UNIVERSITY-WIDE multimedia organization Mediartrix-UST is set to stage its live band musical, “Kable-Kable,” a steampunk-themed dystopian production premiering on Feb. 11 at the Albertus Magnus Auditorium.
Set in the near-pitch-black world of Silawan, the story follows the journey of a knight tasked with protecting the city’s remaining source of light — the “Glare” — against the shadows lurking in the dark.
Together with a firefly, which in the production is a slave subjected to discrimination, the guardian of the Glare will embark on a journey of restoring the light that once shone through Silawan.
The musical will feature 10 original songs — four of which will be performed by a live band.
Enrico Byron, who directed “Kable-Kable” alongside Jeri Ramos, said the musical would showcase complex themes and production as Mediartrix seeks to live up to its motto this season, “MDXpansion.”
“This is the first story we made that’s very heavy on world-building,” Byron told the Varsitarian in a mix of Filipino and English. “We built every lore, and we even have a lore book for this.”
Adding to the complexities of the play is its protagonist, Eli, whom Byron describes as “morally gray.”
Fifth-year architecture student Alexander Samonte and psychology sophomore Liara Turano wrote “Kable-Kable,” injecting sociopolitical and colonization undercurrents in the dystopian production.
Samonte said the musical’s title and concept were inspired by the chaotic tangle of wires typically stretched above the streets in the metropolis, which he saw as a reflection of the troubles society faces.
“I wanted to be critical because we have a lot of social issues right now. And I wanted to emphasize that although we face our own problems, that doesn’t mean that our actions won’t have repercussions on one another,” he said in a mix of Filipino and English.
“I want people to look at problems not in black and white because there are a lot of factors to it,” he added.
Turano said the musical would also touch on the aspect of power struggle.
“We want to show people that there are a lot of people in power who are selfish to the point that they don’t care about those under them as long as they benefit from the system,” she said.
“Kable-Kable” is open to Thomasian and non-Thomasian audiences.
Ticket prices are set at P350 for regular viewers, P300 for UST alumni, and P900 for a trio bundle. E-tickets are also available until supplies last, offered at an early bird rate of P250 only for 10 a.m. shows.
The production will run for 11 shows on Feb. 11, 12 and 15:
- Feb. 11 (10 a.m., 1 p.m, 4 p.m., 7 p.m.)
- Feb. 12 (10 a.m., 2 p.m., 5 p.m.)
- Feb. 15 (10 a.m., 1 p.m., 3:30 p.m., 6:30 p.m.) with reports from Marielle F. Pesa