Award-winning theater group Philippine Stagers Foundation (PSF) is spreading its creative wings during these pandemic times, producing its own Boy Love (BL) series, Why Love Why?
We spoke to PSF founder Vince Tañada recently, and he shared how the series came about. “I was in denial that this pandemic will take long, but after my dad passed away in June, I realized that I couldn’t afford to wait. My art and my craft will not rust in this lockdown. I saw the proliferation of online entertainment programs that have become a beacon of hope for performing artists affected by the prohibition of mass gatherings. In early September, I made a survey in my Twitter account as to which genre is popular for our theater fans if I would create a series. BL won overwhelmingly.”
The narrative of Why Love Why?, which will be divided in five exciting episodes, focuses on straight college guys Emil and Benjo who are assigned to be thesis partners by their professor. Emil, being not financially capable to do online research, reluctantly agrees to stay with Benjo in the latter’s affluent penthouse flat. When some tenants in the building test positive for Covid-19 in the early days of the community quarantine, the building is locked down for a month, paving the way for the college boys’ unexpected sexual adventurism and awakening.
Tañada, who has written all of PSF’s original musicals for the past 20 years, said the series takes pride in presenting not just romance between two males but also their psychological and emotional struggles brought about by their sexual maturation and emancipation.
“The drama is based on my creative imagination. But similar to the plays I’ve written in the past, I make it a point that it is not only entertaining but educational as well. This series also tackles historical fiction as the two main protagonists are filially related to the dictator President Marcos and a suspected NPA leader during Martial Law.”
It was not difficult to choose his lead actors, Johnrey Rivas and Carl Adaron, who were not given any script ahead of their locked-in shooting days. “The core of the dialogues were just given right before each take and I allowed the actors to substantially reproduce the lines in order to make the dialogues their own. The end product made the film distinct from the plays we did where lines were rehearsed and mastered,” explained Tañada.
Rivas rose from the ranks in the theater company. From an usher in 2013 to chorus member, he took the big leap to becoming a lead actor last year, which incidentally gave the good-looking lad his first Aliw Award for Best Actor. Rivas trained in classical music and is also a popular vlogger and social-media influencer. “I am very excited for this special series of ours. I know there’s a lot to choose from nowadays, but I guess it’s part of the healthy competition among BL content producers and creators.”
For his part, Adaron is thankful that he was entrusted his first lead role. “I was a junior apprentice actor with PSF after my earlier stints as a company dancer and a chorus member. I took it as a challenge, gave my all and I hope I didn’t disappoint.”
Both actors’ orientation is clearly theater and it’s a plus the director has worked with the actors for many years now. “Doing shows regularly make us clearly aware of each other’s strengths and weaknesses, so I have adjusted the film to the actors’ capabilities and attitude. And even if they have to show some skin, they had no qualms about it because they trust their director,” Tañada added.
Oh, yes, this foray into film by a theater company had its challenges. “Funds” was Tañada’s quick reply, adding, “The start of the lockdown resulted to multiple cancellations of our live shows. A lot of capital had been invested in them already, resulting in big losses to our theater company. But if there’s a will, there’s a way.”
Why Love Why? the series will run every Saturday starting November 14 at 8 pm on the Philstagers Films YouTube Channel.
1 comment
Nice one. It is available only on youtube?