BACOLOd CITY, Negros Occidental — What started as an advocacy project for a major subject has spilled over to what could be the most spectacular staging ever in the history of Theater Arts in the University of St. La Salle.
The BA Communication class of USLS has always been staging theater plays as part of an academic requirement for its Theater Arts course. Here, students enrolled in the subject get to flex their production and creative muscle by staging a theater play that is open to various audiences.
The quality of their productions have always been various levels of greatness, but Tales Retold: Ang Tatlong Perlas, done by this year’s Theater class under instructor Tanya Lopez. brought the academic requirement to dizzying heights of spectacle and sumptuousness.
Perlas director Mark Andrei “Andy” Castronuevo told DNX the play was created and developed “as a result of an advocacy effort between” him and his then groupmates in a course they took during their Sophomore year. He and his groupmates, including Joy Gayacan, Eunice Denuevo, Trish Canastillo, and Blad Biugos wanted revive the youth’s interest in readership.
“Our research it indicated that there has been a decline since the conceptualization of the internet and other forms of media, thus the advocacy,” he said.
Andy recounted that what soon followed was a year of development and five months of pre-production, gathering a small team of consultants in bringing the world of Ang Tatlong Perlas to reality… or at least on stage.
They tapped the likes of Serafin “Jopy” Plotria for the script to ensure historical accuracy to Filipino history and literature, Don Aventura as their Art and Wardrobe Consultant, Don Aventura for their Production Design and costumes; the music team with Royce Solquillo, Lady Mornacil, Tim Cuansing and Euphonia; and folkdance choreographers John Eric and Marichu Barnuevo for the Singkil folkdance. This under the careful tutelage of their instructor, Tanya Lopez, herself a stalwart on theater.
Andy said he wants to prove something, and that a group of 20 students can spread an advocacy through their sheer weight of their collective talents and gifts, and it can happen with “collaboration, resiliency, and of course, the drive to do what we can to the best of our abilities”
Theater is an art that allows any talent to take center stage, and I hope that Tales: Ang Tatlong Perlas can inspire people to cultivate their talents and use them to spread the love of our history, media, and culture,” he said.
It is all about the desire to tell stories, Andy emphasized. And that desire has led to the staging of the most elaborate academic requirements in the history of BA Communication Theater Arts class.
Ang Tatlong Perlas is currently running now, since 22 October 2025 until today 24 October 2025 at the Gallaga Theater. They have two stagings: 2:30, and 6 pm. Tickets are at P120 for students, and P150 for general admission.
