It was a triumphant celebration of the 50th anniversary of the Sining Kambayoka Ensemble (SKE), the resident theater company of the Mindanao State University (MSU) Marawi City with performances of three of its landmark plays — Pilandok, Sulambi and Si Nonoy at Si Inday — at the Cultural Center of the Philippines’ (CCP) Tanghalang Ignacio Gimenez on 25 and 26 September, and in two outreach shows at the National Police College in Silang, Cavite, on 27 September and at the Colegio Monterei de Pila in Laguna on 28 September.
The program also featured two theater groups trained by former SKE artists-directors, the Sumindaw Performing Arts of Zamboanga del Sur and Sining Sarangan Ensemble of General Santos City.
“We truly enjoyed the performance. It was so engaging, so vibrant, so entertaining! Bravo to the whole cast and a huge congratulations! So glad I didn’t miss this. Looking forward to more productions like this,” said Cathy Lee Roslovtsev, a ballerina formerly with Philippine Ballet Theater.
“Si Nonoy at Si Inday offered a thought-provoking and contemporary look at a Filipino ethnic society. It is also a testament to the power of Filipino storytelling. The play’s combination of humor, drama, and social commentary created a truly engaging and memorable experience,” said Mervyn Parangan Bana, a cultural worker from Pagadian City, Zamboanga del Sur.
“But the true ‘crescendo’ of the day was an unforgettable performance, one that stirred my soul and left a lasting imprint forever etched in my heart. Mabuhay kayo SKE! I was completely captivated by the Sining Kambayoka Ensemble’s breathtaking musical presentation of Pilandok…It was a masterpiece, entertaining, innovative and filled with exceptional production value at every turn,” said Rosalie Zarate, and arts and culture influencer.
“Can’t contain my tears, emotions...happiness while watching Pilandok… Can’t help but recollect and reminisce our time. Congratulations to the awesome and beautiful performance of the current members of the MSU Sining Kambayoka Ensemble! Kudos to artistic director Pepito Sumayan,” enthused SKE alumna Debbie Nacalaban, who now lives in New York.
“Sulambi is a unique story among many plays. Beautiful Subanen culture. it’s our first time to see their unique traditions,” a high school student from Quezon City said.
“I learned from Pilandok that a wise man may work hard for everything he desires, but when he reaches the end of his life, he realizes he no longer needs what he once thought was important,” said Noa Reyes, Grade 2, Colegio Monterei de Pila.
“The Philippines has a diverse culture and tradition. I am glad to witness an art form made by our brothers and sisters from Mindanao. It was a wonderful experience and an enlightening one,” said Joshua Panggat, Grade 12, Colegio Monterei de Pila.
According to Aljon Divinigracia, artistic director of Tayaw Troupe of Colegio Monterei de Pila, “the visuals are fascinating, and the characters’ lines are thought-provoking. The music is pleasing to the ears and the storytelling is brilliant.”
A Gawad CCP Para sa Sining and CCP Kaisa sa Sining Gador awardee, SKE has influenced the state of theater in Mindanao, promoting the stories of the Meranaw, the indigenous people living around Lake Lanao, one of the country’s deepest and coolest lakes, and its surrounding areas. Its name coming from “bayok,” it is known for the kambayoka theater, a form based on the Meranaw traditional performing arts where two versifiers act out the story.
Since its inception, SKE has strived to promote awareness, appreciation, understanding, safeguarding, and propagation of the bayok. Holding the distinction of being the only theater company that has improvised and popularized its own theater form, SKE has mounted and restaged quality theater productions on Mindanao peoples and cultures.
Like many groups in the creative sector, SKE has faced its own challenges and needs to keep up with the changing times of modern technology and social media. Committed to sustaining the group and its mission, SKE continues to mount and tour original productions, receive opportunities through grants, and engage in cultural exchanges. For the past five decades, the Mindanaoan theater group has received numerous recognitions and awards.
SKE founding artistic-executive director Frank G. Rivera noted: “The Sining Kambayoka made Philippine Theatre view ‘regional theater’ as a force to rediscover what true Philippine Theatre has at its core: its own theatre form; that Philippine Theatre is original in form and content. SKE must continue to harness what is our own not only to inspire young artists but to make them move to action and truly make culture and the arts essential ingredients in nation-building. Hindi basta artist na magaling mag-entertain, kungdi artist na may pakinabang (Not just an artist who is good at entertaining, but an artist with a purpose).”
SKE adviser-consultant Cecile B. Mambuay shared: “The SKE is poised to thrive in Mindanao’s arts scene with their innovative kambayoka theater form. They may become a beacon of creativity and inspiration, expanding their unique style of performance and showcasing the rich cultural heritage of the region. Plans include creating opportunities for artists to grow and establishing a training center for budding artists to explore the kambayoka theater form further.”
The 50-year journey was not easy, but one thing is certain — SKE and its community are proud of the impact the theater company has made not only in Philippine theater and arts but, more significantly, in how it has positively changed the awareness, understanding, and appreciation of Mindanao culture, traditions, and creative expressions, particularly those of Muslim, Meranaw, and other indigenous peoples among the Filipino and international communities.
The SKE 50th Anniversary outreach tour is presented by the CCP in partnership with the Kambayoka Center for Culture and Arts Development Inc., and organized by the CCP Cultural Exchange Department and the SKE 50th anniversary technical working committee with support from the National Police College, Colegio Monterei de Pila, SKE alumni, patrons and friends.