“She balances me,” says Robert. “May pagka-happy go lucky ako and she reminds me na huwag akong maging masyadong ganon.”
They have three kids who can all sing well like their parents. The eldest, Maria Eliza (Isay’s daughter from a past relationship), is now a college graduate and already working. They have two sons: Robert Jr. (born in London and turning 20 soon, taking up political science in La Salle) and Emilio or Miong (12, studying at Community of Learners). Robert and Isay have their company and school, Spotlight Artists Center, that put up the hit revival of “Magsimula Ka”. They now plan to revive “Katy” hoping Regine Velasquez will play it. They’re currently mentoring the new actors in the cast of Hiyas Kayumanggi’s production of the longest Filipino oral epic, “Hinilawod”, which has 28,000 verses and longer than Homer’s epics “Iliad” and “Odyssey”. Producer Evelyn Yoro says their play has been well received at Luce Theatre of Silliman U in Dumaguete, where their company is based, and has had several reruns. They’re now staging it in Manila at the CCP Main Theatre on September 3 and 4. From the original Visayan chant, it’s translated into English and set into music by well known historian F. Landa Jocano.
“We were impressed after we saw ‘Hinilawod’,” says Isay. “Other countries have their own plays like Indonesia’s ‘Rama Hari’, China’s operas and Japan’s Kabuki. We should really have our indigenous theatre and ‘Hinilawod’ is it.”
“The show mirrors the culture of our ancestors and it has a heart that is distinctly Filipino,” adds Robert. “Its cast of 70 actors are new so we conducted a three-day workshop for them in Dumaguete to polish their performances. They’re like sponges so willing to absorb and learn what we impart to them. Now, they’re definitely world class.”
The show’s creative directors are Joanie SyCip and Rene Oliva Jr.; musical director is Gina Raakin with Willy Buena as arranger; dance directors are Ronnie Mirabuena and Rodel Fronda; scriptwriters are Adelina Zerrudo [Part I], and Mel Vera Cruz and Eliezer del Carmen [Parts II and III]. For tickets, call Creative Futures, Inc. at 374-4822, 0915-4172280 and 0917-8992945, or email info@creativefuturesinc.com and visit their website at www.creativefuturesinc.com.
