Mga Multo is being mounted this June and July 2024 by Tanghalang Ateneo, the longest running theater at the Ateneo de Manila.
The straight play is based on Henrik Ibsen’s Ghosts, with an inspired translation in Filipino by Ron Capinding, director of the play and leader of the team, with assistance in translation by Guelan Varela-Luarca.
The old Tagalog heard here is a balm to the spirt after prolonged encounters with quick, easy, and sometimes thoughtless, Tagalog.
Set within the confines of a seemingly idyllic home, Mga Multo explores the intricate and painful dynamics of a family bound by duty, love, and the destructive power of lies.
The story opens with Señora Alvino putting up an orphanage to honor her late husband's memory.
However, the return of her son Oswaldo from abroad sets off a chain of revelations, exposing the haunting legacies of a past with long-buried secrets, pushing suppressed truths forward.
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As the various characters grapple with their individual ghosts, they are forced to confront the unsettling question: can the truth truly set them free or will it entrap them even further in a web of despair?
Mga Multo depicts what look like commonplace rebellions and personal struggles in a home. Yet, in the end, what these illuminate are parallel upheavals in society.
The play, it must be said, reflects the exploration of love as an astounding power, and the necessity of change and even uprising, both in outside spaces and within private confines, before the public and among family.
Through characters revealing their thoughts and beliefs—about religion, duty, maternal love, legacy, morality, and mores—the material resonates with an audience that may have, at one time or other, grappled with change, truth, and liberation.
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MGA MULTO: CAST AND CREW
Coming up as the newest production of Tanghalang Ateneo, of the Higher Education Cluster of Ateneo de Manila, Mga Multo is presented by its alumni, a cast of seasoned, veteran actors making their return to the stage:
- Miren Alvarez-Fabregas as Senyora Elena Alvino
- Yan Yuzon as Oswaldo Alvino
- Joseph Dela Cruz as Pastor Mande
- Mark Aranal as Jacobo Estraño
- Sabrina Basilio as Regina Estraño
The esteemed artistic team, led by Capinding, for this production:
- Guelan Varela-Luarca for Translation
- Gino Gonzales for Production Design
- Monino Duque for Lighting Design
- Andrei Fabricante for Assistant Lighting Design
- Ara Fernando for Make-up Design
- Jean Pierre Reniva for Costume Design
- Andy Reysio-Cruz for Sound Design
- Danilo Vaquilar Jr. for Photography
- Beatrice José for Graphic Design
Completing the crew for this production are a mix of Tanghalang Ateneo’s current members and alumni serving as production heads: Beatrice José (Production Management), Rommielle Morada (Assistant Production Management), Raliza Guanlao (Stage Management), Yabs (Technical Direction)...
Ria Querido and EJ Ramos (Assistant Technical Direction), John Bermio (Set), Kat Batara (Props), Zak Capinding (Sounds), Paul Adrian Martinez (Costumes)...
Reamur David (Documentation and Publications), Jazzel Ortiz and Elio Severa (Promotions and Publicity), Denise Dabon (Sponsorships); Eric Tan and Nicole S. Chua (Marketing), Maia Punzalan (House Management), and Andrea Sudario (Sales Management).
The inspired team work, however, is what is not seen: All the alumni are doing Mga Multo for free. Half of their total rehearsals, they did in a makeshift space—the office of Ron, the director, who also took on the herculean task of raising the money needed. Thankfully, Tanghalang Ateneo eventually came to provide venue rehearsal and the actual space for performances.
The lead star, Miren Fabregas, says, "We all did it for the love of Ricky, Ron, and Theatre."
Ricky is Ricky Abad—an artist of the theater who passed away December 26, 2023— was the lifeblood of Tanghalang Ateneo.
Matinee shows are at 3:00 PM on June 29 - 30, and July 6 - 7; evening shows are at 7:00 PM on all show dates.
Tickets are priced at PhP 850 for the general public (exclusive of service fee); Php 680 for Senior Citizens, PWDs, and Tanghalang Ateneo Alumni; while Ateneo students (LS, SHS, JHS) may avail for their tickets at Php 600.
Tickets are available for purchase online via https://bit.ly/MgaMultoTickets.
For bulk-buying ticket inquiries, contact Nicole Chua at 0906 266 2563.
For sponsorship opportunities, email the production team at tanghalangateneo.externals@gmail.com.
For more information about the show, follow Tanghalang Ateneo through the following platforms:
Facebook: fb.com/TanghalangAteneo
Twitter: twitter.com/TAOfficial_
Instagram: instagram.com/tanghalangateneo
TikTok: tiktok.com/@tanghalangateneo