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Students to stage Legends of the Marianas
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Posted on May 10 1999
Senior high school students from the Mount Carmel School will stage the play entitled as “Legends of the Marianas” using their own story line, script and direction.
As this group of students explored the challenges of story writing, scrip writing and directing, the subject is close to home.
It tells three stories culled from anecdotes, gossips and revelations from the Chamorro community.
According to play producer and school teacher Galvin deleon Guerrero, the play will run three stories. One will deal with a romantic theme via the White Lady, while the spirit of a boy will tackle fantasy, and a tragic story for the folklore about the origin of the coconut.
“We always added the local flavor to almost every single play we have done before. But this play is Chamorro to the core,” he told Saipan Tribune.
The play is a product of a Christmas break research assigned to senior students. Last December, the class was asked to gather local stories from relatives and friends.
Fifty-one different stories were submitted by January. Students were then asked to document their stories through research. Likewise, the class was broken into groups and took the task of narrating the research document into a story.
Guerrero then picked the best three legends and named the two student-directors, Mark Cabaltica and Jackie San Nicolas, who have worked with him in the past, to take the director’s chair. Another senior Jessica Kisa, also took the challenge.
The two-hour presentation will feature both ancient and modern versions of those tales. The famous Chamorita course will be staged in between to provide some narration.
Although, the entire play will be in English, some Chamorro words will be heard.
Now working only as a producer, Guerrero gives his students a passing mark.
“I think they have done a real good job. It’s been hard for them but I wanted them to go through the stress on their own,” he said.
The Legends of the Marianas will be staged on May 13 to 15 at the Multi-purpose in Susupe.
