In celebration of the UP Centennial, the College of Arts and Letters (CAL), in cooperation with the Office of the UP Diliman (UPD) Chancellor and the UPD Office of Initiatives for Culture and the Arts (OICA), will present during the whole month of February the first-ever Komedya Fiesta.

The komedya is a colorful theatrical tradition whose plot revolves around the social, political, and religious conflicts between the Muslims and Christian heroes. It is usually presented in festivals with the patronage of the community. This theater form has its origins in the theatrical traditions of Spain and Mexico in the 16th to 18th centuries.

Komedya performances will be the principal activity of Komedya Fiesta 2008. They will be held every Friday at 6 p.m. at the UP Amphitheater. The fiesta will also feature an international conference on February 27, 28, and 29; an exhibit opening on February 8; and a colloquium on February 27. These will provide scholars, cultural researchers, artists, and production teams a venue for sharing ideas.

The international conference and workshop will consist of a three-day presentation of academic papers on the different aspects of komedya productions in the Philippines and in some parts of the world. Scholars Nicanor G. Tiongson and Resil B. Mojares will be keynote speakers.

The colloquium will be a half-day discussion among all comediantes, production teams, and accompanists, and will focus on the strengths and weaknesses of the groups and their recommendations for the future of komedya in the Philippines. The colloquium hopes to establish a network of komedya groups in the country.

According to the organizers, the existence of active komedya groups in a number of regions in the Philippines warrants an intensified effort to create awareness and increase the understanding of and appreciation for the komedya. Known by various names in Batanes, Ilocos, Pangasinan, Pampanga, Nueva Ecija, Baler, Bulacan, Panay, Cebu, Leyte, Iligan, Samar, Iloilo, and in Southern Tagalog, komedya however has a limited following. It is said to be a fully developed traditional theater genre that dominated Philippine theater for more than 300 years.

Scholars note that after substantial studies conducted in the early 1980s, little has been done to promote komedya understanding and appreciation on a national level. The festival seeks to celebrate the komedya as a significant legacy in the continuing history of the Philippine theater and the effort, talent, and creativity that have been manifested by komedya groups all over the country.

The fiesta will start with a parade of all komedya players along UP’s major streets on the afternoon of February 1. They will be accompanied by marching bands; marching bands have historically played important roles in komedya performance. A special concert of marching bands from Metro Manila and nearby provinces will be held every Friday of the month at Quezon Hall. One of the attractions of the celebration is the display of “the best of Philippine fiesta booths” that will be curated as one big exhibit.

Every afternoon of each komedya day, visitors especially the youth will be educated and entertained by special shows like puppet performances, story-telling, and komedya excerpts mounted on kubols. Others may join the fun and win prizes by participating in traditional games such as palo sebo, tsakad, pabitin, and agawan ng buko. The perya will also feature jugglers, stilt walkers, higantes, magic shows, and many others.

Participating komedya groups include Komedya ng San Dionisio and Komedya ng Don Galo of Parañaque; Comedia de Baler of Baler, Aurora; the Hiraya Theater Company of Antique; Komedya of San Miguel, Iligan; and Dulaang UP.

From the UP Newsletter website