My Summer of 2009

Its been almost two months since I've posted something here. A lot of things happened for the past two months of April and May - both months that fall under the Summer of 2009.

MY SUMMER OF 2009

It was almost the end of March when I can slowly feel the butterflies in my stomach and a faster heart beat in my chest like I was gonna have a palpitate again.

I have to face what our moderator and alumni has been telling me - that I have to offer the whole of my Summer in directing this play; an institutional play that has been being presented for 25 years all by my school's theater guild - Sining Tanghalan. Oh yeah! You read it right, this Impulsive Sanguine of yours is going to direct a play - let me change that: A musical play.

There are a lot of several things to consider - one is that I have to be emotionally stable (kinda hard, REALLY!) to prepare myself for a big production that is being entrusted to my hands, to be always energetic (of course!) and to be strong (LIKE REALLY STROOONG) to keep on encouraging every staff and actor that "Hey, we can do this!" phrases like that, to be more artistic and smart for us to present a one-of-a-kind production and most of all, to have the GUTS to pull all the strings that I can for us to create a one big happy family :)

And oh, another thing... I have to get used for the cast and staff to call me, "direk!"

Right after our finals week, I went to our Cybernook and have the calendar of activities printed for the month of April and May. Together with a couple of Sining Tanghalan's Executive Board and Artistic Staff, we agreed to meet in the high school grounds within our St. Scholastica's College campus. With the green plastic table and several monoblock chairs, we planned EVERYTHING for our batch's much awaited institutional play - Ora Et Labora (Prayer And Work). From the activity and concept papers that should be prepared to the scheduling of our audition dates, rehearsals, workshops, polishing, Technical Dress Rehearsals (TDRs), Critic's Night and the play date was DONE. In one seating we immediately felt the rush in our bloodstreams and the pressure that we need to move as fast as we could. And most of all, the expectation that we need to do a production with a BLAST! since it is Sining Tanghalan's 25th year and everyone expects a grand presentation.

Expectations from both sides came - one from our alumni because they also demand a new approach from the usual straight play in Ora Et Labora and the other came from within ourselves. That before we get to prove anything else, we've got to satisfy first our hunger and eagerness to make the script itself alive.


After planning, some of the members decided to go home and so they did. And I was left with our organization's President and our Artistic Consultant. We were left at the high school grounds - pacing, blabbing of how the script's flow should be. And so it is was when we decided that for our batch this S.Y. 2009 - 2010, the upcoming institutional play should soon be called Ora Et Labora : The Musical.

I remember that during the first few weeks of me being the "director" is when also the sleepless nights started to arrive - not only I stay up late because I kept on editing and revising the script, but also because I kept on jotting down my own notes since I didn't have my own lectures of directing to begin with. And as far as I can remember, I always made sure that I have written down the correct sequencing of the routine for the next day - from the minutes of the warm-up that should be executed down to the last 10 minutes of the rehearsal and have it for the company call - I also remembered that I always do practice of what I am supposed to say and acknowledge during the company call. HAHA.) And maybe I have not told anyone about this, but those were the nights were I kept crying - feeling disabled that those people whom I expected to be with me are eventually NOT with me but instead minding their own businesses (Well yeah, because its summer so everyone deserves a week of an escapade away from this civilization and I get stucked here minding what to do next.) And I also remembered my senior artistic consultant, telling me that "No matter what happens, you will only be the one to catch and save your production because after all, YOU ARE THE DIRECTOR" and those words were forever marked in my mind. And that it was the time I somehow felt alone since I thought I was the only one making the ship sail (I hate to say it but that's just how I felt) and its hard especially if you know that you have the reputation of the whole battalion in your hands and yet failure is one thing you can never encounter because of all the heavy expectations and the pressure that was surrounding me.

BONUS! It was also when I knew that the guy whom I loved almost a year (secretly in love so in short it is a one-sided love) is now in a relationship with one of my closest friend. And worst? That close friend of mine knows every little piece of detail about my feelings to the guy I loved. And worst comes to worst? I get to see that close friend of mine everyday of the rehearsal since she holds a big part of the production. And so there I go, entering our venue of rehearsal trying to protect the fake smile as my ever-genuine smile and to bear the strongest-of-all image amongst everyone covering up my insides of both shivering and madness. Those were the moments were I tried to be as strong as possible and as happy as I could because I know at the end of the day, aside from being pressured of how my production's show should be, I should also stop and calm myself from crying because crying at those times were my only outlet - only. And that the next day, I have to be presentable again. There was the presence of bitterness but I did not focus on it. It was hard since the pain keeps on soaring every time I get to see my close friend and billions of questions are roaming in my mind like "why? " or "how?" and etc. I used the rehearsals and the cast being involved in it as my rehab. I took the advantage of being with them and keeping my mind preoccupied with the things-I-need-to-do in the production and moreover, I used the rehearsals in getting to know everyone in the production. Because as what my senior artistic consultant once said, "How can I encourage them if I don't have an idea of their weaknesses?" So there I was, trying to seat with everyone and to get to know them down to their dirtiest-little secret. And you know what's relieving? It's to realize how excited and colorful every person present in the cast are :)

The Audition dates came (which we scheduled to be around first week of April) and sad to say it wasn't much of a success. That was the first time I held an audition for outside schools since our musical play demands for male actors too. Back in those days, I can't help but to be weakened for the fact that I felt so stressed and pressured that as the director, I should be someone to be feared and demanding that everything should go in whatever way I want it to be but what happened is the opposite. And so, problems never failed to overflow - low budget, in need of male actors, availability of the staff present - are just a some of the problems my production went though.

Desperation came. And so the urgency in need of the male actors became a routine that we get to include them in our prayers - that it will rain of male actors in front of us! HAHA. And eventually... God heard us! And he gave me male... male people not actors. But who would still asked and inquire in time of desperation? And so I told myself that I will accept them since I can see that they are willing to learn for the experience and they can commit for the whole production - it's just that they have to undergo workshops as fast and as many as they can learn. Since this rehearsing for this production is no joke.

FAST FORWARD.

Finally, the cast and the staff are complete - with like three to two weeks before the Critic's Night - and hey! We've never been complete in attendance! *sigh* - we were rehearsing and polishing a lot of scenes everyday for the month of May. One thing I can never forget in this production is the bond that was created between each and everyone of us. Some of the cast maybe old or young enough but those age gaps did not give any hindrances for us to be close and well-bonded that with everyday of our rehearsals, everyone will eat together and share their own dirty secrets - I can't blame them because everyone has their own excited hormones (as what my senior artistic consultant would say). And as what our alumni kept on reminding us, there will be issues that will come up since this production is a collaboration of male and female actors and that we will get to share the same faces for the almost two months - Issues more of the rising love teams/ couples; or a question of who likes who and who hates who - statements like that.


Critic's Night came. And that was for me, one good run :)

Though the critiques said it: the set is not enough, the costume doesn't fit well or the actors looked young and the characters were not well installed in each actor but for me, I felt proud and satisfied that the actors tried and did they're best. It might not be the best for the critiques but for me, it is. And no one can ever imagine how proud I am especially to those male actors whom acting wasn't really their field of interest and those whomhad their first night of acting career at that St. Cecilia's Hall in our college.

WE MADE IT! Though most criticisms wasn't appalling at all, the most important critic were of the nuns and the administration itself - that we got a good go signal and a good "Congratulations!" from them! :-D


So that's it! We got the key to our play date and so everyone is now preparing for the much-awaited act that we will have and that is to have the play shown to the freshman students and admin itself.

FAST FORWARD.

The A(H1N1) or Swine Flu scare entered the Philippines.

And series unfortunate events followed - several of my male actors were forced to be pulled out since the media announced that their College has one confirmed and positive case of Swine Flu. And the whole cast was devastated - of the almost two months preparation, just because of that f*cking Swine Flu, several of my male actors are forced to just stop and seat back and give up their roles. It was a disappointing moment for us - especially for me because from the very first day that they auditioned and had our first line reading until the day I saw them performed during our Critic's Night, I have witnessed the professional improvement and the love for theater that was slowly but surely installed in them during the rehearsals. It is such not a good sight to see them walk away and just seat and watch us rehearse. But what can we do? The administration has the last word. And so, because of the confirmed case of Swine Flu swarming around our colleges, our play date was moved for like 2 times in a row. And there it goes, another problem experience by our production. *sigh*

And also another thing I cannot forget was when one of my actors told me, "Maybe there is a reason why our play date keeps on being prolonged" and I agreed to that until he said, "Maybe there is still something that is supposed to happen that has not happened yet."
I paused. Reflected on what he said. And later on, I just said, "Yeah, you've got a big point!"

*drum roll - sound effects*

HERE COMES THE PLAY DATE!

June 17, 2009 - It was a Wednesday. Everyone is already on their costumes and is wearing their stage make-ups. They all looked so beautiful and its obvious that they also looked nervous too at the same time excited. I know the use of voice and tension workshop would do and so I made them do it for the last time. (Aww... The last time!) I was even tensed to see some of the cast crying! Oh well, I can't blame them. This is the day that we're all preparing for - for all the curses our families have said against our rehearsal schedules, for all the stressful moments of waking up as early as 8 o'clock in the morning during summer time, for all the disappointing moments we had during our company call and most of all, for all the things that we've learned althroughout the summer - this is the day that no one in the audience would care if we are tired and that they are about to see a great show!

After 10 minutes of giving them their last workshop, I called for our last company call. The last company call wherein I will be called, "direk!", the last company call wherein we'll be standing tight and holding our hands for the prayer, the last company call that I will be able to see ALL OF THEM TOGETHER (since everyone has their own different paths after the production) and I do not know when will I be able to see them again. So my last favor as their director was to see them smile and not cry. And that I want them to enjoy and seize the moment for their turn to step on that wooden stage and not be nervous at all.

The clock keeps on ticking....

I held the headset and after a couple of minutes, called for my final "Curtain!"

And after almost an hour and a half, I found myself walking through the center stage just to find out my close friends prepared a bouquet of pink roses for me and it was when I did my last Curtain Call as the Artistic Director of Ora Et Labora 2009: The Musical.


And next thing I knew, is that the red gigantic curtains were already closing and almost all of the cast where shaking hands while throwing all our "Congratulations! It's done!" in the atmosphere! I saw that almost everyone was teary eyed and kept on embracing each other tightly like there's no tomorrow (Well yeah... Somehow...)

- - - - - - - -

I know that this is not the last time that I'll get to see everyone together because we still have our cast party! But I bet, if we could not make our attendance perfect during our rehearsal, what more in the cast party? (But I still hope so...)


For every cast that has been stressed and pressured with everything that has happened in our production, you are not alone. HAHA. Just kidding. Being stressed is part of every job we need to do IF AND ONLY IF we want it to be successful :)

For every cast that has been heart broken or currently experiencing a heart ache, I'm sure the bond that we had together for the past few months is something that we are to treasure forever. Meeting other people out of our leagues is something that made us happy enough to forget the pain that we are experiencing (Yeah, count me in!)

For every cast that has never been with our 4 to 8 sessions, it's a bad thing you have not been with us even a single time. Though we get to meet each other during rehearsals but the ambiance is different because their is no hierarchy present only the thought of enjoying is there. Oh well, if you want to feel the groove of our 4 to 8 sessions, just check my Multiply site or my Facebook account because even though everything remained locked in those photos, they are fully alive and still enjoying the presence of everyone.

And for every cast of Ora Et Labora 2009, it was an opportunity to meet and work with each of you! And remember that there are no good byes. Only see you later :)

And that was the end MY SUMMER OF 2009.



One summer.

One passion.

One memory.

For more photos, you can visit:
http://angelica012.multiply.com/
http://www.facebook.com/angelica.cabusay