Being in theatre for 10 years now, I’m often invited to give acting workshop to kids and teens every summer. Most of those who invite me are my friends and co-actors starting a new group; others are contacts from my network who organize worthwhile summer activities for the youngsters. It has been a normal job for me every summer. Mostly are just within the Metro. Last year I taught the kids and teenagers from Philand, Tandang Sora and we had their culminating activity at the front yard of their chapel. The workshop ran for almost 4 weeks.
This year was different though because I had to travel 10-12 hours to Aurora and spent four straight days there. I’m not really new to community workshop because I used to do that back in my college days. During my time at PUP, I was part of a theatre group Tanghalang Hulyo Beinte Tres Ink. and we organized community theatre workshop every summer of the year. We went to different provinces and immersed ourselves to the core of the community. We reached out to their children and teens and educate them about theatre arts. My last community workshop with THBTI was five years ago at Tugos, Marinduque and this year I got to experience it again at the province of Aurora.
I was just actually invited by ate Dang to come along with her. We were commissioned by Sir Frank Rivera to Casiguran, Aurora to facilitate Integrated Theatre Arts workshop for the youth there. The event “Summer Saya sa Aurora” by Theatro Kalinangan ng Aurora was spearheaded by Sir Larry Dulay in collaboration with the different schools in Casiguran. We travel on the night of April 25 and arrived at Casiguran at 8AM in the morning of April 26. It was a long and exhausting road trip from Manila to Cabanatuan, Cabanatuan to Baler, and Baler to Casiguran. However, it was all worth it because the place was relaxing and all the people are hospitable and nice. They warmly welcomed us and provided us all that we needed. We stayed at the Lodging House of Dr. Lanay and held the workshop at the newly built Agricula Covered Court. 
I’m reminded again how growing up created layers to our personality that in time like this, the older ones get to hold back more of themselves than the kids who are all out in expressing their selves out. There were still some kids who were too shy to give their 100 percent in the workshop but the good thing was that, they still did whatever we were asking them to do.
The first day of the activity was more of games and introduction to the arts of acting. The participants enjoyed it as well as the teachers who joined in the workshop. The second day became more serious though. We needed to exert more efforts in motivating the participants to express their emotions. It took us time in convincing them to shake off their inhibitions. Our patience was tested but we were happy to see that these youngsters, in spite of their struggle with their own selves (on whether to try the activity or to just drop the whole idea of attending the acting class) still tried to give their very best. I knew that while some of them were bibo kids, there were some who seemed quiet and timid but only hiding a great talent. Some of them might not yet ready to unleash it, some of them might not yet ready to conquer their fear; to break the chain that bind their will to express their selves; I know in time though, they will be ready.
Just like in any class, there were those kids who stood out among the rest. One of them is the boy named Rodvic. When you looked at him you would think of him as one of the naughtiest kids in the class; someone who would always throw papers to his classmates; who would always submit a blank paper during exam; who would always start the fight inside the classroom. Well he might be indeed that someone; but in our class, he’s the creamiest among the crop. He surpassed even those who are older than him. He still has lot more to learn when it comes to acting but his unrestrained creativity, his scope of exploration in the workshop is wide that he get to discover new learning more quickly than the others. His thinking was advanced perhaps because of his creative imagination; and that what highly matters in the world of theatre. One example was in the Four Basic Emotion exercise where I would ask for a scene and they would portray it in tableaux with an appropriate emotion. Whenever I asked for a scene of funeral, all members in the each group would take the role of the mourners. Only Rodvic and Rodvic alone had thought of taking the role of the deceased. He lied down in front of his team mates who were already posing as family and friends of the dead. Another one was when we asked them to act out a natural calamity. In Rodvic’s group, landslide was assigned to them. When it was their turn to act that the logs from the mountains were rolling down, Rodvic reacted while stomping his feet to the wooden stage. It created the sound effects of logs that were now coming into them. No one instructed him but out of nowhere he had thought of doing that. In the actual performance, Rodvic’s group was assigned with a war scene. The older boys were supposed to hold a big handkerchief and stretch it like a gun. In the scene, the older boys were fighting the rebels to protect their community but they were all defeated and died. In the last part, the child Rodvic would take one of the guns and aimed it to the audience. Unfortunately, these older boys forgot to bring the gun props and just held an imaginary gun during the act. When it was Rodvic’s turn, I thought he would also hold an imaginary gun like what the other else did but no, he walked right into the centre of the stage with his eyes blazing. He held up the wireless microphone like a gun and aimed it to the audience. He never did that at the rehearsal but right there in the actual stage, he had thought to improvise; he had thought of using the microphone as a gun.
Another one who stood out in the class was Cymer, a girl of Rodvic’s age. You’d never notice her among the crowd because she was quiet. She never volunteers and she was never active in assessment and interaction. But whenever she went onstage and acted out a particular scene, you’d be amazed on how great actress she is. She knew how to internalize, she knew how to act even without lines to deliver, and she knew how to speak only through her eyes. I don’t know where she had learned it or where her motivation was coming from but one thing for sure, she can be a good stage actress someday.
This workshop was another great experience for me to cherish. I remember my youth when I was as hopeful and enthusiastic as these kids; I remember the fear and doubts; but most of all I remember how I used to dream like them -- to dream and hope without limits. Thank you to these people. My passion was once again rekindled and fueled with goals and purpose.
For more photos of the workshop you can check https://www.facebook.com/uel.ceballos/media_set?set=a.10205834412432721.1029921598&type=3
