Kalopsia: The Night The Stories Came To Life
By: Chelsea Vicente
“KALOPSIA: Explicare Susurros” marked the 9th year of the annual Center for Communication Arts event aimed to showcase and value various mediums of communication. This was held last December 5, 2024 in the Mini Theater of St. Paul College Pasig (SPCP)’s Cultural Arts Building.
Lodin “Ieja” Rigor, the Center for Communication Arts Vice President, officially started the event with her opening remarks. “To be loved is to be truly seen, to be seen is to be genuinely heard, and to be heard is to have a voice that reflects our authentic selves,” she highlights the passion performers have for their craft and sharing their talents to others.
After these remarks was the grand entrance of one of the program’s main characters, Tita Maya, with her dollhouse that evoked the mystery and eeriness of the story that was to come.
The event followed the narrative of two academic rivals: Aubrey and Jana. Conflict stems from the shared goal to attain the prized scholarship from Tita Maya, their guidance counselor. As their story is told, they are faced with lies and mysteries. As the pair fight and argue, they slowly uncover the secrets hiding behind the walls of the dollhouse – alluding to this year’s Kalopsia theme.
The first three performances featured spoken word poetry. The first performer was Isa Geronimo with her work, “The Pursuit.” The piece revolved around the concept of greed, telling the audience to be careful of what they wished they had. This was followed by the performance of Ali Tibay, with her piece titled, “A Race for My Place.” This spoken word poem was about how people tear themselves apart due to constant comparison with others – wanting to be free from the walls of their own minds. The last spoken word piece was shared by two anonymous students under the name Liberty. Their performance, titled “No Hard Feelings,” told the story of Aubrey and Jana’s rivalry with one another and the arguments they have together. It set the context for the audience to learn why these 2 rivals despise and fight with one another.
The next act commenced after a short break, revealing the story of the character Tita Maya. This was told through a monologue performance by Sei Orzal titled “Nasaan Ang Kanang Kamay Mo, Jade?” The audience is finally made aware of Tita Maya’s true motive and the secrets she’s been hiding.
Following her act were the performances by the invited guest teachers and groups.
First to perform was Ms. Evangeline Faelnar who performed two pieces. Her first piece was titled “Limapu’t Limang Minuto,” which talked about questioning what a teacher was and how people are presented as. Her second piece was titled “Kabalintunaan,” which discussed the conflict between what the heart feels and what the mind knows.
Next to perform was Ms. Lea Adalid with her reading titled “Pangalawa Lamang”. Her work shared a personal story of how a person who could make her smile so much could care so little – how she is not the priority despite being there first. Her piece ended with an impactful twist that captivated the audience.
Sir Paul Angelo Sia was the third guest performer with his reading of “No Finish Line”. His piece was about preserving the wellness of life here on earth for the future generations to come.
The concluding performance was done by the invited group, Mind Masters, with their piece, “Always the Good, Never the Best” by Ieka Rigor. This reading was the reflection of the main characters Aubrey and Jana and how people could feel alone and empty even after winning. “Ambition without passion is a cage,” is the lesson they shared with the audience.
As the event came to a close, Ieka Rigor started her closing remarks. “We see beauty in a way that blinds us to reality, forgetting that imperfection is not a flaw but a part of authenticity,” she mentioned, acknowledging and thanking all those who had helped with the production of the event.
Through the essence of the event, the Center of Communication Arts demonstrated the power of words, the impactful beauty and art found in its boundless mediums. As this year’s Kalopsia has come to an end, we recognize and admire the hard work that the students of the center put into making this event successful. May their future events be as successful and meaningful as this has been.
