actors for the story of General Santos was told in the eyes of three children, a third person point of view storytelling. Thank God I had the best actors from these kids. In fact, in their last scene, they made the audience cry, including myself which I seldom do in my productions before. In this kind of production, It was so effective to use dance-drama for the work become so easy to mount. They say that it was my style forte because of my good sense of applying symbolisms as if each scene is a canvas being painted. My being a visual artist helps me in this style. For me there were three highlights: the Japanese rape scenes of the women-these scenes were a signature presentation of the Theater Arts Guild way back 1996 for the cultural night of Palaro held in Gensan-, the singing of "Ang Bayan Ko' before the actor is being shot-a powerful scene that made the audience felt silent-, and of course the ending scene where General Santos before his death, the three children gave their salutes-it was so powerful that everyone in the audience were really teary eyed. Ang Heneral was one of the biggest productions mounted by the HTC community after 'Woman and God' in 1994-the production that brought me to direct and stayed in HTC, and 'Ang Paglalakbay' both staged at the Parish Center.
Our kudos to Sir Leomer for the choir, Sir Harry for the Baile Real, Mam Vana for the logistics, the faculty of the Basic Education for the support in props and costumes, Sir Mark Tayamen, the over-all in charge of the production, and of course to the president and his support all the way whatever it costs just for the show to be mounted and seen by the people of Gensan, Our thanks to the teachers of the College for the security-Mam Tamayo, and the ticketing and budget of the show, and of course to many others specially to Sir Allan for the assistance. To the actors from the Basic Ed and Mr. Alfred Tamayo, who played the title role, our congratulations for a job well done, for it so rare an occasion that our school would mount and produce theater productions.
the hair raising scene where the Japanese soldiers are about to rape the women-this scene was an adaptation of Theater Arts Guild big break presentation at the cultural night of the Palaro 1996 held in Gensan.
Baile real in their modern dance intermission to connect the next part of the production bathed in red colors as premonition of incoming violence, war and deaths
the funny playful scenes where dance drama using the chorus line as human props rather than big structures on stage
the visual backdrop was used to supplement the scenes, storytelling and the aural appeal of each scene so that minimal dialogues were used. Veteran director Romy Narvaez once said that if you can present a scene visually rather than dialogues, that scene can be better off..