Student theater group tackles Gabriel Garcia Marquez
The Far Eastern University Theater Guild (FTG) stages another Gabriel Garcia Marquez short story as an experimental play for the opening of its 91st season. This production is set to captivate audiences from Feb. 12 to March 27. Music and musical direction is by Vince Lim, assisted by Jesus Singh III who’s also in charge of vocal coaching, choreography by Carlon Matobato, and choreography, adaptation, lyrics, and direction by Dudz Teraña.
Against the backdrop of Europe’s harsh winter, “Niyebe” (“The Trail of Your Blood in the Snow”) tells the tragic story of newlyweds Billy Sanchez and Nena Deconte, whose honeymoon turns into a nightmare because of a small scrape on Nena’s finger. Stranded in a foreign land, Billy grapples with solitude, grief, and despair, forced to confront profound questions about existence, purpose, and identity in the aftermath of his wife’s sudden death. All this while he battles a bureaucracy that ultimately denies him the chance to see his wife one last time.
The play features a dynamic cast. Billy Sanchez is played RB Pascua and Dave Bambang, Nena Deconte by Kesiah Eunice Aritao and Brigitta Claire Marilla, and the Narrator by Aaron Bayani.
Teraña adapts García Márquez’s story into a compelling theatrical experience that fuses music, movement, and rich storytelling. “‘Niyebe’ isn’t just a love story, it’s a reflection of how the fragility of happiness and loss can spiral into a deep existential crisis,” he said. “Reimagined as an experimental play, it employs a unique narrative style while delving into societal issues such as class disparity, which inspired García Marquez’s original work. Much like his other works, it speaks about existentialism, the questioning of one’s purpose after a sudden loss, and the need to escape triggered by this loss.”
The show also banks on the dedicated work of its creative and production team including stage manager Maria Ysabel Delos Reyes, production manager Janah Gervacio, and house manager Hans Fernandez. The production’s aesthetic vision is brought to life by production design head Kirstan Orbegoso, costume designer Margarita Barrameda, technical head Kristian Samson, with lighting design by Arvin Javier, sound by Gab Lazaro, and video projections by Shawn Tarala.
“Niyebe” will run at the FEU Center for the Arts Studio on Feb. 12 to Feb. 13, Feb. 19 to Feb. 22, Feb. 26 to Feb. 28, March 1, March 5 to March 8, March 12 to March 15, March 19 to March 22, March 26 to March 27.
For reservations and inquiries, contact FTG through Far Eastern University Theater Guild on Facebook and @feutheaterguildofficial on Instagram and Tiktok. Visit feutheaterguild.com.
