IN COMMEMORATION OF WORLD THEATER DAY: Teatro Ragayano to stage environmental play

RAGAY, Camarines Sur --- Camarines Sur-based Teatro Ragayano, a finalist in the Best Cultural Group category of the 2016 Aliw Awards, will stage an environmental play to commemorate World Theater Day, artistic director Eilyn Nidea announced. Panaghoy ng Kalikasan, an adaptation of the Palanca Award-winning play Dalawang Mukha ng Kagubatan by Emelina Gagalac Regis, will be staged at the Multi-Purpose Hall of the Ragay National Agricultural and Fisheries School on March 16 and 17 at 9:30 a.m. 1:30 p.m. and 4:30 p.m. during those playdates. Artist-in-residence Carlos A. Arejola directs the play topbilled by Virna M. Asence, Allana Paulene D. Mien, Mark Joseph H. Quintana, Rosaville G. Arietta, Althea A. Llegue, Ella Llanita, Denise D. Calindas, Jaynard M. Benosa, John Rodnel B. Brillantes, Owen S. Manalo, Francis P. Mandalihan and Jaymar De las Alas. The production comes on the heels of the company’s debut productions Hawla and Gamgam, that were staged back-to-back last year in the towns of Ragay and Pili, in Camarines Sur and in Naga City. The latter was Arejola’s Bikol adaptation of Susan Glaspell’s Trifles. This American classic was premiered in 1916 or over 100 years ago in Provincetown, Massachusetts. Completing the Panaghoy ng Kalikasan production staff are Anabel A. Haber, assistant director and production manager, Kate C. Gomez, co-assistant director, Christy G. Ranola, co-production manager, Georgette R. Imperial and Nilda Fuerte, costumes and props directors, Mario Candelaria, documentarian, Mary Ann P. Lait and Katheren Lea Nicolas, lights and sounds directors, and Nino Felipin Madridano, stage manager. Re-runs of the play are scheduled in August this year, back-to-back with An Kuwintas ni Gloria, Carlos A. Arejola’s Bikol adaptation of Linda T. Casper’s canonical short story in English, The Translucent Sun. Also lined up for the company’s 2017 theater season is the staging of The Pronoun I, monologues on HIV/AIDS awareness scheduled in July, this year. The World Theater Day was first celebrated by the Paris-based International Theatre Institute (ITI) in 1962. It has since been annually celebrated on the 27th of March through various theater events worldwide.