In a staging of Philippine Stagers Foundation, Inc. or Philstagers’ “Juan Luna: Isang Sarsuela” at the Skydome SM North EDSA Sunday, an unprecedented stoppage of the musical has occurred that sent the audiences and especially the production company in confusion.
“We were stopped by the Department of Education from showing our production,” exclaimed director Vince Tanada.
It happened that the production was on breaktime, the auteur artist added.
Vince said they were allegedly disallowed by the government agency to continue the showing of “Juan Luna Isang Sarsuela” for telling the truth about the life of the award-winning visual artist in the Philippines during the eighteenth century.
Tanada—the writer, actor and producer of the zarzuela adapted from the life of one of the Philippine heroes, Juan Luna—said that Philstagers, the theater company and the audiences who were already coming in to the theater were anxious about the intercession of DepEd into the theater presentation.
Happily, after an explanation by Vince to the DepEd representatives, the musical was allowed to resume.
“Bakit ba hahadlangan nila ang pagtatanghal ng makatuturan na palabas (Why do they have to bar the showing of a relevant stage play? The musical is very educational. Why do they have to curtail our freedom of showing it. It is meant to enlighten the students who are present here to watch the musical,” cleared Tanada out.
Photo Caption: Vince Tanada (Photo Credit: Vince Tanada/Facebook)
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