The
CAGAYANLifestyle TIMES Weekly de Oro
Volume 4 | No. 29 | Cagayan de Oro City | Feb. 27 - Mar. 5, 2017
Casting Call for Reenactment of General Douglas MacArthur’s Breakout The Cagayan de Oro Historical and Cultural Commission is urging residents to participate in the upcoming General Douglas MacArthur Week by joining the casting call for the reenactment of the General’s arrival at Macabalan pier and convoy to Del Monte, Bukidnon . In March 11, 1942 MacArthur, along with his family and general staff left Corregidor aboard four PT Boats after he was ordered by US President Franklin D. Roosevelt to leave the Philippines and proceed to Australia to lead the Allied Forces in pushing back the Japanese Imperial Forces. They arrived in Macabalan Pier in Cagayan, Misamis at
7AM of Friday, March 13, 1942 and proceeded to Del Monte Airfield to wait for their ride to Australia. Finally, the group left for Australia aboard two B-17 Flying Fortress bombers. After landing in Batchelor Field, MacArthur’s family was proceeding to Melbourne by rail when they stopped at the small town of Terowie, South Australia where he first uttered to some journalists his immortal vow: “I shall return.” The Hiscom will reenact MacArthur’s arrival and convoy on March 13, 2017 starting at 7AM. Hobart Savior, the reenactment director, has issued a casting call for those interested to participate as any of the following characters:
General Douglas MacArthur, 62 years old Mrs. Jean MacArthur, 44 years old Arthur MacArthur IV, four years old Ah Cheu (Arthur’s nurse, real name Lo Cheu) General Richard D. Sutherland, Chief of Staff Captain Harold G. Ray, USN Lieutenant Colonel Sidney L. Huff, Aide Major C. H. Morehouse, Medical Officer Lt. John D. Bulkeley, skipper of PT-41 and commander of MTB Squadron 3 These are nine of the eleven main characters in the reenactment since they were the ones who rode with MacArthur in PT-41 Patrol Torpedo boat skippered by Bulkeley. The tenth character is Maj. William P. Morse, commander of the hastily formed honor guard from the 30th Bombardment Group based in Del Monte who was tasked by Brig. Gen. William F. Sharp, Visayas-Mindanao commander to meet the
General at Macabalan Pier and escort them to Del Monte. Not the least, the reenactment will feature a touch of local color with the role played by Boy Scout Abelardo “Loloy” Neri Queppet, who personally saw MacArthur at Macabalan Pier while he was going about his duties helping direct traffic and enforcing the blackout. However, the Hiscom has requested the casting/PAGE 7
Recursos: The Riveting Retelling of the Story of Hamlet By Samuel F. Macagba III
T
he Xavier Stage, a premier theater company of Xavier University - Ateneo de Cagayan presents the Recursos. This is a play adopted from one of the plays written by the greatest playwright, William Shakespeare, which is Hamlet. Several lovers of literature said that it is one of the most enduring and longest plays that he has written. Recursos is an adaptation of this great play which was written by Layeta Bucoy to contextualize the timeless message of this play in the Philippine audience. Having this play translated helps Filipino audiences to capture the many struggles of humanity as captured by the character of Hamlet or Eric in the adapted play. The Xavier Stage brings this literary piece to life through the direction of Mr. Hobart Savior. The play shows us the realities of our humanity that we do not like. The ensemble creatively provides the audience an avenue to be aware of the many problems that we face as humans including: failure of
commitment, suicidal melodramatic tendencies, revenge, cruelty, jealousy, and betrayal. It intends its audience to see the things that they do not like making them prevent from becoming the persons that they do not like by making concrete actions to be the best that they can be. The consequences of not being able to do so is also portrayed in this play. Thus, the audience gets to have a concrete experience to be inspired to do something to be a better human person after watching the play. Moreover, because
it is an adaptation based on the Philippine context, the ‘problematic’ culture and attitudes as a Filipino nation are also accentuated in the play. Some of the issues presented here are the negative effects of loyalty to the family and partners to the point of siding with the wrong, the many struggles in our political and economic systems, the patriarchal culture that is very evident even in this time and age, and the obliteration of our values as we are exposed with power, prestige and money. Thus, the
audience gets to be empowered to change the landscape of our values system in whatever sphere of influence you are in. In a unique perspective the mining industry takes a spotlight in this play as well. While most of the literature takes on the perspective of those oppressed, especially those who are working as miners in communities. The play makes its audience understand the industry in the perspective of those on the top, business owners recursos/PAGE 2
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