Uncovering the Untold: Pat Valera reimagines Gabriela Silang’s legacy

History is more than a collection of dates and events. It is also shaped by the stories we choose to remember, the voices we recognize and the perspectives that often go overlooked.

For playwright Pat Valera, revisiting the past means questioning these narratives and finding ways to make them relevant to audiences today.

As president of Barefoot Theatre Collaborative and writer of Gabriela: The Musical, Valera brings together his interests in writing, directing, dramaturgy and producing to revisit the life and legacy of Gabriela Silang.

In an interview on DAILY TRIBUNE’s Pairfect, Valera shared that wearing several hats in theater comes from both curiosity and necessity. Beyond exploring different aspects of the craft, he explained that artists in the Philippines must also understand the business and production side of their work to create the conditions for their projects to survive and thrive.

His creative process, however, is far from straightforward. Valera describes writing as “an exercise in doubt,” involving constant editing, rewriting and reconsideration. For Gabriela, he has gone through more than 20 drafts, incorporating feedback from actors, mentors and collaborators.

He also recognizes the importance of having people who can challenge his work, including his dramaturg and best friend, Katte Sabate. For Valera, an idea may sound compelling on paper but still need to be removed if it does not work onstage.

That same willingness to question and reconsider shapes his approach to Gabriela. Rather than simply recounting dates and historical events, he wants audiences to experience the story as a dramatic journey.

Valera believes Filipinos are interested in history, contrary to the common notion that they are not. He suggested that some may simply not have had opportunities to encounter history through engaging storytelling. Theater, with its combination of drama and music, can bring audiences closer to a particular period and encourage them to understand its relevance to the present.

In revisiting Gabriela Silang, Valera seeks to go beyond the familiar image of a Filipina revolutionary. He pointed out that Gabriela is often mistakenly associated with the Katipunan, although her revolt took place from 1762 to 1763, more than a century before the movement. He also highlighted her Itneg, or Tinguian, heritage and her ability to gather thousands of indigenous Itneg forces.

These details open broader questions about how history remembers women and indigenous communities. For Valera, the musical also challenges audiences to reconsider who is represented in the country’s historical narratives — and who gets to belong in the continuing construction of the Filipino nation.

The production’s creative direction draws from ideas of myth, magic and mystery. Valera explained that his research included primary sources, accounts of miracles, prayers, rituals and oral chants from Northern Luzon. These elements inform the musical’s exploration of faith, which he described as an important source of conflict in Gabriela’s time.

The creative process also involved an immersion trip to Ilocos and Abra, allowing the team to explore the different cultural contexts connected to Gabriela’s story. Valera said the collaboration among the playwright, musical director, dramaturg, director and other artists was closely intertwined, ensuring that the music, movement and visual elements followed a shared vision.

For Valera, the story is also deeply personal. He shared that his own Itneg heritage was once a source of shame while he was growing up but eventually became something he learned to reclaim. Through Gabriela, he hopes to recognize the contributions of indigenous communities and encourage audiences to look beyond the surface of cultural traditions.

Ultimately, Valera wants viewers to leave with a renewed understanding of a historical figure they may think they already know. By bringing overlooked stories and perspectives to the stage, he hopes Gabriela: The Musical will inspire conversations about history, identity, faith, and the kind of leaders and heroes the country continues to need.