Ang Pagsilang kay Gabriela: The Birth of an Original Filipino Musical
A new, original Filipino musical is about to be born.
Rehearsals for Barefoot Theatre Collaborative’s newest production, Gabriela: The Musical, are underway. As previously announced, the show reimagines the story of Gabriela Silang through myth, magic, and mystery. Set in 18th century Ilocos, it does not begin after her husband’s death but rather, presents Gabriela as the co-author of the revolution from the very beginning, and then depicts her role in holding it together as it begins to fracture.
Before Gabriela: The Musical makes its stage debut in November, TheaterFansManila.com was fortunate to attend a listening party of five songs from the show as well as speak with some of the creatives about the rewarding but challenging process of creating an original musical.
Re-telling a story not fully written
The musical will notably tackle Gabriela Silang’s life prior to and after her husband’s death, periods largely shrouded in mystery. According to the show’s dramaturg, Katte Sabate, there are no existing photos, sketches or paintings of Gabriela Silang. The closest existing primary source is written by a Spanish friar. And the second written source is by another foreigner, David Routledge.
With the dearth of available historical sources, the team asked themselves why the story needs to be told now? Why does it need to be heard?
Ultimately, Sabate asserted that this has to be a narrative with meaning, “salaysay na may saysay.” The team worked hard to fill in the gaps left by historical record and to give a voice to a woman who played an undeniably pivotal role in the building of our nation.
“We would want to listen to those gaps and the silences and the pages that were not written deliberately for a woman na nagsimula at naging bahagi ng pag-aaklas. Even before the term ‘nation’ existed. I think iyun iyung mga pinakamahalaga,” Sabate explained.
The team visited Santa (Gabriela’s birthplace), Candon, Vigan, Abra, and other places that played important roles in the heroine’s life. They spoke to members of the community and listened to their stories, drawing from the rich heritage of musical traditions they discovered in different localities, to shape the sound and look of the musical.
Pat Valera, who wrote the show’s book and lyrics, talked about how it took their team more than five years of research to put this story together. “It took that long so that it could give us the confidence but also the respect to tackle history. So, in our historical reimagining, it’s not just through whim or imagination, but it’s really founded on research,” Valera said.
Exploring Gabriela’s complex identity
The musical will notably show Gabriela reconnecting with her Itneg roots as she moves between worlds, becoming both battleground and bridge. Sabate mentioned that Gabriela’s being Itneg is not something very well-known so it’s an aspect of her identity that the musical highlights very intentionally.
“Gabriela embodies both: she’s Ilocano, but she’s also Itneg,” Valera explained, “And that’s something that she navigates throughout this play. But it’s important, too, because the resistance, the contribution of the Itneg towards the resistance is not something that we are aware of.”
Weaving in diverse influences
Gabriela: The Musical will incorporate various elements of the character’s ethnic background as well as the historical period in which the show is set. In creating the distinct sound of this musical, Valera and show composer Myke Salomon, did extensive research and took inspiration from various sources.
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Valera elaborated: “So, a lot of the Ilocano sounds would be almost close to colonial sounds that we have in the guitars. When Myke and I were envisioning this, we were thinking, okay, brass band, harana, gitara, and all of those. But the beat coming from, not just Itneg really, but also the Iloco Kailian, of the ones subjugated during that time. It’s all the sound of the land. Mula sa lupa namumutawi, mula sa lupa.
And from there, I think, it’s not just the local sounds or from the area, but Myke also had liberty to look at sounds from other countries as well. And look at not just the oppression that happened in the Philippines, but also in other places as well.”
Finding musical moments
The show covers a great deal of significant events, from the personal love story to the grand social changes of the revolution. All potential opportunities for musical numbers.
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When Valera was asked about choosing which moments will move from dialogue to music, he said these should be those that are larger than life, such as war, heartbreak, or grief.
“But there is also a thing that, even in its quietness, it’s so large that it explodes inside and it’s almost a war inside,” he added, “So, that’s where you base it. And that’s where you know that it sings, it grieves, it shrieks, it trembles. But if it’s not, if it does not, then it doesn’t afford itself that moment or song.”
New and unique experiences
Gab Pangilinan (who will be playing the titular role), Salomon, and CJ Navato (who will be playing Miguel Vicos) shared how they felt about originating their roles in this show. Having had their fair share of working on original Filipino musicals, they reflected on what feels different about working on this one.
“Kinikilig ako,” said Navato, “Una sa lahat, katabi ko na sa Kuya Myke at si Ate Gab. This is like a dream. It doesn’t feel real to this day. But I just feel so honored to be part of it… I feel so humbled to be trusted para gawin ‘to alongside everyone. I’m so grateful.”
Salomon mused on the unique experience of starring in a show whose music he had also composed.
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“It feels weird and challenging at the same time. Because a few weeks ago, na-realize ko na, it’s my second musical, original musical. And I haven’t really sung my songs. Like in Bar Boys, I wasn’t part of it. So it feels weird, now that I’m trying to create and then sing it at the same time.”
“Weird siya. I need to suck it up. Stop being an MD [musical director]. Sing it as a hired actor, as a paid actor. So ayun, iyun iyung natatakot ako. Iyun iyung thrilling part.”
“And at the same time, it’s my first time to compose for my wife. Iyun iyung mga pressure na hina-handle ko everyday. But at the same time, we will all just spend time inside the theater, listening to the story.”
Gabriela on Gabriela
It will be the first time that Pangilinan has originated a titular role, and that of her namesake to boot. She admitted to feeling daunted by the experience while also recognizing that it is not likely one to be repeated.
“I’ve been called Gabriela Silang all my life. Honestly, only because she’s the most famous Gabriela that Filipinos know. So, every time, kunwari, I’m about to enter a Grab or my order or whatever. And they’ll read it, right? And iyung spelling ng name ko is really a single ‘L’, Gabriela. So, they’ll see my name and they’ll be like, Gabriela. And then they won’t read Pangilinan. They’ll be like, Silang.”
While people may say that she manifested this role, Pangilinan insisted it was never really on her radar.
“I was honestly scared. When I had already known that I was going to do it, leading up to rehearsals, there was just fear. And it was like, meron akong takot dahil alam ko, though I knew so little about Gabriela, I knew what it entailed to embody, to become her, or to portray her. I knew how strong she was. I knew what she fought for. I knew that I would be performing alongside my husband, my actual husband. So, I knew just how difficult it would be. It could be the most difficult role that I’d ever have to portray…”
“But at one point I even said, if I’m not healthy enough for it, it could actually break me. You know what I mean? If I’m not mentally, physically, emotionally, spiritually stable and healthy, it’s going to be so scary for me. So that’s why there was fear, but it was also like, you’re just going to have to get stronger. And diving into rehearsals and everything, and seeing everyone, for a moment I forgot that, again, it’s not about me. It’s not at all, I should get out of my brain.”
Pangilinan also talked about drawing strength from the other members of the cast, particularly the women.
“But with Gabriela, with everything she stood for, with her as a source of inspiration for women, and just what she started for women, that’s something I’m continuing to discover everyday, through the people I’m with. If you look at our cast also, the women in the cast are powerful. So, if the real Gab, Gab Pangilinan, gets scared, the women in the cast, you have Delphine Buencamino, you have Mika Regis, you have Lance Reblando, Teetin Villanueva, all these powerful women, who are just so game and so ready to do this, to tell this story, head on. And I’m honestly just so privileged to be able to do this with them. And together, kung anumang ma-discover, mahanap at makwento namin, sabay-sabay naming gagawin.”
Gabriela: The Musical will run from November 13 to December 6, 2026 at Hyundai Hall, Areté in Quezon City.
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