CEBU CITY, Philippines — For decades, the town of Santa Fe in Bantayan Island has been known as Cebu’s own tropical paradise in the north.
The mere mention of its name usually evokes images of the inviting cerulean sea, swaying coconut trees and stretches of pristine, white-sand coast, making this fourth-class municipality a part of every vacationer’s itinerary, especially come Holy Week.
But for this year, a group of Santa Fe-hanon playwrights, musicians, composers, designers and performers are on a quest to put their hometown on the map for a different purpose.
Santa Fa will be staging a one-of-a-kind passion play that aims to highlight local talents, its unique culture and heritage, and hopefully, to some extent, undo an unsavory image the town has grappled for years.
Titled Gugma sa Langit, the performance will take place this Black Saturday, April 19 at the Santo Niño Roman Catholic Parish.
Gugma sa Langit is, first and foremost, a passion play but with a unique twist. The story’s central theme would focus on the seven deadly sins, told from the perspective of Mary Magdalene, said director Jai Shane Cañete.
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“It’s an original musical that offers a fresh take on the Passion of Christ, showcasing the victory of love over the seven deadly sins and the abiding strength of the seven virtues in molding humanity,” said Cañete in an interview with CDN Digital.
Cañete, a chemist and a scriptwriter by profession, is joined by Joseph Dean Mangubat as its composer, Ian Tamayo as the play’s arranger, and Lemuel Rosos as its production designer.
Origins of Gugma sa Langit
Gugma sa Langit was born out of Cañete’s love for stage plays, musicals and his drive to explore and improve his craft as a scriptwriter.
He had been the writer and director of their parish church’s passion plays for the Holy Week since 2012.
“Each year, I challenged myself to breathe new life into the timeless story of Jesus’s final days by retelling it through the different eyes of biblical characters who witnessed it,” he said.
The inspiration came through one day while Cañete was in the middle of writing the script for their church’s passion play. He envisioned a musical for a passion play, featuring original songs, in Sinantefahon — Santa Fe’s very own language.
READ: LOOK: Holy Week in Bantayan: Solemn, not fiesta
In 2019, Cañete launched an initial staging. At that time, Gugma sa Langit still had two songs only, prompting the scriptwriter to flesh it out further, akin to a full musical like the popular rock opera Jesus Christ Superstar.
“After the play, I have the ambition to write a song-through musical version of it, like Les Miserables and Prince of Egypt, and it will be the local version of Jesus Christ Superstar,” Cañete said.
Through the Eyes of Mary Magdalene
Despite the Covid-19 pandemic, the group behind Gugma sa Langit, particularly Cañete, worked hard to ensure their vision would turn into a reality. He took the time to fully immerse in musicals, films and other media about The Passion.
“I wanted to write a story that felt authentic and alive,” said Cañete.
He also reflected on his previous passion plays to look for something that they had yet to explore, leading him to choose Mary Magdalene as protagonist.
Aside from logistical reasons — hiring male actors was difficult, he said — Cañete wanted the story to be told by a sinner and an outcast. Someone relatable, grounded and someone who truly embodies what a human is, he added.
“Magdalene is us. Through her, I wanted to show that even the most broken and cast aside are not only seen by Jesus but are central to His story,” he explained.
“Because she is the most human of them all. She is not a member of Jesus’ family. She is not a disciple. She is a sinner, an outcast, someone who was never meant to belong, and yet, she followed Jesus with everything she had,” Cañete added.
Creative process
Like any creative undertaking, the production – composed of 24 original songs and six instrumental pieces – was a grueling process.
It took the entire team six years to complete the musical.
According to Cañete, the most challenging part was syncing the lyrics and music as their objective was to make sure ‘every melody and lyric aligned with the emotion and message of each scene.”
Initially, they came up with a total of 37 songs but the group decided to trim down the running time for the entire musical up to two hours only.
“It wasn’t just about writing songs,” Cañete pointed out.
Time also became a major hurdle.
Nevertheless, Gugma sa Langit’s team pulled through and ready to showcase what they have in store to Santa Fe-hanons this Black Saturday.
Debunking Santa Fe as a ‘party destination’ for Holy Week
Finally, after six years, Cañete and the entire team of Gugma sa Langit looked forward to the full staging of the play at their parish church on April 19.
When asked how the performance will turn out, Cañete said he hoped the audience would realize that this story would be their story, too.
“It’s about the inner battles we all face, fighting the evil within ourselves and within our communities. This performance is not just an expression of art but rather a reminder of struggles we all share and hope for redemption,” he explained.
Beyond personal connection, the team also wished the play would serve as a strong message that Santa Fe is not a party destination for Holy Week, a struggle they had shared with their neighbor Bantayan town.
“(It) is a reminder of the meriting stand of the community for something more profound than beach parties, bikini opens, and pageants. It’s about honoring the sacredness of this time and upholding the true spirit of the season,” said Cañete.
All photos are contributed by Jai Shane Cañete.
