Preference for foreign musicals remains contentious
ISAY AND DULCE. Call for viewers, sponsors and show buyers’ support.
MANILA, Philippines – Ever since we wrote a few months ago against the dominance of foreign musicals and concert artists in Philippine entertainment, we have received all sorts of reactions, some in support of our notes against our cultural “colonial mentality,” and others accusing us of being “anti-global” and promoting “kneejerk nationalism.”
Frankly, we welcome any and all comments, as long as they aren’t vicious and virulent, because they at least indicate that more people are thinking about this huge problem, instead of merely sweeping it under the rug and going on with “colonial” business as usual.
Only by continuing to discuss this issue can we begin to address and remedy it, so that Filipino creative artists will get more of the support and financial boost they need to “write our own stories, and sing our own songs.”
Discussion
We must admit, however, that we are saddened by the lack of involvement in this discussion of a considerable number of our theater people. Obviously, they don’t see the situation as a problem, and are quite happy to be performing in western musicals. In fact, some of them may feel quite sophisticated and “global” as they affect American or British accents and lend their voices to foreign characters and songs.
The most avid advocates of foreign productions mounted here may even believe that Filipino musicals just “aren’t good enough” when compared to their more famous western counterparts.
But, we’ve been greatly heartened to see that, of late, more of our theater artists are starting to question our general bias for western shows, and against Filipino works.
At recent auditions for a Filipino production, we noted that quite a number of the auditionees were mestizos who regularly appear in western works, but now wanted to be a part of an Original Filipino Musical.
Attention
Most recently, acclaimed actress-singers, Isay Alvarez and Dulce, were shown on a popular TV newscast calling for sponsors, show buyers and the theatergoing public to support the revival staging of “Katy!” at the CCP. They didn’t inveigh against foreign musicals, but pointed out that our own shows deserve at least as much attention and support as foreign works, because they’re ours.
By the way, that was what we proposed when we first wrote about this contentious issue some months ago: The transition to favoring local musicals shouldn’t happen overnight—for starters, the rule should be: If you watch one foreign musical, you should watch one Filipino show—50-50. This is the Philippines, after all, not Broadway st., Cubao, QC.
Eventually, of course, we hope that the percentage can go up to 70 in favor of Filipino musicals, and 30 for “Broadway.” At present, the situation is quite the opposite—70-30 in favor of “Broadway,” and that simply shouldn’t stay the way it is.
Beyond percentages, there are the negative repercussions of our artists and viewers preferring “imported” to “local”—not just in the theater, but in all aspects of life in this country.
We cannot continue to regard ourselves as second-rate citizens in our own land! We hope that, more and more, our theater artists will help lead the way out of this dead-end street, and that the “beast” of Broadway can be cut down to size—for keeps.
