Grand finale for Bonifacio musical play
The musical play “Bonifacio: Ang Supremo” by playwright Vincent Tañada and composer Pipo Cifra went on a nationwide tour last year, starting from July to August in Metro Manila.
From October to December, the troupe moved to Southern Tagalog and Bicol.
This year found the travelers in Central Visayas and Negros January to February, and finally in Northern Mindanao and the Davao provinces February t0 March.
The Philippine Stagers Foundation play deals with heavy dramatic stuff, including the deadly rivalry between Bonifacio and Aguinaldo, and the rape of Oryang, the Supremo’s wife. But in his plays Tañada makes it a point to inject humor, however tongue-in-cheek, to maintain student interest and to make them feel history can be fun.
Tañada plays Bonifacio; Johnrey Rivas is Emilio Jacinto, his aide-de-camp; and Joseph Tañada is cast as Aguinaldo.
“Bonifacio ang Supremo” interprets the well-known facts of Philippine history in song and dance, plus a new spirit of true grit. The first major event in the play is the Aug. 30, 1896 battle between the Katipuneros and the Spanish forces at San Juan del Monte, with reinforcements from the Spanish side forcing Bonifacio’s men to retreat to Marikina, San Mateo, and Montalban.
Kangaroo court
By December 1896, the Spanish were facing revolution on three fronts: Cavite under Aguinaldo, Bulacan under Mariano Llanera, and Morong headed by Bonifacio.
A split then materialized in Cavite between the Magdalo, partisans of Aguinaldo, and the Magdiwang, who supported Bonifacio. This led to the Acto de Tejeros Convention, the results of which the Supremo rejected.
The die was cast.
A kangaroo court found the wounded Supremo (his wounds were not attended to) and his brother Procopio guilty of treason, and they were “neutralized.”
In the struggle against Aguinaldo, Bonifacio lost his life.
Bur while he lost the battle, he won the war, emerging a winner in the national pantheon of Philippine heroes, placing second only to Rizal.
“Bonifacio: Ang Supremo” will have a final run on April 13, 7 p.m., at Newport World Resorts, Pasay City.
