ALAM 2025: Moving Forward Through The Past
By: Jia Buerano
As it is great to honor literary works, it is as great, or even greater to honor it alongside our history. Teatro Paulino Season 16 shows us the value of nationalism in their annual Living Arts Museum; “Amorsolo’s Living Arts Museum.” Commonly referred to as ALAM, the title of the event takes a play on words with the Filipino term that directly translates to “know.” It took place in the Pere Chauvet Hall (PCH) with two show dates from January 23 to 24, 2025.
This year, Teatro Paulino chose to embody the works of the Philippines’ National Artist, Fernando Amorsolo. They chose five of his works, including: Planting Rice (1921) portrayed by Rania Salvador in show one and two; Sisa (1934) portrayed by Faith Aguilar in show one and Moira Sandico in show two; Woman at the Fall of Bataan (1946) portrayed by Thea Sevilla in show one and Alexa Perez in show two; Fire Tree (1945) portrayed by Alice Siena in show one and Angela Ramos in show two; and Making of Philippine Flag (1955) portrayed by Moirah Dionglay in show one and Sammy Viernes in show two. The production embodied the stories behind the beautiful paintings we see them as.
The audience was guided by Don Amore, played by Chesca Salazar, and Alma Halili, played by Sammy De Castro, through the Living Arts Museum. The former is the art curator who owns the said museum and Halili is a curious young girl, symbolizing the youth and their journey in self discovery. “Ang sining na walang puso ay walang saysay, at ang isang puso na walang pagmamahal para sa larangan ng sining, ay patay,” says Don Amore in the show.
ALAM delved into the background behind Fernando Amorsolo’s paintings, shining a light beneath the canvas and letting their stories take the spotlight. They brought life to the calm and despair of each artwork, expanding the canvases of these paintings with new colors and beautifully-written scripts to accompany such messages.
“Ngayon na… ganito… para kanino na ako magpapatuloy? Kung hindi para sa kanya, kanino?” The actresses for the Woman at the Fall of Bataan emotionally deliver their lines on behalf of the painting’s mournful story. This production focused on the pain, loss, and suffering of the Philippines during its colonization and values that the Filipino people have gained through such experiences. Centuries of foreign occupation have stolen or distorted the Filipinos’ culture and history– ALAM not only shows the true story of grief, pain, and suffering behind Amorsolo’s paintings but also the values of perseverance, hope, and faith that the Filipinos have learned to embody. It teaches the viewers that pushing forward does not mean forgetting the past but using it as the catalyst to move on. Don Amore concludes the show with the line, “Hindi solusyon ang ating dalang galit sa mga suliranin, kundi, bilang isang sindi sa pagsiklab ng ating puso — sa ating pagmamahal.”
Not only did Teatro Paulino Season 16 bring life to yet another artist’s astonishing works– they proved that there are boundless opportunities to showcase one’s craft through a shared passion and utmost dedication. Creativity grows where the heart feels at home, and this home has continuously opened its doors to become a beacon of hope through their Living Arts Museum. Made by the youth and for the youth, this production is an empowering project that transcends what it means to honor history– placing emphasis and a deeper value in moving forward through the light of the truth– for our past and towards the future. Mabuhay ang Teatro!
