Bohol theater ensemble to

stage ‘Dagohoy’ in S Korea

TAGBILARAN CITY, Bohol, October 12 (PIA)—Bohol’s collaborative theater companies which advanced theater and arts in helping earthquake victims recover from trauma, packs its props and costumes for a series of stage shows in South Korea.

Kasing Sining Foundation, or art with a heart is a collaborative theater company of Teatro Bol-anon, Teatro Abatan and the Dr. Cecilio Putong National High School Special Program for the Arts which roamed around Bohol giving earthquake stress debriefing sessions through the arts in 2013 and onwards.

Organized by Bohol’s premier theater and movie director and cultural impresario, Lutgardo Labad, Kasing Sining, which has formed itself into a foundation, is bringing to South Korea by invitation, a Teatro Bol-anon original musical play billed as Dagon sa Hoyohoy.

Dagon sa Hoyohoy (Talisman of the Breeze) is a Musical on the Life of Francisco Dagohoy, Boholano Hero who led the longest revolt against Spain.

Written by Holy Name University Professor Jose Marianito Luspo with music by Cebu-based Boholano Elvis Somosot and directed by Labad, Dagon sa Hoyohoy used to be an over two-hour long play which was touring Bohol and the Visayas in the late 1990s to early 2000.

Set in 1700s, the play narrates the life and exploits of Francisco

Sendrijas, who has been chosen by a shaman godfather to lead the people in bringing freedom to the island after the Spanish friars held the people in a tight grip in their reducciones.

While patiently following the friars whims, the last straw that broke the camel’s back was when the friar Padre Morales refused to give a Christian burial to Sagarino, Francisco’s brother, as the former allegedly died in a duel.

Engulfed in fiery rage, Francisco kept vigil until his brother’s corpse rotted, and in steaming rage, buried his brother and stormed all Spanish held establishments in Inabanga and his revolt soon spread like wild fire.

The play, which ended with the quelling of the 85-year rebellion, has been also picked as a perfect aid to re-educate Boholanos especially when President Rodrigo Duterte has signed a law pegging Dagohoy Day every July 4.

Now with a shortened and enhanced version of the play suited for the contemporary audiences, Dagon sa Hoyohoy is also putting up a few of the original cast but picks younger performers who also shared equal high raves from spectators and audiences in their fund raising performances.

Labad said Bohol, which has cultural exchange programs with South Korea, has been invited as soon as the South Korean Cultural delegation saw the staging of the play in Bohol.

The invite, which includes full accommodations, transfers and tours in exchange for staging the play in South Korea, however does not include the air fares and terminal fees, so that Bohol organized its own fund raising shows to put up the funds for the entire cast and its technical support abroad, according to Labad.

Supported by the Provincial Government, Teatro Kasing Sining Teatro Bol-anon Ensemble has been slated to stage a live performance in the Geryongshan Mountain Festival on October 19-20, Seoul Institute of the Arts in Ansan City on October 21, at the Onnuri M Center in Ansan City on October 22 and at the Philippine Embassy in Seoul Korea on October 23. (rahc/PIA-7/Bohol)

BOHOL ARTISTS OFF TO K-POP LAND. Dagon sa Hoyohoy, a musical play that retells the life and exploits of Francisco Sendrijas who led the longest revolt against the Spanish friars, would be the country’s attraction for South Koreans as the play puts up stage performances by invitation in Seoul, and several cities in South Korea. (rahc/PIA-7/Bohol)

EMPOWERED TO LEAD. Francisco Sendrijas takes on the challenge to lead his people out of the death grip by the cruel Spanish frailes and put up in Bohol a settlement of the free. The revolt he led outlasted him, and would only be quelled when the Spaniards captured by smoking out the insurrectos inside Kaylagan caves in Danao. (rahc/PIA-7/Bohol)