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Abuel, Roco in Mga Gerilya sa Powell Street

Author: Carla Mortel
Column: Life & Entertainment

Tommy Abuel and Bembol Roco will play Fidel alternately in Benjamin Pimentel's Mga Gerilya sa Powell Street to be staged by Tanghalang Pilipino this month. Adapted by Rody Vera, the play is about the hurtful and hilarious adventures of the WWII Filipino veterans on Powell Street in San Francisco. They may have braved bombs and bullets in a war fought side by side with American soldiers but now they are struggling for what may be their last battle for recognition and rewards from the US government.

Abuel and Roco will personify the character of Fidel, a war veteran who shares the dream with fellow compatriots while waiting for the equity rights. "I loved the script right away because it was closer to home. I had an uncle who fought in the war and as a veteran, he went to the States for the same reason but eventually he came home because he could not stand the cold weather and his loneliness," shares Tomy. Aside from personal reasons, Abuel also believes that the play can translate the plight of our forgotten heroes for today's audiences. "It is pitiful for something they have to wait for so long. They have a long way to do and I feel sorry for them. They simply do not have the time for the promises made to them and this is the biggest disappointment. We hope the audience would really understand their fight for something that should have been given to them."

Bembol Roco finds the play "funny but at the same time, it could be so serious. The way it was written, the script could be hilarious at times but could easily take on a serious tone because you could easily identify with the characters as a Filipino. I have read so much about our veterans and I think their remunerations are long overdue. Wala rin silang magagawa [They could do nothing] but wait. The said thing is kokonti na ang mga veterans [only a few of them are left]."

Mga Gerilya sa Powell Street is the first novel of Benjamin Pimentel, a writer and journalist based in the San Francisco Bay Area. He worked for many years as a reporter at the San Francisco Chronicle and now covers the technology industry for MarketWatch. As a reporter, he wrote many stories on Filipino veterans and their struggles to attain equal benefits. Through the novel, he tried to recapture the stories and sacrifices of the Filipino war veterans in a foreign land that have yet to recognize them.

Apart from Abuel and Roco, the life stories of Ruben, Badong, Major Amor and Ciriaco will be interpreted onstage by some of the country's most respected actors: Lou Veloso, Menggi Cobarubbias, Joe Gruta and Dido de la Paz. Known for his work in mega-hit shows Zsa Zsa Zaturnnah and Insiang, Cris Millado directs the play.

"We bring the dreams of the manongs in this play. They belong to a whole generation of forgotten heroes. It is heartening how they bond, warm themselves with laughter with layers and layers of used, mismatched clothing. They have found bayan in that little place at Powell. They are in their advanced years and yet they choose to live in dire conditions away from their families. They are fighting a real war for something more valuable to them than a measly sum of dollars."

Direk Cris wanted to stay true to the character, even soliciting elderly actor for the roles. "We first bought the script to actors in the '70s to fit the characters. Some are willing but health concerns fail them to complete the requirements of the role."

The same challenge also pushed the lead actors, Abuel and Roco, out of their comfort zones. "I have to sing on stage. That alone is very new to me. I first thought, 'Pwede bang magback-out?' It was terrifying because I am not a singer. But I knew I can carry a tune, so I started singing mostly when I am alone and driving," shares Roco as he chuckles.

"For me, technically, the challenge is the long exposure on stage. The moment my character step on stage, babad siya sa stage, he stays there until the end. That comes with the long lines to memorize. It is good a thing that I'm a former law student so I am used to reading and remembering volumes of material," reveals Abuel.

"The production is so timely," says Fernando Josef, Tanghalang Pilipino's new artistic director. "These are our heroes," Josef declares. "We want the Filipino public, especially the youth, to know the dilemma of our veteran soldiers and of course, our elderly." Mga Gerilya promises to be a sure treat for students, followers of history and anyone who fondly remembers the family's war tales that connects them to our nation's heroic past.

The stage play runs from Nov. 7 until Nov. 30 at the CCP Tanghalang Huseng Batute. For tickets, call Tanghalang Pilipino at 832-3661 or 832-1125 loc. 1620 or 1621. Tanghalang Pilipino is the resident theater company of the Cultural Center of the Philippines that actively promotes Philippine theater and talent.

Source: Manila Standard Today