Iconic puppet play, ‘Papet Pasyon,’ comes home to CCP

Iconic puppet play, ‘Papet Pasyon,’ comes home to CCP | Daily Tribune

The Cultural Center of the Philippines (CCP) and Teatrong Mulat ng Pilipinas will stage Papet Pasyon 2025, at the Tanghalang Ignacio Gimenez on 6 April with two performances at 2:30 p.m. and 6 p.m.

Written by National Artist for theater Amelia Lapeña-Bonifacio, Papet Pasyon 2025 tells the important moments in the life of Jesus Christ. It begins with Jesus’ entry to Jerusalem, and depicts His outburst at the temple, His miracles, His agony in the garden at Gethsemane, His final supper with His twelve disciples, Judas’ betrayal, and His passion, death and resurrection. A young boy who received a miracle from Jesus acts as the storyteller in this play based on Biblical passages and Filipino tradition during Holy Week.

This puppet play is a celebration of Filipino traditions and heritage. Papet Pasyon is an adaptation of a senakulo, a folk theatrical retelling of the passion, death, and resurrection of Jesus Christ. It features wooden puppets, carved by master woodcarvers of the woodcarving town of Paete in Laguna.

Teatrong Mulat, which aims to promote Philippine and Asian stories and cultures through puppetry, continues the panata initiated by Lapeña-Bonifacio in 1985. First staged at the CCP, Papet Pasyon has been performed annually in various venues such as churches, schools, and other performing spaces in Metro Manila and Bulacan until it found its permanent home at the Amelia Lapeña-Bonifacio Teatro Papet Museo in Teacher’s Village, Quezon City in 2006.

During the lockdowns because of the coronavirus pandemic in 2021 and 2022, Teatrong Mulat produced two productions, which were live-streamed on the official Facebook page of Teatrong Mulat. In 2023, Papet Pasyon was staged at the rehabilitated Manila Metropolitan Theater.

Marking the play’s 40th anniversary, Papet Pasyon 2025 returns to where it all began — at the CCP — involving both seasoned and new generations of Mulateers (as the Mulat Theater puppeteers are fondly called) to continue their decades-long panata each Lenten season.

Directed by Teatrong Mulat artistic director, Amihan Bonifacio-Ramolete, Papet Pasyon 2025 has undergone numerous updates over the years from the length of the texts and the wooden rod puppets to the incorporation of shadow-play elements and voice-over recordings. Each addition helped the play stand the test of time.

Amid its constant evolution, Papet Pasyon 2025 has remained steadfast in its original vision since its debut 40 years ago: To present the senakulo through the art of puppetry and to bring the passion of Jesus Christ closer to new and younger generations of audiences.

The puppet play features an ensemble of puppeteers, comprised of Bonifacio-Ramolete, Raymund Ramolete, Roel Ramolete, siglo, Arvy Dimaculangan, Shenn Apilado, Khen Del Prado, Nour Hooshmand, Mina Camacho, Janno Castillo, Hazelle Catena, Ayeesha Cuerpo, Anna Dalet, Ravelyn Dar Juan, Vinzar Rubi, Harvey Sallador and V Soriano.

Sharing their vocal talents to bring to life the different biblical characters are Esteban Mara Fulay Jr., Greg de Leon, Jessamae Gabon, Carlito Camahalan Amalla, Pau Benitez, Fitz Edward Torres Bitana, Darwin Desoacido, Kenneth del Prado, Jules dela Paz, Arvy Flores Dimaculangan, Rej Duka, Marynor Madamesila, Christelle Manuel, Jessette Gonzales Namin, Marvin Olaes, Vincent Kevin Pajara, Aina Ramolete, Katte Sabate, Gabo Tolentino and Jamee Stevana Vega.

The artistic and production team of Papet Pasyon 2025 includes music director Rodolfo de Leon, puppet designers Bernadette Solina-Wolf, Maurice Carvajal, Joji Pamintuan, Carol Castro, Romerico Romero and Carlito Amalla, puppet sculptors Paloy Cagayat and Jeriel Madrigal, set designer Ohm David, costume designer Darwin Desoacido, shadow-play designer Siglo, sound designer and editor Arvy Dimaculangan, audio engineer Jessamae Gabon, light designer and technical director Satya Edilo, video designer/editor Steven Tansiongco, poster designer and assistant stage manager V Soriano, stage manager Shania Lee Cuerpo, production manager Janno Castillo, and production assistant Malvin Abadinas.

Papet Pasyon 2025 is free to the public.