Mula sa Buwan 2024 Promises to Be a Voice of Defiance
"Mula sa Buwan is that gravity that pulls us to the moon and back," Director Mikko Angeles tells Esquire Philippines in a rather poetic description of what the musical is for him. And we couldn't agree more. The musical has been around for a while, and every restaging pulls back in old cast members and fans. But, at the same time, it also welcomes new actors and viewers, bringing them along through the production's ebb and flow.
The all-original Filipino musical is having a restaging from August 16 to September 8, 2024, at the Samsung Performing Arts Theater, Circuit Makati. Tickets are already available through Ticketworld.
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From Cyrano de Bergerac to Cyrano: Isang Sarsuwela to Mula sa Buwan
Mula sa Buwan is based on Edmond Rostand's Cyrano de Bergerac (1897) and Soc Rodrigo's Filipino translation of the French classic. The book and adaptation are by Pat Valera, who also worked with the lyrics alongside the musical's composer, William Elvin Manzano.
Mula sa Buwan started out as an experimental play titled Cyrano: Isang Sarswela in 2011.
The piece saw its beginnings as an experimental play at the GSIS Theater in 2011, when it was still titled Cyrano: Isang Sarsuwela, which had a rock-and-roll vibe. In a 2018 interview with Valera, he narrated that he and Manzano realized six years later that it was time for Cyrano to become "a bigger musical, a bigger piece."
In December 2016, Mula sa Buwan was up for a limited run at the Henry Lee Irwin Theater of Ateneo de Manila University. This was followed by reruns in February 2017 (which was this author's first MSB viewing) at Irwin Theater; and in November 2018 at the then-new Areté Ateneo. In April 2021, amid the pandemic, a few scenes of the musical were streamed to sustain theater-goers caught in the lockdown. Finally, after two years of a pandemic-induced theater hiatus, Mula sa Buwan was restaged in August and December 2022, both of which were produced by the new theater company Barefoot Theatre Collaborative.
Myke Salomon and Gab Pangilinan are reprising their roles as Cyrano and Roxane
Mula sa Buwan fans, who are fondly called Labuwans (a play on "loved ones," maybe with a hint of French if you spell it as "La Buwans"), have memorized its plot by now: cadet and poet Cyrano falls in love with Roxane, who is also the beloved of Cyrano's best friend, Christian. It starts off with the reopening of a local theater in 1941 Manila, but as the young cadets are just finally celebrating, war strikes, and they are called to fight for their country, love, ideals, and truth.
With such familiarity, what else is there to flesh out of Mula sa Buwan?
Mula sa Buwan Under Director Mikko Angeles
Mula sa Buwan has always been directed by its co-creator Valera, with Angeles serving as Assistant Director and then Associate Director for the August and December 2022 reruns, respectively. This 2024, the latter is taking the helm with his own vision.
"When I was offered to direct Mula sa Buwan, ang unang tinanong sa akin [ng] producers of Barefoot was, 'Ano 'yung changes na gusto ko? Hindi pa siya plakado [noon] sa utak ko pero 'yung pinakamalinaw is, I want to bring out the core of the story, flesh out the core of the story. Number two ay to discover more and apply and relive the sensibilities of the 1940s. And lastly is the defiance aspect of Mula sa Buwan, only because it has always been built as a musical about love and defiance," Angeles tells us.
Mula sa Buwan's setting, the 1940s, was a time of war. That alone is a defiance: going against colonization, teaming up against a powerful nation. Then, there are the artists-turned-cadets (a.k.a. the dreamers, the fools, the misfits), whose art is defiance: going against conformity, dreaming together for a better life. And that's what Angeles hopes to highlight.
"Love is already given sa show, given na you have these three central characters who are entangled in the love triangle and not to mention the heartbreaking songs of William Elvin Manzano. Sa akin, gets ko na yung love e, pero na-hit na ba natin yung mga tamang i-hit when it comes to defiance? O baka mayroon pa tayong hindi na-explore sa defiance aspect of it," he adds.
Angeles admitted that this can be a challenge, especially for a musical that already has its followers. But he explained that bringing out this aspect of defiance is being done while still serving the "honor and heritage" of Mula sa Buwan.
"I think highlighting the defiance aspect comes with the responsibility to the needs of the society, given the economical and socio-political landscape of the country right now and impending war. Lahat tayo may kanya-kanyang laban na pinagladaanan personally, pero if you look at it from a wider perspective, the threat sa West Philippine Sea. Kung lalayo tayo sa kapuluan ng Pilipinas, you have this war going on between Israel and Palestine. We need to ask nasaan ang sining sa panahon ng giyera? Kailan siya magiging essential? Pang entertainment lang ba siya? Pang kasiyahan lang ba siya? Pang market lang ba siya? Pero kailan siya magiging sandata?," Angeles continues.
Phi Palmos' Rosanna as the Leader of This Defiance
This story of defiance is best laid out by the character of Rosanna, owner of a local pub where everyone would meet after a show at the theater or, sometimes, convene to start a revolution.
"Ang saya na talagang yung leader ng defiance [ay] 'yung nag-defy ng identity and gender. So it's so appropriate because I think ang unang act of defiance ng kahit na sinong tao is to be true to oneself, that's the first act of defiance anyone can do, 'yung maging totoo sa sarili nila. And 'yung pagiging totoo sa sarili, hindi lang siya nag-apply to members of the LGBTQIA+ community, but nag-apply siya sa lahat because to be your truest and most authentic self is an act of defiance talaga. Sabi nga ni RuPaul, 'It's a revolution.' To be who you are, you're already starting a revolution. So for Rosanna to gather or kung hindi man gather, at least to mother, all these misfits and dreamers and fools and artists, parang it's so appropriate. Cyrano supplies the poetry, dance, and music, and Rosanna supplies the nurturing of these artists," Phi Palmos, who has been playing Rosanna's role since 2018, tells Esquire Philippines.
Phi Palmos as Rosanna from 2018 to 2024
The role of Rosanna was originally played by Ronah Rostata in the 2016 to 2017 run. Palmos alternated with Rostata in the 2018 run. But it wasn't until the 2022 run that they decided to make Rosanna an "outright queer" character.
"Nung 2018 kasi, when they called for an audition, tinitingnan ko kung ano yung role na pwede kong gawin, so it was really a gamble for me. Nilakasan ko lang yung loob ko. Nag-message ako kay Pat [Valera], sabi ko, 'Can I audition for Rosanna?' Kasi again, the role is traditionally played by a woman. Since its inception, talagang babae yung nagpe-play ng role. So it was a gamble for me and I think it was also a gamble for them. Unang-una to say yes for me to audition, and then eventually giving me the role. That in itself ang laki-laki niyang bagay sa'kin. And also, nung 2018, ang direction ni Pat, at least for Rosanna, was to play it at least androgynous, so hindi pa outright queer yung role. Sabi ko, I understand because my alternate during that time is a cis woman, si Ronah, so naiintindihan ko yung directive. So nung 2022, when kasabay ng pagbabalik ng teatro, yung 'back with a vengeance' ang theater, ang saya kasi ang pag-uusap ay Rosanna is an outright queer character," Palmos narrates.
Ronah Rostata as Rosanna from 2016 to 2018
With this, Rosanna has become a part of a yet-to-be-long list of LGBTQIA+ characters in Philippine theater, of which Palmos is really proud.
Plus, the name Rosanna, for those who don't know yet, is actually a play on "Roxanne sana." While Roxanne is at the center of a story of unrequited love, Rosanna is also a representation of a love that cannot be muttered—at least at the time.
"For that to be played by a queer actor, parang mas nagme-make sense yung 'sana.' Mas masakit. Ibang layer when it's a queer person hoping to be loved by someone. Para sa akin, 'yun 'yung pag-evolve and 'yun 'yung meaning sa akin. Mula sa Buwan is a musical about love and defiance, but at the core of it, it's a story about unrequited love. And who [else] in the world would be [better] to portray a character who's experiencing unrequited love but a member of the LGBTQIA plus community?," he adds.
And for Palmos, it meant so much to be able to have this experience in a safe space: the production of Mula sa Buwan, which he calls home.
Returning to Mula sa Buwan Is a Homecoming, According to MC Dela Cruz
The thought of Mula sa Buwan as home is echoed by another OG MSB actor, MC Dela Cruz.
He started out with Mula sa Buwan during its first public run in 2016, fresh out of doing plays with Dulaang UP. Dela Cruz played the role of Maximo, who is the son of a general and also loves Roxane, all the way until the show's restaging in August 2022.
MC Dela Cruz as Maximo in the earlier runs of Mula sa Buwan
"Nung 2022, mas confident na ako sa role ng Maximo," he tells us in an interview. He has had more productions under his belt, attended workshops and acting classes, and generally has more experience in life to bring into his role. But a curveball was thrown at him when the production decided to cast him as Christian for the December 2022 run. He was already an understudy for the role in the August staging.
Myke Salomon as Cyrano and MC Dela Cruz as Christian in Mula sa Buwan (December 2022)
Dela Cruz took it as a challenge since there's no better way to push himself to the limits than in the safety of his home.
"Mula sa Buwan, for me, bahay ko talaga siya sa theater. Out of all the productions, ito talaga 'yung maituturing kong bahay na lagi kong babalikan after pumunta sa ibang lugar, after magtrabaho sa ibang lugar. Kasi iba 'yung nagagawa ng piyesa, may magic kasi talaga siya na nakakapag-build talaga ng community. And every time na natatapos 'yung run ng Mula sa Buwan, sobrang dami kong natututunan sa sarili ko and sa craft sa theater. Kaya kapag may nagtatanong sa akin, 'Bakit ba lagi mong ginagawa yung Mula sa Buwan?' Sabi ko, 'E kasi, why not?' Ito 'yung production na walang pag-aalinlangang tatanggapin ko siya. Kasi pag nandito ako, feeling ko, I'm safe, I'm home, I'm loved," he adds.
For the 2024 staging, he is reprising the role of Christian.
Myke Salomon's Cyrano and Having a Voice
Just like Dela Cruz, Myke Salomon has also played two roles in Mula sa Buwan. He was Christian in 2018 alongside Nicco Manalo as Cyrano and Gab Pangilinan as Roxane, then played Cyrano in the 2022 reruns. Aside from being onstage, he was also the production's musical director that year. For 2024, he is keeping the role of Cyrano and task as musical director.
"When Pat asked me to be the musical director for the planned 2022 version, I immediately said yes because malapit sa akin 'yung material and I would love to reimagine the score of Mula Sa Buwan. After that, tinanong niya kung gusto ko mag-Cyrano. Nakipag-usap muna ako sa sarili kong 'Burning Bush' na bakit ko ito gagawin at handa ba ako. Kasi nga, we all came from a sedentary lifestyle. Lahat tayo, hindi na alam yung pagkakakilanlan natin sa sarili natin, hindi na natin alam kung paano gumalaw, hindi ko na kilala 'yung sarili ko onstage. So, it was really a hard question. It took me ilang weeks to say yes, kasi nga, kung hindi pa ngayon, kailan pa?," he tells Esquire Philippines.
He thought of it as a "chance to just jump," then realized that it was a coherent decision because Cyrano is also the "orchestrator of everything. Cyrano is the orchestrator of the theater as well as the cadets, and—within the story—orchestrator of how to make Roxane fall in love with Christian.
"Si Cyrano ay isang napakatapang na mandirigma. At sa sobrang tapang niya, duwag siyang aminin yung tunay niyong pag-ibig para kay Roxanne," Salomon describes his character.
When asked how this Mula sa Buwan and his Cyrano will be different, he reiterated Angeles' vision of pushing further the defiance aspect of the musical.
"Mayroon kaming opportunity to create a voice. I hope it's louder. I hope it becomes louder in a few months or weeks na kailangan nating magkaroon ng boses regarding our country. Lalo na kung ano pa nangyayari ngayon sa ating karagatan na tinutulak-tulak lang tayo. Ano ba yung stance natin? Kailangan ba nating magbigay boses para sa audience natin about it? How do we gain our confidence and our will to fight for what we believe? I guess, yun yung responsibility namin as an artist and creative workers," he explains.
Mula sa Buwan runs from August 16 to September 8, 2024, at the Samsung Performing Arts Theater, Circuit Makati. Tickets, with prices ranging from P999 to P3,599, are available through Ticketworld.
