Take flight with the Filipino ‘Little Prince’
Prinsipe Bahaghari is the Filipino puppetry adaptation of the well-loved modern classic The Little Prince by Antoine de Saint-Exupéry
Daily TribunePrinsipe Bahaghari is the Filipino puppetry adaptation of the well-loved modern classic The Little Prince by Antoine de Saint-Exupéry
After being recognized as one of the Best of Filipino Theaters in 2023, Teatrong Mulat ng Pilipinas' Prinsipe Bahaghari is set to land at the Power Mac Center Spotlight Blackbox Theater, Circuit Makati, from 19 to 21 and 26 to 28 January.
Prinsipe Bahaghari is the Filipino puppetry adaptation of the well-loved modern classic The Little Prince by Antoine de Saint-Exupéry. The puppet play revolves around the journey of the Rainbow Prince in search of a companion who would help him care for his flower, the Gumamela, and keep her safe on his home planet. During his quest, he meets several extraordinary characters and makes a friend, the Storyteller, with whom he shares his joys and hardships. Prinsipe Bahaghari's encounters ultimately led to his realization of what his relationship with the flower meant to him.
This adaptation celebrates Filipino culture, folklore, myths and language to make the play accessible, especially to children. The puppets are made from rattan while local materials were also used in production.
"The use of the Filipino language and stories are drawn from the experiences of our people to narrate the magic and challenges of growing up, of the many ways of taking care of this world, of faith in different forms of love within and beyond the reach of the physical senses," shared playwright Vladimeir Gonzales.
The production has received recognition and noteworthy reviews since its first iteration as a thesis project by director Aina Ramolete. It first premiered in November 2023 at the Amelia Lapeña-Bonifacio Teatro Papet Museo. It was also featured during the 14th Annual Meeting and International Conference of the Asian Theatre Working Group in March 2022 in Quezon City, and at the Puppet Power 2022: Celebration! in May 2022 in Calgary, Canada.
The production was also one of the six finalists from across the globe in The Red Curtain International's Good Theatre Festival for Young Audiences held on 24 and 25 September 2022, in India, where the play was recognized by the international jury and received Best Direction (Joint Winner) for Ramolete, Best Production, Best Production Design and an honorable mention for Best Script for Gonzales.
The artistic and production teams behind this magical production include Gonzales (playwright), Ramolete (director, illustrator and overall production designer), Amihan Bonifacio-Ramolete (producer and assistant director), Steven Tansiongco (graphics and video designer), Ohm David (set designer), Arvy Dimaculangan (music and sound designer), Jessamae Gabon (music composer), Darwin Desoacido (costume designer), Gabo Tolentino (lights designer), Sig Pecho (additional shadow puppet designer), Clariz Caingat (character illustrator), Shenn Apilado (technical director), Shania Lee Cuerpo (stage manager) and Joshua Ceasar Chan (production manager).
Prinsipe Bahaghari shows on 19, 20, 26 and 27 January at 7:38 p.m., with matinee shows on 21 and 28 January at 3:38 p.m., at the Power Mac Center Spotlight Black Box Theater, Circuit Makati, Makati City. Tickets are available at https://ticket2me.net/event/21496. It will also go to Palawan on 23 February, as part of the outreach program of the Cultural Center of the Philippines. For inquiries, partnerships and collaborations, email mulat45yrs@gmail.com. Follow Teatrong Mulat ng Pilipinas on Facebook and Instagram (@mulatpuppets).
