Weaving hard laughters from USA Stage 1 Company's 'Hard Candy'
The theater like the fresco, is art fitted to its place. And therefore it is above all else the human art, the living art. -- Roman Rolland
Like water poured in a pail, unequal talents unabashedly filled the stage of the University of San Agustin's Auditorium as actors in their old peculiar dignity unveiled the drama, wit, acerbic sense of comical ludicrousness attuned in Stage 1 Company's authentic and improvised play, Hard Candy. The uncanny portrayal of characters as decisive applicants who will do anything to claw their way up the corporate ladder, revolved in the hilariousness of their desperate desire to be employed in Stage 1 Enterprises, leading its way to a series of splendidly ridiculous interviews which the new recruits displayed a repertoire of tricks just to get in. It was a production concept unfamiliar to the performers as it is based in retrospect from the birth of Stage 1 Company, an established campus theater institution of the University of San Agustin. Aiming for a position in a coveted company which the play is all about is an inevitable metaphor for Stage 1 calling for auditions that yielded theater enthusiasts from different departments of the University that deliberately served as a breeding ground for distinguished local actors of our time.
The idea of Hard Candy was originally conceptualized six years ago under the directorial debut of Edison Sicad, a pioneer member elected as the first president of Stage 1 Company. Sadly, after two years of numerous campus performances, Stage 1 came to a halt as members spread their wings and soared, just so the soul contaminated by the theater bug entered the vast drama of the universe to which it served their undying love for art. The decision to relive Hard Candy's ingenuity was not only due to the purpose of reuniting the alumni of Stage 1 Company but primarily to satiate their penchant and prevailing thirst of performing.
Hard Candy is a clever play as it keeps the pace brisk. It defied the stereotype parodies of static presentation of invariable entertainment. Most of the unforgettable bits are built around scintillating jokes and innuendos each actor played with much bravura. The audience and the spectators all became part of the play where all was entertained with one incredibly complex applicant after another, which ranged from underqualified, overqualified, an egoistic matinée idol, a nervous wreck who stripped down to his "Scooby Doo" boxers, a narcissistic dancer, an irritating hip-hop wannabe, a twitching witch, a saliva spitting soldier and his intolerably immature daughter, and the secretary who after decades decided to promote himself to the position all these applicants are aiming for. The result of which is an unending pursuit of eccentricities and visceral comedic weight. The laughter, stemming from the recognition of the joy and skill of each individual's performances is almost non-stop. Despite the immediacy and constraints of time for rehearsal and technical run-through, the production undoubtedly is genial and completely amusing, thanks in large part to a lively cast which evidently was motivated to break the grounds of extraordinary performances.
Distinguished for their craft and passion for theater, the cast are no less than an ensemble of respected individuals which has been involved and actively participated as actors, coordinators, directors, stage managers, dance masters and artistic consultants of various plays and productions locally acclaimed for powerful and well-structured plays they have dominated. Produced by the Divinagracia brothers, Hard Candy includes a powerful cast of actors -- Lou Athony Tan, Nonnah Gracia Villas, Jim de la Cuesta, Rheno Mar Soqueno, Venus Magdayao, Ariel Sogueco, Edison Sicad, Leanne Marie Salas, and Avelino Dayang Jr.
Edward Divinagracia has held various leadership posts in different campus theater organizations and has as well graced the stage as consummate actor appearing in plays since 1987. Eric Divinagracia on the other hand, is a director of performances, exhibits, cultural festivals and other events for the University community and has co-directed most of his older brother's plays. He is currently the coordinator of the office of Co-curricular Activities and the USA Center for Culture and the Arts.
As the actors of our stages get off their masks and costumes, it is understood that their soul is alloted to the sublime and beautiful art of theater -- the temple with which they are constantly revered for revealing to people the happiness of living in a widened consciousness and the joy of creative work for the whole world.