Said no one from GENDERS A55, ever: “I hate Mondays and Wednesdays at 8 AM."
Who would have thought our class will develop this special bond all thanks to our play Luntiang Tadhana?
Before that, let me reveal to you something. During the online enrollment for the second term way back in August, I almost changed sections. I was not excited over the fact I will have a seven-hour break from 9:30 to 4:10 since many of the classes I wanted were already closed. Then there was this newly-opened GENDERS section which accommodated my desired time of 1120-1250 so I begged Monzie to switch classes with me. Unfortunately she gently declined my request so I stuck to my original schedule. I was dreadful at first. But as Monzie said, "Everything happens for a reason.”
You know what? Three months later, I can proudly say I have no regrets in sticking to my original GENDERS section. In fact, so far this will go down as my favorite class in college not only because of the subject but also I got to connect with lots of marvelous people. The initial weeks were stressful due to the piles of readings we had to accomplish within two to seven days. As the weeks went by, the mood changed from tension to hysteria in the air ever since Sir Canoy gave us this challenging task to produce a final project as a class.
One October morning, our class was divided between a play and a movie for the final project. After some serious brainstorming, the play was chosen via unanimous vote from the whole class. Then came all the casting calls, backstage role assignments, and the scriptwriting to be utilized in the production. We thought it was an unattainable task at first, but with unity we realized that everything indeed is possible.
After weeks of day and night rehearsals, shootings on Fridays, an influx of announcements via text and FB, storyline switcheroos, jamming sessions, and stolen shots, Luntiang Tadhana was, without a doubt, a tremendous success! Everyone was able to do their jobs well especially the characters who got over with the audience. As a remembrance of being part of this college milestone called GENDERS A55, we all huddled together for our class picture - something I did not have since the one with LR23 last year. I may be with those people only for GENDERS class but it does not mean I cannot reach out to them. The number of people I know in college further expanded thanks to them as I became more open and interactive throughout the sessions. Just this past term, my friends asked me if I had made any new friends three weeks into the new school year. Alas for me I could not answer her because not a lot were open in building new friendships at the time. The tide turned soon enough now that I can count more than two new friends I’ve made most especially those I’ve met in GENDERS.
In conclusion, GENDERS A55 made me feel like I’m part of a legitimate college block / high school section again. Suddenly in thirteen weeks I got the IV-3 and LR23 aura once more. To Sir Canoy and the rest of the section, thank you very much for being a huge chunk of my college life! I hope I can be classmates with any of you again >:D<
Some of the memorable lines in class:
- Originally I was supposed to play Jamie’s part in the play but because of my backstage roles I took a supporting role instead. Anyways during the first rehearsal it went on like this:
Me (to Enzo): Are you the team captain of Los Angeles Losers (Lakers spoof)? Congratulations for winning the college championship against Orlando Tragic! (then again, another spoof of Orlando Magic)
Enzo: Thanks! Correction: I was the team captain of De La Salle Fuschia Flowers!
To this day, Migo the scriptwriter remembers me as the girl “who spoofed the LA Clippers”.
On online enrollment day / shooting for trailer, we were sitting in the LS lounge when Russ told us about this particular person.
Russ: Strict parents nya.
Migo: Bakit naman?
Russ: Kasi Chinese eh.
Migo: Ang racist!
- The agony we endured in casting the homosexual guy wherein Arvin eventually accepted the role after begging him to do so
- Sir Canoy and the class’ happy and sad stories
- “Naku sobrang excited na ako sa A Beautiful Affair!” - Sir Canoy
- “Ang Breaking Dawn, pambading lang yon!” - Enzo
- “I am 150 years old, a genius, and a direct relative of Mang Tomas.” - Maria
- Upon learning what he’s going to do in the locker room scene: “I don’t want everyone to see my beer belly!” - Bryant
- Monzie and I’s Trip to Jerusalem game vs. the CLA office to secure the William Shaw Little Theatre as our venue
- During one of our rehearsals: “Alam mo bakit favorite scene ko yong nasa ospital si Arvin, Enzo at Eddie? Kasi gusto ko silang mag-kiss!” - Francis
- Usher’s Yeah. Enough said.
- Monzie and Czar’s Oscar-winning directing!
- Francis and Val’s random dancing
- Watching the trailer over a hundred times before and after the play </3
- All those kwentuhan moments and laughtrips during play rehearsals!
Wanna see how much fun we had during the actual presentation of Luntiang Tadhana? Photos after the jump!
Luntiang Tadhana
Luntiang Tadhana is brought to you by GENDERS A55! We would like to thank our sponsors…
Eddie’s Bar sign. At the back is the one for Fifty Shades of Gay. Sadly no photo of it available :(
Meet Enzo and Jamie, the heterosexual couple in the play who meet, dance in the prom, get together, break up, and get back together again! Don’t they have great chemistry together?
A still from one of the highly-anticipated scenes in the play, the fight scene at Eddie’s Bar. Things heat up when Arvin (Enzo’s gay best friend) is accused of stealing Jamie away from Enzo which sparks a brawl between them and Enzo’s friends. After that, Jamie calls it quits and Enzo chases her. I would never forget the part when everyone ran off and one of the friends throws his shoe onstage =))
Eddie’s Bar!
Arvin gets depressed after coming out to his classmates and he goes to Eddie (the bartender, played by Jobo) to seek comfort. The advice does not seem to help Arvin so he attempts suicide by drinking something hazardous…wait a minute, isn’t it…
“BAYGON?” - Eddie
We turn to the hospital scene, Eddie tells Enzo about what happened, Enzo goes ballistic over Arvin and the Baygon, and…let’s say everyone lived happily ever after at the end!
Demi just admitted to her mom and Eddie that she’s bisexual. Eddie then exposes his deepest unknown secret - his real name is Jobo! (Laughs from the audience)
Enzo and friends talking about Arvin entering Fifty Shades of Gay bar and having this encounter with a particular gay dancer. This was shot right before Arvin came out of the closet.
Nikos as the PE professor in a bowtie! He tells everyone to check him out at his sideline job which tells us a huge surprise…
His sideline job is being Adonis, a gay dancer at Fifty Shades of Gay bar! Arvin gets enchanted with the dancer until he sees his PE professor wooing him! This scene along with the now-infamous locker room scene has erupted the loudest cheers and laughter from the audience.
Most unforgettable line: “Anakan mo ako Adonis! Sampal-sampalin mo ako!” - Val (seen at the back of the above photo)
I played a student with no PE uniform in this scene LOL. We start to suspect Arvin’s gay when he sways his hips like Shakira during an exercise routine. Here are the guys asking him if he’s an Aphrodite rather than a Narcissus.
Demi and Presh performing a Maroon 5 medley we all sang along with! A few minutes later, Presh switches roles from singer to Demi’s mom. Props to both of them for pulling this one and the mother-daughter scene off!
Bryant and Demi aka everyone’s favorite couple in the play! Bryant falls head over heels for Demi the moment they meet in PE class, so while introducing themselves there he proclaims he loves girls in bands. While in the locker room Bryant tells Arvin all he sees in the stars is Demi, Demi, Demi (he said it literally) that he starts watching all her gigs. Demi does not reciprocate Bryant’s feelings for her at first, but in the end they start to hang out together.
Forever favorite block picture! <3
Special thanks to Isa for the photos during the play! Other photos will be posted in my next post :)
