Ricky Lee's Para Kay B Is Coming to the Stage in 2025
Back in 2008, Filipino screenwriter Ricky Lee launched his first-ever novel, Para Kay B, and—as they say—the rest is history. The National Artist for Film and Broadcast Arts has written way over a hundred screenplays, including Himala (1982), Moral (1982), and The Flor Contemplacion Story (1995), and he brought this masterful use of language and character development to the pages of a book.
Para Kay B delves into the intricacies of love, fate, and the human condition, interweaving the lives of five women whose stories are bound by a single letter, the letter B. The novel's exploration of themes such as destiny, choice, and the complexities of relationships reflects Lee's ability to capture the essence of Filipino culture and society. Its longer title is Para Kay B (O Kung Paano Dinevastate ng Pag-ibig ang 4 Out of 5 sa Atin).
'Para Kay B' by Ricky Lee (2008)
This compelling novel was brought to the stage through an adaptation by playwright Eljay Castro Deldoc, with previous runs at the University of the Philippines Los Baños, University of Santo Tomas, and Miriam College. It was also mounted for one show at the Maybank Performing Arts Theater during the BGC Arts Center Festival in 2017. And finally, Para Kay B is up for commercial staging through L.A ProdHouse in March 2025.
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Para Kay B: From Book to Stage
Para Kay B's stage adaptation was written way before Deldoc became known as one of the most prolific playwrights of this generation.
"Isinulat ko ang unang bersyon noong 2011 para sa theater students ng UPLB. Nagsisimula pa lang ako noon na sumubok magsulat ng dula. Kutob-kutob lang," Deldoc tells Esquire Philippines in an online exchange.
"Dahil kumpleto rekados naman na ang nobela, sinubukan ko lang isalin sa tanghalan ang mga eksena at prosa ni Ricky Lee. Habang nagsusulat, iniimagine ko kung paano ito magre-register at magpo-flow sa stage. Malaking tulong na may karanasan din ako sa pagiging aktor. Ang challenge pa nga ay kung aling mga detalye at tagpo ang hindi na isasama sa adaptation. Pakiramdaman lang. Malaki rin ang ambag sa pagkinis ng script ng direktor na si Ron Binas at ng mga estudyanteng umarte sa dula. Kumbaga, sabay-sabay naming tinuklas kung paano nga ba ang pinakaakmang paraan para makatayo ang materyal bilang dula. Nung nanood si Sir Ricky, sabi niya sa autograph niya sa akin: 'You did a difficult job. Congratulations.'"
By 2013, two years after he wrote Para Kay B for the stage, Deldoc had started getting his one-act plays staged at the annual Virgin Labfest at the Cultural Center of the Philippines. He became a VLF regular, with his works (whether new or revisited) produced yearly from 2013 to 2018, then again in 2022.
In 2017, Deldoc joined Batch 15 of the Ricky Lee Scriptwriting Workshop, a free writing clinic that Lee started in 1982 and has produced the likes of Lav Diaz, Jeffrey Jeturian, Jerry Sineneng, Vincent de Jesus, and Leo Abaya. The workshop resumed after a 14-year hiatus, with the first three batches since its return selected from thousands of applicants.
It is the same year that Deldoc revised Para Kay B's adaptation. "Sa encouragement ni Sir Ricky, kinumpleto ko na ang adaptation ng buong nobela. Itong version na ito ang paglalaruan para sa bagong staging for March."
2025 Staging by L.A ProdHouse
"Para Kay B is one of those novels that will haunt you for years after reading it. So, no brainer for me to say 'yes' to Eljay when I reached out to him for materials and he presented it to me. I’m also looking for a material that speaks to a specific generation but can also be timeless," Director Yong Tapang tells Esquire Philippines.
News about the upcoming staging spread on social media after L.A ProdHouse posted about it on their Facebook page on Monday, October 28. This is their first venture into theatrical staging, making it an exciting but also a nerve-wracking debut.
Teaser of 'Para Kay B'
"I'm excited, but at the same time, there’s a lot of pressure right now (at least from my end) because I feel like all eyes are on us, especially the fans of the book and Sir Ricky Lee. But with the interest shown and expressed by peers and audience alike since we announced it is giving me a different kind of rush, I haven't had a good sleep! But I am humbled, especially with the blessings and words of encouragement from both Sir Ricky Lee and Eljay Deldoc, who are stalwarts in the industry. Truly honored," Tapang adds.
Deldoc, through his FB Page 'Works of Eljay Castro Deldoc,' also put it out online and has since earned more than 300 shares.
"Excited ako para sa mga dati na at bagong fans ng libro. Twenty years na ang novel. More than a decade na ang original script. So parang 'Ito na nga siguro 'yon." Matagal-tagal akong naghintay ng mga taong susugal sa script (commercially). Finally meron na. Pero after ilabas ng teaser, nag-creep in na 'yung bahagyang pressure na 'Totoo nga na maraming nakaabang.' Pero sa ngayon kalma. Nakasandal ako sa basbas at tiwala ni Sir Ricky sa nabuo at mabubuong material," Deldoc says.
With around four months left before curtains up, preparations for Para Kay B are well underway. Calls for auditions will be posted soon through the playwright's and director's online channels.
Para Kay B runs in March 2025. Information on tickets and venues has yet to be announced. Follow Works of Eljay Castro Deldoc and L.A Prodhouse on Facebook for updates.
