UP Los Banos’ Samasining theater group Tanghalan presents William Shakespeare’s “Troilus and Cressida” at the Maquiling Performance Garden on April 15-18, with 6 p.m. and 8 p.m. performances, under the direction of UPLB Department of Humanities assistant professor Joey B. Ting, who also serves as artistic director of Tanghalan.
Tanghalan’s last presentation was Peter Handke’s “Offending the Audience,” which ran in November 2014 in the same venue.
Now billed as “Troilus + Cressida,” Shakespeare’s take on the Trojan war of Greek mythology and love affair of Troilus and Cressida will be given a post-apocalyptic treatment. Young playwright Om Velasco, currently an instructor in the Literature division of the UPLB Department of Humanities, has condensed the five-act problem play into a two-act drama.
Leading the cast are student-artists Luis Rico Navasero as Troilus and Camille Arigo as Cressida. They are joined by Arjay Gonzales (Hector), Daniel Conti (Paris), CJ Pelejo (Achilles), Jaybert Arban (Nestor), CJ Raagas (Ulysses), Jose Angelo Mesina (Helenus), Marx Navarro (Antenor), Jerome Ignacio (Aeneas), John Labilles (Agamemnon), John Christopher Salazar (Menelaus), Neil Raagas (Patroclus), Kim Cruz (Calchas), Elmaz Sobrevega (alternating with Eindria Ramos as Hecuba), Sarina Sasaki (alternating with Amanda Rhodes as Cassandra), Kristina Macaraeg (alternating with Micah Musa as Helen) and Alecks Ambayec (alternating with Denise Samson as Andromache).
Also in the cast are Loise Arcillas, Krislyn Perdigones, Rissa Catibog, Pat Legardo, Yinyin Alfonso and Nicole Macatingrao (chorus members); KC Abila (alternating with Lester Avan as Thersites); and Rudyard Pesimo as Pandarus, Nikulous Aranas as Diomedes, Mike Lopez as Aeneas and veteran actor-director Ding Navasero as King Priam.
The creative team includes Joey Ting for lights design and direction; Om Velasco, adaptation; Romina Angeliz Marcaida, music; Minh Quan Phan, fight choreography; Kristina Macaraeg and Neil Raagas, movement; Anna Manalo, set design; and Carissa Valerio, costume design.
“Troilus + Cressida” is produced by the UP Sigma Delta Phi Los Baños on the occasion of its 60th anniversary, with Asuncion Teresa Joseph Pantaleon ’33 (Grand Archon) as lead organizer.
Call Sette Sigua 0917-9358906, e-mail Inbsigua@gmail.com, or visit Facebook page “Troilus + Cressida.”