Slight changes in ‘Kalbaryo’ play

Judas Iscariot as victim?

This is  one of the innovations in  this year’s edition of  Buhing Kalbaryo (Life in Calvary),  the street passion play on the suffering and death of Jesus Christ   which  unfolds on V. Rama Avenue on Good Friday.

Director Archie Modequillo said he was challenged  to give a different flavor for the annual Holy Week street drama.

He said he  “toned down” the character of Judas, the disciple  who sold Jesus Christ  for 30 pieces of silver.

The director said he wanted to erase the impression that Judas was a bad person.

“We wanted the character to look like he is a victim but there can’t be any change in the content because you cannot change the crucifixion story,” Modequillo said.

For this year’s play, Modequillo said he worked to soften Judas’ appearance and his delivery of lines.

With a cast of 100 actors dressed as  Roman soldiers and Jews, organizers of  Buhing Kalbaryo expect a larger audience this year.

Gloria Villarojo, the play’s executive director, said the Holy Week tradition, which reenacts Jesus final hours  continues to draw people out of their homes to watch the living drama  pass their streets.

Modequillo, who is directing the play for the second year, said he was challenged to innovate the presentation.

He said they also refurbished costumes and props used last year.

Buhing Kalbaryo started in 1998 and is now on its 15th year.

Staged every Good Friday, the play starts at 10:30 a.m. with the entry of Jesus Christ in  Jerusalem to be staged at the San Nicolas parish grounds.

The actors proceed to different  stations of the cross set up along V. Rama Avenue and end up at the Guadalupe church grounds,  where the actor playing Jesus is given a mock crucificion.

Modequillo said he would have wanted to make this year’s play grander with more colorful costumes, a revolving stage and flashy props but  time constraints prevented the production staff from working on this.

The cast started rehearsing in March, instead of months earlier, because of their other commitments.  He said ideally, practices should start in September.

Villarojo said this year’s play will have over  100 volunteer participants from barangays Calamba, San Nicolas, Guadalupe, Kalunasan, Buhisan.

Some of them started joining the play when they were just eight years old and they kept coming back since, she said.

“We are all doing this for the love of the Lord and for the love of the city,” she said.

Villarojo said she and her husband, Gani, have been helping stage the annual Buhing Kalbaryo as a way of thanksgiving for blessings they have received.