Vladimir Bunoan, ABS-CBN News

<div class="embed-wrap"><figure data-feedback="fb:likes,fb:comments"><img src="http://sa.kapamilya.com/absnews/abscbnnews/media/2016/lifestyle/02/04/peta-1.jpg"/><figcaption><div class="embed-desc">&quot;Three Stars and a Sun&quot; is set in the future. <em>Vladimir Bunoan, ABS-CBN News</em></div></figcaption></figure></div><p>MANILA – How do you top a certified theater phenomenon like “Rak of Aegis”?</p><p>For actor-director Nor Domingo, the answer is to mount what is arguably a career-defining production; and for the Philippine Educational Theater Association (PETA), a visionary original musical that would further solidify its reputation as the leading creator of exciting material.</p><p>When it was announced last year, “Three Stars and a Sun,” which opens on Thursday at the PETA Center in Quezon City, seems like a “Rak of Aegis” redux, where instead of the pop-rock karaoke hits of Aegis, audiences would be treated to the rap songs of iconic OPM artist Francis Magalona.</p><p>But their similarities end at their jukebox musical bones. While “Rak of Aegis” muscled its way to theater history with its heart-warming, entertaining tale of love and resilience in a flooded and very Pinoy community, “Three Stars and a Sun” imagines an entirely different Philippines in 2096. In this dystopian future dreamed up by playwright Mixkaela Villalon in a thundering musical theater debut, Filipinos are sheltered from a post-nuclear world inside a Stormdome.</p><p>Within this futuristic setting, however, much of the problems that have plagued Philippine society remain, notably the gap between the rich and the poor, represented by, on one hand, the white-clad Grand Vidame Inky and her family who rule the Stormdome from the sector Lumino; and on the other, the punk-ish rebel group, the Tropang Gising, who make a living foraging through tech scraps in Diliman.</p><p>Surrounded by her loyal army of Protektanods, Inky maintains peace and order in the Stormdome by erasing the memories of people. But when her own daughter Diane discovers this, she is revolted by the idea and ventures outside the safe confines of Lumino and sees for herself the injustice inflicted by her ilk on the people.</p><div><strong>Political criticism</strong></div><div class="embed-wrap"><figure data-feedback="fb:likes,fb:comments"><img src="http://sa.kapamilya.com/absnews/abscbnnews/media/2016/lifestyle/02/04/peta-2.jpg"/><figcaption><div class="embed-desc">Niccolo Manalo and Bodjie Pascua. <em>Chamby Soto, Contributor</em></div></figcaption></figure></div><p>The musical’s dark tone was immediately conveyed at the start when a cast member asks the audience to sing the National Anthem with him. Mid-way, he is arrested by the Protektanods, who also order the audience to stop singing.</p><p>“Three Stars and a Sun” starts immediately with Magalona’s most famous song, “Mga Kababayan.” But this was no flag-waving opener. Magalona’s original recording memorably contained an actual sound bite from the late Ferdinand Marcos and musical director Myke Salomon’s ominous rearrangement also suggests a sinister dictatorial tone.</p><p>While PETA, Villalon and Domingo deliberately avoided making direct political criticism, they do admit that the musical’s run was timed for the upcoming national elections in May. Villalon also explained that she wanted to address her own generation – “those who can recite the Green Lantern oath but don’t know the minimum wage, the kids who are steeped in the history of Westeros but doubt the atrocities of Martial Law, all of us who are tired of activists blocking traffic while we think we can change the world through dank memes.”</p><p>“Three Stars and a Sun” brilliantly builds on Magalona’s own sense of national pride, with Salomon giving his words a sense of manic urgency to incite the audience to at least ponder on the dour thought that history seems to have been lost on the Filipino.</p><p>The repetitive words of “Mga Praning” become a rallying cry, while “Ito Ang Gusto Ko” becomes a manifesto, an impassioned call for freedom that rings with both anger and patriotism. “Kaleidoscope World,” meanwhile, was turned into a mother’s lullabye to her child.</p><p>But what makes “Three Stars and a Sun” even more noteworthy is that it manages to communicate such pointed political statements while strictly staying within the confines of its own sci-fi scenario. The use of video projections as the musical’s denizens dig up the past were both clever and chilling, a highly theatrical poke on the furious attempts at historical revisionism 80 years before the musical’s time.</p><div><strong>Marquee stars</strong></div><div class="embed-wrap"><figure data-feedback="fb:likes,fb:comments"><img src="http://sa.kapamilya.com/absnews/abscbnnews/media/2016/lifestyle/02/04/peta-3.jpg"/><figcaption><div class="embed-desc">Nar Cabico in one the musical&#x27;s highlights. <em>Chamby Soto, Contributor</em></div></figcaption></figure></div><p>Beyond the compelling narrative, “Three Stars and a Sun” is also a triumph of minimalist design, thanks to Gino Gonzalez’s black-and-white costumes and an austere towering set dominated by steel and light strips.</p><p>Domingo credited the cast for helping shape the musical with their own inputs. Indeed, despite some marquee names – Niccolo Manalo (son of comedian Jose Manalo) and Paolo Valenciano (son of singer Gary Valenciano) plus veteran actor “Kuya” Bodjie Pacua of “Batibot” fame – this is truly an ensemble effort.</p><p>Manalo once again showed the intensity he so effortlessly displayed in another rap musical, “Kleptomaniacs.” Up close in the PETA Theater’s black box setup, one can see through his sad eyes, sometimes with tears welling up, the growing sense of helplessness as they struggle in their fight against their oppressors.</p><p>The play’s most dramatic moment, however, was courtesy of Nar Cabico, who plays a member of the Tropang Gising. Mourning the death of a comrade and lover, Cabico turned Magalona’s “Cold Summer Nights” into a real showstopper, translating the English words into beautiful Tagalog poetry, which he sang <span style="line-height:20.8px">with note-perfect clarity and heartfelt emotion.</span> Salomon, meanwhile, rearranged it, replacing the song’s chill groove to create a moving eulogy.</p><p>After she saw an early run-through of the play, Magalona’s daughter Maxene posted on Instagram: “I never thought that my dad&#x27;s songs could be used in a play to tell a story but amazingly, PETA was able to do it so creatively.”</p><p>“Three Stars and a Sun” isn’t just a celebration of Magalona’s contributions to OPM. More than the songs, the musical drives home his love of country which ultimately is his true legacy.</p><p>The Master Rapper would have definitely approved.</p><p>“Three Stars and a Sun” runs at the PETA Theater from February 4 to March 6 with performances on Tuesdays to Sundays.</p>

In “Three Stars and a Sun,” PETA uses the rap songs of iconic OPM artist Francis Magalona to tell a cautionary tale perfectly timed for the upcoming elections.

Review: Francis M would have loved PETA's new musical

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Review: Francis M would have loved PETA's new musical

Vladimir Bunoan,

ABS-CBN News

Published Feb 04, 2016 11:57 AM PHT

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Updated Feb 04, 2016 03:12 PM PHT

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