Thus the blog name Lolo Bastruk

My joining in YATTA was God's plan. I have watched several shows of the group but I was not interested in joining them. First, I thought, I already had my good theater days and those were enough. Community theater back then was really fun, but I didn't think I can make a career out of it. "This is Dumaguete City. If corporate people have to double their efforts just to survive in this city, how much more the people in the arts?" That was me and my skeptical mind.

My friend Ranran who was playing banduria for the group kept on convincing me to join them because he thought I would really like it there, but I never took his invitation seriously. I'm done with theater... I thought.
Until one day, I received text messages from Ranran and Pia, who happens to be with the group too, informing me that YATTA is in need of an actor to play an important role because the actor who originally played the role was not available. And then they called me on the phone, and later I was speaking with Dessa Quesada-Palm, the group's director. I was in a state of shock. I knew Ms. Dessa (now I call nanay Dessa) as a big star: a senior member of the Philippine Educational Theater Association (PETA). I am a fan of PETA ever since the day I knew theater. I can't believe it's Ms. Dessa who I was speaking with on the phone, asking if I can meet her to talk about the musical play. How could I say no?

To make the story short, I met with her the next day. She gave me the script, discussed with me the musical play, and I just found my self saying "yes, I'll be in the rehearsal tonight". The play was "Kikay Kalaykay" and I was going to play the role of "Lolo Bastruk".

Lolo Bastruk is the grandfather of Kikay - a scavenger who courageously dreamed of finishing her studies through hard work and perseverance. Lolo Bastruk was her support giver and adviser. He gives her the necessary guidance in order to fulfill all her dreams.

Anyway, the rehearsals turned out to be really fun, and true enough, I liked it being in the group. Ranran was right.

The group has performed Kikay Kalaykay for numerous times already, and I can't remember how many times I have played the role of Lolo Bastruk. As I've said in the previous blog post, it was not easy at first to play such role because I didn't have a clear image of a grandfather, but it turned out to be fun later on.

Lolo Bastruk is an old man who shares a lot of beautiful stories and gives a lot of important advices. He is so full of wisdom that everyone listens to him and ponders upon his words. How I wish I can be like Lolo Bastruk especially now that I am playing a very important role of being the president of YATTA.

                     Lolo Bastruk with daughter, Nang Karya




    Lolo Bastruk with Nang Karya and Kikay