question and answer (Q & A) with vince tanada...

VINCE BELIEVES THAT ART MUST BE SEEN LARGELY.

Rehearsal 'yun ng dulang Bonifacio: Isang Sarsuwela na ire-restage nila sa buwan na ito until next year, mula sa Philippine Stagers Foundation. Magkakaroon ang nasabing dula ng Critics Night sa Novemeber 3, Huwebes, sa AFP Theater. At ang Opening Day naman ay sa Nobyembre 4, sa AFP Theater din sa ganap na alas-sais ng gabi.

Maski busy nu'ng hapon na iyon si Vince, nagawa niyang magpaunlak sa amin ng isang maikling interbyuhan. Naririto sa ibaba ang aming Q & A interview with Vince Tanada:

ROBERT: What do you feel about the restaging of Bonifacio: Isang Sarsuwela, Vince?

VINCE: This is the play that I value the most, Robert. Because of all the plays that I did, this is the one that opened so many doors for Philippine Stagers Foundation. It traveled all over the Philippines and we did able to penetrate many different schools, government agencies, provinces and other important venues. But the most memorable one for me was when this play got a 30 minutes standing ovation in a very important screening-event for government agencies that was held in Tagaytay City. Those people in that special event had discerning taste, but we managed to impress them and get a very long standing ovation. We're even asking them to sit down already, but they still stood and clapped their hands. 
              With this play, I knew I did something good. It inspired so many people, and we changed the lives of so many people who watched this play. This play also strengthened and fortified the relationship of Stagers to each other. Because we bonded all the more in the many different provinces we performed. And I did feel so much the sincerity and the passion of my Stagers at that time. That's why this play is indeed, so special to me and memorable, aside from the fact that it's my favorite, too.
              Except for Jordan Ladra who was the original Emilio Aguinaldo in the cast, the original Stagers are reprising their roles in this re-staging of Bonifacio: Isang Sarsuwela. That's why it's so refreshing to all of us.

ROBERT: What makes Bonifacio: Isang Sarsuwela your most favorite play to date in all PSF productions?

VINCE: It's a strict Sarsuwela, that's why. And it's really a classical play. Which is not the usual formula in all my PSF plays- which is, in a way, a mixture of Pop and classical. But Bonifacio: Isang Sarsuwela is an all-out classical one, a Sarsuwela. That's why it's one of my favorites. And you know, I was first trained as a classical singer when I first joined the Kundirana singing group of La Salle Greenhills when I was in high school. In a way, my training was classical music. And this play fits me to a T.
              And I have to say, too, that this play of mine is the most under-rated among all the plays that I did. It got no awards nor nominations in Aliw Awards and other award-giving bodies. In short, it was snubbed. And I did not know why. Unlike with my new play Katips now, it got a sweeping 8 nominations in Aliw Awards.
            Kaya ako, bilang creator ng play na ito, I can honestly say na paborito ko talaga ang play na ito. Ito ang trip na trip ko- both as an actor and as a director.

ROBERT: How different is the scope of Katips compared to Bonifacio: Isang Sarsuwela?

VINCE: I'd like to begin with the fact that both Katips and Bonifacio have the same objectives. But it's simply different in scope of time. But both plays were meant to fight for injustice that the Filipinos felt in those eras. Expose a part of history that was not taught in classrooms and was not included in school textbooks. When I was growing up, history teachers were silent about that episode in our history pertaining to Bonifacio. And what's surprising was, Bonifacio was killed by our fellow Filipinos. he was not killed by colonizers. because at that time, they want to silence the ordinary, poor Filipinos.... In a way, in Katips, somehow the Filipino revolt won, but in Bonifacio: Isang Sarsuwela, they did not. And that's the difference... When Bonifacio died, the people succeeded. His death became the rise of Nationalism. He was the sacrificial lamb. But until now, I can say, our country did not really get the true independence it badly wanted.

ROBERT: With the many hectic schedules and performances of your plays, plus an added task of marketing your plays all over the country, how do you handle to give yourself a good time management, Vince?

VINCE: You see, Robert, i am very passionate not only in creating my art but also in marketing it. It stands both ways for me. because I feel, my plays must be well-viewed. I want a more bigger audience. Unlike with other artists, they're very selective with their audience- like CCP. They simply do it for Art. But I feel, for an Art to be more appreciated, it should be widely viewed. You should not only be passionate by creating your Art, but also as passionate as well in marketing it. To put the message within your Art across in all types of classes, people and friends in the society. For your Art to live longer, think of ways to make it last longer than you think.
Regarding your question about good time management, I simply live a day at a time. Set my time in a proper way and make the best out of it. That, is, good time management for me.

ROBERT: What do you love most about being Vince Tanada?

VINCE: I am always misunderstood. People tend to look at me so differently. But after quite some time, they will all go back to me and tell me that they made a mistake. And they will tell me that what they saw at first, was not me at all. And they will all try to win me back. That makes my revenge more SWEETER to them.... You see, they just did not know that I am always preoccupied doing a lot of things, and I cannot respond to all their demands, I cannot do that to everyone. And they will realize it. And they will say SORRY... Because they realized, they got mad at me without me doing anything bad against them. When they go back to me, I still welcome them. And that's what I love the most about being ME.

ROBERT: Oh, my. Thank you very much, Vince.

VINCE: Thank you, too, Robert.


-----end of interview----

vince: the father who knew his son.