“To commemorate this day (Pasig Day), I am joining the Philippine Drama Company (PDC) in their presentation of a zarzuela written by our national hero Jose Rizal, and titled ‘Junto al Pasig’ or ‘Beside the Pasig.’ Rizal wrote this in tribute to Nuestra Señora de la Paz y Buenviaje (Our Lady of Peace and Good Voyage), and the setting of the play is the Pasig River.”

Thus spoke Pasig City Mayor Vico Sotto during the recent launch via Zoom of “Junto al Pasig” by the revived company of theater stalwart Naty Crame Rogers, who died in February at the age of 98.

Speaking in Filipino, Sotto said, “This play has been presented many times by the PDC, in theaters and stages like the Manila Metropolitan Theater and Puerto Real in Intramuros.”

He added, “With this play we are given an opportunity to recall the importance of the memories and stories of our history. This influences our character, our identity. In remembering and respecting history, we are given new hope in facing the future. In going on our separate ways, may we be guided by the experience of history.”

A resident of Pasig City for many years, Rogers was Pasig’s Most Outstanding Citizen for Education and Culture in 1981. Last year, she was to receive the award again, this time for Theater Arts, but the pandemic prevented this.

Through the efforts of Jared Echevarria, then president of Lion’s Club, Catherine Roxas-Rodrigo, niece of the actress-director who took care of her in her final years, submitted her aunt’s pictures, writings and memoirs to the mayor. These were to be displayed in Pasig Museum.

Since then, the much-admired Sotto has been a supporter of PDC and what it represents: intimate community theater.

Living room emoting

PDC, founded by Rogers in 1984, was also known as Ang Aming Tahanan Sala Theater, and it was just that. The plays were presented right there in the living room of the house of the actress, which was like a living museum. (It was later destroyed by fire.) The actors made their entrance and exit through the nooks and crannies, including the bathroom, the cabinets and screens.

The audience was small, mostly friends and relatives (who were sometimes dragooned into being actors); they sat in whatever chairs and sofas were available. Around them were the photos, religious antiques, books, posters and other mementos of the lady of the house and her husband, Lt. Joe Rogers, who never got what was due him for enduring the hardships of the Bataan Death March.

Sometimes the actors were only inches from the audience. After the play, the performers would join the guests for snacks and cocktails, and lively discussions would follow on what had just been presented, and what would be presented next.

In addition to its former base in Barangay Kapitolyo, PDC has been able to present plays at the Cultural Center of the Philippines, Ateneo de Manila, St. Scholastica’s College and in the United States.

Via Zoom

“What He Deserves” was presented in May via Zoom, written by an unknown playwright and directed by Roxas-Rodrigo. The setting is 18th- to 19th-century England; it is a fable about sincerity and greed, and had 13,000 views on Facebook and YouTube as of mid-July.

“Junto al Pasig,” originally in Spanish and translated into English by Nick Joaquin, among others, is about faith and how good can conquer evil. It was directed by Sam Lim, who Filipinized all the characters in the play, including The Virgin of Antipolo, The Angel and the Devils. It was presented at Pasig Museum on Pasig Day (July 3) and had 11,000 views in just one week.

In October, the month devoted to the Blessed Mother, the company will present Joaquin’s evergreen “A Portrait of the Artist as Filipino” in Filipino. October is the month of the La Naval de Manila fiesta, commemorating the defeat of the invading Dutch Armada at the hands of Filipino-Spanish forces in 1646, a victory attributed to the intercession of Our Lady of La Naval.

And when things are back to the old normal, PDC intends to present live two plays in its repertory, “Panhik Ligaw” by D. Habito and “Why Women Wash the Dishes” by Filomena Colendrino.

Exclaimed Roxas-Rodrigo, “We can’t wait to be back on stage!” —CONTRIBUTED